Unstoppable | The Vampire Diaries

17. America's Next Miss Mystic

"What happened to Vicki Donovan?" Ciara Fletcher asked her daughter, glaring at her with her arms crossed. "And don't even think about lying to me."

"It wasn't my fault," Riley mumbled.

"I don't care whose fault it was. A teenager is dead, and your father wants to know who's to blame."

"I didn't know her. Whatever happened, it's not my fault and I know nothing about it."

Ciara rolled her eyes. "After 17 years, you really think I can't tell when you're lying?"

Riley thought about lying again, about keeping the secret about Vicki quiet until the end of time. But her mother wanted answers, and she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Vicki Donovan was a vampire."

Ciara nodded, this answer suspected. "Stefan Salvatore? Did he turn her?"

"No, Stefan wouldn't do that," she said, before admitting the truth. "It was Damon Salvatore, his brother."

"Right," Ciara nodded again. "So he turned her into a vampire. How does that translate to her being dead?"

"Vicki wasn't like Stefan and Damon. She was new, and she was volatile. She was in love with Jeremy Gilbert. When Elena tried to protect her brother, Vicki attacked her. And then Stefan killed her. He had to, he had no choice."

Ciara tried not to let the disgust show, but she couldn't stand the fact that her daughter knew about any of this, let alone that she was somehow involved. "And who buried her?"

"I don't know, either of them. The point is, they didn't have a choice, and you can't tell anyone."

Ciara sat down, sighing. "Riley, I'm going above and beyond to keep this stuff from your dad. But the deeper you get into it, the harder it is. The last thing I want is for him to find out."

"Are you sure?" Riley asked. "I mean, if he knew about it, at least he would be able to keep himself safe."

"It's not happening," her mother snapped, her voice taking on an 'end-of-discussion' tone that shut Riley up.

"So, what are you gonna tell dad?"

Ciara frowned. "You should be in school."

Riley stood up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "This is all gonna come out. The longer you keep it a secret, the worse it'll be."

***

"Honor your partner," Carol Lockwood said. "Stay focused, right hand around. Flirt with your eyes."

Riley and Caroline winked at each other and made fake flirty faces as they practiced for the 'Founder's Court'. Caroline was competing against Elena and a few other girls to win 'Miss Mystic Falls', a beauty pageant-type competition that she was taking extremely seriously.

"Remind me again what you get out of this?" Riley asked curiously as they danced.

"Pride, adoration... a tiara and sash," Caroline giggled excitedly. It meant a lot to her.

Riley smiled. "Well hopefully Matt will do a better job at this stupid dance than I am."

"It doesn't matter," Caroline said, the smile falling from her face for the first time. "I won't win. I mean, even without the Fell cousins and Amber Bradley, Elena totally has the sympathy vote since her parent's died. How can I compete with that?"

Riley frowned. "Look, what Elena went through is tragic and awful, of course. But I don't think it translates to winning a beauty pageant."

They both glanced outside at Elena, watching her talk to Bonnie.