❝Just when I trust you, you hurt me❞
•

I smile to myself as I look at my attire in the mirror. I wore a high low white dress that had lace long sleeves. I put on the necklace I thought went missing the other day. Klaus had given it back which is why I'm smiling. He's so sweet with me and sensitive when he's around me and he respects most of my decisions, but it's upsetting how he can't show that around everyone else.

I slip on my black heels and walk downstairs to my kitchen only to see it empty. I forgot that my mom is out on business again and Meredith is working. I sighed and make my way outside, placing my phone into my purse. I get into my car and put the keys in ignition, driving into the town hall.

It was Winter Wonderland again. They did it mostly every year and I sometimes went to eat the vanilla cupcakes that were covered in blue and white sprinkles and had snowflake on top. They were the best.. Until I got sick the next day. It was still fun though.

When I make it to town hall, I see Tyler talking with his hybrid friends. When they leave a few moments later, I hurriedly get out my car and make it to him. "Hey Ty."

He turns around and smiles at me, hugging my small figure, "Hey, Ro. You look nice."

"Thank you." I smile back, "Took hours to brush this mess out." I joke, point to my hair that I put up into a braided updo. He laughed too, but then I remembered the reason I came up to him, "What was that all about?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. It's nothing."

I glare, "Liar. I can tell when you are. Now tell me." He looked at me for a minute before sighing.

"If I tell you, I might put you in danger." He looked down at me pleadingly, "Please, just stay out of this." I stopped glaring and nodded. I hate being kept out the loop. Whatever Tyler is planning, I'm eighty percent sure he told everyone else. I turn my back to him and walk towards the grill. Everyone thinks I can't handle things and that I might die in the process, but I can take care of myself.

I walk inside and see a bunch of people at stations, either decorating or signing up for something. I smile at Matt as he passes by and look around for Klaus's painting. The other day he told me he was going to do a painting for today and I joked on how he was doing Modern Art. I had asked him to show me, but all he told me was that it was the expression of post modernism. When my eyes spot the only 'post modern' painting, I walk up to it and secretly hold back my smile.

"Hello, sweetheart." I turn to my right and see Klaus in a suit with no tie. He looked great and handsome like always, but I couldn't tell him that. He had a smile on his face, as if he heard me.

"Hi, Klaus." I smiled, looking at the painting ahead, "It's beautiful. Your painting."

"Thanks, but it's not as beautiful as you look this evening." My cheeks turn light pink, but I shake it off.

"I know, right?" I joke, "You know, you could have just told me you painted a snowflake." He stood beside me now, our shoulders gently touching, making my heartbeat rise.

"And would be the fun in that?" He asked rhetorically, "Could I get you some champagne?"

"Trust me, I wish you would, but there are adults around. If I drink in front of them, that will not be good in my future." I whispered to him and his lips make an 'O' as he nods in realization.

"How am I going to get you to come to my house now?" He joked and I hit his chest, sending a playful glare. "But the high school part is almost over."

"Yup, and I'll be on my way to a college I don't want to go to." I muttered and he heard me, now fully interested.

"You want to discuss over a drink?" I look up at him and let out a chuckle.

"Yes please." I nodded, "But I'm not going home with you."

•
•

"I feel like I'm the outsider trying to get in." I explain to him, as I sip on my champagne he secretly got me. We sat in the far corner of the grill as I poured my heart out to him. And it wasn't a surprise as I noticed he was listening to me. "They won't tell me things. You won't tell me things."

"I don't tell you things because I want you to be safe, Rowan." Klaus assured but I shot him a look.

"I'm starting to hear that a lot. And I don't know what it would take four you guys to know that I can take care of myself." I glared. It was getting dark night so the lights were turned on, making outside look beautiful. "Let's go for a walk. I've been sitting for too long."

He nodded and we left, leaving our glasses at the table. We walked silently as I awed at the lights above. I can feel him smile at me, so I look over and smile back.

"Do you trust me?" He asked suddenly and I realized this is one of his serious moments, making my swallow the lump in my throat.

Hesitantly, I nodded, "I trust you. Or at least I try to." I mumble the last part, not wanting him to hear that. I believe he did though, because he glanced down at me before turning away.

"Klaus, we need to talk." A voice said and we turned to see a girl with dark brown hair. Tyler mentioned her, saying that she helped break Klaus's sire bond, I think her name was Hayley.

Klaus nodded, turning to me, "Can you get us something stronger than champagne, sweetheart?" I furrowed my eyebrows, but took notice that he wasn't asking me to. I nod my head, glancing at Hayley before walking back to the grill. When I look back, I saw Klaus now talking to Stefan, which made me really skeptical.

I head into the grill and walk towards Matt, "Hey, Ro."

"Hey, do you think you can sneak me a bottle of vodka?" I asked sweetly, but he shook his head, "Please." I pout and he sighed. "I'll pay you back."

"Alright, but don't tell anyone where you got it from." He walks into back and comes towards me with the vodka, "What do you want this for?"

"Must I tell you everything, Matty?" I huffed and he rolled his eyes, going back to cleaning up the tables. I hurriedly make it outside, only to see Klaus was gone. Stefan was still there, so I went up to him, "Where's Klaus?"

Stefan looked over at me, "His hybrids needed him." His words were simple, which made it unconvincing. "I'm not sure."

"Okay." Was all I said to him, before going back into the grill. Everyone was weird, which meant something was up. The grill was started to get empty leaving me alone in a booth, with a bottle of vodka. I assumed Klaus would show up and see me here, but after an hour of waiting, not a single person walked into the grill.

I slid out the booth, bottle in hand, walking to my car. I was going to go home after this long day and rest in a warm bubble bath, but I somehow ended up driving to Klaus's house. I put my car in park and get out, walking up to his door.

When I see it was ajar, I open it slowly, "Klaus?" I walk into the living room, taking out two glasses and pouring the vodka in both. When I hear footsteps, I let out a sigh of relief, screwing the cap on the bottle, "The only thing that I thought was stronger than champagne was vodka. Although, I should have got bourbon, right? We would have had a lot more fun."

I pick up the two glasses and turn to face Klaus, I ended up dropping them when I see him covered in blood. I try to focus on the shattered glass in front of me and my soaked dress, but I was too much in thought of how Klaus had dried blood over him and a bloody sword in his hands.

"What did you do?"

"I went out for a little treat." He smiled easily as I stand in the center of the room, disgusted. "You haven't seen Tyler have you?"

"No. Why?" My voice was shaky as he tossed the sword, "Klaus, what happened?"

"Well, your little friend Tyler plotted against me and try to kill me." His smile drop, and was filled with anger, "So I killed all of them." Who was them? Who else was apart of this?

Is this what Tyler wouldn't tell me? Is this the reason why everyone kept things from me? Because they wanted to kill Klaus.

"You did what?" My voice croaked, the vile smell of blood and alcohol filling my nose.

"Oh, don't act surprise, sweetheart. You were probably planning along with him!" He yelled and I took a step back. "This is why you were treating me so nice! So you could kill me."

"How could you think that?" I mumbled, shock in my voice. "I told you that I don't know anything! How dare you think that!" My voice began to rise as anger ran throughout me, "I told you I trusted you. I thought you would trust me too."

"I trust Tyler and the others, look where that got me." He seethed and tears welled in my eyes. I rub them, trying to fight back the tears, but they ended up falling down my cheeks either way.

"I can't be near you right now." I cried, and pushed past him. He didn't come after me and I was glad because when I made it outside, I broke down on the way to my car.

I couldn't contain my breathing as I sat in the drivers seat. I trusted him. He asked me if I did. He questioned my loyalty and I gave him the benefit of the doubt with everything he did.

I kissed him. I almost slept with him. And I get hurt once again after all of this. I'm always getting hurt when I know the consequences. I get broken and torn up, struggling to fix myself again.

I hate that about myself. It sucks so much, but I realize that I'm going to be okay, like Bonnie said.

I'm still strong.