Big is Beautiful (18 page)

"Um… what do you want to do?"

Matt looked around the room. "Do you want something to drink?"

I'd always heard not to drink at a place like this. "Not now. Don't want to spill it on my dress." I laughed nervously then admired the decorations some more. I'm sure I looked like a tourist in New York City, but I couldn't help it. Like I said, sensory overload.

"Dance then?"

"Okay." Might as well get it over with. I had no idea if I could dance in public. I'd never tried before. I did enjoy dancing around my room, but that was different. Solitude.

We found a table close to the floor and I put my coat and clutch on one of the chairs, hoping it stayed there all night.

The dance floor was half-full when we stepped out. The music was loud, fast with an awesome beat. I was happy. I had more of a chance of keeping up with this type of music. With the lights and the music, I blended in pretty well with the other dancers. The lights changed colors to the beat and made the dance floor look magical.

I was having the time of my life.

Before I knew it, the beat swelled and I was in Matt's arms. His hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer to him. Our bodies touched with each move to the beat. It was intoxicating.

My eyes opened finally, just a second. When they did, I saw her.

Kendra Moses.

She was leaning against the wall watching me. Her dress was stunning. A red so deep it looked nearly black. A strapless bodice with sparkles around her midsection made her waist appear even tinier than normal. The front of her dress rose above her knee and the back dusted the floor. Her face kept changing colors between the lights flashing overhead, but the red seemed to fit her best.

The horrible look she gave me didn't last long. When her date, Rodney, walked up wearing a crimson tuxedo jacket and black shirt and no tie, Kendra's expression changed completely into a beaming smile. A few remarks between them, and she was all over him. I knew it was for my benefit, since Matt's back was to her.

It was a buzz kill.

"What's wrong?" Matt yelled through the music.

I couldn't exactly hear him clearly. "What?"

"What's wrong? Your mood's changed."

"It's nothing. Just getting tired."

"Do you want to sit down?"

I had to think about that. "No. I like dancing with you." Plus as an added bonus, Kendra got to see every move.

I rocked!

He smiled and spun me around. I giggled and fell back into his arms not caring at the moment about Kendra's threat. She could glare at me all she wanted. She was stuck with Rodney all night and I had Matt — well, until they announced Red Queen and I had to bolt, not that I thought I'd win.

I got stared at more in those few minutes than I had my entire life, including the horrible cafeteria hugging incident of Thursday. I wondered why people even covered their mouths to gossip. It wasn't like I couldn't tell from the way the stared who they were talking about.

And I didn't care.

"Brittany!" Jillian screamed as she ran up to me and pulled me into a big bear hug. "You look amazing. Love your hair!"

"Thanks!" I smiled and pried my body from hers before she bruised a rib. "You do too. I love that necklace." I couldn't help touching the shiny bauble around her neck.

"I do too. It's my mom's. Can you believe she let me wear it?"

"It's real?"

"Duh, of course." She laughed and playfully punched me on my shoulder. Before I could say anything, her date, Oliver, came up and handed her a glass of punch. I had to fight the urge to tell her not to drink it. Jillian was a big girl. If she wanted to drink the scary punch possibly spiked by no telling who, then who was I to stop her? Thankfully, Jillian took it but didn't drink. Guess she'd been given the same lecture I had.

I was enjoying my time when Mr. Thompson, the principal, walked on the raised stage on the opposite side of the room. When he cleared his throat, everyone turned so Matt and I were in the back. A pretty good place to be if you asked me. "Can I have your attention please," he said in his typical booming voice. The microphone amplified the gruffness of it. He wasn't my favorite person, simply because his appearance was so scary.

"Red Queen will be announced in five minutes. If you haven't voted, tough. Votes are being counted now. Remember, you have to be present to win. Good luck, ladies."

Oh no! It was already time for Red Queen! When did that happen? What was I going to do?

Jillian grabbed my arm and nearly tore it out of the sockets. "It's time, Brittany! It's time! You're going to get this. I know it!"

Matt smiled at me. "Except for the few times my sister won, no girl I've brought to a dance hasn't been Queen. I have a record to maintain."

And here I was going to break it. I looked to my right and saw Kendra with her back to the wall, flirting it up with Rodney. I didn't like either one of them. Her eyes locked with mine and I saw the warning again. If I didn't disappear, she'd tell Matt and he'd never want to see me again. I couldn't let that happen.

"I've gotta go," I whispered in Matt's direction and headed toward the door.

"No, you're not!" Jillian spun me around until I saw the stage again. Mr. Thompson walked up to the microphone. Not good. Not good at all. I needed out of there, preferably home where I couldn't be found.

"It appears the people counting didn't need five minutes after all, so I hope everyone is present and accounted for because it's time to announce the winners," Mr. Thompson held up the small red envelope.

No. Stop. Don't do this!

"And our new Red Ball Queen is…"

I tried to bolt from the room, but Matt caught me by the waist. He spun me around so I was between him and the stage and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "I need to go to the bathroom," I said loud enough for him to hear. Who cared if someone else heard me? One tiny embarrassment would be better than what I would endure if I won.

"Not now you don't. You can wait. I have a good feeling about this," Matt answered.

I didn't. Oh man, I didn't. Kendra kept her eyes on me, daring me to stay. Maybe I wouldn't win. Maybe Jillian would get it, or if I was super lucky, Kendra.

God, please don't let me win. Please, don't let me win.
I never thought I'd have to pray such a prayer.

"The winner…"

Kendra raised a brow at me and cut her eyes to the door for me to scram.

"… is…"

Anyone but me… anyone but me…

"Brittany Gregory."

My world stopped.

I saw Jillian jumping up and down beside of me. Matt hugged me tightly from behind. Even Oliver seemed pleased. I, on the other hand, wanted to crawl under a rock.

In my wildest dreams, I never imagined being any type of queen. And now that I was, I wanted to be anything but. Thanks, Kendra.

"Go get your crown." Matt pushed me out through the crowd which had already parted to allow me to get to the podium. I'm sure I looked like a scared kitten walking through them to the stage with Mr. Thompson and Ms. Bennett. From the corner of my eye I saw Kendra. She couldn't have looked more pleased.

The doors to the hallway were on my right and it took everything I had not to run out of them. Maybe if I ran, Kendra wouldn't tell Matt and my love life wouldn't be over before it started. It was wishful thinking. I'd already won Red Queen.

I should have been happy.

I was terrified.

With each step toward the stage, I thought my legs would give way. Ms. Bennett must have sensed my trepidation because she held out her hand to help me on the steps. A week ago, no one would have bet on me even attending the Ball, much less being elected Red Queen. The spotlight followed me on stage, nearly blinding me. I couldn't see much of anything except Mr. Thompson smiling at me. I'd never seen him smile before. He looked like a different man.

"Congratulations," he said while clapping. He handed me the envelope with my name inside.

Sure enough:
Brittany Gregory.

Wow.

I wished I could have enjoyed the moment. I wanted so badly to believe the reason I won was because they liked me and thought I deserved it. But I knew it was a lie. The reason I won was because I was Matt's date, and Matt would win Red King.

Jenny Leighton, senior beauty, came forward with my crown.
My
crown — whoa!

It was so pretty! A tiara type with lots of sparkly clear and red crystals that erupted in the spotlight. It was more beautiful than I ever imagined. I faced the crowd, and Jenny put the crown on my head. When she backed away, I half expected pig blood to fall from the ceiling on my head. Girls like me didn't win things like this without some sort of consequence. We didn't even go to things like this. It had to be some cruel joke, even though I was told to expect it.

Told by Kendra.

Did she have something to do with me winning?

The crowd mumbled, cheered, snickered, and worst of all, stared at me. Change that… worst of all, the spotlight dimmed enough for me to see them, specifically Kendra. I watched helplessly as she slinked toward Matt who was smiling and clapping like he was the proudest guy there.

Why wouldn't he be? Kendra hadn't ruined his night yet.

I watched helplessly as she tapped him on the shoulder and started whispering in his ear.

"A few words, Queen Gregory?" Mr. Thompson backed away from the microphone, anticipating my words of wisdom and gratitude.

I had none.

The crowd hushed, but the roaring in my ears got louder.

"I want to say…"

Kendra stopped talking, and Matt's eyes shot up at me, big and concerned.

"…thank you for voting for me."

He shook his head once and mouthed the word "no." Kendra looked at him with fake sincerity and said something else.

"I wasn't expecting this, obviously."

Matt looked at Kendra.

"But…"

He looked at me.

"…it means a lot."

And I knew he believed her.

I stopped talking abruptly, but couldn't move or take my eyes from them. Matt looked hurt, and Kendra, standing behind him, looked pretty proud of herself. She'd gotten her revenge.

"Thank you, Brittany." Mr. Thompson walked in front of me and spoke into the mike. "Now, it's my honor to announce Red King."

I knew who it would be. I knew it.

"Matt Taylor."

The spotlight shined on him, but he didn't smile. Didn't flinch. Didn't take his eyes off of me.

I couldn't handle it. Being made fun of by Kendra every hour of every day for the rest of my life would hurt less than the expression of disappointment on his face.

"Matt? Come on up here, son, and get your crown." Mr. Thompson's voice echoed though the gym. Everyone turned to look at Matt, who only looked at me.

He flinched like he finally realized all eyes were on him, and he slowly started walking to the stage. The spotlight followed him, and my eyes followed the spotlight.

With every step he took, every look he gave me, my heart beat faster. My Cinderella moment was fading quickly. He hated me. I knew he did. He probably thought I was more pathetic than he did before.

It hurt to breathe, and I feared I'd hyperventilate. I stumbled back from the microphone, at the edge of my own spotlight. A hand on my shoulder made me jump. "Brittany, everything okay?" Ms. Bennett asked. Obviously, neither Matt's nor my reactions to being voted King and Queen were what she had expected.

I shook my head and blinked, causing a tear to stream down my cheek. Ugh.

I couldn't take this anymore. The people. The lights. Matt's expression. My lack of food. Before I knew it, I'd run toward the steps and headed down the stairs. My legs were so weak, I stumbled on the bottom step and nearly fell, but I kept going.

Gasps and laughter filled my ears, making me more determined to get out of there.

Pushing my way through the exit doors, I opened the gym door to escape. The bracelet Matt bought me caught on the closing mechanism. I saw Matt getting closer to me, but I didn't want to talk to him. I yanked as hard as I could and felt freedom. Running as quickly as my weak legs would go, I rounded the corner and down the senior hall. I heard footsteps behind me and sped up.

Matt was the quarterback. There was no way I could outrun him, but I could out-maneuver him.

I rounded the corner at the end of senior hall and turned onto the snack machine area of the junior hall. I turned left and ran into the girls' bathroom.

If history told me anything, he wouldn't go in there.

Alone at last, I slid down the door and plopped on the floor. Cinderella's time had run out. I was the big, ugly step-sister again, who would never be able to show my face around the school again.

"So typical that you'd run in here. Oh, how the mighty have fallen," said an oh too familiar voice from the far end of the bathroom. Kendra Moses strutted toward me, her so blood-red-it-was-almost-black dress swished as she walked.

As if I hadn't suffered enough.

Chapter Sixteen

"Haven't you done enough?" I leered at Kendra as she walked toward me, all full of herself like she'd done something grand by telling Matt my secret.

She scoffed. "Let's get one thing straight, Big. I didn't do anything. I simply talked to your boyfriend on your behalf. I'm worried about you, you know?" Her sugary sarcasm would add more weight to my thighs.

"He's not my boyfriend," I mumbled.

She leaned her head to the side and cupped her hand around her ear. "What's that? What did you say? I didn't hear you. Speak up, dear."

If God acted on unintended and irrational prayers, Kendra would have been in a heap on the floor. "He's not… my boyfriend," I said, not able to look her in the eye. I didn't know why I let her be superior over me, but I couldn't help it. I felt like the weight of the world was pushing down on my shoulders.

"Oh." She sounded full of herself. I couldn't help it. I had to look at her. I wished I hadn't. Her bright smile made my fist ball up ready to knock it off of her five-inch heeled feet. Embarrassment didn't suit me. "That's right. He's not your boyfriend because he's mine."