The Original: Book 3

Chapter 18

Getting out of my car at the Lockwood house, I stopped, letting a man carrying a big bouquet of flowers pass in front of me. The Miss Mystic Falls pageant was tomorrow, so the Lockwood house was filled with people trying to get everything set up. Spotting an all-too-familiar blonde with a clipboard, I made my way over to her, a laugh threatening to spill out. "How did I know I'd find you at the helm of this ship?" I asked, stopping next to her.

"Go away, I'm busy," she commented, her tone light-hearted.

"So, who's your date for this thing?" I pondered, watching a few men bring bottles of champagne into the house.

"What?"

"Well, surely the reigning Miss Mystic Falls won't be hosting the party alone. And I assume you won't be bringing Tyler – not after his indiscretions with his lady werewolf friend," I growled, thinking of the bitch.

"Yes, actually I will be going alone. But there's no need to fuss about it. This way, I can make sure everything is running smoothly."

"Well, if you want, you can be my date. Nik's not coming tomorrow, so I'll be on my own as well. Why not go together?" I suggested and I could see her thinking it over. "That's what friends do, right? They don't let their other friends go to a party without a date."

"Okay, fine. Be here at 2 pm, sharp," she smiled before going into the house.

"Welcome to this season's Miss Mystic Falls," I heard Mayor Lockwood announce as I made my way through the house to the backyard. "We are so excited to showcase our most outstanding community leaders in the making." There was a round of applause from the guests, who were gathered around tables in the grass. My eyes scanned the faces, searching for one in particular, finally spotting her. Going down the steps, I made my way over to where Caroline was currently chewing a waiter out.

"I said no empty glasses," she scolded, moving over to the orchestra. "Will you guys pick up the tempo? This is a pageant, not a funeral." She turned, seeing me standing there.

"How am I doing?" I asked, trying to lighten her mood.

"You're perfect, which is so beyond annoying, I can't even look at you." I let out a chuckle, my gaze going over her shoulder. Tyler and Hayley had just showed up and they were holding hands.

"They didn't waste any time, did they?" Caroline looked over too, her smile dropping. "Let's just get today over with, okay?" I suggested, turning her away. She nodded, excusing herself and I grabbed a glass of champagne off the nearest waiter.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Caroline Forbes. As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honor to introduce this year's Miss Mystic Court!" She announced, speaking into a microphone. The crowd that had gathered, applauded. "We begin the procession with Valerie Fell, accompanied by Dylan Clark." The first contestant slowly came down the steps to her awaiting escort. One by one, Caroline announced the names of each girl and they would walk down the steps to meet their date. "And finally, we have a last-minute entry – April Young, accompanied by Jeremy Gilbert." The crowd cheered as April came down the steps, but there was nobody there to meet her. I could see the panic beginning to rise in Caroline, but Matt quickly stepped in. My eyebrows furrowed, wondering where our new hunter could be. I watched as Caroline quickly made her way over to Elena, Damon on her heels. They spoke quietly for a moment before Damon took off and I could see that Caroline was becoming frustrated with Elena. Sensing something was about to happen, I made my way over just as Caroline's voice began to rise in anger. "I think your so-called feelings for Damon are really starting to cloud your judgement, and I don't like it. And the thought of you two together really makes me want to barf."

"Easy, Caroline. You're making a scene," I muttered quietly to her, smiling at a man who had been watching the ordeal. Caroline looked around at the guests, collecting herself.

"Wow. Caroline, thank you for making this very difficult time so much easier," Elena contended sarcastically. I narrowed my eyes at her as she walked away.

"How did I become the bad guy?" Caroline questioned rhetorically.

"Let's get you a drink, shall we? I can tell you all about being the bad guy," I smirked.

"As her best friend, it is my duty to warn her when she's making a giant mistake, right?" Caroline ranted as we walked alongside a pond that was set away from the house. "And now she's taking Damon's side on everything."

"So being a vampire has changed her," I commented.

"But being a vampire only amplifies who you already are. It doesn't turn you into a completely different person."

"It changed me. I used to be the type of person who hated having to skin and de-bone the animals killed on a hunting trip. I hated seeing the blood and wondering if they suffered at all in death. I used to be kind-hearted and truthful, at least to some degree," I admitted as we sat down on a bench.

"You're still kind-hearted and somewhat truthful," she countered.

"Not as much as I used to be. I guess watching someone you love get murdered changes you, though."

"Just tell Klaus to hurry up and find the cure."

"Oh, believe me. He's working on it." I started to open the bottle of wine we brought as Caroline stayed quiet.

"Would you ever take it?" She asked.

"Why would I want to cure myself of being one of the most powerful creatures on Earth?"

"You're saying there's not a single moment in your whole life that you wanted to be human?" Popping the cork off the bottle, we watched it soar a couple yards before finally landing in the grass.

"There may have been a few times, but they were never thoughts I pondered for too long. Once, though, Nik and I were on a trek in the Andes, and a hummingbird flew up to me. It just hovered there, staring at me. It's tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun and I thought 'what a thing,' you know, to have to work that hard every day just to stay alive, to be constantly on the verge of death and how satisfying everyday must be that it survived. That was one of the only times I ever really thought about being human again." She was silent as she thought over what I said. "I'm really happy we're friends again, Caroline. I don't come across people very often who actually want to befriend me."

"Once you get past the murderous boyfriend, you're really not a bad person." I rolled my eyes at her, a smile on my lips.

"You know, life used to be so much easier." I got up from my seat, pulling a piece of paper out of my purse and reading bits of it out loud. "Don't you miss being 'chair of the Mystic Falls beautification committee' and the 'director of the policemen's raffle'?"

"Is that my Miss Mystic application? Where did you get that?" She demanded, attempting to grab it out of my hands, but I moved back a few steps, continuing to read from it.

"'When I am chosen, I intend to redefine excellence'. Now, I'm really enjoying your use of the word 'when' here. Very confident," I smirked. "'And above all, I promise to aspire, inspire, and perspire.' You obviously found a shortage of words ending in 'spire'." I chuckled as she reached for it again.

"It's hilarious; very funny." I raised a brow at her and she began to laugh.

"You really are something, Caroline," I told her, taking a seat on the bench again.

Sorry for posting late again. I wasn't home at all yesterday. I went from class to work to babysitting and then didn't get home until after midnight. 

Kind of a boring chapter, the next ones will be better.

My character and her story are of my own imagination. They belong to me and nobody else. Please do not steal. Copyright 2017.