𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐄 | KLAUS MIKAELSON

𝖤𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳𝖤𝖤𝖭

┏━━━━•❅•°•❈ - •°•❅•━━━━┓
𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝟏, 𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘
┗━━━━•❅•°•❈ - •°•❅•━━━━┛

NERVOUS AS HELL.

Sitting in front of the three judges of Miss Mystic Falls, I could practically feel my heart doing the cha-cha. Apparently, they decided to torture us with an interview before the actual competition.

Of course, I was a bundle of nerves. I hadn't exactly been Miss Extracurricular back in San Francisco. Thanks to Aunt Margaret's iron grip, my options were pretty limited. The only thing I really had going for me was art.

I squirmed in my seat, trying to look composed as Carol Lockwood and her posse of judges stared me down. They flashed me what they probably thought were reassuring smiles, but honestly, they just made me more anxious.

"This year's queen will have the special honor of taking center stage at the 150th Founder's Day Gala. Before we crown our winner, we'd like to get to know a bit more about you each of you," Carol declared, with a smile that did nothing to calm my nerves. "So, tell us about you, Everly."

I cleared my throat, trying to push past the nerves that threatened to betray me. "Well, I'm Everly Gilbert, obviously," I began, my tone laced with sarcasm. "Eighteen years old, born in Mystic Falls and raised in the thrilling metropolis of San Francisco, where the most exciting thing to happen is when the fog clears for a few hours."

The judges chuckled politely, encouraging me to continue.

"As for hobbies, well, aside from perfecting my eye-roll technique, I enjoy painting," I said, a genuine spark of enthusiasm igniting within me as I spoke about my passion. "Art has always been my escape from the monotony of life in the city."

The judges nodded, their expressions unreadable. "And what do you hope to gain from participating in Miss Mystic Falls?" one of the judges asked, her tone polite but curious.

I paused, considering my answer carefully. "I see it as an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, to challenge myself," I replied honestly. "I want to meet new people, experience new things, and maybe even discover more about myself along the way."

That interview was a real eye-opener. Made me realize I had about as much self-awareness as a goldfish. Spent a solid hour soul-searching, and let me tell you, it was as enlightening as watching paint dry.

But hey, at least it got me thinking.

The judges gave their nods of approval, and just like that, the inquisition was over. I couldn't help but grin to myself ---first step towards self-indulgence: complete.

Stepping out, there was Jenna, faithful as ever, waiting for the lowdown. Seriously, she's a rockstar. Her pep talks practically turned me into Wonder Woman.

Jenna beamed at me. "How'd it go in there?"

I unlocked my phone, scanning through a flurry of notifications. "Eh, not too shabby. I think I dazzled 'em."

"Ready to hit the dress shops then?" Jenna asked, already plotting our next move.

"Why the heck not?"