(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ninety

Cassandra folds her arms over her chest and lets out a breath as she glances up at the sky. Her dreamscape's telltale red sky painting the entire space in that red glow. It's been weird having these dreams and Damon not being here. It almost feels lonely. Ally stands behind her. Watching her. Studying her.

"I can't believe I agreed to do this" Cassandra complains as she turns to face Ally.

"Why did you?" Ally asks as she tilts her head, looking over Cassandra, she wrinkles her nose at the girl's posture and stance. "Straighten your spine" Ally tells her. Cassandra gives her a look and then tries to do that but seriously how can she straighten her spine.

"This is ridiculous" Cassandra complains as she watches the older woman walk around her. Ally had almost jumped on the idea of helping her with this Miss Mystic Falls thing. Even if in dreamland. Cassandra is hoping she can apply this in the real world so she doesn't make a fool of herself. "It was my mom" She offers, Ally frowns at her. "Why I agreed" Cassandra elaborates. "She tried to talk me into it when she was alive and I said no. This isn't my thing..."

"Wasn't mine either" Ally admits.

"But then she died and I don't know...maybe doing this is kind of me making it up to her that I said no the first time...." Cassandra looks down and shrugs. "She was so excited about it" Cassandra pulls a face as she gets upset. Her mother wanted them to do this so bad but Cassandra was stubborn and argumentative and flat out refused to even fill in the application form. Miranda told her at the time that it was okay, but part of Cassandra knows that her mother was disappointed that she didn't sign up. Maybe this is her way of fixing that. She clears her throat. "Did Damon tell you that I wanted to meet you?"

"Yep," Ally assures her. "We will...Damon's just worried I'll freak you out" Ally points out as she touches Cassandra's shoulders and pulls a little. "Spine" She reminds her. "I'm not so bad in here" Ally motions around her. "That's your mind's influence on me. But out there...I can be a little..." She cocks her head trying to work out the right word here. "Distracted" She settles on.

"What was it like?" Cassandra asks her. "Being stuck in that tomb" Ally lets out a breath and looks at her.

"Not something I want to talk about, kiddo" Ally argues and steps away from Cassandra. "Come on, would you?"

"No" Cassandra agrees. Who would want to talk about something that was that traumatic?

"Alright, Doppel-Me, show me what you got.." Ally pushes and motions with her hand. Cassandra sighs and then adjusts her stance into one for dancing. Ally pulls a face but nods, it is likely the best she is going to get.

.................

Cassandra heads down the stairs, her dress bag thrown over her arm. She's trying not to show her nerves but she really is nervous. Ally tried her best to help but Cassandra doesn't think it is going to be enough. Elena is already downstairs, pulling on her jacket when someone knocks at the door. Elena hobbles to the door to open it. Revealing Alaric on the other side.

"Hey" She greets.

"Hi" He offers back as he enters the house, leaving the door open behind him, they're leaving soon anyway.

"I heard you're driving." Elena comments.

"Yeah, I am" Alaric agrees and motions to the dress in Cassandra's arms. "Let me get that for you" He takes the dress from her.

"Thanks," She tells him as she moves to grab her jacket from the back of the couch.

"How...how is Stefan?" Alaric asks Elena, she turns a frown on him.

"What do you mean?" She counters.

"You know, he seems on edge."

"He went through a lot, he was in bad shape for a while but he's bouncing back now" Elena explains, Cassandra raises an eyebrow not really believing that, but she doesn't like him, so of course she is not going to believe anything about him being good. Cassandra and Alaric share a look, she shrugs back at him just as John walks in through the front door. Cassandra rolls her eyes and turns to pull on her jacket.

"Alaric. Hey buddy, what are you doing here?" John asks.

"I'm the chauffeur." Alaric answers.

"I thought I was driving" John points out just as Jenna makes her way down the stairs to join them.

"No need, we're going with Ric" Jenna argues.

"Are we ready?" Elena asks.

"Not even a little" Cassandra complains as she heads out of the house, Elena sighs and limps after her. Jenna turns to John.

"Jeremy can ride with you" She offers and then follows the girls out.

...............

Cassandra sits in a chair staring at her reflection. This is actually happening. She's actually going to go through with this. Dancing in front of people. In heels. With Stefan. She could probably deal with the dancing. But Stefan. She still doesn't entirely like him. And that's worse recently because of how much Elena has been complaining about him. Jenna stands behind her, curling her hair as Cassandra adds the finishing touches to her makeup.

"Thanks for helping me," Cassandra tells Jenna who smirks slightly.

"Don't thank me until you're sure your hair isn't gonna burn off" She teases, Cassandra snorts.

"You know I remember when mom and I were first applying for this, she was so excited" Elena comments. Cassandra hums a little.

"So were you if I recall." She points out and glances at her sister.

"I was" Elena agrees. "She just made it sound like so much fun. A lot has changed since then" Elena shrugs.

"How's the ankle?" Cassandra asks.

"Sore" Elena answers and looks down at her bandaged ankle.

"And Stefan is okay with this?" Cassandra asks. "With dancing with me?"

"Why wouldn't he be?"

"Because I don't like him" Cassandra points out. "He's not scared I'm going to like...stomp on him" Elena narrows her eyes a little.

"You're not going to stomp on him.....right?" Elena asks her, Cassandra bites her lip and pulls a face.

"I make no promises...." She mumbles and Elena gives her a smirk. "Okay, I should go put my dress on" Cassandra offers as she stands and then points at the hair curlers in Jenna's hands. "Be careful with that thing, don't hurt anybody" She teases and walks away from them. Jenna and Elena share a look.