This story is nearing it's end, I hope to have finished it by August 25 which is the one year anniversary of the series. Imagine that we're less than a month away from it having been a year since I posted Baby Vampire Drama!
"Okay, this week we're gonna set outside our regular curriculum for a lesson in local history as we approach Founder's Day. Apparently the community leaders feels it's more important than World War II, but hey, what do I know?"
Maddeline was doodling on her note's copy when she looked up in confusion. Why had Mr Saltzman stopped his epic speech on how crazy our community was?
Her eyes landed on her best friend, Bonnie Bennett. She straightened her back, giving Bonnie one of the largest smiles. "Sorry I'm late," Bonnie said to the teacher.
"Well, it looks like we'll be at full occupancy today." He smiled at her. "Welcome home, Bonnie."
She gave Maddeline and Elena a smile as she sat down on one of the seats. Maddeline noticed how her smile faded and her eyes narrowed when she saw Stefan. Wait, didn't Bonnie like Stefan? She knitted her eyebrows together in confusion.
'What?' she mouthed to Elena, who only shook her head and shot Stefan a confused look.
"Bonnie Bennett!" Maddeline called as she ran over to Caroline, Elena and Bonnie. She wrapped her arms around her. "How are you?"
"Better. Better," she assured them. "You know, glad to be back and trying to keep myself busy."
"Well, I can help with that," Caroline chirped happily. "Major wardrobe problem. You need to help me pick out the perfect dress for the Founder's Court!"
Elena looked at Caroline like she had grown a new head. "The Founder's Court? Did I miss something?"
"The Founder's Court!" she repeated. "You know, Miss Mystic Falls. They announced it today and you, me and Madds are all on it."
"I completely forgot!" Maddeline exclaimed. When she signed up, she was so excited about it, but the excitement had went away since her mother's death.
Elena nodded in agreement. "We signed up for that ages ago."
"So, are you guys dropping out then?" Caroline asked disappointedly.
Maddeline shared a look with Bonnie. "I can't," she said.
Caroline looked to Bonnie for clarification. "Their mom is the one who wanted them to enter."
Carol Lockwood and two other women were interviewing the girls for Miss Mystic Falls. "This year's queen will have the special honour of taking stage at the one hundred fiftieth Founder's Day gala. Before we crown our winner, we'd like to get to know a bit more about each of you."
"Maddeline Gilbert," the Mayor's wife started, "are you involved in anything? Sports, clubs, activities?"
"I'm on the cheerleading squad in Mystic High, top of the pyramid." Carol laughed. "I do gymnastics inside and outside of school. Uh, I've joined the track team this year. I'm part of the school's 'Go Green' scheme, led by Mr. Watson. I used to be on ballet competition as well as modeling until last year. I quit modeling like, last March, I don't really remember. I just didn't feel I was putting my heart on it. And, ballet I'm considering going back, but I don't really know."
"That's a lot of stuff," one of the interviewers said.
Maddeline laughed. "Yeah. I like to keep busy. It takes my mind off of the, um, less welcomed thoughts. You know, about my parents."
She felt somewhat guilty, using her parents' death to get sympathy, but at least it was the truth.
Carol nodded, sympathy etched on her face. "I know, honey, and I'm delighted that you still find it in you to try out new things. Your list is certainly longer than Elena's."
She smiled. For once, she bet Elena in something.
"Honour your partner. Stay focus, right hand around. Flirt with your eyes." Elena and Stefan were sniggering. "Left hand around. Both hands."
Maddeline resisted the intense urge to roll her eyes. She was going with Edward, but he'd stood her up for the practice. So, now she was dancing with Tyler, something by which Mrs. Locwood was completely delighted.
Stefan spun Elena around before catching her in his arms. "No! No!" Mrs Lockwood cried. "There's no touching during this part. It's about the simple intimacy of the near touch. Very nice, Maddeline!"
She smiled. "Thank you, Mrs Lockwood."
Caroline was ranting to Bonnie about the Miss Mystic Falls applicants. "The Fell cousins don't have a shot and Amber Bradley is only on the court so the pageant doesn't look like its founding families only—which, of course, it is. So that leaves Elena and Madds who totally have the sympathy vote since their parents died. Elena doesn't do anything anymore, but Maddeline's on almost in as much stuff as I am. Go Green scheme, cheerleading, gymnastics, track team. How am I supposed to compete with that?"
"Very nice," Bonnie scolded, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Very sensitive."
"Oh I'm sorry, this must sound really unimportant. In light of everything," she apologised.
"It's okay." She sighed. "I get it. You want to win."
"Well, my grandmother was Miss Mystic and both of my aunts," she said. "My mom is the only one who didn't get the gene and I want this. I actually deserve this."
"Everyone thinks that you're gonna win," Matt said, cleaning the top of the bar. "You have the sympathy and the amount of clubs that you're involved in. You're like a combination of Elena and Caroline."
Maddeline laughed. "I don't know. Caroline's involved in more stuff than I am and Elena… she has this way with words that makes people just fall under her spell. I don't have that."
"Sure you do," Matt replied. Maddeline quirked an eyebrow. "Alright, maybe not, but you still have a good shot. So what if you're not charismatic? You have a lot of other talents. Like, track, gymnastics. Even Miss Bynes has to admit that you're good at it."
"Mediocre," she commented. "I'm mediocre."
"You've gone from barely able to run a lap to running miles with the track team during lunch times. Not to mention you're one of the most flexible girls in Mystic Falls."
"Alex Simpson is better," she stated dully.
"What's up with you and thinking you're horrible at everything?" Matt finally snapped.
"Because I am!" she insisted. "You don't know what it's like, to have a sister who's so pitch perfect that everyone prefers her."
Matt shook his head. "You're not gonna be able to have a happy life until you sort out your insecurity problem."
He walked away. "I don't have an insecurity problem!" she yelled after him.
They both knew it was a lie.
"Thanks for helping me," Maddeline said to Jenna, who was straightening her hair. She was going to wear a beautiful, strapless, pale green dress.
"You and Elena are the same," Jenna laughed. "Thanking me when there's a large probability that your hair is going to fall off."
Maddeline chuckled. "I remember when my mom, Elena and I first applied to Miss Mystic Falls, we were all so excited, even Elena was."
"And now?"
She took a deep breath. "I still… kind of am, but Elena isn't and that puts a damper on things. So much has changed in a year, it's unbelievable."
"You've changed," Jenna said. "We all have. Elena's not as happy, she fakes it and Jeremy doesn't have that childish glint in his eyes whenever he's excited. You're the only one who's improved in some sort of way, and that comes with drawbacks too, since it was you having to go through sexual abuse that forced you to grow up."
An annoying little tear strolled down her little baby blue eyes. She wiped it away quickly. "I'm so sick of crying."
Jenna laughed and switched off the straightener. "So, what are we doing with your hair?"
"Curls at the end, the rest of the hair straight. You know that hairstyle's my savior for this events."
She smiled. "I think that's a great idea."
The escort, a crowd of people and the Mayor, who was announcing them, were waiting for the Miss Mystic Falls applicants. "Miss Tina Fell, escorted by Bartholomew Whitmore."
Tina went down the stairs. "Has anyone seen Amber?" Mrs. Lockwood asked.
Elena, clad in a blue dress, was too busy searching for Stefan. "Do you see Stefan down there?"
"Nope," Caroline replied, dressed in turquoise. "Just Maddeline's hot date missing and my boring fill in escort."
"What happened to Matt?" Elena asked.
"They wouldn't let him out of work," Caroline said ruefully. "Wait, what happened to Stefan?"
"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I don't know, he just disappeared somewhere, I don't know. What am I doing? I never should have gone through with this."
"What do you mean?" Maddeline queried worriedly.
"I need to find Stefan," she said. "This isn't me, I'm not this person anymore. Beauty, fashion and pageants has always been yours and Maddeline's forte."
Caroline shook her head frantically. "No, no, no way, no. You had your chance to drop out and believe me I was all for it, because there is no way that I could beat you. I would have jumped with joy if Maddeline would have dropped out too, but Elena, you guys are doing this because it was important to your mom."
"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort Jeffrey Lockwood Hamilton."
She looked at the two of them before descending the stairs. "Elena, you're next."
Elena gulped. After a few minutes, the Mayor called out for Elena. "Miss Elena Gilbert, escorted by Mister Stefan Salvatore."
She walked down the stairs nervously, glancing around for her knight in shining armour. Maddeline felt bad for her sister. Damon Salvatore took his place, much to Maddeline's irritation. She noticed how he looked at Elena. He loved her. He loved Elena, but he couldn't love her.
"Finally, Miss Maddeline Gilbert, accompanied by Mister Edward Cullen."
Maddeline joined her fellow Miss Mystic Falls girls and their escorts, holding onto Edward's arm.
He looked good in a tux, she'd give him that.
The girls were lined up on stage, waiting for the result. "Where's Amber?"
"I don't know," Maddeline admitted.
"Before I crown the winner, I'd like to offer a personal thank you to all of these young ladies for their efforts to better our community." The crowd clapped. "So, without further a due it is my honour to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls, Miss Maddeline Gilbert!"
Maddeline walked towards the stage and grabbed the microphone. "Okay, I've never been good at this. But today, let's just pretend I actually am. I don't deserve this. I'm here because this was important to my mom, and this is what she would've wanted. But all I did was come here, act pretty and that's it. Now, let me present you the real Miss Mystic Falls; Caroline Forbes"
Caroline gaped and turned to Maddeline. "But you… you were…"
Maddeline shook her head. "It's yours. Come get it. Congratulations!"
"I… thank you!"
The two embraced. The Mayor placed the banner around Caroline's shoulder. Elena gave her sister a questioning look, but Maddeline only replied with a smirk of her own.
"You were great," Jenna ranted as she drove Maddeline and Jeremy home. "I thought you wanted to win."
Maddeline shrugged. "Everything turned out the way it was supposed to."
Jenna's gaze snapped over to Maddeline. "What did you do?"
She grinned. "Nothing. I did nothing except give Caroline her crown."
So… what did you think of Maddeline's decision?
