The Everlasting

Chapter 20: Rooms and Rooms For Improvement

No one POV

Through Richard Lockwood's funds, Mystic Falls High School now had several different programs and extra curricular activities for the town's students of all ages to choose from. Many more sports options were added too.

The school had a major remodeling building, curriculum, and teacher wise. Sadly, for some reason Tanner couldn't be replaced just yet. The kids would just have to suffer until Damon did the one thing they could actually applaud him for.

Some wouldn't think small town kids could possibly be into some of the things offered, or that they would be so good at it. James had made sure several options were available to them so they could explore their interests.

The town's soon-to-be-graduates started to have more options when it came to leaving town, since their test scores were much better this time around. Acceptance letters, scholarships, grants, and awards coming from all over for the students that earned them.

It was their own curiosity to explore the world that encouraged them to even take the leap to get away from the small town. Many were off to study abroad or over states. Their families basically pushing them to get away from them.

Most of the town's parents didn't notice when their kids didn't tell them which college accepted them. Just seeing the taillights of a car once it was time for them to leave. Some parents barely got goodbyes.

Who could blame the poorly neglected child? I certainly wouldn't.

Something every one of the neglected scholars did really packed a punch to their own parents once they left Mystic Falls for college, leaving no forwarding address either. They all would go on to excel in whatever it was they chose to do career-wise.

Without the shackles of their family or peers holding them down anymore, they grown to heights they always thought they could, if they just had the chance. The decision to leave Mystic Falls being one of the best things they could have ever done.

Even though several people did leave town for college, few came back once they gotten their degree or degrees, masters, etcs. Some people do tend to love their small towns too much to really leave it behind.

Many that did have bad relationships with their parents, who had missed their hometown, just moved to different areas near or in Virginia, with even less moving near Mystic Falls.

Many more homes, stores, small businesses, warehouses and such were built up using Richard's pockets too. This being a smart business move for Tyler's future benefit, since he would inherit everything.

James' foreknowledge about the recent stock market crash had saved him loads, along with many of his relatives, close friends, and business partners. Moving the money in a way that the authorities wouldn't ever be suspicious of. He used his future knowledge for many of his and his pack's business dealings.

The funding for these new things had came from Richard's fat wallet. Him being the mayor only helped accelerate the normally snail-slow process. His gift for the hell he put Tyler through, might as well make himself useful somehow.

The school system having been improved, the town's festivals and uptightness was adjusting too. It wasn't so, you know... bland and racist.

Confederate and Nazi symbol flags were banned from ever being raised or displayed to the public. There were even more town parties and events that were inclusive to everyone and everything.

Instead of 'that thieving ass unedited google document' day being mentioned, Happy Indigenous People Day was celebrated and recognized instead. Chinese New Year, Black History Month, Ramadan, Islamic New Year, Songkran, Juneteenth, Día de Muertos, Workers' Day (Latin America), Diwali, Christmas, Kwanza, Navidad, all the health awareness holidays was acknowledged as well.