Elena's eyes locked with mine for a second. She looked confused, maybe a little hurt, searching my face for an answer. I didn't know what to say, so I just stood there. Her expression fell, and she turned to Bonnie.
"Let's go," she said quietly, not looking back at me. She walked away, heading toward the history classroom.
Bonnie stayed for a second longer, looking from Caroline to me with a completely bewildered expression on her face, as if to say, "What just happened?" Then she hurried to catch up with Elena.
Caroline, who was still holding my arm tightly, looked after them and then up at me. "What's wrong with her all of a sudden, babe?" she asked, as if Elena were the one acting strangely.
I turned to her, pulling my arm free from her grip. I put my hands on her shoulders so she would look right at me. I forced a small smile onto my face. "I am the one asking you," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "What's wrong with you? When did I become your boyfriend?"
Caroline looked right back at me, completely confident. "Didn't I tell you I like you?" she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"But that doesn't mean I said yes!" I replied, keeping my voice low so other students walking by wouldn't hear. "You can't just decide that and announce it to everyone."
Caroline's expression turned serious. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she thought. It was like I could see the puzzle pieces clicking together in her head. "Do you like Elena?" she asked, her voice sharper. "Is that why you're distancing yourself from me?"
My heart jumped. "No! Nooooo," I said, a little too quickly. "It's not like that at all. I was just talking to her. We're just friends." I hoped I sounded convincing.
Caroline's face instantly relaxed. She looked relieved, like she had just stopped a disaster from happening. "That's okay, then," she said, her smile returning. She stepped closer again. "So, are you embarrassed to be called my Caroline Forbes boyfriend? Is that it?" She looked me right in the eye, challenging me.
I looked back at her. Her logical reasoning was scary good. She had almost figured it out. The truth was, I also don't know whether I am interested in Elena or not. After all, she was the main character from the show I'd watched for years. I was just curious about her. But I couldn't say that.
"No, that's not the issue," I said, scrambling for an excuse. "It's just... this is all too fast."
Caroline nodded, as if that was a perfectly reasonable answer. She pressed a finger to my chest. "Then the issue is solved," she declared. "We'll make it slow for you, babe." She linked her arm with mine again. "Now, can we please go to class? We're going to be late."
I didn't have anything else to say. I just nodded, and we started walking to the history classroom together.
Elena's Point of View
Bonnie caught up to me as we walked into the classroom. "What happened to you all of a sudden?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
I couldn't meet her eyes. "Nothing," I said, my voice tight. "It just felt... uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?" Bonnie pressed. "Uncomfortable with what? Let me guess, is it about Alex and Caroline being together?"
"I can't explain it, Bonnie," I said, cutting her off. "I just don't want to talk about it right now, okay?" The classroom was already mostly full. I quickly went to my seat in the middle of the room and opened my history textbook, pretending to be very interested in it.
Bonnie just sighed and shook her head before going to her own seat.
As I sat there, I felt that familiar feeling—like someone was watching me. I glanced over my shoulder. It was Matt. My ex-boyfriend. We'd grown up together, but after my parents died, I built a wall around myself. I pushed everyone away including him but bonnie remains with the time.He was looking right at me, his expression unreadable.
I gave him a small, forced smile. "Hi."
He just stared at me for a second, then turned his head away, looking out the window. My heart sank a little. I turned back around and put my head down on the cool desk for a second. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
Just then, I heard the classroom door open. I looked up and saw them walk in together. Alex and Caroline. She was still holding his arm. A bitter thought popped into my head. He was obviously just playing with me. I sat up straight, squaring my shoulders.
No, I told myself firmly. I, Elena Gilbert, am played with him not him. I tried to cheer myself up with the thought.
That's when I caught Caroline looking at me. She had a strange look in her eyes. It looked like... sympathy. I knew what that meant. She either felt sorry for me because my parents died, or she pitied me because I seemed interested in her new boyfriend and didn't get it.
I was still turning it all over in my mind when Mr. Tanner walked in and started the history lecture. I was grateful for the distraction. I pushed all the confusing thoughts about Alex and Caroline and Matt out of my head and focused on my notebook.
Alex's Point of View
I felt a pang of disappointment as I walked into the classroom. I saw the exact moment Elena turned her head away from me. I knew why she was doing it. I was walking in with another girl who had just called me her boyfriend, after I had been flirting with Elena just minutes before. I had messed up. I probably hurt her feelings.
When the class was finally over, everyone started packing up to leave. I stood up and turned to grab my bag from the floor. In the seat behind me was Matt Donovan. Our eyes met.
He was staring right at me. His face was hard, his eyes cold. He didn't look away.
I raised my eyebrows at him, a silent "What's up?" But he just kept staring, his expression not changing at all. Then, after a long few seconds, he finally turned and shoved his book into his backpack, completely ignoring me.
I smiled a little, a wry, humorless twist of my lips. I slung my own bag over my shoulder.
His expression said it all. It was like I owed him an apology for something. I guess, in his eyes, I did. I had stepped on his territory, and even though he and Elena weren't together anymore, he was still protective of her.
****
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