Leaving The Friendzone

Chapter 14

Elena Sergio.

The triennial beauty pageants that took place at Belford Springs weren't something new. Not in the least bit. It had been on and on for years now. For the past three decades, the town was founded.

One of dad's best friends, Wilson Carter happened to be the grandson of one of the founders of the town, therefore it went without saying that he was one of the organizers of the pageant. And not just that, he was very enthusiastic about having us, Karen, and I contest for it.

I had never contested in the beauty pageant though. Anytime I remembered the caliber of girls that contested the previous year and recalled how beautiful they had looked in the pristine makeup and their intricate dresses that suited dainty figures perfectly, I always thought otherwise. I was more comfortable being a spectator, better off as a matter of fact.

I didn't hate myself or how I looked. No, it wasn't that. It wasn't even close to that. I love how my brown hair fell in straight hunches down my back and rarely had split ends. As much as my skin burned if I went out into the sun without using sunscreen, I loved it anyway. I loved how it was zit free and perfectly smooth. And my stature, I wasn't exactly what would make a person stare if I stepped out in a bodycon dress, but I was just as okay the way I was. At least I knew enough to know it was okay the way it was with my wide hips and slim waist.

But the thing was, I wasn't confident. I was far from being confident in myself. One minute I was all hyped and ready to do something, all optimistic, believing I take on anything headfirst, and the next minute I was having doubts like they came in twos. And it was eating me up inside, my lack of self-confidence. If I was confident enough I might have signed up as a contestant in this year's beauty pageant, but yet again, even at eighteen, I wasn't going to, no matter what anyone told me.

The pageant was today. As usual, I'd be in the background ready to cheer whoever I was rooting for, but this time it wasn't just a random person. This time I would be cheering for my sister, Karen. Two things made this year's pageant differently, and pleasantly so to speak. One, Karen was performing in the pageant this time around and for the first time, and two, KJ would be at it too, not just as a spectator, but because of me. Because I invited him as my plus one.

Karen hadn't wanted to attend the pageant. It had been nowhere near her mind. All she planned on doing was to spend the three-week summer break at home before she headed back to school, but somehow, she had managed to fill me in on the dos and don'ts about boys and attend the pageant as well. All thanks to Mr. Wilson by the way. He had dropped by the house to see dad and then he commented that Karen would be a fit candidate for the pageant and the next thing everybody knew, that was all Karen wanted to do with her remaining one week at home, contest beauty pageant.

Her male half was going to be a close friend from high school who was also back for the holidays. If you asked me, I thought they were the perfect match, but of course, no one else could see what was so obvious. Caleb had been the quiet mysterious basketball point guard back in high school and Karen the busty lacrosse player. They were the perfect couple if only they could see, but oh well.

As I stood in front of the full-length mirror in Karen's room, holding my reflection before me in scrutiny, I wondered what KJ would think when he eventually saw me.

My brown hair was pinned in a neat chignon style and my makeup had been so perfectly done by Karen's friend, Sandy, it seemed like I had none on but still looked more beautiful than I normally did.

My dress was a blue velvet dress without sleeves and a white waistband that stopped an inch just above my knees. Coupled with silver heels that enhanced my long legs, I looked for once as a proper lady and I was both awed by the look and happy with it.