𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐀 | 𝐬. 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞

76

She nods again, reassuring herself with his words of confidence.

"You're Athena Hunt," He shakes his head, saying her name firmly like she'd forgotten it. "You don't lose."

"I don't lose," She repeats, nodding as she straightens her shoulders out. "I don't lose."

Damon slaps a hand down on her shoulder, shaking her slightly. "You don't lose. So go out there and show those people what it looks like when you win."

──────

A sea of red caps and gowns swarms them. Athena clenches Stefan's hand where it's intertwined with hers. Rebekah and Bonnie are standing before her, looking as upbeat as they can for her sake. Damon's pep talk had afforded her the confidence she needed to get there, but standing around in their suits and dresses, with their caps on, it felt so utterly wrong for Caroline to not be here that she could hardly stomach it.

But she refuses to lose. She won't lose in the face of adversity, she won't lose in front of all of these people. She won't. She's stubborn enough and powerful enough to ensure that, at the least.

It doesn't take long for everyone to gather, and Athena sits in the front row next to the salutatorian, with Stefan, Bonnie, and Rebekah in the row behind her.

Principal Weber takes the stage, coming to stand behind the podium with that genial smile on his face as he looks out at the graduating class seated before him.

"It's an absolute honor to be up here today, looking out at this great group of students. I think I say this every year, but I am proud to call myself the principal of such fine kids, and I send these ones out into the world with full confidence that they'll be just fine,"

The older man adjusts, clearing his throat slightly. "Of course, there are those that we have lost that don't get to walk across this stage with the rest of you today, and we mourn the loss of them greatly. But I know every one of you has a piece of those kids in your heart, and that if you're not doing it for anyone else, you're doing it for them, and for that, I applaud you."

A small round of applause follows his words and he waits for it to quiet before speaking again. "With that being said, it is my honor to introduce this year's salutatorian, Troy Jenkins," Another round of applause follows as the boy beside Athena raises his hand in a wave. "And our valedictorian Athena Hunt."

A sharp whistle echoes from the crowd over the clapping and Athena smiles to herself, knowing it was Damon making such a ruckus.

"Please welcome Ms. Hunt to the stage, so she can say a few words for her class,"

Athena stands with an award-winning smile plastered on her face, ignoring the way her hand shakes as she raises it in a wave, making her way up the few stairs to the podium. She shakes Principal Weber's hand before he takes his seat behind her on the stage, and clears her throat before she steps up to the microphone.

She squints through the blinding sun as she looks out at the familiar faces, most of whom she'd been with since her very first day at school.

Ducking her head, she shakes it in slight disbelief before she looks back out to the crowd, a new confidence stringing along her spine. "When Principal Weber told me that I'd be the valedictorian, I knew I'd have to prepare a speech. But if I'm being honest, I am totally winging it," She starts, hands wrapping around the edges of the podium as a few students laugh at her opening.

She looks around at the guests all seated on the bleachers, parents and siblings watching with pride, family members gathered to watch a defining moment. "Most of you who know me probably know that I'm very competitive, and something of a perfectionist, so I really did want to have the perfect speech written for all of you by the time today rolled around. But something crazy happened before I could ever get around to it, and here I am, hoping for the best,"