Homecoming Queen (2 page)

“None of us can believe it,” said DJ.

“It seemed like a great idea at the time,” said Casey, wiping her nose on the edge of her oversized towel. “I thought I was being so clever — getting even with Taylor. She deserved it after how she hurt Rhiannon.”

“Revenge never works,” said Rhiannon.

“Tell me about it.” Casey sighed.

“And worrying about it won’t change anything,” said DJ.

“That’s easy for you to say.” Casey stood. “I’m the one who could end up in jail.”

“You’re a minor,” said Rhiannon.

“Okay, juvenile detention.” Casey tightly shut her eyes. “That’s even worse.”

“That would only happen if Taylor presses charges,” said DJ. “Remember what Detective Howard told us the other day?”

“Of course she’ll press charges,” declared Casey hotly. “She’s probably already spoken to a lawyer. I’m toast.”

“You don’t know that,” said DJ.

“I need to get dressed,” said Casey quickly, heading back to the bathroom. “If I’m going down, at least I can have some clothes on.”

“You’re not going down, Casey.” DJ made an attempt at a laugh, but she knew it sounded fake.

After Casey returned to the bathroom, Rhiannon looked at DJ. “Do you think she’ll really have to go into juvenile detention?”

DJ shrugged. “It seems crazy, but I suppose it’s possible. According to Detective Howard, she did break the law. Taylor has the right to press charges.”

“We really need to pray about this.”

DJ nodded. “Yeah.” She put her hand on the door handle and looked sympathetically toward the bathroom. “Well, I need to get ready for school. And I need to tell Grandmother what’s up so she can notify the police.”

“What about Taylor’s parents? Do they know?”

DJ shrugged. “Guess that’s Taylor’s business.”

DJ felt a mixture of emotions as she returned to her room. On one hand, she was relieved that Taylor was back — and safe. On the other hand, life would probably get complicated again. Casey was right, the stuff would be hitting the fan soon — and just after Casey had finally made an effort to fit in here at Carter House and after DJ’s grandmother had decided not to send her home after all. All that could change now.

As DJ finished getting ready for school, she prayed for Casey. She wasn’t even sure how to pray, so finally she just asked God to bring something good out of this mess. She had no idea what that might be, but she felt certain that God could do it.

“You done in there yet?” asked Taylor in a groggy voice.

“Sure,” said DJ as she opened the bathroom door more fully. “I didn’t know if you’d even be up yet. Are you planning on going to school today?”

Taylor shrugged then pushed a dark strand of curly hair out of her eyes. Even after her late night, and possibly riding her Vespa in the pouring rain, she still looked gorgeous. “I don’t know.”

“I’m going to let my grandmother know that you’re back.”

Taylor rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Whatever.”

DJ controlled herself from saying something sarcastic back at her — like “Thank you very much, DJ. I appreciate your concern.” She knew it wouldn’t do anyone any good to get into a fight with Taylor today. If anything, she felt like she should be very placating, very kind and understanding. Maybe if she played her cards just right, she could induce a bit of Taylor’s sympathy toward Casey. Possible, though unlikely.

“She’s back, isn’t she?” whispered Inez with dark, curious eyes. The housekeeper had stopped DJ on her way to Grandmother’s room. “I saw her little green motorbike outside, and I know that means she’s back.”

DJ nodded. “Yes. She’s back.”

“Does this mean trouble, you think?”

“I don’t know. Right now I just want to tell Grandmother.”

“I’ll tell Clara to set another place for breakfast.”

“Thanks.” Then DJ knocked on her grandmother’s door. Although her bedroom was on the same floor as the girls, it was in the back of the house, with the stairway acting as a sort of buffer to the other rooms.

“Yes?” Grandmother opened the door, still wearing her rose-colored satin robe, as she peered blurrily at DJ. “What is it, Desiree?”

DJ quickly told her the news.

Grandmother blinked. “She’s here now?”

“Yes.”

“And she’s all right?”

“She seems perfectly fine.”

“Did she inform her parents?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t really had a chance to talk. I just wanted to let you know so you could contact the police and stuff.”

“Yes. Yes, I’ll get right to it.” Grandmother smiled as she clasped her hands in front of her. “Oh, I’m so glad that she’s back.”

DJ nodded, but felt unsure.

“She’s such a
beautiful
girl,” said Grandmother.

DJ wondered what that really had to do with anything. “Well, yeah.”

“And I have such plans for her.”

“Oh.” DJ got it. The old grooming-the-girls-to-be-models idea was poking up its ugly head again.

Grandmother put a thin, wrinkled hand on the side of DJ’s face. “Oh, it’s not that you’re not pretty too, Desiree. You most certainly are. But that Taylor — ” The old woman smacked her lips like she were about to devour a piece of chocolate cream pie — or more likely a carrot, knowing her. “That Taylor — well, she has the makings of a real supermodel.”

“Right.” DJ stepped away now. “So, you will let the police and everyone know?”

“Oh, yes, of course.” Grandmother nodded in a vague kind of way that suggested that she had already forgotten about Detective Howard and Taylor’s parents, as if she had simply dismissed all of that as insignificant compared to the fact that Taylor had the “right stuff” to be molded into some kind of supermodel. Talk about delusional.

“And, Desiree,” said Grandmother as DJ started to leave. “Please, tell Taylor that I’d like to see her in my room — before breakfast.”

“Okay.” DJ sighed.

“And don’t slouch, dear,” said Grandmother. Then she stood a bit taller herself, as if to show DJ how it was done. She held her pointed chin higher as she used the back of her fingers to give it a pat underneath, as if that might help the slightly sagging skin to tighten. “Good posture tells people that you believe in yourself, dear. It makes a good impression.”

“Yeah, right.” For her grandmother’s sake, DJ stood a bit straighter, suppressing the urge to grind her teeth and growl as she walked back to her room. Sheesh. Sometimes DJ wondered if she was honestly related to that crazy old bat. DJ’s mom, an intelligent and down to earth person, had been nothing like Grandmother. But then DJ’s mom was dead. And DJ’s dad didn’t want to deal with a teenage daughter. Really, DJ knew she should be thankful for the old woman. But sometimes it was tough.

2

“MY GRANDMOTHER WANTS TO SEE YOU,”
DJ informed Taylor. “Before breakfast, in her room.”

“I’m almost done here,” said Taylor as she applied some mascara to her already long, dark eyelashes. She blinked and looked at her reflection with what seemed a slightly critical frown that made no sense to DJ since the girl was obviously gorgeous.

“You look done to me,” said DJ in a flat tone.

Taylor let out an exasperated sigh. “No offense, DJ, but you’re not exactly the epitome of style.”

“Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Taylor turned from the mirror and seemed to study DJ. “I mean you’ve come a long way, but what is up with those shoes?”

DJ looked down at her old sneakers. “They’re comfortable.”

“Well, they look like you should give them back to the bag lady you stole them from.”

“I wasn’t planning on wearing them to school,” said DJ defensively. “I just slipped them on for — ”

“Never mind,” snapped Taylor as she turned back to the mirror and picked up a large brush that she ran over hair, and then added some blush over her high cheekbones.

“So.” DJ leaned against the bathroom door frame, watching. “Where were you anyway, Taylor? I mean, these past few days? Where were you hiding out?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

DJ shrugged. “Just curious.”

“Well, if I told you I’d have to kill you.”

DJ made a face. “Yeah, right. I’m sure you have some deep, dark secrets, don’t you?”

“Don’t we all?” Taylor put a layer of gloss over her already tinted lips then puckered up. “There,” she said with satisfaction. “That’s as good as it gets.”

DJ stepped away from the door to let Taylor through, and both girls grabbed their bags. “So,” said DJ, “you’re really going to school today?”

Taylor kind of shrugged. “Yeah. Why not? I mean, I was thinking about Mr. Harper and the musical, and I want to make sure I get a role in it.”

DJ tried not to look too shocked. And, really, why should she be? Just because Taylor had been slandered on MySpace, then turned into a missing person who had possibly been abducted or murdered — well, why should that change anything? In some ways, Taylor was a lot like Grandmother — it was all about appearances. As long as everyone looked good on the surface, well, who cared about what was underneath?

“I’m going to talk to Mrs. Carter now,” said Taylor lightly. She slipped several silver bangle bracelets over a slender wrist. “See you at breakfast, sweetie.” She made a little finger wave and then paused and actually tossed what seemed a fairly sincere smile at DJ. “And, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, DJ, but you are the only person that I missed in this house.”

DJ blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah, but don’t let it go to your head.”

“You can count on that.”

Then Taylor breezed out of the room, leaving a trail of expensive Prada perfume behind her. DJ happened to know that the tiny bottle cost $125, which according to DJ’s math estimates should run about ten bucks a squirt. Crazy.

DJ changed her shoes, did some quick tweaks to her makeup, and then hurried downstairs. She was eager to see Eliza and Kriti’s reaction to the news that Taylor was back.

“Where is she?” asked Eliza before DJ was fully in the dining room.

“Talking to my grandmother.”

“Did she tell you anything?” asked Kriti. “Like where she’s been or — ”

“Nope.” DJ poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the large formal table with the others. Everyone except Taylor and Grandmother were there. And all eyes were on DJ now.

“But she was okay?” asked Kriti with concerned eyes. “She wasn’t kidnapped or anything?”

“I seriously doubt that.” DJ dipped her spoon into the crystal sugar bowl and then dumped it into her coffee.

“I’m sure some people here are wishing she had been,” said Eliza, looking pointedly at Casey now. Eliza pushed a silky strand of pale blonde hair over a shoulder then rolled her big blue eyes for drama. “Some people might be wishing that Taylor had never come back.”

Casey just stared down at her bowl of untouched oatmeal. Her face looked even paler now, and DJ knew that she was thinking about the police and the possible charges that could be pressed.

“Taylor might forgive Casey,” said Rhiannon in a hopeful tone.

Eliza laughed. “Are you talking about
our
Taylor? Taylor the witch-girl Mitchell?”

“You never know,” said Rhiannon. “People can change.”

Just then they heard Grandmother’s voice speaking to Taylor. “It’s so good to have all my girls back together again,” she said as they entered the dining room like royalty. “Such beautiful girls,” she continued as she gracefully pulled out her chair at the head of the table and slipped into it. “And I have a wonderful announcement to make.” DJ hoped that it was the news that Taylor had indeed decided to let bygones be bygones and to forget that Casey was the one who had sabotaged her on MySpace. But then DJ realized that Taylor probably didn’t even know that it was Casey who’d done it.

“On this fine morning when we welcome our long-lost Taylor back,” began Grandmother, “I am also pleased to announce that you girls have been invited to participate in the Founder’s Day Fashion Show.”

DJ let out an involuntary groan, and Grandmother’s brow, which had missed its regular Botox treatment, creased deeply.

“It is a high honor to be invited to participate in this event,” continued Grandmother. “In the past it has been only the local debutantes who are included in this event. But, thankfully, my good friend Mrs. Vanderzan has taken notice of the lovely Carter House girls, and she would like to include you all in the fashion show lineup. And since this event coincides with homecoming weekend, it’s a perfect fit to have you girls par ticipate.” Grandmother actually clapped her hands now. “So, as you girls can imagine, we have much to do in the next several weeks.”

“What if we don’t want to participate?” asked DJ.

Grandmother gave her an icy look. “Of course, you’ll want to participate, Desiree. After all, the proceeds for this event go to a very good cause.”

“What’s that?” asked DJ.

Her grandmother looked slightly perplexed. “Well, I can’t recall at the moment, but I happen to know that it is always a very worthwhile charity. I believe that last year’s contributions were donated to the local animal shelter.”