Sincerely Yours [Stefan Salvatore]

[20. The Council Attacks]

[1x22; Founder's Day]

"Ouch, this dress hurts!"

Lucy rolled her eyes as Elena whined about her dress for what had to be the fifth time. She had agreed to help Jenna tied up Elena's corset for the vintage dress she had to wear for the Founder's Day Miss Mystic float but she was tired of hearing her sister complain.

Most of her annoyance came from the fact that Lucy didn't get to dress up like she was from the eighteen-hundreds.

"Suck it up, baby," Jenna said, grinning at Lucy as she tied a sage-green sash around Elena's waist.

Elena huffed and fluffed her hair that Lucy styled into bouncy curls and clasped the necklace that Stefan gave her around her neck. Once she deemed herself ready, she turned around and looked at Lucy and Jenna.

"Ready?"

"I was born ready," Lucy replied with a small smile. Her and Elena had been on the outs for the past couple of days since Jeremy revealed to Elena that he read her journal but they were slowly making up. That is, if Elena didn't manage to annoy her to death. "It's my first Founder's Day on the planning committee."

"I'm sure everything will be amazing," Jenna grinned, slinging an arm around Lucy's shoulders.

Lucy smiled. "Let's hope so."

Twenty minutes later, Lucy was shadowing Mrs. Lockwood. They walked around the school yard, trying to get the parade participants in their correct lineup. It was beginning to be a challenge with how peppy and excited everyone was.

"No, no, no, no!" Mrs. Lockwood scolded a couple of band members. "It's all wrong. The marching band should be in front of the Historic Society."

Lucy looked up from her clipboard and saw that Matt was talking to one of his teammates. "Matty," she called, waving at him. "You have to get on your float!"

Matt laughed and saluted her. "Yes, Ma'am!"

"Boys," Mrs. Lockwood moved on, speaking to some of the volunteers dressed in gold t-shirts. "I asked you to put some chairs on the Founder's float."

Lucy noticed Stefan standing just off of the sidewalk, dressed in his age-appropriate costume. He looked very handsome—as ever—and Lucy could feel her heartbeat speed up. She could only imagine what he was like before he was changed in 1864 but she didn't think it was much—Stefan had told her that everyone's traits were heightened when they become vampires.

Lucy waved at Stefan as she passed him, earning a large smile in return. Her cheeks flushed and she turned away, focusing on a group of her cheerleading teammates.

"Girls," she got their attention. "It's time to get on your float!"

Mrs. Lockwood gave her the go-ahead to find her friends after all the floats were in set order and ready to go. Lucy eagerly left her and set out to find Caroline and Bonnie, excited to see the former's outfit for her float.