She never held any illusions about Rebekah. Rebekah thought herself above everyone else. She looked down her nose at Caroline, though, hello, it wasn't Caroline who slept with everyone who so much glanced her way. And Caroline had overcome her loneliness long ago. That was what you did, when you had a problem: you trooped on, and you got over it.
(But still, she felt a moment of sympathy when she thought of Rebekah, shrivelled and as close to death as an Original could get, and a dagger in her back, Elena standing over her. She didn't begrudge Elena that -- could not, when they were on the same side. She couldn't even say she was surprised, because she remembered a night spent with Tyler, his lips so hot against the coolness of her body, and he'd admitted that he'd helped try to kill Elena once, but that had ended with Elena's knife in his would-be packmate's shoulder, and, later, Elena and Stefan embracing only a few feet away from the werewolf's heartless body. Tyler had not asked for her forgiveness or sympathy, though he had them. Caroline was coming to know that they all did what they had to. Elena had done what she had to, and if she could look in a mirror afterwards and still see herself, then Caroline could accept her too.)
It was funny that they ended up doing everything together, all the same. Somehow, Rebekah had wormed her way into the dance committee, and Caroline couldn't dislodge her. Caroline absolutely hated the sneer on Rebekah's lips when she turned up to help, so she clenched her fists and turned away. And no, that was not her clipboard cracking beneath her fingers, she had far too much control for that.
They ignored each other, resolute, for the rest of the afternoon. Sometimes, when Caroline was stomping over to another drafted worker helping classmate, she could feel Rebekah's eyes burning down her back, but she refused to turn around. She took her time, smiling at Matt when he walked past (with a raised eyebrow directed Rebekah's way), nudging another classmate because he was sticking lamps in the wrong corner. (Had anyone listened when she gave them the instructions?) Rebekah could stew all she wanted, Caroline didn't care that she was letting Rebekah do the work. Rebekah had signed on for it.
Her mother arrived for a brief visit, murmuring about checking up on how she was, but also mentioning that it was part of the job. Caroline could see, in the corner of her eye, the look Rebekah sent their way, and she placed herself firmly in between Liz and the other vampire in case something happened. As Liz gave her a brief smile, and left, Caroline held herself ready to prevent any unfortunate... accidents... but Rebekah didn't look at her again all afternoon.
"You're spending the afternoon with me?" Rebekah said, incredulous, weeks after they'd fished Elena out of the river below Wickery Bridge.
Caroline shrugged, sitting down next to her. "Every friendship starts somewhere."
She wondered briefly when Elena's and Katherine's had started, and when it had progressed enough that Elena was taking lessons from her. She supposed it didn't matter in the end.
She almost wished she felt surprised, but she didn't.
She never held any illusions about Rebekah. Rebekah thought herself above everyone else. She looked down her nose at Caroline, though, hello, it wasn't Caroline who slept with everyone who so much glanced her way. And Caroline had overcome her loneliness long ago. That was what you did, when you had a problem: you trooped on, and you got over it.
(But still, she felt a moment of sympathy when she thought of Rebekah, shrivelled and as close to death as an Original could get, and a dagger in her back, Elena standing over her. She didn't begrudge Elena that -- could not, when they were on the same side. She couldn't even say she was surprised, because she remembered a night spent with Tyler, his lips so hot against the coolness of her body, and he'd admitted that he'd helped try to kill Elena once, but that had ended with Elena's knife in his would-be packmate's shoulder, and, later, Elena and Stefan embracing only a few feet away from the werewolf's heartless body. Tyler had not asked for her forgiveness or sympathy, though he had them. Caroline was coming to know that they all did what they had to. Elena had done what she had to, and if she could look in a mirror afterwards and still see herself, then Caroline could accept her too.)
It was funny that they ended up doing everything together, all the same. Somehow, Rebekah had wormed her way into the dance committee, and Caroline couldn't dislodge her. Caroline absolutely hated the sneer on Rebekah's lips when she turned up to help, so she clenched her fists and turned away. And no, that was not her clipboard cracking beneath her fingers, she had far too much control for that.
They ignored each other, resolute, for the rest of the afternoon. Sometimes, when Caroline was stomping over to another drafted worker helping classmate, she could feel Rebekah's eyes burning down her back, but she refused to turn around. She took her time, smiling at Matt when he walked past (with a raised eyebrow directed Rebekah's way), nudging another classmate because he was sticking lamps in the wrong corner. (Had anyone listened when she gave them the instructions?) Rebekah could stew all she wanted, Caroline didn't care that she was letting Rebekah do the work. Rebekah had signed on for it.
Her mother arrived for a brief visit, murmuring about checking up on how she was, but also mentioning that it was part of the job. Caroline could see, in the corner of her eye, the look Rebekah sent their way, and she placed herself firmly in between Liz and the other vampire in case something happened. As Liz gave her a brief smile, and left, Caroline held herself ready to prevent any unfortunate... accidents... but Rebekah didn't look at her again all afternoon.
"You're spending the afternoon with me?" Rebekah said, incredulous, weeks after they'd fished Elena out of the river below Wickery Bridge.
Caroline shrugged, sitting down next to her. "Every friendship starts somewhere."
She wondered briefly when Elena's and Katherine's had started, and when it had progressed enough that Elena was taking lessons from her. She supposed it didn't matter in the end.
She almost wished she felt surprised, but she didn't.
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