Body & Soul - Klaus Mikaelson

Thirty-Five

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Caroline walks in front of me panicked. I can feel it in her wake. It's supposed to be fake, but I know she's worried our real plan will be discovered - after all the majority of our plans fall through even in perfect circumstances. I attempted to reassure her outside, but there isn't much I can say if I don't believe it myself. It's easier to be cautious than not at all, lying to ourselves only makes it worse. 

Her eyes bulge from her head as she dangerously twirls around the gym in astonishment by all the things that have occurred without her. Normally on top of everything, Caroline is the reason the Decade Dances happen. Despite what is happening outside of school, all of us fighting the world, Caroline always seems to pull through and throw a killer dance. Yet, this time, Caroline has barely been seen. Decorations have been hung, glasses have been stacked, I'm surprised they haven't planned the entire night without her.

Her heels hit the floor with ferocity, her anger adds to her stress. Even though the plan is set, I know she's still upset she is being outrun for this. But her reward for not being here is even greater. Caroline's eyes narrow in on Matt and she takes off after him. I chuckle following her, as she fumes towards him, "What is this?"

Matt sighs. His eyes have a hidden glimmer of amusement, but he almost looks tired of Caroline's theatrics, "It's a decade dance. Remember, you made us sign up to help."

"No," Caroline says carefully, picking up a purple boa and almost ripping it to pieces, "This! The Twenties. We're doing the seventies."

It's hard not to laugh, after everything we've been through, after having been forced to grow up without a choice, Caroline still finds time to care about the little things. She can still plan a Decade Dance with the same optimism I lost years ago. She can still throw it happily knowing that every Decade Dance we've been to in the last year has fallen apart in shambles. Caroline can still be a kid where I feel like my childhood was stolen from me before high school. 

Matt just cringes, barely shaking his head as he goes back to the decorations in the box in front of him. He looks miserable, but he'll still go through with the plan without complaining, just for Caroline. He peaks at me while rummaging through the box, I give him a soft smile and a quick nod, letting him know we're still on.

Caroline's eyes wander the gym in anguish, trying to decide how much it would take her to fix the issue after our plan runs its course, I have no doubt she is already formulating a backup plan for this dance. A familiar voice from behind us only adds fumes to Caroline's anger, "It's too flashy, people. It's supposed to be a speakeasy, not the world's fair."

Caroline's face screws in rage as she turns harshly on her heel, almost knocking me over, to take her rage out on Rebekah just as the Original notices us, "Oh, good, you're here. We need help setting up the tables, so get to it."

"What do you think you're doing?" The younger vampire questions harshly. Her eyes are narrowed as she challenges Rebekah. They stare at each other for a long moment of displeasure, both of them locked in a silent battle for dominance.

Rebekah glances at me and gives me a screwed expression that speculates Caroline's intelligence. I bite my lip and gently shake my head, attempting to silently diffuse the situation before the two of them go at it, "Somebody has to be in charge."

I try to hide a snort, so much for diffusing the bomb. Rebekah's choice of words is the wrong thing to say to the biggest party planner in all of Mystic Falls. Caroline's jaw ticks and her teeth grind, "Yeah, me. I'm the chair of the dance committee. The theme of the Decade Dance is the 1970s."

The Original arches a brow scrutinizing Caroline's stylistic choices on the dance, "So you'd rather dress in tacky colors with bad hair than be a classic flapper from the Jazz Age? Honesty, I don't know what that werewolf saw in you."