Best Friend's Brother // Klaroline High School AU

Fourteen

Caroline decides to talk to Tyler first, knowing Klaus needs some time to cool down from everything that happened.

"Hi," Caroline gently knocks on the bathroom door even though it's open, her eyes meeting Tyler's.

He takes a deep sigh, "hey," and cleans off his face with a wash cloth nearby.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry about Klaus. I didn't know he would take it that far," she frowns, thinking back on the way he got so angered so easily.

"It's not your fault Klaus is a complete prick."

Caroline winces, wanting to defend Klaus, but knowing it's not the right situation to do so.

"So is he your boyfriend or something?" Tyler asks.

Caroline can't help but to giggle, "no, no. We're just... we just know each other. I'm friends with his brother so I see him a lot."

"Yeah, Kol's a cool guy," Tyler states as he finishes washing away the blood on his face. His lip is bruised and swollen, and his entire cheek and jaw are colored a dark shade of purple.

"Here, let me help you with that," Caroline butts in, taking the wash cloth and gently running it along his temples and nose, wiping away the blood.

She can't help but to feel nervous around him, his intense and flirty gaze directly on her as she stands nearly inches apart from him.

"There you go," she lowers the wash cloth from his face, her eyes locking onto his.

"Thank you, Caroline. Not many girls would do this, you know."

"Well it's the least I can do. I feel terrible," she frowns, and he takes her hands in his, smiling slightly.

"It's okay."

Caroline's heart races, and for some odd instinct, she leans in and kisses him. His tongue fights hers, eventually winning, his hands moving further down her waist.

She pulls away, breathless.

"Woah," Tyler smirks.

"Good woah or bad woah?"

"Great woah."

Caroline smiles and pulls him back in for another kiss, this time running her hands through his hair. Drunk Caroline refuses to think about how sober Caroline will feel about making out with someone she barely knows, instead pushing the thought into the back of her mind. She's into him, so why not?

"Tell me again why we haven't done this before?" Tyler asks, his breath heavy as they pull apart.

"No clue," she says, running a hand through her hair.

Before either can respond, a knock on the door interrupts them both.

"Can you hurry up in there? Some people actually have to use the bathroom!"

Caroline rolls her eyes, grinning, "I guess that's the end of our fun then."

"Can I have your number? As much as I love making out with you, I was hoping I could take you on a real date," Tyler asks with a grin.

Caroline blushes, "of course," and punches in her digits into his phone.

"Cool, see you around," he smiles and kisses her one last time before exiting the bathroom.

She stands outside the bathroom, a grin unable to disappear from her face, looking at the ground. She pulls herself back into reality, now thinking of Klaus probably now upstairs in his room, and makes her way towards him.

She knocks softly before opening the door, eyeing Klaus who is sat on his bed, reading a book. His face is bloody and bruised, but still not as bad as Tyler's seeing as he had the upper hand for most of the fight.

"Hey," she says, almost in a whisper, afraid of his response.

He doesn't say anything as she sits down on the bed after closing the door behind her.

"Are you mad at me for seriously talking with him?" she asks, annoyed now.

He looks up, then back at his book, "he's not a good person."

"Will you put that down?" she groans, taking the book from his hands.

He rolls his eyes, "in case you didn't notice, I don't really want to talk right now. Besides, don't you and your little boyfriend want to talk some more?"

Caroline rolls her eyes at his childish behavior. Why can't Klaus just let this whole thing go?

"One, he's not my boyfriend. Two, you have no right to be annoyed at me for talking to him! Just because you two don't get along doesn't mean we won't. He's a nice guy, Klaus."

Klaus looks up at her, then down at the floor, then back up at her, as if trying to figure something out.

"You should go," he says quietly to the point where Caroline barely even recognizes his voice.

"Are you seriously mad at me?" she scoffs, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't feel like talking about this right now, Forbes. Just leave, go find Tyler for all I care," Klaus takes the book back from her, his eyes once again glued to the pages.

She stands, rolling her eyes and heading out the door, stopping before she leaves.

"If me talking with certain people makes you this mad, then maybe we just shouldn't be friends after all."

When Klaus doesn't respond, she scoffs, closing the door rather loudly, leaving Klaus to his own thoughts.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," he whispers to himself before turning off his light and going to sleep.

• • •

Early update because so many people asked for one. :)

Hope you enjoyed. If you did, remember to vote and leave a comment on your thoughts on the book!

XoXo