Unstoppable | The Vampire Diaries

21. Part Of Your World

"Riley? Riley, wake up. Please wake up! Please Riley, wake up!"

Riley's head was pounding and someone was shaking her frantically. She groaned and gingerly opened one eye, to see Caroline standing over her with tears in her eyes.

"Thank God!" Caroline said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought... I thought you might be..."

Riley groaned quietly, sitting up and clutching her head. The last time she'd seen Caroline, she was sure that there was no pulse. She was dead, she had to be. So how was she alive? "Are you OK?"

"Me?" Caroline asked incredulously. "I woke up and you were lying on the floor unconscious. What happened?"

Immediately a name came to her head. Katherine Pierce.

"I... it was... nothing. I must have... fell."

Caroline didn't look convinced, but she had bigger worries on her mind. She backed away from her friend, pushing herself against the wall.

"You should leave," she warned.

"Why? What's wrong?" Riley asked, standing up. When she walked forward, she seemed to slip in something. Blood. A scream escaped her lips.

"Please stop!" Caroline urged. "Please!"

"What the hell? Did someone get hurt? Is that your blood?" Riley felt her head again. "Is it mine?"

Caroline shook her head. "It's from a blood bag." Her voice was shaking, and she made no effort to keep it steady.

"Why is it on the floor?" Riley asked suspiciously, looking Caroline up and down. She seemed exactly the same as she was yesterday. Except, something was off.

"I drank from it," Caroline whispered.

Riley's eyes widened, and she involuntarily gagged.

"Why would you do that?" she asked, even though there was a small part of her that was sure of the answer.

Caroline sank to the ground, wrapping her arms around her bent knees. "I don't know."

Riley sat on the bed, her head in her hands. Katherine Pierce had been in this room; she'd killed Caroline, Riley was almost certain of it. But now her best friend was alive, and drinking blood. Was it possible?

It was early morning, the sun was coming up.

Quickly, Riley stood up and opened the curtains, allowing the sunlight to flood the space.

There was a sizzling sound as the light hit Caroline's skin. She screamed and ran to the other side of the room, hiding in the darkness.

"Oh my God," Riley said under her breath, quickly shutting the curtains again. "Oh my God!"

"What's wrong with me?!" Caroline whimpered.

She wanted to comfort her friend, but instead, Riley forced herself to stay on the other side of the room where it was safe.

"Care, you're in transition."

Caroline face contorted into a confused expression. "What does that even mean?"

"You're-" as Riley began to speak, her phone rang, and she noticed the 15 missed calls from her dad. "I'm sorry."

"Where are you? We've been worried sick!"

"I know." She grimaced, trying to think of an excuse. "I was visiting Caroline, and it got late, so I stayed at Bonnie's. I have the car, I'll drive us to school. I'm sorry."

Her father sighed. "It's OK, I'm not mad. Just make sure you let me know next time."

Riley glanced at Caroline who was watching her intently with wide eyes and a freaked out expression.