Jewel

Chapter 11

*11 years old, summertime*

Since I discovered how to sneak out of my room at night during the dinner and dessert parties, I have been going to Blake’s a lot more often.  We don’t usually do too much of anything over there, but it’s just nice to at least have another human to talk to.  My wall gets pretty boring after a while.  

Jackson has a girlfriend now and she’s really nice, but he’s usually always out with her, so I still don’t see him.  Today, Ursula is dragging me along to Savanna’s pageant.  Apparently it is going to be my job to help the devil incarnate of a stepsister “look as beautiful as ever” before she goes on.  I honestly don’t know why I have to go this time.  Ursula has never wanted me near the important people her precious daughter works with.  I’m not good enough for them she says. 

But this time is different and it irks me.  I was supposed to go with Blake and his family to the beach, but instead here I am packing dresses and makeup instead of bathing suits and umbrellas.  

I get dressed into my cargo knee length shorts with a light pink tank top and my converse.  I simply tie my hair into a ponytail to avoid having to wrangle with it in the heat and I make sure to put on my rose necklace.  I wear it every single day no matter what.  I love this necklace so much.  I don’t really wear makeup, so I just shove a tube of ChapStick in my pocket and grab my iPod and sketchpad so that I can keep myself busy today.  Ursula hauls us into the car and we take off to the pageant.  I’ve never been to one of these things and I never intended on it either.  

The whole car ride there, Savanna and Ursula discuss the routine for her piano piece and when she is supposed to wave and bow.  They go over the notes again and again until Savanna knows it without having to look at a keyboard.  I just keep to myself and doodle in my sketchpad.

When we get to the venue, moms with their little girls are running around like chickens without their heads on and the workers are shouting numbers to the contestants and handing out papers.  After Savanna is checked in, Ursula drops the garment bag on me and says, “I have to take Savy to touch up her makeup and get her hair done.  You go to the dressing room and set out her first outfit so she can just put it on when she gets there.  We don’t have time.”  And with that, she disappears with her daughter and I have no idea where to go.  

I drop the bag on the floor, then pick it up by the hanger hooks that are sticking out of the top and start dragging it down the hallway.  There are frantic people everywhere, but I am just trying to focus on reading the names on the signs outside each room.  After walking up and down three or four hallways, I finally find Savanna’s room.  Two other girls share the same room and they are already inside getting dressed and ready.  I’m pretty sure I got some hairspray in my eye, but I blink it away and hoist the bag onto the rack next to the mirror.  

I open the bag and peek inside.  I see a pink sequenced outfit with a tutu, an ice blue floor length dress, and short black dress with white polka dots and a thick white strip of fabric at the bottom and a little flower clip by the shoulder.  There is a paper crinkled at the bottom with Savanna’s contestant number and the order of events for the day.  First is the talent portion so I’m guessing that’s the pink sequenced outfit… or maybe it’s the black and white dress.  I don’t really know.  One is for this part and the other is for the interview part.  I’m gonna go with the pink outfit for now.  I take it out of the bag and hang it up nice and neat.  

The other people in the room don’t even notice I am here.  I put my bag down on the counter and take a seat on the stool in front of the mirror.  I watch the other girls get ready from the mirror and I decide that maybe I could try to look like them too.  I pull out Savanna’s makeup bag and dump everything out on the counter to sort through it.