Hey there!

First of all, thanks for checking out my story :)
This is an AU - Klaroline fan fiction which may or may not be a bit influenced by Pride & Prejudice...
What you basically need to know before reading is that

a) Caroline is NOT a vampire (...yet?)

and

b) some of the characters are slightly OOC - Caroline for example will be more dreamy than on the TV show, Elena more girlish and so on. But all of their most important features will be retained, no worries ;)

Oh and before I forget: I'm not a native speaker so please excuse my grammar! I bet you will find tons of mistakes in here, feel free to mention them to me.

So that's about it then. Hope you're enjoying this!

"Welcome to the new age."

~ 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons ~

„Miss Forbes?"

An angry voice cut off my day dreaming. Startled, I flinched and looked up.
Every single one of the other girls in the room, who were practising for their coming-out party alongside of me, stopped what they had been doing before and turned around to stare at me in astonishment.

I shrinked, blushing.

Ms Alcott, my dancing instructor, put her hands on her hips and gave me her best Your-behaviour-is-so-not-lady-like-face.

„Are we disturbing your thoughts in any kind, Miss Forbes? Do you want us to put a hold on our training so you can go on fantasising about that gentleman you were just brooding over?"

I blushed, again.

It was probably nothing more than just a lucky guess but I had indeed been distracted thinking about a certain gentleman.
Mr. Tyler Lockwood precisely.

I knew I should actually be concentrating on the dance steps so I wouldn't make a complete fool of myself in one week when we we're going to be introduced to society at the debutante ball – but I just couldn't help myself.

The way Tyler had looked at me this morning when I incidentally encountered him and his best friend Mr. Matt Donovan at the clock tower … just as if he truly

noticed my presence for the first time.

„I'm sorry, Ms Alcott", I hastened to say. „I got a bit sidetracked but it won't happen again, I promise."

„Well, I do hope so. Please show us all now how much of the dance you were able to incorporate."

When the dance lesson was finally over, I felt more relieved than ever. The past hour had been more than embarassing for me – it appeared that I was the only one who hadn't payed attention all the time and wasn't able to keep up with the other debutants.

My homework for the next days were – as Ms Alcott didn't get tired of repeating – to „exercise until I dropped dead". I made the mistake to confuse this for
joke but in fact, she was more than serious about it.

„My grandmother already used to say that you haven't trained well unless you're not close to vomiting afterwards."

As I left her estate and entered the street, ice-cold wind blew into my face. I shivered and put on a white comforter.
October had reached Mystic Falls and with it came autumn, my favourite time of the year.

I enjoyed long walks through the rough landscape at this season more than at any other and the dark-tingled dresses my maid picked out for me then were always the most comfortable ones.

„Miss Forbes? Caroline?"

Someone called out my name from behind. I paused and turned.

The girl who was rushing to catch up with me had dark, flossy hair, hazel eyes and red cheeks – she was utterly beautiful and I immediately recognized her asMs Elena Gilbert, whom Ms Alcott had praised to the skies earlier because of her graceful dancing skills and her perfect curtsying.

She stopped racing abreast of me and gave me a entrancing smile.

„Thank you for waiting! I hope you're not in a hurry, I just wanted to talk to you so badly."

„Why?", I asked confused.

„I don't know." Her smile turned a bit shy. „It's just … I … you seem to be the only human there, you know? And I'm not referring to the fact that some of these

girls are vampires."

I soaked in my breath. Had Little Miss Sunshine just used the V-word? In public? My parents surely would've killed me if they ever heard me doing that. Knowing about Vampires was one thing. In a town like Mystic Falls you just couldn't avoid it. But talking about them … that was quite another matter.

I opened my mouth to give Elena a section of my mother's passionate anti-mentioning-vampires -speech but then I closed it abruptly. And grinned instead.

„You know, you're actually the first person I've heard saying that word out loud since years! That's kind of refreshing."

Elena sighed with relief. „Thank the lord – you're not one of those people who pretend not to know what I'm talking about. Believe me, that has happenedbefore. A bit ridiculous, if you ask me. What other explanation is there for all those exsanguinate dead bodies that were found out of town so many times?!"

„Oh, I think the official declaration is that they're victims of some maniac with a dracula-complex."

This time we both couldn't stop laughing.

After some minutes we found ourselves walking arm in arm as if we had know each other since little kids, gossiping about balls, vampires, dresses and the

other girls in our dancing class. To my amazement, we agreed about all of them. „Bonnie Bennett and Anna seem very nice though I hardly know them", Elena

concluded. „But I don't know what to make of Victoria Donovan. And I'm positive I don't like Miss Katherine Pierce."

I frowned. „Isn't she related to you? You two look so much alike."

„I know, everybody says that." Elena didn't sound very pleased but even when she was dissatisfied, her angelic face still looked pretty. „She is sort of my cousin. Well, a cousin of a my cousin's cousin or something. I don't really get it. Anyway, my mother has adopted her to our family because her parents died.

That was 2 years ago and believe me, I've never been completely happy again since then."

„She certainly appears to be difficult sometimes", I responded and thought of the way Katherine had watched my dancing today with a scornful smile. Almost as if it entertained her to see me fail.

I mentioned this to Elena and she nodded grimly. „Believe me, Katerine can't stand competition."

That made me chuckle. „Competition? Are you serious? Have you seen me today?"

„Yes, I have." Her huge eyes scrutinized me. „You weren't good but only because you didn't even try. If you would, I bet you could be chosen queen of the

debutant ball in the blink of an eye."

Desair preoccupied me for a moment.

Just the thought of becoming queen seemed too good to be true. I would get crowned and have the opportunity to lead the last dance with the man who'dpurchase me by auction in front of everyone.

Officially, this tradition had become established to earn extra charity money for the next ball; unofficially, they only performed this to incite all debutants to give their best at the introduction dance so every family could be proud of their offsprings.

Though I figured their dirty motives out long ago, I wasn't capable of withdrawing this contest. Ambitious was my second name and I somehow knew that this was my only chance of catching Tyler's attention once and for all.

„There. You're doing it again. Day-dreaming."

As Elena's voice dragged me back into reality, I directly felt cheap. But then I saw the twinkle in her eyes and realized that she was only teasing me.

„Actually, I was thinking about what you just said", I told her and smiled. „I think you're maybe right – I really haven't been giving the dance training my best shot. Maybe it's time that I do. Do you think it was possible if you helped a bit with that?"

She nodded joyfully. „Of course! Let's start tomorrow! If one of us can beat Katherine, then it sure is you … and I couldn't live a day longer under one roof with

her if she actually won and rubbed it into my face all the time."

„Well, then I call it a date. Mission Beating Katherine starts tomorrow!"

I had been five years old when the first vampire had been killed in front of eyes at my grandmother's birthday party.

One month later, my father had started my training.

Though I never killed a vampire myself before, I knew perfectly well how to do it. I knew their strengths, their weaknesses and all of their dirty little tricks to get under your skin.

They could be harmless at times, even friendly maybe. But after all, they weren't human. They didn't have a soul anymore and I had been taught not to ever forget that.

Seven years ago, when the vampire problem in our town had increased so much that it couldn't be ignored or just killed away anymore, the council members decided to consent to a peace treaty between themselves and the leaders of the vampire families: No more vampire hunting in exchange for an animal blood diet on their side.

Though this treaty wasn't expected to last very long, it hadn't been broken ever since. Not even a single time. Sure there had been some „incidents" but no real harm had been made.

The cohabitang of vampires and humans worked incredibly well here but none the less my father didn't allow me to leave the house without a wooden stake bound to my thigh and hidden under my wavy dresses „just in case". I hoped with all my heart that the day where I actually had to use it lay far, far away in the future.

I wasn't born a fighter, I was made one. I had never dared to tell my parents but my true nature despised slaying in general, regardless if it were vampires or

humans who crossed my way.

So when I entered the forest path which I had to take half a mile on my way back to our property, I knew I had to be careful. Though I loved the mysterious beauty of the woods, I was aware that it could be just as dangerous as it was enchanting.

The euphoria I felt since my little chat with Elena still lasted which was why I forgot my fears quickly and let my thoughts drift away again. Whenever I wanted to collect my notions or reason something out thoroughly, I went outside for a walk on the fields and through the valleys. Nothing calmed me down better than fresh air, the wind in my hair and the sight of infinite colors around me.

I was just about to leave the woods, when suddenly something made me stop abruptly.

It wasn't much more than an uncertain feeling but it was so strong that it made my flesh crawl.

My breathing advanced.

Someone was watching me. I couldn't tell exactly why I knew that but I was 100 percent sure of it. That was the weird part about it. I didn't see or hear anything but I felt someone's eyes on me as if they were touching my bare skin.

I compiled all my courage and spun around.

The alley behind me was desolated and silent. Some leaves were whirled up and I saw the trees move slightly along with the wind but I couldn't spot who or what was responsible for my goosebumps.

Although this should have calmed me down, the exact opposite happened instead – I freaked out even more. Without hesitation I let my hand slip under my dress and fumbled for the stake.

The moment I pulled it out of its attachment, I heard a low growl somewhere in the shrubs. A whimper escaped my mouth. My grip around the stake tightened.

„Whoever you are", I called out, sounding braver than I actually felt. „Come one step closer and I'll rip off your throat."

Though that didn't come out as convincing as I'd wished, the person lurking in the trees didn't try to test my threat.
There wasn't the slightest movement.

I took this as a sign to better get out of here before that lunatic decided elsewise. I gathered my skirts and started running as fast as I could.

The following days were so exhausting that I didn't have much time to think about that scary silvan scene again.

Elena was a very relentless teacher. None of us was eager to practise dancing in a house where Katherine was present, so we were meeting at my place every morning at the same time – way too early for my taste.

Since the Gilberts were also council members, my parents welcomed Elena with delight as a houseguest and continually invited her to stay for dinner.

Soon she became something like the sister I never had.

A very challenging and rigid sister, though.

„You're doing it all wrong" and „I don't care if your feet hurt, we are going to do this once again" were her favourite sentences.

Astonishingly, her instructions showed success. Even Ms Alcott noticed my improvement.

„Girls, do take a look at the way Miss Forbes is doing this part and follow her example", she said the last day before the ball. „If you are all doing as great as her tomorrow, I'm going to be very proud of you."

The look Katherine shot me was pure gift. „I don't know what you're trying to prove her", she hissed to me after the lesson was over when all the girls started chattering excitedly. „But you're not stealing my show tomorrow. You are no real rival. The judges don't watch out for skills only, they concentrate on appearance, too and I'm way prettier than you are."

I glanced her directly into the eyes. „Then why are you so nervous?"

This shut her up for a while but I still didn't feel very triumphantly.

„She is right, you know?", I told Elena afterwards. „She's probably gonna win them all over with a deep décolletage and her alluring smile."

„Oh, please! You have so much more to offer than that."

„I'm glad at least someone believes in me", I sighed.

Elena didn't respond and it stroke me that she had been a bit absent-minded the whole day.

„What is up with you?", I asked. „Are you okay?"

This time, she sighed. „I don't know. It's just … I …"

„Come on!" I laughed and shoved her. „We are friends. You can tell me everything."

She gave me a very serious look. „But you have to promise me you won't say a word to anybody!"

„Of course not!" I cocked my eyebrows. Elena slowly started to worry me.

„I think I am in love with someone." Her voice trembled. „But he … he is already engaged to another girl."

I stared at her speechlessly. I definitely hadn't seen that one coming. She didn't seem to be the kind of person who developed feelings for someone lightly and if she loved him even though she knew it was wrong, it must be a great deal for her.

„Who? I mean, who is it?"

She shook her head. „You probably don't know him. He's a visitor of my father and has just been in Mystic Falls for a few months. But I'm gonna introduce you to him tomorrow." Pain crossed her face. „And to his fiancée, I guess."

Pity captured me and I hugged her spontaneously. I could only imagine what it must feel like loving someone and knowing at the same time that it was not possible to ever be with that person. Already the thought of it made me sad and I wasn't even the one affected.

„You'll get through this", I whispered into her ear. „You will wear your finest dress tomorrow, dance with everybody who ask you to, laugh a lot and have fun. And whenever you see them together, you won't let this get to you. Do you hear me? Tomorrow is one of the most important days of your life and this … situation is not going to ruin it for you. I'll make sure of that myself if I have to!"

„Thanks, Caroline." Her expression was still gloomy but my little speech seemed to have cheered her up a bit. „I don't know what I would do without you."

It was almost midnight and I still couldn't seem to find any sleep.

Tomorrow would brim over with the fitting of my clothes and shoes and the general rehearsal. In addition to the high pressure of making an impression on my family, Tyler and the judges , came the fact that there wouldn't be a single moment left for me to be alone.

I loved being around people but every now and then I needed to take a break and knowing that there was no time for that tomorrow made me even more nervous than I already was.

Restlessly I rolled around in my bed and stared at the ceiling.

It was a full moon wherefore my room was so light that I could even see the artful ornaments. Somewhere near the house I heard a timber wolf bawl. The noise made me shiver.

I turned my head, steadied it on the huge, soft pillow and watched the moon shining directly through my window. It looked so mysterious in its bright beauty…The wolf howled again, this time a bit deeper. I couldn't tell why but I found the sound of his husky voice somewhat comforting.

My eye lids became heavy. Cozily I closed them. My breathing slowed down… and the next minute

sleep finally took me over.