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"Crap," Caroline muttered, reaching for her car keys from where she just set them.
"What," Bonnie asked through the phone Caroline had cradled between her shoulder and her ear.
Sighing, Caroline made sure to leave her door cracked a bit. "I left my tote bag down in the car," she explained. "I swear, I need to stop answering the phone when I'm unpacking groceries. I get too spaced to remember anything else."
"Sorry to bother you," Bonnie laughed.
"You can't see it, but I'm sticking my tongue out at you," Caroline said as she jogged down the stairs. She passed a gorgeous guy coming up, but she didn't have time to ogle when her much-needed homework wasn't where it was supposed to be. "Are you still coming over tonight?"
"No, that's why I was calling," Bonnie answered. "Nora decided to surprise me with a visit."
"So, you're going to be indisposed until she has to tear herself away before heading back to school," Caroline guessed, knowing the long-distance girlfriends well. "Tell her I said hey, and have fun. You've been really missing her."
"I have," Bonnie sighed. "Thanks for understanding!"
"Anytime," Caroline said, finally reaching her car. Hanging up, she hurried to grab her bag and shuffle back up the stairs.
Odd, she thought she had left her apartment door open. Just as she was about to open it, though, the strange man she had passed earlier on the stairs whipped it open first. "Who the hell are you," she asked, holding her keys menacingly like brass knuckles. Her sheriff mother didn't send her out into the world without killer self-defense tips, after all.
He held his hands up defensively. "Apologies, love," he said in a soothing, rumbly British accent. "I thought this was my brother's place, but I got the wrong number."
Recognizing the accent, Caroline lowered her hand with the keys slightly. "You must be related to asshole Kol," she said, confident and put out. So much for a hot guy to ogle freely; Kol would never let it happen without lewd comments and worse jokes.
"Sounds about right," he answered, chuckling. Caroline did her best to ignore the dimples, but Kol's family was hardly hit with the ugly stick. The brother held out his hand for her to shake. "Klaus Mikaelson. I promise, I'm more mature than Kol on his best day."
"I have yet to see one of those," Caroline retorted with raised eyebrows. "But you don't seem to have stolen any of my ice cream, so I guess you're okay." She knew she should have put it in the freezer before heading back downstairs. Moving around him, she ushered Klaus out of her apartment. "Anyway, thanks for the heart attack."
"Wait," he said, standing in her doorway before she could shut it. "How can I acquit myself?"
Shaking her head, Caroline dropped her bag at her feet. "Seriously," she asked, incredulous. "I just badmouthed your brother and threatened your life, and you're flirting with me?"
"I happen to like a strong, beautiful woman," he answered charmingly.
"You don't even know my name," she pointed out, surprised she was actually falling for this. Unlike Kol, though, this guy was smooth.
Klaus shrugged. "And you only know my name and my brother," he replied. "If you let me take you to dinner, we can learn a lot more about each other."
"Unbelievable," she muttered, shifting on her feet.
"Is that a yes," he asked, looking all cute and nervous in her doorway.
Biting her lip, Caroline just rolled her eyes. "Well," she sighed, drawing it out. "I guess my plans tonight were cancelled…"
Stepping closer, Klaus's dimples cut deep in his cheeks from his wide grin. "I'm going to need the words, love," he said in a low, alluring voice. "Will you go to dinner with me?"
Caroline unconsciously leaned forward, something powerful drawing her to this stranger. Just as she was about to kiss him, though, a loud crash signified a door opening down the hall.
"Nik, what are you doing," Kol's voice floated in from outside. "Is Caroline there?"
Flying back, Caroline's hand with the keys flew up again. "Nik?"
"Short for Niklaus," he answered, running a flustered hand through his hair as his brother came closer. "Kol, will you go back inside? I'll be there in a moment."
"Sweet Caroline," Kol called instead, shoving his brother over for space in the doorway. "What do you call an intelligent blonde?"
Familiar with his terrible blonde jokes, and tired of the genre altogether, Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Too smart to be seduced by you," she snapped, ready to shut the door in both their faces.
Klaus put his hand over Kol's face, clearly a well-used older sibling tactic to push him back a bit. "Caroline," he said quickly, relishing the new knowledge of her name. "Just think about it."
Her mouth curled into an indecisive frown before she nodded slightly. Stepping back, Klaus let her shut the door before Kol could interfere again.
It wasn't until after a shower and some ice cream that Caroline noticed the piece of paper lying in front of her door. Folded up, it looked like someone had slipped it under the door. She opened it to find a picture of her, sketched in ink. She was holding her keys up, tenacious and ready to fight. There was a note written underneath.
"Full of light and steel," it said. "Take a chance, Caroline. I dare you."
It was signed "(Ni)Klaus" with a phone number.
Smiling, Caroline put the number in her phone and hung the sketch on her fridge. She looked hot when standing up for herself, and she deserved to be reminded of that from time to time.
She would definitely make him wait a day before texting him, though. Looking back at the picture, she bit her lip.
Maybe one text that night wouldn't be so bad.