[ it's okay, john. it doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things - elena stuck it out because it'd meant something to her mother, because they would've been doing the whole pageant thing together if she had still been alive. she signed up for it mostly to make her mother proud, and by the time the event approached, she had forgotten about it completely.

caroline deserved to win.

whatever her thoughts on it all were, they are brought to a halt at his question. it gives elena pause, and she tugs a deep breath in, even as they turn. ] I miss people from it I haven't seen in a while? [ she doesn't know if she misses the place itself, anymore. ] But it's been so long since I was there ... [ her expression turns thoughtful. ] In some ways, I don't think I've ever felt further away from it.

[ like that home belonged to someone else, in another lifetime. ]