Life has been relatively ordinary for Cassandra Gilbert, up until the car crash that killed her parents, and almost claimed her life.
But being the older twin sister of Elena Gilbert is about to get difficult. Vampires. Werewolves. Hybrids. Witches...
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Cassandra holds her dress bag in her hand as she stares out the window of the changing room. Below her, her eyes track Jeremy as he walks towards Anna. She purses her lips. That's not worrying at all. And it is so clear that they are trying to hide it. why else would they sneak around to the back of the building, away from the event, away from where all the people are gathered. The doors to the room open and close behind her as Damon lets himself in.
"What's so interesting out there?" Damon asks her as he walks towards where she is stood.
"Jeremy" She answers, not taking her eyes from her brother. Damon moves to her side and hums a little. "Every time I look at him I want to tell him everything" She admits. "I should" She looks at Damon. "He deserves to know the truth so he knows just how dangerous Anna is"
"You know what that means though, right?" He asks her. "That the second you tell him everything....it will never be the same between you two" She nods and looks out the window to watch Jeremy and Anna.
"Yeah" She whispers. She knows. Jeremy would hate her for what she did to Vicki. But she hates keeping him in the dark. "But I hate this" She looks at Damon. "I feel like I'm betraying everyone all the time" She lets out a breath and shakes her head.
"So why don't you just tell him?" Damon asks her with a shrug.
"We agreed"
"Elena told you" He argues and she huffs a little. "You do seem to let her call the shots a lot of the time" He points out. She sighs and closes her eyes. She knows this. She does. But her whole life has been the same.
"I got so used to it" She admits. "Even as kids, it was always Elena, whatever she wanted to do, where ever she wanted to go.....I mean, I only became a cheerleader because she did" She shrugs. "That's the way it's always been" She adds. "She threw the biggest strops, she was the youngest....."
"Maybe you need to start discovering who you are," He tells her. "Outside of being her twin", She shrugs a little.
"The last time I made a choice for myself my parents died" She admits. Damon gives her a look. "I chose to go to that party without Elena....and they died because of me"
"Come on, that's not what happened" Damon argues.
"Yes, it is" She counters. "I went to that party. I fought with Tyler. I wanted to go home....so they came to get me because I made a choice....to go....." She looks away from him and lets out a breath. He had no idea she held on to this guilt. She never shows it. With everything else going on, this guilt was pushed back. "It was my fault" She swallows a little and shakes her head. "Look, I have to get dressed, what did you want?"
"Ah, nothing" He offers, there is no way he can tell her about Stefan right now. He can't unload that on her. Not yet. He can wait until after this thing is over with. She doesn't need to worry about Stefan drinking human blood again. She gives him a look and he shrugs before leaving the room. She lets out a breath and shakes her head. She can't worry about Damon's behaviour. She has to remember her steps. She has to remember to keep her spine straight and her smile in place. She's going to suck at this.
.................
Cassandra draws her hand over her dress as she stands with Caroline and the other girls. She's not usually one for the whole formal thing so the dress feels weird on her even if the fabric is actually really soft. Below, Mayor Lockwood introduces the girls. One by one. "Miss Tina Fell, escorted by Bartholomew Whitmore" His voice carries up the stairs so they know when they are to go. Tina takes a deep breath and then heads down the stairs. Carol Lockwood looks around the girls, counting, checking them but they are one girl missing.
"Has anyone seen Amber?" She asks them. Cassandra moves to the railing to look down at where the escorts are gathered, she pulls a face.
"Do you see Stefan down there?" Cassandra asks Caroline who peers over the railing to look as well.
"Nope, just my boring fill in escort."
"What happened to Matt?"
"They wouldn't let him out of work. Wait, what happened to Stefan?" Caroline asks her.
"I don't know, he just disappeared somewhere, I don't know" Cassandra mumbles, her nerves now setting in. She has no idea who she was thinking in agreeing to take Elena's place. "What am I doing? I never should have agreed to do this. This is so stupid" She pushes away from the railing.
"No, no, no way, no." Caroline stops her. "You've made it this far. And you're doing it for your mom and Elena." Cassandra sighs a little and nods. "Okay?" Caroline asks, Cassandra nods again. "It's just one dance. That's it. That's all you have to do and then it is over"
"Yeah" Cassandra agrees. It is just one dance. Minutes. It will literally be over in minutes. She can do that. "Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort Jeffrey Lockwood Hamilton" Mayor Lockwood announces. Caroline looks at Cassandra and then goes down the stairs. Cassandra touches her necklace around her neck and clutches to the stone.
"Cassandra, sweetheart, you're next" Carol tells her, Cassandra nods. She can do this. She can do one dance.
"Miss Cassandra Gilbert, escorted by Mister Stefan Salvatore." Cassandra makes a noise in her throat and then takes a deep breath as she moves to the top of the stairs. She plasters on a fake smile and descends the stairs.
