Leo looked at Caroline's face. He saw the tiredness in her eyes, dark from lack of sleep. He noticed the slight, tight pull at the corners of her mouth, holding back a frown. Her words had a sharp, pointed edge to them, a clear sign she was upset.
He understood immediately. She was still hurt and a little angry because he had turned down her request to come over last night. She had been scared and wanted company, and he had said no.
Seeing her like this—worn out and clearly holding onto that disappointment—he didn't reply with a joke or sarcasm. Instead, his expression softened. He let out a small, quiet sigh and spoke in a gentle, low tone, making sure his voice was calm and understanding.
"Caroline," he began, his voice even and sincere. "Look, I get it. And I'm sorry about last night. But you have to understand, it wasn't about you. I had… some things I needed to deal with myself. My own problems came up, and I had to handle them. It wasn't that I didn't want to be there for you. I just couldn't be, not last night.And –"
Caroline didn't let him finish his sentence. She held up a hand, stopping him.
"Okay, okay. I understand," she said, her voice bright and a little too quick, making it clear the discussion was over on her terms. She took a step forward, closing the distance between them in the hallway. She looked up, her blue eyes locking onto his with a sudden, serious intensity.
She leaned in until her face was only a few inches from his. She dropped her voice into a very quiet whisper, meant only for his ears.
"But just so we're totally clear," she murmured. Her voice was sweet, but the meaning underneath was solid and serious."the fact that you left me all alone last night? It still hurts me. So, you owe me one for that."
She then pulled back, putting a small, polite space between them again. The intense look melted away, replaced by her most charming, lovely smile, directed right at him.
Leo looked at her. He studied her face carefully. He could see two things happening at once in her expression.
There was a performance—the bright smile, the confident posture, the practiced charm she used like a tool in every social situation.
But underneath that performance, in the slight tension around her eyes and the unyielding set of her jaw, he could also see the real feeling. The genuine sting of last night's rejection was still there, not fully hidden by her act.
He understood the situation immediately. Trying to argue with her right now would be useless. He couldn't debate away her hurt feelings, and pointing out the logic of his own reasons would only make her dig in harder.
So, he made the practical choice. He accepted her terms to end the discussion.
"Okay," he said. His voice was flat and simple. He wasn't happy about it, but he was agreeing to stop talking about it for now. It was the easiest way to move past the awkward moment.
"Good boy," Caroline said, her voice cheerful and full of energy. She reached out and gave his shoulder a light, friendly pat. It was a casual gesture.
Then, without waiting for him to reply or even to react, she immediately turned away. She walked off down the hallway. Her steps were quick and self-assured, her head held high. All the tiredness and fatigue from her sleepless night seemed to have completely vanished, replaced by her usual confident, busy energy. It was as if their short conversation had flipped a switch, and she was back to being the Caroline everyone expected to see.
Leo stood still for a couple of seconds, watching her walk away. A small, wry expression touched his face. He didn't say anything. He just gave a slight, slow shake of his head.
Then, he also started walking toward his next class. As he turned a corner near the main bank of lockers, he saw a small group gathered up ahead.
Up ahead,Bonnie, Elena, and Stefan were standing together by the lockers, talking quietly about something. Caroline, who was walking just ahead of Leo, reached them first and joined their circle with a bright greeting.
Leo slowed his steps, feeling a flicker of surprise. He saw Stefan standing there, looking normal. He hadn't expected Stefan to come to school at all after everything that happened last night. He thought Stefan would be too busy dealing with his broken brother. Curious, Leo changed his direction and walked toward the group.
Stefan, in the middle of listening to Elena, suddenly felt the distinct, uncomfortable sensation of being watched. His head turned, his eyes scanning the hallway until they landed on Leo walking toward them.
The moment Stefan saw him, a jolt of pure, cold fear shot through his body. He couldn't help it. The memory of Leo's true face—the cracked red skin and bottomless black eyes from the night before—flashed violently in his mind. A tiny, involuntary tremble shook his hands.
But Stefan was a survivor for centuries. He clamped down on the panic instantly. He took one deep, controlled breath and forced his expression to go still and neutral.
Leo reached the edge of the group by the lockers.The arrangement was clear. Elena was leaning back slightly against a closed locker door for support. Bonnie stood in the middle of the small circle, facing the others. Stefan was positioned a little off to the side, his posture stiff and watchful. Caroline had just slotted herself into the open space next to Elena, her attention on the conversation.
As Leo stopped a few feet away, he could easily hear what they were saying.
"Yeah," Bonnie was saying, her voice carrying a note of cautious relief. "Vicki is doing okay now. It was that weird animal attack. The doctors say she's stable and should get better, but it will take a while. We just have to hope she recovers fast."
Caroline nodded vigorously, chiming in. "Yeah," she echoed, her tone a mixture of gossipy concern and genuine hope. "It's just so creepy. But at least she's okay now."
Elena had been looking at Bonnie while she spoke. Then, sensing a new presence, she turned her head. Her eyes landed on Leo, who had just walked up. She was holding her schoolbooks hugged tightly against her chest with both arms, a self-protective gesture.
Seeing his face up close again sent an immediate, powerful reaction through her body. He looked, as he always did, extremely handsome—his features sharp and compelling. The sight triggered a sudden, hard pounding in her chest. Her heart began to beat so fast and so strongly that for a second she felt dizzy.
She quickly forced herself to look away from him, turning her gaze down to the floor. She focused on taking slow, deliberate breaths, trying to steady the frantic rhythm of her heart, commanding herself to calm down.
Leo didn't notice Elena's stare. His attention was fixed on Stefan, who was doing a good job of acting calm. But Leo saw the subtle signs—the way Stefan's shoulders were stiff, and how his hands were shoved deep into his pockets, clenched tight.
As the others kept talking about Vicki, Leo took half a step closer to Stefan. He leaned in just slightly and lowered his voice so that only Stefan could possibly hear him.
"Work done, huh?" Leo murmured, his words quiet but clear.
Stefan looked directly at him and gave a single, slow nod. His face was a mask of calm control. But inside, he was terrified. A cold fear sat heavily in his stomach. If it weren't for Elena, Stefan would have already said goodbye to this school forever.He knew what Leo was. He knew the kind of person he was dealing with—at the very least, not a good one.But he couldn't run. He couldn't leave, because that would mean leaving Elena. He had real feelings for her—not because she looked like Katherine, but because she was something else. She was kind and strong in a way he couldn't even explain. He couldn't abandon her to a potential danger.
Just then, the sound of the class bell cut through the hallway noise.
Stefan felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder. The touch was casual but firm. He heard Leo's voice, low and close to his ear.
"We'll meet again soon," Leo said. It didn't sound like a promise; it sounded like a fact.
Then the hand was gone. Leo turned and walked away, moving with his usual, confident style, not looking back.
The group broke apart with the bell.
Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena began moving with the flow of students down the hall while talking.Stefan stood still for a second longer. He turned his head and looked down the hallway. He saw Leo's back, already far away, disappearing around a corner. A deep sense of dread settled over Stefan, colder than the fear. He knew Leo's words were true. They would meet again.