Finding The Truth

Chapter 19: Decision Making & Crown Chasing

Melody's POV

It was the day of Miss Greater Cape Fear and we were all crazy, which was normal for us; I was getting hair and makeup done for the interview in Liz's hospital room, Tara and mom were running to get my interview cocktail from the cleaners, and Liz and the twins were still sleeping. When my dad got sick I was a few months into my reign and had to stay the night at the hospital one night because of the location of my appearance the next day; luckily Katie had done hair and makeup countless times before and offered to be my hair and makeup artist for that day. Little did I know that she would become my permanent go-to hair and makeup artist; all of my sister queens loved what she did, so when I came back to the hospital the next time, the deal was made and we were so excited. "What's the color of your interview dress Mels?" she whispered, trying not to wake Liz and the twins up. "Emerald green!" I whispered back. "Okay!" she smiled. Hope told Liz on Sunday, when she gave her the options, that she would have until the night of my pageant to decide; she had been thinking, making pros and cons lists, asking us what she should do, but she still had no idea what to do. The curlers were in and Katie was doing my sophisticated makeup look for the interview; she had done this look so many times before when I had to speak at schools and stuff, but she spiced it up a bit since I was now sixteen. My mom and Tara walked in with my dresses and stuff laughing and carrying on. "Y'all, really?" I whispered. "Mels it's okay, I've been up for a few, don't worry about it!" Liz whispered, opening her eyes a little bit. She was drained and needed to rest, she and I both knew that. "Liz, honey if you wanna be unhooked from your chemo to go to the pageant tonight you need to sleep as long as you can." mom told her. "Okay, I know, you're right!" she whispered as she drifted off again. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried with everything I had in me not to cry. "Melody, you've cried enough, stop!" mom instructed. "Really mom?!?! Don't you think I would if I could?? Instructing me to stop isn't gonna make me stop, I have feelings, and I know you know that; it is taking EVERYTHING inside of me, EVERY SINGLE THING, for me to not cry at this very moment! She is sick, she is dying, and I am not okay with that; so if I want to cry, let me!" I whispered sharply, my eyes still closed. "Mel..." mom began. "No Natalie, stop; that's enough! She can cry, she will cry, and there is not one thing you can do about it; stop!" Katie interrupted as she was pulling the curlers out. "Okay." mom said walking out of the room. I opened my eyes only to find Liz sitting up looking at me. "You look beautiful, absolutely beautiful!" she said. "Thanks!" I smiled. "Okay Mels, let's put on this beautiful cocktail and get you to interview!" Tara said. I nodded. "Oh Mels, I'll be at the pageant at 5 to touch up hair and makeup!" Katie said to me. "Okay, don't forget about Iris; she's my Carolina Princess!" I said to Katie. "What time does it start again?" she asked me. "Six!" I said checking my phone. "Okay, I'll be there at 4:30; text me when you're done with interview, I wanna know how it went!" she smiled. I smiled and nodded. "Alright miss Iris, get over here, let's do this!" she smiled to Iris. It was 2 o'clock, my interview was in thirty minutes, and I wasn't gonna be late! "Okay come on Tara, you're riding with me!" I said. "Alright, looks like I'm riding with her, we'll see y'all at 4:30!" she said. "Good luck Mels!" they all screamed. "Thanks, guys!" I smiled. Tara and I ran to my car, I threw on my heels, and we were off. We parked and walked into the auditorium; I had been practicing my song and answering mock questions Tara was asking me! We took a picture and posted it, then the reigning Outstanding Teen came to get me. "Oh my god, Melody Messer?!?!?!" an oh-so-familiar voice said. I looked up and one of my pageant sisters from the Princess of America court who was a year younger than I was, Madi Cole, was standing before me. "Madi?!?!??!" I exclaimed. We screamed and ran to each other; we were talking so fast and ended up screaming again and hugging. "You look so grown in your heels and makeup and hair and oh my god I'm so proud of who you've become!" I said almost in tears. She thanked me and said the same thing to me. "I'm competing again for Johnston County's Outstanding Teen next weekend, maybe that's where your first appearance will be!" she said, winking. "Maybe so!" I smiled. "Okay, why don't we catch up after your interview, you'll be backstage getting ready in room 3!" she said as we walked back to the interview room. "Good luck! From what our director's told me, you just might be the one I crown tonight if you ace this!" she continued. "Really? She really thinks I have that good of a chance?" I asked shocked. "Yeah, looks like POA did you some good!" she laughed; I laughed with her. "Tara's with me if you wanna go sit with her; I'm the last contestant for teen so I'll come out and we can walk to my dressing room!" I said. She nodded and hugged me for good luck, then walked back to sit with Tara! I took a deep breath, inhale, exhale, then opened the door and walked in.