Jewel

Chapter 17

*17 years old*

"Meredith, get in the car!" Ursula yells at me for the millionth time this morning. The sun has barely risen but we are driving to Savanna's state qualifier for the Miss Teen USA pageant. If she wins this Miss Oregon, she will go on to compete in the Teen USA pageant. I think it's dumb, but I've never liked these things to begin with. She's been practicing for some time now, and I've been rehearsing how I have to help her get ready in between performances. There are a lot more costume changes for this pageant and it's pretty obnoxious. I'm just ready to get this whole thing over with.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I drag my suitcase out the front door and lock it behind me. Blake was supposed to come and see me this morning before I left, but we are leaving earlier than I was expecting and he's still asleep. Once in the car I just send him a quick good morning text and tell him that I'm leaving now but I'll see him tomorrow night. We're only staying over one night for the two-day competition so I'll be back home in no time. Basically it's the same show, but for a different panel of judges. I don't know why it matters to have two different sets of judges; it just causes more work for me.

I prop my pillow between the window and the seat and stick my ear buds in my ears to listen to music until the hour drive is over.

We first go to the hotel where we are staying and the pageant is being held. Getting a room in this hotel on this weekend is probably ridiculously expensive and I don't even want to think about it.

"Come, come dear. Let's go get checked in. Meredith," she takes Savanna's hand and snaps her fingers at me to load the luggage cart. I roll my eyes and sling my purse over my shoulder as I unload the trunk and fill the cart with luggage and garment bags. I kick the thing to get it moving, then I push it through the sliding doors and straight to the elevator. The bellhop tries to help me but I politely decline. He would actually mess me up more; I like being in control of it on my own.

The elevator ride up to the seventh floor is oddly quiet and I don't know if it's nerves for Savanna and Ursula, or if they're really just going to ignore me this whole trip. The elevator dings and the doors open. I let them go out first, then I push the cart out behind them and follow them down the hall to the room.

We still have a couple of hours before the pageant actually starts so both Savanna and Ursula take a half-hour power nap while I put myself together. Ursula told me I actually had to dress nice for this event, even though I'm nobody significant, because there will be all sorts of important people here and it would be disrespectful to not be dressed nicely. I brought just a simple black dress with three quarter sleeves and ballet flats. I just brush out my brown hair and it settles into its subtle waves, and I swipe on some light mascara.

When Savanna wakes up, it is my job to get her hair and make up done while Ursula does her own. I have to curl Savanna's hair and play up her make up a lot for this first number. I help her into her first costume for the first talent routine. She's doing some kind of dance thing and she has this outrageous colorful tutu and sequenced belt. She looks ridiculous in my opinion, but hey, I'm not the judge. She runs around the room looking for her shoes and flippers when I have them both in my hand ready to hand her.

"Savanna!" I yell at her.

"Don't yell at me." She commands.

"Then stop freaking out and listen to me. I have them right here for you." I hold up my hands with the items she is looking for. The look on her face changes from anger to slight annoyance as she huffs and stomps across the room to me. I hand the stuff to her and she doesn't even say thank you. She just walks out of the room.

Ursula follows behind her daughter, "You stay here because we won't be long and she has a quick change." She tells me.

I nod and close the door behind them. I lean my back against the door and let my head fall back as I let out a long sigh. Only a couple more months and I'm out of here for good. I'm so tired and the first day has only just begun.