Everybody Talks: A Klaroline Fanfiction

Chapter 17

Klaus was wrong. Things didn't get better. In fact, they got worse.

It seemed the world was rather taken in by the endless amount of rumors surrounding Klaus and Caroline's relationship. Everyday for two weeks it was a constant back and forth between things going well and things going wrong. Every entertainment gossip website, blogger, and news show were all trying to out do one another with rumors and stories from love triangles between him, Caroline, and Elena to a few stories with Tyler thrown into the mix. Of course having a town full of gossiping southern ladies and people like Vickie Donovan willing to say a few bad things in exchange for some cash, it wasn't hard for them to dig up dirt.

Klaus could ignore it, like he had told Caroline. He was no stranger to having a poor reputation in the media, but it was taking a toll on Caroline. He could see it. For the first time, he felt powerless to change. No matter what he said or did, it didn't change the fact that Caroline was suffering the brunt of the media craze. He'd catch her glancing over web blogs when she thought he wasn't looking, the hurt of the internet's words reflected in her usually bright blue eyes. He saw the way the people around town treated her, with their judgmental looks, and how she made a pointed effort to keep her chin up. Things weren't turning out how either of them planned.

To make matters even worse, Elijah had just received a call from the films producers. As it turned out, they had changed their minds once again and decided not to use Mystic Falls for their filming location. It seemed they were put off by the fact that so many paparazzi had begun to swarm the quiet town. The constant media attention wouldn't be great for filming.

It wasn't just the studios that was bulking over the attention, the entire town was also angry at having their peace disrupted. Rabid reporters were hounding citizens for details about Caroline. Paparazzi lurked in public places waiting to catch a glimpse of a celebrity. Both Klaus and Elena's press teams had been suffering pressure from Mystic Falls to get their town back to normal. They wanted the celebrities and their hangers-on out and their quaint, peaceful lifestyle returned to them.

Klaus, Elena, and Elijah sat around Elena's dining table, having just ended the conference call in which they received the official news about the location move from the studio executives. The disappointment from Elena was palpable. She had been looking forward to being close to home while filming. But now, they were due in Portland in just a few days for filming. The studio had made the change a while ago, but had waited until the last minute to inform the film's stars.

"It's a manipulative move," Elijah said, frustrated at the mistreatment.

Klaus, who seemed the least annoyed, waved it off. "What's done is done Elijah. Here, Portland it makes no difference to me."

He could see the silver lining the location change. It was clear Mystic Falls wasn't working. He was rather relieved to now have an excuse to leave the pathetic town behind. Not to mention, it would no doubt cheer Caroline up to know that she would no longer have to be subjected to the Mystic Falls small minded denizens.

Elena's eyebrows shot up. "It makes no difference to you?"

"No love," Klaus replied with a sour smirk, "it doesn't."

"So you don't care that you and Caroline will be separated again?"

Klaus scoffed. "She'll be coming with us."

"Are you serious?" Elena retorted. "Caroline has a life you know, she doesn't just exist to be your girlfriend and follow you around. You can't treat her like that."

"Well last I checked love, she has no job, no home of her own here, most of her friends are living in separate cities. What exactly does she have tying her to Mystic Falls?"