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Salt air, and the rust on your door
I never needed anything more
Seagulls squawked loudly as they flew over the beach houses that sat along the sandy coast of Mystic Falls, the smell of salt lingered in the air as the waves crashed onto the shore, the sun gleamed down on the town which caused sweat to cling to each of their bodies.
Caroline brushed a strand of her blonde locks behind her ear as she approached the Mikaelson’s holiday home– they were new to town, spending the summer in Mystic Falls rather than their home city.
A warm tray of Caroline’s famous strawberry lemon blondies rested in her hands, practically everyone that knew her raved on and on about her deliciously sugary sweet blondies. The zest of the lemon and the sweetness of the strawberries were a heavenly combo, and she was very proud of her culinary creation considering the positive feedback she received on them.
Caroline’s free hand pressed the doorbell, her eyes immediately flickering to the open window as the sound echoed through the inside of their house. She heard the sound of footsteps approaching which caused her to immediately straighten up, her perfect cheerleader smile spreading across her lips.
Her eyes flickered down to the gold, rusted door knob before the door swung open. The smell of oak mixed with a hint of vanilla overwhelmed her senses, the smell of sugary treats and salty water no longer prominent.
A man stood before her, he was the textbook definition of attractive. His dirty blonde curls were dripping wet, droplets of water raced down his slightly muscled chest, her eyes focused on the tattoo etched on his upper shoulder before quickly looking away.
He was wearing nothing but a pair of board shorts, which was reasonable considering it was summer and he had most likely been swimming but it still made her feel bashful.
“Hi.” Caroline spoke, her smile remaining on her lips as she tried to hide the fact she was clearly just ogling him.
“Hello, love.” The man replied, grinning at the slight blush that had spread across her cheeks– neither of them were sure if it was from the scorching heat or if she was just flustered.
His British accent was incredibly sexy.
As he grinned, her eyes caught sight at the dimples that hollowed out in his cheeks. The man had dimples, Caroline was already mentally planning their extravagant wedding.
“Welcome to town,” Caroline nervously bit down on her bottom lip, “I brought strawberry lemon blondies, they are my speciality. And I get rave reviews for them.”
“I’ll have to see for myself.” The man teased, stepping aside, “Would you like to come in?”
Caroline nodded, her golden tresses bouncing as her head moved, she stepped into the house as her eyes examined every inch of the gorgeous beach house.
She had already been certain about the Mikaelsons wealth by the mere exterior of their house, their presence screamed luxury and they radiated a somewhat wealthy aura– if that even made sense.
Gorgeous and without a doubt expensive paintings adorned the plain white walls, many weird looking vases decorated the shelves of the home and once again Caroline was already quite sure they were expensive.
The house was a stark contrast to the usually beachy and rustic houses that sat in the small town of Mystic Falls, there was no need for luxury, the beach was enough for most people.
Maybe it was a British thing?
“Where should I place these?” Caroline asked, holding up her tray of strawberry lemon blondies pridefully– she had no shame in showing off her baked goods.
“Just on the bench please, sweetheart.” He gestured towards the empty spot on their pristine marble counter before opening up their stocked and well organised fridge, “Would you like anything to drink?”
“Oh uh, that would be great. A lemonade, please.” Caroline giggled slightly, she opened up the lid of the tray, the mouthwatering aroma of the blondies quickly spread throughout the kitchen.
“Those blondies smell lovely.”
“Thank you, I did say my blondies got rave reviews. Did you not believe me?” Caroline teased, letting out a small chuckle as he slid her glass of ice cold lemonade over the counter– he had a glass of amber liquid, presumably booze of some sorts.
He took a slice of the baked treat, bringing it to his mouth and taking a generous bite. It was sweet, yet equally zesty with the perfect tang, it melted in his mouth instantly– he could already understand the awesome feedback she claimed to receive.
It was literal heaven in a dessert.
“Wow that’s…”
“Bad?” Caroline internally cringed as she prepared for her first bad review– which would ruin the reputation of her precious baked treat,
He shook his head, slightly lost for words. “Furthest from bad, love.”
She let out a relieved sigh, nimbly twirling blonde strands of her hair around her fingers. “Told you so.”
“You’re a fantastic baker.” He complimented her, bringing his glass of alcohol to his lips in order to wash down the rest of it.
“Thanks,” She took a sip of the slightly sour ice cold beverage, which did a good job of cooling her down on a warm summer day in Mystic Falls, “I’m Caroline by the way, Caroline Forbes.”
“I’m Klaus.” He introduced himself, taking another sip of his own refreshment.
Whispers of “Are you sure?”
“Never have I ever before.”
Caroline was perched on the edge of his bed as Klaus sat on the floor, deeply immersed in his sketchbook, his charcoal pencil dancing across the page as he drew something that clearly had him fully consumed in the pages of his art..
The air conditioning was blaring down on the pair, causing slight goosebumps to appear on her ivory flesh, the machine produced a humming noise which filled the otherwise silent air.
It was serene.
“What are you drawing?” Caroline asked, laying down on her stomach and resting her chin on his shoulder to peek down at what he was drawing.
“Patience, love,” Klaus chuckled, his free hand moving up to gently stroke at her golden locks which were oh so soft, “You’ll discover what I’ve created eventually.”
“Boring.” Caroline murmured, her voice barely audible yet he still caught on to what she had said.
“How else would you like me to entertain you?” Klaus inquired, the sarcasm in his voice not lost on her– she liked his sense of humour, he was incredibly funny to her and never failed to make her laugh until her belly hurt and tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I can think of a few ways.” Caroline whispered in his ear, her breath warm against the nape of his neck which caused him to inhale sharply.
Her soft lips found the curve of his neck, she pressed a few tender kisses along his jawline which caused him to let out a low groan of pleasure, his hand going to the strap of her tank top.
“Are you sure?” He whispered, he was aware of her virginity and he wanted for her first time to be special– he didn’t want her to regret it, he wanted it to be memorable.
They had shared a few quick pecks on the lips, as well as holding hands when she was nervous or hugging when the summer nights got especially chilly.
But they hadn’t reached sex yet.
“Never have I ever before.” She responded, before pressing her lips against his, his hand instinctively threw his precious sketchbook off his lap and cupped her face instead, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her cheek as they kissed.
He managed to get onto the bed during the kiss, she pounced on him immediately, her slender legs moving to straddle him as her fingers tangled in his dirty blonde curls, which caused him to let out a low moan.
He slowly pulled down the straps of her tank top, revealing more of her deliciously pale skin (Despite the fact it was summer, her skin only burned instead of becoming sun kissed so she was incredibly careful in the sun)
His lips latched onto the exposed skin, planting tender kisses against her soft flesh, she felt his scruff scratching slightly against her sensitive skin which caused her to let out a soft yet breathy moan.
He was desperate to hear that sweet sound again, it was so pure yet so dirty at the same time. A perfectly dangerous mix of the two, he pulled down the rest of her tank top which exposed her bare chest to him.
His eyes focused solely on her own, his eyes reminded her of the waves that crashed upon the Mystic Falls shore, albeit filled with lust and affection. She reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling it above his head and revealing his muscled chest to her.
His lips met her own again, her bare chest pressed against his own, nipples pebbled due to the chill in the air, her nails dug into his back which caused him to let out a hiss against her lips.
Bourbon and oak was the only thing she could taste on his lips, it was an addicting flavour as his mouth devoured hers with such hunger and desperation she’d never seen before.
“I’m sure, I want to do this.” Caroline panted, her chest heaving up and down as she attempted to catch her breath.
Klaus couldn’t help the slight smile that crept onto his lips, his lips meeting hers against as his hand threaded through her slightly frizzy locks, biting down on her bottom lip which caused her to let out a small whimper.
But I can see us lost in the memory
August slipped away into a moment of time
‘Cause it was never mine.
Caroline held an ice cream cone, the delicious strawberry ice cream was melting due to the scorching sun, slowly dripping onto her fingers which left them sticky, she licked the residue off her fingers.
Klaus sat beside her, his ice cream in a cup which left his hands clean and dry– a way smarter decision rather than getting a cone and allowing it to melt in the Mystic Falls heat.
“What flavour did you get?” Caroline asked, taking a bite out of her waffle cone which was slightly soggy due to her melted ice cream.
“Rum and raisin,” Klaus replied, using his plastic spoon to scoop up some of the creamy and cold treat before placing it in his mouth, “Would you like to try some, sweetheart?”
Caroline’s eyes flickered to the ice cream. it was a light brown colour with raisins throughout– it was a flavour she’d seen her dad order a few times, it was meant for old people.
“Fine,” Caroline scoffed, watching as he used his spoon to scoop some of the dessert up for her before handing her the clear plastic spoon, she placed it in her mouth and grimaced at the taste.
It tasted like straight up alcohol, and the raisins reminded her of the times she’d visit her grandmother– who always gave her raisins as an afternoon snack.
Caroline’s face scrunched up in disgust, taking the spoon out of her mouth and handing it back to him. “That’s an old man flavour, how do you even enjoy that?”
Klaus grinned, his dimples hollowing out in his cheeks, “Perhaps I am an old man, love.”
“Oh please, you’re 19, that’s only 2 years older than me!” Caroline rolled her eyes, shoving her melted ice cream in his face, “Here, try mine. Perfectly sweet and way better than yours.”
He took a bite of the ice cream and the cone, narrowing his eyes as he assessed the flavour and internally decided which was best. “I still think mine is better.”
“How?! Strawberry is easily the superior flavour.”
“I’ll stick to my old man flavour, and you stick to your sweet flavour, sweetheart.”
“I will.” Caroline stubbornly crossed her arms, taking another bite of her cone before bursting out into giggles, unable to take herself seriously.
Klaus ended up laughing as well, she was quite funny when she was attempting to be serious and angry– it didn’t suit her, she looked much better with a smile.
Caroline's head fell, resting on his shoulder, she let out a contented sigh before another giggle escaped her lips, it was the happiest she had been in a while.
And I can see us twisted in bed sheets
August slipped away like a bottle of wine
‘Cause you were never mine
Legs tangled together, their bodies twisted in her soft pink cotton bedsheets as her head rested on his chest, the thump of his heartbeat against his chest lulled her into a relaxed state, his eyes closed as he slept.
The sound of The Notebook played in the background, the movie had been abandoned by them once he had fallen asleep– she had forced him into watching it and he had accepted his fate.
Her eyes glanced up at him, he looked so peaceful while asleep, not a single hint of brooding in his face, just pure serenity, his arm was wrapped around her waist instinctively.
Her eyes flickered back to the TV screen, she didn’t want to interrupt his peaceful sleep so she resigned herself to watching the movie alone– despite the fact she had watched the movie more times than she could count, it never got boring.
Caroline’s blonde locks were spread out like a halo on his chest, she looked angelic. Though she was on the verge of falling asleep, her eyes fluttering shut as her lashes rested against her cheek.
She felt herself drift off into dreamland, her body fit comfortably against his– like the missing piece of a puzzle she had been waiting to solve for years, it felt right.
Your back beneath the sun
Wishin’ I could write my name on it
Will you call when you’re back at school?
I remember thinking I had you.
Caroline was sprawled out on a sun chair in his extravagant and beautiful backyard, a magazine in her hands and sunglasses covering her eyes, yet her eyes kept straying towards Klaus.
His back beneath the sun, the light dancing across his bare skin as he swam laps of the pool, water splashing as his arms stretched and legs moved, water droplets clinging to his exposed skin.
She found herself wishing she could write her name on him, she wanted the summer they had shared to be one he’d remember, she didn’t want to be a secret summer romance that he would forget as the years went by.
She placed her magazine down, lifting her sunglasses up to rest above her head as she made her way towards him, she perched down on the edge of the pool, her slender legs dipped into the cold water as she continued to watch him.
Klaus noticed her, changing his direction and swimming over to her. She was a goddess in his eyes, the sun gleamed down on her, her hair a frizzy mess due to the humidity, her skin shined after the copious amounts of sunscreen she had applied throughout the day.
“Will you call when you’re back at school in London?” Caroline inquired, her voice slightly shaky which hinted at the nervousness of being forgotten.
Klaus sensed her anxiety, gave her a reassuring smile before making a promise he was unsure he could keep, “Of course I will, love.”
Caroline let out a relieved sigh, glad to know she had him even after the summer was over, she leaned her head down to plant a soft kiss on his lips, which he returned. His wet hands grabbed her waist and pulled her into the water, which caused her to let out a high pitched squeal in shock.
She giggled against his lips, her arms wrapped around his neck as they continued to share a tender kiss– she had him, she was sure of it.
Back when we were still changin’ for the better
Wanting was enough
For me, it was enough
An assortment of glitter gel pens laid on Caroline’s bed, her diary open as she scribbled her endless
plans and hopes onto the pages, little doodles accompanying them.
She grabbed a hot pink glitter gel pen, taking off the lid before writing down her newest hope for the future. “Marry Klaus.” She giggled like the flustered teenager she was, before adding a few little hearts beside his name.
The fan in her room blared down on her, cooling her down in the summer heat, the sound of children playing on the street outside was heard from her room– innocent and pure joy, something she was feeling right now.
Wanting a future with him was enough, wanting him was enough for her.
She hoped he felt the same, he was charming and so incredibly funny– her prince charming, the man she had dreamt of since she was an optimistic young girl wishing for a soulmate like the ones she had seen in movies and TV shows.
She was mentally planning an August wedding, she’d walk down the aisle in an extravagant wedding dress, he’d watch as she made her way towards him– looking incredibly sexy in his tuxedo, it was a perfect fantasy.
To live for the hope of it all
Cancel plans just in case you call
And say meet me behind the mall
Caroline sighed, pulling out her cell phone from her pocket, the glittery pink case shining due to the gleaming sun above her, her fingers typed quickly to her friends.
Caroline: “Can’t go out today, soz.”
Bonnie: “Care, we had plans to ride our bikes to the beach and get ice cream.”
Caroline: “Sorry Bon, I just can’t.”
Bonnie: “Is it Klaus, is that why you can’t?”
Caroline: “Fine, yes it is. He might call me today, I have to keep my schedule free.”
Bonnie: “Don’t get so attached Care, he’s leaving at the end of the summer.”
Caroline: “I’m not getting attached, me and him will talk after the summer ends anyway.”
Bonnie: “Fine, I’ll go with Elena.”
Caroline: “I am sorry Bon, I’m just hoping he’ll call me. Me and you can have a girls night tomorrow, promise.”
Bonnie: “It’s whatever, talk later?”
Caroline: “Mhm, bye Bon!”
Bonnie: “Bye Care.”
Caroline shoved her phone back into the pocket of her denim shorts, eagerly anticipating a message or a call from him– he had promised to meet her at the back of the mall, which was where she stood.
She nervously plucked a loose thread off of her purple striped tank top, smoothing down the sweat from her palms on her yellow denim shorts, pressing her lips together in a firm line.
She felt the vibration of her phone, quickly grabbing it out and seeing a missed call from him, she swiftly called him back, pressing her phone to her ear.
“Klaus? Where are you?! I’m at the back of the mall and you’re late.” Caroline scoffed into the phone, punctuality was important to her and he was late.
“Caroline-“ Klaus attempted to get a word in but was interrupted again.
“It’s rude to not show up and keep me waiting, you’ve had me a nervous mess all day!” Caroline rambled on, pacing in circles outside the mall as she spoke into the phone.
“Caroline, me and my family left town.” Klaus finally managed to get the words out, which caused her to pause her pacing, her face dropping immediately.
“You what?!”
“Sweetheart, I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t even say goodbye.” Caroline’s voice trembled, her eyes stung with unshed tears as she felt her legs shake.
“I know, love. But you have to understand-“ Klaus attempted to explain but was firmly cut off by Caroline.
“I don’t have to understand anything!” Caroline snapped, using the back of her hand to wipe away the tears that fell down her cheeks, “So much for summer love, and saying ‘us’”
“It was just a fling, sweetheart.” Klaus told her, albeit internally trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince her, “I have a girlfriend back in London.”
Caroline felt her heart drop, before shattering into a million pieces, a choked sob escaped her lips before she covered her mouth with her hands.
“You were never mine.” Caroline whispered, sniffling as she attempted to control her overwhelming emotions– they were on the verge of swallowing her whole.
“I am sorry, please know that Caroline.” Klaus replied, his voice sounded conflicted but his heart was heavy with regret for the immense pain he was putting her through, “Goodbye, sweetheart.”
“Klaus! Don’t you dare hang up on me!” Caroline demanded through her tears, but it was too late– she heard the beep that signalled the end of the call.
She felt her world falling apart, her back against the brick wall as her body slumped, head buried in her hands as she attempted to come to terms with what she had just discovered.
She had a girlfriend, she had been a summer fling. So much for summer love, because he had never been hers to lose.