Through the Darkness

Chapter 1: the Human & the Hybrid

A long two weeks had passed since she last saw him. He had not called or visited. "I would have found you." His words ran over and over again in her mind. She was so sure that he was thinking about kissing her that day, as the unknown source of electricity between the two became so strong that she felt her breathing increase. She was so disappointed when he left so abruptly. Cami did her best to go about her daily routines and not think of Klaus, but he crossed her mind anyway and she would find herself missing his dominating presence, hearing his sultry accented voice and, most importantly, feeling the tension between them, which was so palpable that she felt as if she would faint from the intensity of it. She knew that he was probably busy spending time with his daughter, but she still felt hurt that he hadn't contacted her at all. So much for the promise to make it up to me, she thought to herself. Cami had found herself confiding in Vincent more and more. He was a good listener and she began to consider him a friend, which she needed more than anything. "Shift your focus, Cami. Think about yourself for once. Make a fresh start and try to forget about all that Mikaelson drama," he told her one day. So, she decided to make a few changes in her life. She went shopping, which she didn't really enjoy doing, and bought some new clothes. A more mature wardrobe was something she had been needing for quite some time. Then, she decided to get a new haircut, opting for a sleek bob that fell just below her chin, which made her feel much more sophisticated and less like a young college student. Although she knew that being ignored by Klaus was probably not a rejection of her, it felt like it nonetheless. The more she thought about Klaus, the more it angered her that he often made her feel that she was at his beck-and-call. She realized that his promise to make it up to her may have been just one of his manipulations, which was even more reason for her to try and forget about him. Cami had decided to splurge on a bottle of expensive Chardonnay that she enjoyed with her homemade dinner as she sat at the dining table, going through her mail. To her surprise, a wedding invitation from her childhood friend was amongst the student loan and utility bills. She eagerly opened it and saw that Amanda was getting married to a man named Brad, who she had never met. The wedding was the following month, but would require her traveling to Lake Monticello, Virginia to attend. She wasn't sure if she would be able to afford it, based on the measly tips she had been getting lately. Suddenly, Cami's phone rang. She didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" she said.

"Hello, Cami. It's been a long time," a friendly male voice said.

Cami took a deep breath as the realization of who was on the other end hit her like a ton of bricks. "Richard? Oh my God, how are you?" She responded excitedly.

"Very well! Did you get the invitation in the mail from Amanda?"

"Yeah, I just opened it. Are you going?"

"I hope so. I travel a lot for work and I found out that you were in New Orleans. I'm coming through there tomorrow and staying for a few days. I would love to see you again. Are you free?"

"Yes – very free! I have the night off tomorrow!"

"I was thinking about purchasing tickets to the opera. Would you like to go with me?"

"I would love to! Can you pick me up at Rousseau's? That's where I work and I need to drop off the keys to the person filling in for me."

"Sure. I'll pick you up about six?"

"Yeah! Thank you, Richard. I can't wait to see you."

"I can't wait to see you. Bye." Memories of Richard flooded her mind as she thought of the many adventures they had as kids. They went to school together for most of their elementary years, but stayed in touch every so often. It had been at least four years since she had last heard from him. Feeling ecstatic about having a date after so long without one, Cami watched TV for a while before deciding to go to bed. As she looked into the mirror before conducting her nightly bedtime routine, Cami marveled at how confident she looked and felt, for the first time in a long time. She ran her brush through her hair, smiling at how quickly she was done since it was significantly shorter. Simplifying her life was now Cami's new goal as she once again thought of Klaus, who was nothing but complicated. "Who needs Klaus? I'm better off without him."She thought to herself until she walked into her bedroom and saw the window he had entered that night he compelled her. He had changed somewhat since then, and she wanted to believe that she was part of the reason. Or, perhaps it was Hope. Either way, she was not going to be able to forget about him quite so easily. "Who am I kidding?" She muttered to herself, then laid down to go to sleep, with a clear picture of the handsome hybrid in her mind.