The loud, shrill ring of the final school bell echoed through the hallway. It was like someone had opened the gate to a cage of wild animals. Students burst out of classrooms, talking and laughing, all trying to get out of the building as fast as possible. I joined the river of people, moving with the crowd toward the main exit.
I looked around. Elena and Bonnie were already gone, probably off to their home or to hang out together. But then I saw her. Caroline Forbes was standing off to the side, near a row of lockers.She was leaning against the metal, and her eyes were fixed right on me. I knew right away who she was waiting for.
I walked toward her, and as I got closer, she stepped forward, planting herself directly in my path with a confident smile.
"Well, well, Alex Smith," she said, her eyes moving up and down my body, from my shoes to my hair. "You've been holding out on us and You've changed both internally and externally.
I gave her a small smile. "Oh yeah? Do you not like the changes?"
She looked directly into my eyes, a playful but intense look on her face. She pointed a finger at my chest. "No," she said, her voice dropping a little. "I like you."
I let out a laugh. "Is that so?"
I knew from the show that this was just how Caroline was. She saw something she wanted, and she went for it. She liked the chase, the attention. She would use you until she got bored or something better came along. I decided to play along for now.
We started walking down the hallway together toward the main doors. "So, need a ride home?" I asked.
Caroline nodded, her blonde hair bouncing. "Sure. My mom's working late anyway."
We walked out into the afternoon sun. I led her over to where I was parked. It was a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible, a classic car that was both sleek and powerful. I pressed a button and the black roof folded down automatically.
"Nice car," Caroline said, genuinely impressed. She slid into the passenger seat with a practiced grace.
"Thanks," I said, getting in and turning the key. The engine roared to life with a deep, satisfying rumble.
As I pulled out of the school parking lot, Caroline started talking. And she didn't stop. She told me about the new dress she bought over the weekend, about how her mom was driving her crazy with new rules, about some drama between two girls on the cheerleading squad. It was a stream of information about her life. It was a little self-centered, but it was also kind of nice. She was opening up to me, sharing her private little world with someone she'd just officially met today.
We drove through the quiet streets of Mystic Falls. The sun was warm, and the wind whipped through our hair. After about fifteen minutes, we reached a point where the road split. One way led toward the forest and my large, isolated house. The other led into the more suburban neighborhood where Caroline lived.
I pulled the car over to the side of the road.
"This is where our ride ends."I said.
Caroline turned to me, a sly smile on her face. "Thanks for the ride, babe," she said.
Then, before I could react, she leaned over and kissed me quickly on the cheek.
My mind went completely blank for a second. I could feel the spot on my cheek where her lips had been. It was warm. I hadn't expected that at all. I just sat there, stunned.
She was already opening the car door. "Bye, Alex! See you tomorrow!" she said, stepping out onto the sidewalk.
I finally snapped out of it. "Yeah... see you, Caroline," I managed to say.
She waved and started walking down her street without looking back. I watched her for a moment, then turned the key and the Camaro's engine roared back to life. I pulled away from the curb and onto the road toward home.
This time, I pushed the gas pedal down harder due to embarassment. The car accelerated, and the wind rushed past me, pulling at my black hair. I felt a rush of excitement. The kiss, the attention, the whole day—it was all new and thrilling. I sped down the winding road, feeling powerful and free.
Soon, my house came into view. I pulled into the long driveway and came to a stop in the parking area right in front of the giant front door. I turned off the engine, and the sudden silence felt heavy. I grabbed my backpack from the passenger seat and got out.
I walked into the quiet, empty mansion. I tossed my backpack onto a large, expensive-looking sofa in the main living room. The sound echoed in the huge space. I walked over to a stereo system and turned it on, filling the silence with some random rock music.
Feeling thirsty, I headed to the kitchen. I opened the giant stainless-steel refrigerator and grabbed a cold can of soda. I popped it open and took a long sip as I walked upstairs to my bedroom.
I stood by the large window, looking out. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. It was already evening. I took another sip of my drink, thinking about everything that had happened.
From waking up in a new world with crazy powers, to testing my strength, to going to school and talking to Elena and Bonnie, to driving home with Caroline. It had been a long, strange, and incredible day.
A slow smile spread across my face. Today was a really wonderful day.
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Is anyone reading this