1:14 Let's Just Finish The Dance

Let's Just Finish The Dance

Part 2

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RECAP

Lizzie sighed. "A personal issue with one of the judges. A direct result of that bitch, Dana's sabotage." Lizzie replied to Josies question.

You crossed your arms over your chest. "She's dead, Lizzie." You commented on Lizzie comment.

Lizzie looked at you. "Correction: that dead bitch Dana's sabotage." You rolled your eyes, knowing Lizzie wouldn't be nice about Danas death. "Costing me the crown from beyond the grave." Lizzie sighed, biting her lip before looking at everyone in the room. "The head judge is her mother."

Lizzie sat down so she wasn't standing. "The town pharmacist. There is always next year for me. But that does not mean that we here at the Salvatore School shouldn't bring home the title and stick it to those townies." You all looked done with this. "So, I have studied all of the stats and advanced metrics, and I have chosen two replacements." Josie smiled, thinking it would be her. "Hope Mikaelson and Kate Lockwood." You and Hope looked Lizzie shocked, you both didn't want this but now you had to do it.

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Lizzie had placed your and Hope in her room. She then placed down a book in front of you and Hope. "We're gonna regret this, aren't we?" You questioned, looking at the book then Lizzie.

Lizzie looked up, sitting down. "Regret it? You two are the perfect candidates. You both are pageant-pretty, reasonably well-spoken, and not to mention you both have the added bonus of being an orphan." Lizzie explained as if the orphan part was no big deal. "Classic charity case." Hope looked at Lizzie confused. "Plus, you both wanted strenuous. This is the fiercest competition in the land."

Hope sighed, leaning froward and grabbing the book. "Okay." She dragged out the 'ay'.

Lizzie started talking again. "My mother's research. She used it to prepare for Miss Mystic Falls the year that she won." Hope was checking the folder out. "It's effective, but her methods? Quaint at best." Lizzie then got up and Hope placed the book down on a night stand. Lizzie came back and placed a diant box on the table, opening it. "This is my research."

You and Hope stared flabbergasted by how much she has done. She takes this very seriously apparently. Lizzie grabbed a folder and gave it to Hope who took it cautiously. "I have studied every answer given, why every winner has won, and why every loser has lost. No one from the Salvatore School has ever come close." Lizzie said, you and Hope look up from the doler Lizzie gave you both. "Until today." She gave you both another one but this time you took it.

You and Hope looked at each other before Lizzie spoke up, again. "Come on, dance training is starting. Get changed into something comfier." Lizzie left the room, you and Hope obviously went to your own rooms and changed into different clothes.

Lizzie was outside waiting, she then took you both to the assembly hall. "They call it rehearsal, but make no mistake: the competition starts now." Lizzie explained, you all looked over at the judges but then looked away.

You and Hope stood with Lizzie. "I wanna die. I hate dancing." You complained.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "You'll just come back." Lizzie fired.

You squinted your eyes at her. "Metaphorically speaking, Lizzie." You argued.

Hope sighed. "All right, calm down." Hope looked at you when she said that. "Anyway, we don't have escorts." Hope told Lizzie

Lizzie smiled. "That's fine, Kate can go with Landon, you can go with Roman." Lizzie summarised. You and Hope looked at each other annoyed. "But for now, you two can go together."

Danas mom then cleared her throat. "Time for rehearsal." She looked at all the contestants. "Mm-hmm?" She looked at the person playing music who then pressed the record player. It started playing 'Just Dance' By Lady Gaga. You and Hope got into positions. "Honour your partner." You and Hope bowed to each other. "Right hand around. Flirt with your eyes. Left hand around." She kept going on. "Both hands."

You and Hope weren't doing that and thats when you crashed into someone. "I'm sorry." You said to the girl.

"Sorry." Hope said.

The girl scoffed, looking you up and down. "With the time you spent not doing your hair, you could've at least practiced the dance a little." The girl then turned around and started dancing again. You glared at her, anger pumping through your veins. You felt eyes on you and looked over at Landon who seemed a bit angry with the way the girl talked to you but you and Hope continued dancing away.

Hope sighed. "What's going on?" She asked you, you looked up at her, confused.

You fake chuckled. "What do you mean?" You questioned, fake smiling.

Hope looked at you seriously which caused your fake smile to go away. "You know what I mean." Hope replied.

You sighed looking anywhere but her eyes. "You already know, this morning when I threw Landon into the paint..." You trailed off. "Landon dying. That he didn't come back." Hope just watched as you looked everywhere. "Now your ex is here and he's got on my nerves for some reason and now I'm worked up." You stopped explaining.

You two kept dancing as it was silent for a while. "You know he's not going anywhere. You don't need to worry." She responded, you went to protest but she stopped you. "And I know that the people you care about you want to protect but you and I both know you can't always be there." Hope was speaking the truth.

When you cared about someone you really cared about them. "I know." You whispered. Both of you stayed silent for a a little while.

You decided to speak up. "But like, I can't believe you were so nice to him. After everything you told me he did to you and to your family you can act like nothing happened?" You questioned.

Hope looked between your eyes. "It's complicated. He spent half of his life desiccated in a cave. And then he was brainwashed by his mother, who was a literal nazi. And he's spent the last two years doing really good work for the school." She explained.

You locked eyes with her. "Your mother is still dead. How does any of that exonerate him?" You asked her, you knew this isn't right but you needed to ask.

"It doesn't. But it's in the past." Hope started getting serious. "Leave it." Hope ordered.

You had a serious face on as well. "I suffered through how much torture because Landon stole a knife, then Landon technically died, and this guy has a hand in the death of your-" You rambled on.

Hope cut you off. "Kate." You and Hope separated. "Stop." Hope ordered you, which you did but then she started talking again. "What about you? A guy that you know but never met killed your father and your mother dying to her own coven." Both of you were obviously worked up.

Lizzie came over and put a hand on your shoulder and Hopes. "Come with me." Lizzie started leading you and Hope out of the room. Landon then came up but Lizzie was quick to speak. "You, stay here. Do nothing." You all kept walking out.

You all were now walking through the woods, right next to the Old Mill. "Lizzie, where are we going?" Hope questioned, breaking the silence.

"You both are a ticking time bomb." Lizzie summarised. You forgot your coat so you were a bit cold but you made it seem you weren't "I'm gonna show you how to take care of it before you hurt someone, or worse, cost us the pageant." Lizzie kept walking.

You stared up at Lizzie while obviously walking behind her. "We're fine. Okay? We just needed some air-" You stated but got cut off.

Lizzie turned around. "You both are far from fine." Lizzie argued. "You both are one small moment away from a meltdown, trust me." Hope shook her head. "I know the signs. You know that feeling inside, like a balloon constantly filling up, always on the verge of popping?" Lizzie questioned.

You and Hope stared at Lizzie. "Maybe." You both said at the same time, annoyed.

Lizzie smiled. "Well, let it pop." She started to move from in front of you two to stand behind you. "Scream. As loud as you both can." Lizzie said, standing behind you and Hope.

You and Hope looked back at Lizzie, confused as she nodded before looking back out to the woods. You both screamed and a magical wave thingy started making leaves fly up into the air, you both then stopped after a few seconds. Lizzie looked proud of her self but you and Hope seemed relieved.

All of you were now walking back to the Salvatore school. "You know, i actually feel a lot better. But I think I need to go back up to my room. I need to call it a day." Hope told Lizzie who looked over at her shocked.

"Same here." You agreed with Hope but Hope didn't send you a smile like she normally does, instead she just looked at Lizzie.

Lizzie looked over at you, shocked as well. "No, you both are not dropping out on me." Hope then looked ahead instead of at Lizzie. "If I'm right, which I am, our win probability is still at eighty-seven percent. Even after that abysmal rehearsal." Lizzie glanced a you. "So buckle up, we're in this till the bitter end." Lizzie stated.

You rolled your eyes and started walking a little faster to get further ahead. You felt Hope and Lizzie staring at you, thats when you looked back to see that they stopped and thats when you returned to a normal walking pace. "In a situation like this, which one of us is supposed to apologize?" You heard Hope ask.

"When it comes to jealousy? Always the guy, but in this case Kate is the guy." Lizzie explained.

Hope sighed. "Kate!" Hope called, you turned around, moving your hair from your face. She waved for you to come back so you did.

You sighed, knowing you would have to apologise as you went back over to her. "Hey."

Hope looked at you. "Hey." She responded.

You crossed your arms over your chest. "I'm so sorry, I was totally insensitive, and I just, I..." You looked to your right and saw a statue, looking it up and down. "Where did this statue come from?" You inquired.

Hope was at a loss for words. "Uh, I-I don't know, somebody probably moved it up here when they were cleaning?" Hope suggested. "Looks like one of the statues from the basement." Hope stated.

You took a closer look. "Call me crazy, but doesn't this look like MG's mom?" You questioned, looking and Hope and Lizzie.

Hope also got a better look. "I think it is MG's mom."

MG, Landon and Alaric were now with you guys outside. "Who would do this to my mom?" MG questioned, looking at his mom.

Hope glanced at MG before back to the statue. "Well, not just who would... who could?"

You all didn't take your eyes off of the statue. ""It could be a bad spell translation, a potion mishap?" Alaric suggested, looking around the group.

You sighed. "Or a monster." You replied.

Alaric stared at you. "There's no reason a monster would be here." Alaric stated.

Lizzie decided to make a comment. "Unless this sentient jar of artisanal mayonnaise activated a new artifact." Lizzie accused Landon. "What did you touch?" She questioned.

You looked at Landon as he stared at Lizzie. "Everything. We cleaned the school from top to bottom, remember?" Landon responded to Lizzie.

Now you were thinking out loud. "But if we're just gonna throw out wild theories, here's one: what if the person who did this showed up today, out of nowhere, acting all buddy-buddy, manipulating romantic feelings to get someone's guard down?" Once you realised what you said you looked away from Hope.

Hope looked you up and down. "Do you seriously suspect Roman?" Hope faced you.

You looked up at Hope, nodding. "Yeah. The timing is too convenient." You shrugged.

Hope half laughed. "I thought you were sorry for acting jealous." Hope stated.

You looked between Hopes eyes. "I was sorry, but now I'm vindicated." You responded.

Hope rolled her eyes, turning around. "All right, Lizzie, Hope, you keep an eye on the contestants. MG, Landon, we're gonna search the campus." Alaric put you guys into groups. "Kate-"

You cut him off. "I'm gonna go ask Roman questions now that I'm fired up again." You stated, walking off, rubbing your arms as you were cold.

You felt eyes on you but one stood out and it was most likely Hope. "Yeah, super helpful." Hope yelled. "Ask a vampire how he turned a woman to stone." Hope sarcastically said.

Alaric cut in. "All right, everyone stay alert and be careful out there." He called so you could hear.

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A.N: Hope you enjoyed 🤍