Twice The Trouble

Chapter 14: Stacy's Heartbeat

Stacy

"..Candidate number 4! Stacy Eris Sta. Ana!"

I won? I won! Oh Thank God!

"I know who you are."

The audience exploded in applause.

"I've heard the rumors."

A glamorous crown was bestowed on my head....

"So they were right."

The host gave me a bouquet of pink roses and a shiny 1st place sash.

"You ARE a sardonic..rebellious.."

The emcee, the judges, and random fans posed to take pics with me.

"..two-faced bi--"

"STACY!" I was dragged out of my dark thoughts when a voice called me.

I blinked twice, perturbed, and my eyes scoured the tidal wave of students clamoring for my attention ,my autograph, and a picture with me. Boys were throwing flowers at my feet.

"STACY!"

Ah-ha! There she was, my awesome twin sister, being roughly shoved away by the crowds.

"Sophia!" I said with glee, and I hiked up one side of my pink skirt. Thank Goodness this gown was easy to move around in.

With one arm carrying my bouquet, and the other hand clutching at my pink gown's skirt, I descended the small stairs leading down to the main floor; the plush white carpeted ground.

"Excuse me," I muttered as I weaved through fellow college freshmen and upperclassmen.

"Stacy! Can I have a photo with you?"

"Can I take your picture?"

"Miss Stacy! You're so pretty!"

"Stacy, we love you!"

"Stacy! Can I have your number?"

I sighed inwardly while I wriggled amidst the horde of teens.

"Ace!" My twin threw her arms around my shoulders.

"Sop!" I almost dropped my bouquet when I moved to hug her.

She took my pink roses from me, which I had been thrusting forward.

"Congratulations," she told me as she kissed my cheek.

Relieved to have my hands free, I adjusted the silver tiara on my head and stretched my arms to my sides, and I plucked the white envelope peeking out of the bouquet my twin was carrying.

"I can't wait," I said as I looked at the unopened check in my hands.

Sophia eyed me quizzically. "To what?"

"Put this in my bank account," I told her with a toothy grin.

She sputtered a laugh and I bumped my hip against hers.

In an accusatory tone, I told her: "You thought I was going to shop!"

"What! Me? No!" She laughed even harder, tears dotting her eyes.

"I'm not THAT irresponsible," I said with dignity.

"You once punched a girl over a Gucci handbag."

"She attacked me first! And it was 60% off!" I cried out.

We burst into gales of laughter at the memory.

Soon, Liam, Matthew, Lucas, Cole, Emily and Spencer appeared before us, and they praised me for my victory, giving me their congratulations.

After a few seconds, Miles, Dylan, and Selena slung their arms around me in a group hug.

"You won! Nothing less from the best," Miles cheered.

Dylan sent me a cautious look. "You realize Alison and her pals hate you even more now?"

"Like I care," I scoffed and rolled my eyes. He was sugarcoating it, I know. 'Hate' wouldn't even begin to describe what Alison felt towards me. Maybe 'loathe', or 'despise' or 'detest'.

"That's our girl," Selena said, patting my back.

"I guess the standards for winners have gotten so low, huh?"

My ears perked up, and my blood curdled with anger upon hearing that voice.

I spun around and came face to face with Bryce De Los Reyes, and he was not alone.

A girl of average height, long black hair, and strapless lilac gown was hugging his arm.

"What do you want, De Los Reyes?" I demanded him.

"Don't be conceited. I came here for my girlfriend, not you," he said with a crooked grin.

I flashed a sweet smile at Scarlet Salvador, who wouldn't quit giving me an acidic glare.

"Oh, that's right." My saccharine voice made her cringe. "Your gorgeous, well-bred, girlfriend."

I was not going to stoop to her level. I wasn't going to mention our little chitchat before the contest, and I wasn't going to be condescending about how she didn't win anything.

Kill them with kindness. Best tactic in every situation.

"Then why are you HERE, in front of me? Don't tell me you miss me already," I cooed.

Scarlet gritted her teeth and stood closer to her brown-haired, blue-eyed boyfriend.

"I just wanted to see who could have possibly been entitled Miss Orion," Bryce answered without missing a beat. He assessed me from head to foot and shook his head, smiling.

"Done checking me out?" I snapped at him.

He arched a cynical brow at me as he drew his girlfriend closer to him. The sickeningly romantic gesture irked me. A foul taste formed inside my mouth.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," he replied, sounding bored and unimpressed. "I've heard people say you looked like a queen, a goddess, an angel in pink. Guess they were false rumors."

My hackles rose, but I wouldn't let this bighead wind me up like a toy doll.

I folded my arms across my chest and smiled at Bryce, saying: "That's because I'm better than all three combined. Didn't you know? Stacy is derived from Anastasia, the Russian Duchess?"

At that statement, I felt a strange jolt in my chest, as though my heart pounded a special beat.

Discarding the thought aside, I cherished the priceless looks on Bryce's and Scarlet's faces.

"Bee, let's just go," Scarlet mumbled in her partner's ear, yanking at his arm.

I lifted a neatly plucked eyebrow at that. 'Bee'? So that made her 'Honey,' I assumed?

Talk about corny.