Chapter 11 is here a little sooner than expected to show gratitude for your incredible words of support for this fic! I hope you enjoy every word of it. xo

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13212484/12/Meet-me-at-midnight

The photoshoot /chapter 10/

He sets up the camera and starts messing with the settings to get everything right when he hears her approaching again. She pops her head behind his shoulder, her lips puckered and a slight furrow between her brows.

“What’s happening here?”

“Well, I’m adjusting the brightness and the contrast so I can get better color payoff from the sunset and you know, to make sure the brightness isn’t too much.”

“You mean so the sun doesn’t outshine me?” She jokes, her chin now resting on his right shoulder and he can feel her soft breath on the side of his cheek. He has to remind himself to breathe.

“That could never happen.” It comes out of his mouth despite himself. He turns around just slightly so his cheek touches hers, but she doesn’t move away. They stare at each other with more intensity than ever before, it makes him heat up in every way possible. She finally cracks a little smile and breaks the contact, but he’s unable to drop his stare.

He watches on as she goes around him to try and climb up the lifeguard house. She’s changed in to a colorful shirt and a longer flowing skirt that looks mesmerizing when she walks.

That’s when it hits him.

He likes her.

He really, really, really likes her.

A little sneak peek to the photoshoot scene between Caroline and Stefan in the upcoming chapter. We’re getting serious now, folks. Get ready for some sweet coupley stuff (and a lot of angst, IMO).

Him and Bonnie ease back to their conversation while she retreats to the secluded stool on the edge of the bar where she usually sits and does things to pass time when there's no customers to serve.

She grabs one of her magazines and a pen, opening the middle where there's usually a crossword. She starts filling it in, but in reality, she's observing the miracle happening before her eyes.

They sit next to one another, their shoulders touching, inching closer as they converse. Bonnie is showing him something on her phone and they laugh at it together. She's positively over the moon, and him? He's not even in their orbit anymore. That's how bad he's fallen for her best friend.

Like, can't take his eyes off her bad. Soaking in her every move bad. Watching her lips as she takes a sip of her drink bad. Smiling from ear to ear at every word that comes out of her mouth bad.

Crying from laughter at her jokes, which, let's be honest, aren't always the best. He checks out every item on Caroline's imaginary 'Does he have the hots for you?' list.

Combine that with the fact that he's acting like a total marshmallow and is actually making good life choices, you've got yourself a good starting point.

Caroline smiles to herself, but the smile falters as her eyes catch a glimpse of Elena Gilbert's face in the little article next to the crossword. Her stomach drops. She gives one quick glance back to the pair and can't help but feel a sense of dread.

This is wrong, and like numerous pieces of literature warned her, wrong things often feel so right.

She sighs heavily and shuts down the magazine, she doesn't want to stare at the picture any longer. She doesn't want the picture to stare back at her either. It feels like it's judging her.

New chapter is up: