The Beauty Queen

The Beauty Queen - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Find anything?"

I picked my head up off the floor and groggily looked at Linda. Her face blurred into focus after I blinked a few times. She was staring at me intently, crouching in front of me like a frog. I slowly shook my head, realizing how much it hurt. I glanced over at my mother, who was still sleeping, curled up into a ball. I could tell that she was out late last night, too. There were heavy bags under her eyes.

"What about you?" I asked, returning my attention to Linda. She sighed and shook her head, shifting herself so that she was sitting on her butt. I noticed her hands were behind her back.

"What's that?" I said, pushing myself into a sitting position. I frowned at Linda, but she moved backwards. Oh, now I'm curious.

"Curiosity killed the cat," Linda warned. I made a face at her.

"That expression barely fits the situation," I said, reaching for whatever was behind her back. Linda was stumbling backwards, trying her best to keep away from me. I tried grabbing her arm once, but I missed. The second time I tried, I clutched onto her sleeve.

"Show me," I said in a low voice. I tried to sound threatening, but Linda just smiled.

"If you insist," she said. I frowned and let go of her sleeve. That was a little too easy. Linda revealed that she was holding a flyer. It was a shade of pastel pink that made my eyes water. A little too... pink for my taste.

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a teensy, weensy bit of a tomboy. Not the kind that refuses to wear skirts or dresses. Of course I do, just not on a regular basis. I only do when I have to. The rest of the time, you'll find me in jeans or shorts. Never really flowy, girly clothes.

Linda was holding the paper up to my face now, and I could clearly see what was typed onto the painfully pink paper. I moved my head back so I could read the whole paper. I stared at it for a few seconds before I saw what was written across the top, in swirly, gold letters:

Miss Junior New York Beauty Pageant.

My eyes widened, and I stared at Linda. My gaze flickered from her, to the paper, then back to her. Linda looked like she was about to explode from all the laughter she was holding. My stare immediately changed into a death glare. I snatched the paper from her hands.

"Do you expect me to do this?!" I said. It was quiet, though. I didn't want to wake mom up. I didn't have to worry about dad because... Well, he snores. It's pretty obvious that a grizzly bear couldn't wake him up. Linda smirked at me.

"Of course, Dani dear. I'm not elligible to perform," she told me sweetly. She moved so that she could see the front of the flyer, and she pointed at something at the bottom of the page. Oh, great. Requirements.

"Ages thirteen to seventeen," Linda put her finger on the age section. I scowled. "And if you didn't know, sister dear, I'm currently eighteen." Damn. She missed it by a year. I shot a venomous look at her.

"Never," I said coldly.

"You have to," Linda shot back.

"But I--"

"No buts."

I grimaced. "Why?"

Linda didn't say anything, but she folded the paper so the only thing I could read was the bottom of the page. In giant, shiny gold letters, there was the thing that would save us.

The winner will receive a cash prize of 500,000 dollars.

And I heard heaven's angels sing.