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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
founders' day
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( founders' day, pt. i )

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

*Outside Mystic Falls High School*

3rd Person POV.

Stefan searches for Elena among the many dressed-up students, teachers, and parents for the Founders' Day parade.

"Look at you, all retro," comes Damon's voice as he joins his brother.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asks absentmindedly, not really in the mood to deal with his brother right now.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Damon retorts. "Bonnie deactivated the Gilbert invention. Isobel's gone, heh, and it's Founders' Day." He pats Stefan on the arm. "I'm here to eat cotton candy and . . . claim my girl." He smirks.

This gets Stefan's full attention. "I told you last night to stay away from Harper, Damon."

"Oh, I know, but it's not fair." Damon feigns a whine. "Elena is yours, so I should get Harper."

"She's not an object you can just claim," Stefan says. "She's a girl with feelings. I don't want you to hurt her."

The elder Salvatore scoffs. "I'm not gonna hurt her."

"She's not Mary, Damon."

"Of course I know that," Damon says in annoyance. A second later, something catches his eye, and his heart goes into a frenzy.

Harper's POV.

When I notice Damon's eyes on me, I freeze in my tracks. Elena and I had just come out of the dressing room in our period dresses for the Miss Mystic float. I was nervous about seeing Damon today since we haven't spoken to each other since Isobel dropped that bomb last night.

When Stefan sees us, he walks forward. I'm a little disappointed when Damon hangs back and doesn't follow him though. 

"Hi, Harper," Stefan addresses first. "You're looking beautiful." He then turns his attention to Elena. "Hey, can we talk for a minute?"

"Yeah." Elena nods and follows him to go talk privately.

Not wanting to be standing all alone, I lift up my skirts and prepare to go find Caroline. However, I don't get the chance because Damon suddenly decides to approach me.

His eyes make a quick sweep of my outfit. "Now aren't you the prettiest girl at the parade." He smiles sweetly.

My cheeks flame red. "Thank you."

He takes a step closer. "You know, I wouldn't mind being your escort again," he says with a suggestive hint in his voice. 

A smile pulls at my lips at his cheekiness. Damon is just so darn cute!

I reply to his comment. "Well, that would be nice, but my escort is here today, so . . ."

"So?" he interrupts, grinning.

I blush profusely. It's getting difficult to keep myself together with the adorable smile he's giving me. I swear, I could stare at that smile all day if I could. "So," I continue, "I have to go with him or else my parents are going to have a lot of questions."

Damon smiles again and nods, seemingly amused.

I wonder if Damon finds how strict my parents are amusing or annoying. Probably both, depending on the situation.

"Harper!" Caroline's voice calls. The blond comes speed-walking up to me in her own yellow period dress.

Damon takes a step back but doesn't move away.

Caroline throws a quick glance his way before focusing on me again. "Come on. We're taking pictures," she urges.

"Okay," I say, turning to follow her. I look back at Damon and wave my hand. "Bye."

"Bye." He waves in return.

Oh, how I miss him already.

As we walk towards the others, Caroline says, "I saw you talking to Damon. If he's bothering you, don't worry about him. He's just a selfish asshole who only cares about himself."

"Yeah," I agree but at the same time not really agreeing.

When we reach the others, Caroline goes to Matt's side so they can get their picture taken first.

I stand next to Bonnie who has the camera. She turns to me and her head swivels slightly from left to right as if she's searching for something. "Where's Carson?"

"Oh," I say, feeling guilty for forgetting about my escort yet again. I shrug. "I dunno. He said he was gonna be here."

"Oh," she says before lifting up her camera and pointing it at Caroline and Matt. "Say cheese!"

Abruptly, Caroline moves out of her posed position. "Oh! — Oh wait! Hide your cast," she tells Matt. "It's not era-appropriate."

I glance down at the cast Matt has wrapped around his right hand. Well, at least it won't be broken forever.

"Seriously?" Matt says. He moves into a different position so his cast will be out of sight.

"Yes." Caroline giggles, changing her position as well.

They smile for the camera, and Bonnie snaps the picture.

"I want one with Bonnie and Harper now," Caroline says.

"Here, I can take it," Tyler offers, walking up behind us from out of no where.

Bonnie doesn't hesitate to give him the camera, but Matt immediately starts walking away. "I'll be on the float," he says.

Well, Matt and Tyler are obviously still fighting. I mean, it's understandable. Tyler literally kissed Matt's mom — not only an older woman but the woman who gave birth to his best friend. How do you even get passed something like that?

Once Matt is gone, Tyler scoffs. "I said I was sorry."

Caroline gives him a pointed look. "You made out with his mother and then you beat him to a pulp. You're gonna have to do a little bit better than sorry."

After we all get our pictures taken, the parade begins shortly after. Luckily for me, my escort Carson does eventually show up so I'm not left alone standing on the float.

Excitement is in the air as the band plays our school theme, and the crowd cheers. I swear I've never been more happy in my life. Finally getting recognized for all my hard work and accomplishments really makes it all worth it.

My eyes search the crowd, and I finally spot Damon. I notice he's already looking at me, so I wave at him eagerly with a bright smile on my face.

He waggles his fingers at me and smirks.

My smile grows even bigger.

Then he raises both eyebrows at me suggestively, and I lose all sense of awareness. My heart jerks and begins pounding hard.

Stefan must notice our interaction because he leans over from his and Elena's place on the float and whispers, "I'm sorry about my brother. If there is any way I can make it up to you, please let me know. If you need a study partner, whatever, I'm your guy."

"Thanks, Stefan," I whisper back.

Stefan's words get me thinking. It's just a little harmless crush. It's not like anything is going to come from it. I'm not allowed to date yet, and Damon is still a walking red flag. It's not like I've just forgotten everything he's done in the past. He's been good these last few weeks though. I think he's really trying to turn over a new leaf. And if there is anything I can do to help him stay on this good streak, I will.

The only problem is, he might mistaken my helpfulness for something else. He might think that I want more or something. He's been flirting with me all day, which has been flattering, but I can't let things get too far between us.

It's just a crush — a simple, little crush.

After the parade ends, my mother takes me home to change and rest before the Founders' Day celebration in town square tonight. I spend most of my time listening to music or watching YouTube to keep myself busy until then.

When it gets almost time to leave, I change my clothes again and freshen up a bit. I meet my mother downstairs and find her ready to go in the kitchen. She's pouring some tea into a teacup.

She looks up at me and holds the teacup out. "Here, dear, I want you to try this."

"What is it?" I ask, taking the teacup from her.

"It's a new herbal mixture Carol recommended," she explains. "I wanna see if you like it."

"Okay," I say, taking a sip from the teacup. "It tastes pretty good." The next time I take a sip, I try to smell for vervain, but I don't smell anything. I guess it's just an actual regular mixture of tea that my mother is trying out.

After my mother grabs her things, we head for the garage. I accidentally trip on the way there.

My mother looks back at me. "Are you okay, dear?"

"Yeah," I respond, steadying myself. I continue forward when a dizzying headache stops me in my tracks.

My mother completely turns around and grabs my arm. "You do not look okay." Before I even have a chance to protest, she leads me to the living room couch and sets me down. "Just rest, dear."

I fight to stay awake, but the overwhelming urge to sleep is like a weight on my eyelids. Against my will, exhaustion slams down on me, and blackness swallows me whole.

My last coherent thought is the tea — the tea did this — my mother drugged me.

*Time Skip*

I wake up in my bedroom very confused. What time is it? With my fingers, I feel for my phone on the nightstand in the dark. When I get a grip on it, the home screen lights up.

7:45 p.m.

It's still the same day. What happened? Shouldn't I be at the Founders' Day celebration?

I'm so confused.

I get up out of bed and venture downstairs. My parents are no where in sight; I'm home alone. I try racking my brain for answers. I don't remember anything. All I remember is re-watching the teaser trailer for Twilight: Eclipse before I got dressed for the Founders' Day celebration.

I look down at my outfit. And I'm still wearing those same clothes.

A pit forms in my stomach. Something is up. Why would my mother just leave me here and go without me?

Unless  . . . something is going down tonight, and she didn't want me in harms way . . .

I rush for the garage. I have to go. Stefan and Damon could be in danger! Who knows what the Founders' Council has planned!

I search in the garage for my old bike and pull it out. After opening the garage door with the remote, I ride out into the street. It won't take long to reach town square, but once I'm there, I'm not sure what my first course of action is going to be.

Adrenaline fills my veins as I peddle hard. My hair whipping behind me in the wind. Just last year, I never would have done something like this. I've always been cautious and scared to do anything outside of the norm and take things into my own hands. But I can't just sit back and let something terrible happen to my friends. I know the Founders' Council has to be up to something. I don't know what my mother did to make me fall asleep, but I feel betrayed.

How is this even my life now?

As I reach town square, I leave my bike in a bike rack. It appears that everyone is here for the celebration. People are carrying around balloons and eating cotton candy, all having a good time laughing without a care in the world. It's going to be hard to find my friends among them.

I step onto the sidewalk and start looking.

3rd Person POV.

Ever since Isobel claimed that he was in love with Harper, Damon has not been able to get the girl off his mind. He will not lie, when he first met her, he was taken by her instantly. Most of it had to do with her resemblance to Mary, but another part of him was entranced by the girl who was a mystery to him. Her looks were familiar to him, but the girl herself was nothing like Mary. It intrigued him greatly.

However, his mission and sole purpose for returning to Mystic Falls was to save Katherine, the girl who taught him how to love again back in 1864. He thought he would finally be happy once he was reunited with her. But then, he found out she was never in the tomb in the first place and didn't even bother to come looking for him. His heart was crushed yet again.

It wasn't until he danced with Harper at the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant that he opened himself up to the possibility of another love — another love with her. And yesterday when Isobel said he was in love with her it made his feelings for her all that more stronger. It excited him more than anything ever had, even his excitement before opening the vampire tomb could not compare.

And with this excitement still running strong through his veins, Damon is currently walking through the crowds of the Founders' Day celebration in search of her. He hasn't seen Harper since the parade, and he misses her already.

Gosh, he has it bad. Her shy smile, her innocence, the adorable way she blushes whenever he compliments her . . .

A whooshing sound behind Damon pulls him out of his lovesick stupor. He turns around and finds Anna staring up at him with serious eyes.

"You're still around?" he asks, his voice laced with annoyance.

Anna glances at their surroundings to make sure no one is watching before she pulls Damon to the side. She crosses her arms over her chest. "There's something you need to know," she says. "The vampires from the tomb are planning an attack tonight."

Damon blinks hard. "How do you know this?" he questions skeptically.

"I went to them. They think I'm with them but I'm not." She pauses. "They want the founding families dead."

Concern strikes Damon in the chest. Harper.

"When is this supposed to happen?" he asks.

"When the fireworks start," she says.

There's a long pause before Damon remembers something. "John Gilbert wants to use that invention on them."

"Wait, then we can't be here." Anna looks around worriedly.

"It doesn't work. It's been deactivated," he says.

"Well, then a lot of people are gonna die," she warns.

"Where are they right now?" he inquires, referring to the tomb vampires.

Anna hesitates. "They're already here, Damon."

That's all it takes for Damon to get moving. He finds Rick first and warns him to get some stakes ready. Then he hears familiar laughter to his left — Elena's laughter — and he hopes Harper is with them, but she's not.

Damon walks up to Stefan and Elena. "Where's Harper?" he inquires.

Stefan gives his brother a pointed look, and Damon rolls his eyes, knowing what his brother must be thinking, which is the complete opposite of what's going on. When Damon realizes they probably don't know where Harper is, he gets straight to the point. "Fifteen words or less, tomb vamps are here. Founding families are the target." Damon looks down at Elena then back up at his brother. "If you want her to survive, then I suggest you get her out of here." With that, Damon takes his leave and continues his search for Harper.

( word count: 2.5k )