I wanna hide the truth

I wanna shelter you

But with the beast inside

There's nowhere we can hide

Caroline knew what she had to do, for she had programmed it into her brain. Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

And so she awoke from a restless sleep to a house with a familiar empty, eeriness. She should have probably gotten used to the feeling by now, after all, the last time she woke up to a full house, she was five. But you never really get used to the gloominess that accompanies being alone.

Although, at least her new home was filled with unorganized boxes. The small cardboard towers around the building gave it the illusion of being fuller than it really was. But maybe that was just Caroline's self pity.

Instead of dwelling on that, she pulled herself out of bed and began getting ready. The shower was hot, but not scolding, although that didn't stop her from showering quickly. She always did her best thinking in the shower and lately she didn't want to think, not when her thoughts were plagued with foul things. Following her shower she began to dry her hair and pull clothes over her sickly, thin body.

The sunrise was peeking through the crack in her curtains, she could see the glare of it

on her mirror out of the corner of her eye. Caroline could vaguely remember a time when she would grin at the sight of the rising sun. For a sun rise meant new opportunities for the day ahead and a new adventure.

Or at least it did back then. But now? Well now sunrise just meant the dawn of another day with one main goal, surviving. Another day of going through the motions and being alive without really living. They didn't make her excited anymore, although few things did.

However, the sun did tell her one thing, and it was that she was running late, so quickly she grabbed her bag and left the house, completely skipping breakfast. On her walk to school she gazed down at her outfit. Jeans, boots, a maroon blouse and a jacket on top. It was a good outfit, one of her best. The cloth covered all the areas that it needed to, hid the rubber band on her wrist and even made her look slightly pretty. After all, she was starting a new school a month after the start of the year, so she should look at least slightly better than complete trash.

Approaching the school she had to force her feet to keep moving. The eyes of students seemed to follow her trip towards the front door, making her want to reach for the rubber band on her wrist. However, she managed to resist the temptation, but just barely.

Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

"Ugh gross, look at the new girl," seemed to echo in her head. Caroline didn't even look at the voice, but she could picture the kind of girl who would say that. It was probably a blonde girl, with a boyfriend, loads of friends and she was probably even a cheerleader. Most likely it was a girl, who looked a lot like Caroline used to, before everything happened.

Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

"Look guys, we have another school slut," a guy exclaimed from a few feet away.

Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

"She looks like a freak."

Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

Laughing seemed to echo around Caroline, as she almost ran to the office. She felt as if she was an animal in the zoo, with hundreds of eyes watching her every move, constantly judging. The books that she clung to her chest were gripped with white knuckles, while tears started to blur her vision.

Everyone already hated her and she'd only been at the school for five minutes. She was stupid to think that this place could be any different, but that was her. Stupid, little, girly, Caroline.

"Yes dear?" asked a friendly voice in front of her.

Caroline shook herself out of her trance, only to realize that she was already in the office. In front of her sat an old looking secretary, who was gazing at her with kind brown eyes.

"Um I'm new, my name is Caroline Forbes," Caroline admitted in a small voice, shuffling her feet nervously.

"Oh well hello there, and welcome to Mystic High. Let me just grab your information," the woman said before turning back to the computer.

Caroline gave her a tiny smile, trying to ignore the stares that she could feel on her back. It would be better once she put everything into her locker and went to her first class. Although, that wouldn't stop the stares, nothing would ever stop them.

"Okay so I see that you did choir at your old school, there are auditions tonight if you're interested."

Caroline opened her mouth to answer, before memories started to play in her head. "You can't sing," "do you actually think you're good?" "you'll never make it."

"No," Caroline spat, it was one of the loudest things she's said for days. "I mean, no thank you, it's just really not my thing anymore," she finished, her voice now barely above a whisper.

Mostly because she wasn't good enough.

"Oh alright then." the woman asked, her eyebrows furrowed after Caroline's outburst. "Anyway, here is your schedule, locker number and combination," the woman told her, passing over some papers.

"Thank you," Caroline replied, turning to leave.

"Oh and dear," the woman started, causing Caroline to turn around. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."

The woman received another small smile before the blonde girl left. She had heard that before, more than once in fact, and every time it was a lie. You never ask for help, Caroline learned that the hard way. She had given trust too easily, in the past, and she wouldn't make that mistake again.

Regardless, she began striding down the hallway in search of her locker. Sets of eyes followed her down the hallway and it was as if their weight was crippling her. Fortunately, she found her locker very soon and after two attempts, she was able to pry the lock open.

Quickly, she shoved her bag into her locker and checked her schedule.

'History - Mr. Saltzman - Room 110'

'Chemistry - Mr. Smith - Room 117'

'English - Mrs. Lawner - Room 63'

'Lunch'

'Math - Mrs. Shawl - Room 89'

'Biology - Mr. Michaels - Room 133'

Right when she finished reading her schedule a bell rang around the school, causing everyone to start walking through the halls in a giant mass. Bodies kept bumping into her, as she closed her eyes and quickly started smacking the rubber band against her wrist.

She practically shoved her face into her locker, as she forced herself to control her breathing. Her eyes were screwed shut, her chest rising and falling at a rapid pace.

The bodies seemed to be getting closer and closer to her and she was trapped. The rubber band stung her now red wrist, but she still continued to snap it, trying to release the tension in her body. She was jammed into the wall, as people scurried around her like a never ending sea.

She was drowning.

"Hey are you okay?" someone asked behind her and before she could react, her shoulders were grasped and she was turned around.

The tears that she was holding in were finally released, as she tried to back away from the threat. Her arms started flailing, when her knees gave out and she landed on the floor. She was flat against the lockers, her back aching already at the pressure that she was putting on it, in order, to back away even further.

"Stay away, stay away," she begged.

"Okay, alright, I won't hurt you, don't worry."

Caroline slowly opened her eyes, the quiet voice soothing her. She found the hallway empty, except for her and a boy with forest green eyes, who was kneeling in front of her.

"Take my hand," he held out his palm and for some reason she did just that. Slowly, he pulled on her hand, until her palm was flat against the middle of his chest. "Like me, in and out. In and out."

Focusing only on the boy's chest, Caroline once again closed her eyes, and fought to match their breathing. Gradually her tears began to slow, as her breathing began to steady. Finally, after a few minutes, her eyes fluttered open and she took back her hand.

"Thank you," she whispered, wiping her tears.

"You're very welcome," the boy smiled at her, for some reason making her return a small one of her own. "Do you think you can go to class?"

Caroline could see the concern in the boy's eyes and she couldn't blame him. He had probably never seen someone having a panic attack before and the exhaustion that comes after one, is often more terrifying.

Stupid her, she had already embarrassed herself. Now he would tell everyone and she would be a laughing stock.

At the thought, Caroline nodded vigorously, before forcing herself to her feet. Except her legs almost gave out again and she had to use her locker to steady herself. Before she fell back down, a loose hand was steadying her shoulders, making her body tense.

"Whoa, are you sure you're okay?" the boy asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Yes, I just need to get to class, which I made myself late to, like an idiot," Caroline rambled to herself.

"Well what class do you have?" the boy questioned, still not leaving.

"History with Saltzman."

"Me too and he loves me, so we will be good. Come on," the boy confessed, grabbing Caroline's history text book out of her locker, as she grabbed her notebook.

She quickly grabbed it from him, before locking her locker and following him. Her eye lids were heavy and her steps were slightly unsteady, but she could deal with it. She had to deal with it.

Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

The pair entered the classroom and silence immediately spread over the room. It was as if every person was glaring at her, and Caroline wondered how bad it would look if she ran. But she knew that wasn't an option, so instead she just gazed at the ground.

"Mr. Salvatore, thank you for joining us," Mr. Saltzman barked.

"Sorry sir, it won't happen again," the boy beside Caroline answered.

"I should think not, where were you?"

Caroline's eyes went wide, in panic. This was it, her normal high school image was dissolving around her. She hadn't even lasted an hour because she had a stupid panic attack.

Stupid. Useless. Unwanted. Screw up.

"Over slept and then I found her looking for your class," the boy said.

He didn't give her up. Was he trying to trick her?

"Of course, Miss…?" Mr. Saltzman trailed off.

"Forbes, Sir. Caroline Forbes," Caroline finished for him in a small voice.

"Right, the new girl. Well you may take a seat at the back by Stefan. We are just starting to take notes on the civil war."

Caroline nodded obediently before heading towards the back of the room. Every pair of eyes followed her track and remained fixed on her, when she looked around in confusion.

The only people in the back were two girls. Was one of them called Stefan?

"Looks like we will be neighbours," commented the boy from the hallway, as he walked past Caroline to sit in a desk.

The blonde, just averted her eyes and collapsed into the desk next to his. This was the only time in her life that she had been thankful that the desks were in individual rows. She didn't know why she had trusted Stefan or why he hadn't told everyone what happened. Surely, it was out of some sort of pity.

Keep your head down, don't talk and appear normal.

Regardless, Caroline had to put it out of her mind. For the rest of the day she would stick with her plan and not talk to anyone. After all, she didn't think she could deal with another student staring at her for the duration of the lesson. Stefan's dark green eyes hardly strayed from her body, except for when he occasionally looked at the board, and Caroline couldn't help but wonder if he was studying her.

Despite the weight of his gaze, she was quite focused on the lesson, except for when her phone vibrated. She could feel her whole body tense up, as she felt it against her thigh.

It couldn't be who she thought it was, there was no way that he knew her new number. He couldn't have found her. She reassured herself repeatedly before finally taking out her iPhone and looking at it.

Mom: Sorry Care, but I won't be home for dinner tonight. Let me know if you go out!

Caroline could feel her body relax slightly at the sight of the text. It was just her mom, she was fine. She was safe and he hadn't found her.

At least not yet.

Don't get too close

It's dark inside

It's where my demons hide

It's where my demons hide

Hey guys and welcome to my new multi-chapter fic. The whole fic is titled after a song called Lost Boy by Ruth B. Give it a listen because the song is amazing and it's a metaphor used throughout the fic itself.

However, this chapter was named after Demons by Imagine Dragons, and each chapter following this will be a different song.

I hope that you enjoyed this story and if you have any questions, feel free to go on tumblr and ask me!