Come As You Are¹ || The Vampire Diaries

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟿: 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝙿𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝙳𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚘𝚞𝚝

"...Sure." I agreed with an awkward smile. "I'll help out."

"Great. Since it's you—you can stand in as last year's winner instead of just volunteering."

I realized what a stupid move I just made. My uncle held back a snicker and turned away from the door while Mrs Lockwood looked over the clipboard.

Looking away from her, I glared at my uncle for laughing at my stupidity. I was trying to be nice. How was I supposed to know that?

Well, I could have just read her mind.

Now, I felt even more stupid. I sighed and turned back to see Mrs Lockwood look up. She didn't say anything but instead smiled.

"I hate pageants." I stated the moment she left.

"Then you shouldn't have volunteered." Uncle Nate finally burst out into a fit of laughter. "I'm sorry but anyone could have seen it from a mile away. For someone whose smart, you sure do make a lot of stupid decisions."

The hallway was quiet as I hummed under my breath while stapling some posters for the upcoming parade. The pageant itself was still an invite only event but the Miss Mystic parade was another story. I had time to kill before class started so here I was.

At least I wasn't alone.

On my left Rei carried a pile of posters while she followed after me. She wasn't really part of the student council but Will was running late.

They had only begun dating after the whole decade's dance and they were already giving Elena and Stefan a run for their money for the most devoted couple.

On my right, Dana leaned against a set of lockers with her back turned. She clutched a clipboard against her chest as she lightly complained about the pageant.

"...For the last time, we get it Amber shouldn't be in the pageant." Rei sounded annoyed at Dana's constant complaints. Even the happy-go-lucky Rei had enough of Dana and the pageant. "Look if anyone should be complaining it should be people like me, Tiki and Bonnie. We don't even get considered for this stupid thing."

"Rei has a point. Amber is the whole pretty blonde girl-next-door type and she fits the image of a pageant—which is total bull, if you ask me." Dana walked over to me and handed me the staple gun. I took it from her and stapled the four corners of the poster before turning to look at her.

"Besides, you're making this a big deal when it's not."

"Says the girl who has everything." Dana muttered.

Rei shrugged. "...She has a point. This pageant means nothing to you cause you're a Founders' kid. Doesn't matter if you take part or not." She sighed and shuffled the posters.

"Well maybe...I can put in a word to Carol 'bout you Rei. I don't know." I said just quiet enough so the three of us could hear.

The two girls snapped their heads towards me with widened eyes. They shared a look before they pounced on me. "You're one of the judges aren't you." Dana said while Rei nodded along.

"I guess."

"You guess?" Dana questioned.

I let out an exasperated sound and leaned against the display board I was standing in front of. "...I'm kinda standing in for the non-existent Miss Mystic from last year."

"Called it." Rei said as she clicked her fingers. "Also congrats. Mystic Falls is becoming more diverse."

"You guys, I'm a stand-in not the actual—"

Dana cut me off. "Knowing Carol Lockwood and the Mayor you'll probably be added in as the real one. They love the whole legacy of the founders' thing this town has going on."