STRANGERS :: NIKLAUS

SIXTYTWO

/ / why can't I hold on? It comes and goes in waves. It always does. We watch as our young hearts fade into the fog. / /

~dean Lewis~

"There were issues at home. Ever since I lost my parents and aunt, I've been acting out-drugs, I was looking for attention so I lit my house on fire and faked my own death." Jeremy recited back to me and Elena as we sat opposite him in the boarding house lounge.

"Really stress the drug thing." Elena added and I rolled my eyes.

"And definitely say the house fire was an accident because there's crazy and there's well Elena." I joked and Jeremy laughed as Elena punched my arm playfully.

"Or I could just not go back considering my school already had a memorial for me." Jeremy's confidence wavered. A car horn sounded from outside the boarding house.

"Caroline just arrived." Damon told us both as he dropped mine and Elenas suitcases at the door.

"I-we can't leave I should stay and at least wait until Jeremy settles into school." Elena backtracked and I chuckled, knowing this was going to happen as I looked at my newly manicured nails.

"You're both leaving. You're going to college. You're going to drink cheap beer and protest things you don't care about and I am going to take care of little Jeremy." Damon swiftly replied, him as well expecting this from Elena.

"Trust me you have nothing to worry about." Damon went on.

"Luceinder." A knock sounded on the door and everyone froze.

"I thought you said Caroline was outside?!" I whisper spat at Damon and he shrugged.

"Fuck okay. Okay." I muttered to myself as I went to open the door and Elena grabbed my arm with a worried look but I shrugged her off gently as I opened the door.

My breath caught in my throat at the sight of the hybrid. We hadn't spoke all summer. The only way I knew how Nik was doing was when one of his siblings brought him up over the phone.

"What are you doing here." I snapped with a low tone and his lips pursed, I looked behind him to see Caroline on her phone, oblivious to the situation at hand.

"I'm here to take you home Luceinder. You've had quiet the break." Nik went to grab ahold of my arm but I shoved him back in anger and he went flying into the tree behind Caroline's car and with the amount of force I used, the tree creaked over and fell to the ground, making Caroline squeal and look up.

"Luce?!" Caroline screams.

"Go inside Caroline." I told her with a growl and she vamps back inside.

I watched as Nik staggered up onto his feet and clapped his hands together once.

"Well that was unexpected." He whistled.

"What? You expected me to just come running back into your arms after the stunts you've pulled?!" I gritted my teeth as I stalked towards him with my fists clenched and Nik shrugged with a smirk.

I take a swing at his face but his own hand grabs it before it could hit him and he pulls me closer to him, his breath heavy.