Page 31 of Passenger Princess

Miss Americana Pageant—now accepting applications!

It can’t be that easy, can it? Fill out an application and then you’re in?

I click the ad, and upon reading more, I find it is pretty much that simple, so long as your application is accepted. But if there’s one thing I’m great at, it’s making a killer application. I start putting in my name and address, answering the questions about life goals and ambitions with renewed vigor. This could be the perfect way to help out my friends.

Pageant queens need fancy dresses and a talent.

Best case scenario, I make it to the New Jersey pageant, and I get to tag Harper and Jules as they make a dress and help train me in whatever dance Jules decides would be best to showcase her talent. Worst case scenario, it’s a funny story of the time I tried to enter a beauty pageant.

“What are you doing over there?” Harper asks, and I realize the room has gone quiet, my friends watching me intently.

“Applying for Miss Americana.”

There’s a pause before Jules asks, "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not," I say as I finish filling out the form, hit submit, and promptly forget about it until a week later when an email hits my inbox.

You’re invited: Miss Americana New Jersey Auditions.

And the rest was kind of history.

“Did it work?” Jaime asks, knocking me out of my memories.

“What?”

“Did it work? Helping your friends?”

“Oh, yeah for sure. Jules has all of her classes booked, and she even hired a second instructor to help out. Harper is booked out on custom gowns for almost a year. It’s amazing," I say with pride.

“And you?"

“What about me?”

“What did you get from this? It seems like it’s taken over your life.”

I don’t tell him that’s another question when it should be my turn, instead I shrug.

“I don’t know. The joy of seeing my friends thrive?” He quickly looks at me with a glare that screams bullshit, and I change my answer with a smile. "It’s been a grand adventure and I love adventures. And I've always wanted to travel but never had the money or time. So it’s an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.”

“But?”

“But...it’s rough when you’re faced with an entire organization that wants to change you, who doesn't like who you are. The pressure the organization puts on these women is insane. And Regina wants me to be…this perfect little doll who just does what she’s told and keeps her mouth shut.”

“Then she clearly doesn't know you." The words come quickly and with a bite of surety and a hint of irritation.

“What?”

“They clearly don’t know you at all. Because they’d know how stubborn you are,” he says with a tip of his lips, and I smile too. Then, his hand moves from Peach’s head to squeeze my knee. Even through my thick sweats, I can feel it like a burn, his hand on my body. “And because if they knew you, they wouldn’t be trying to change you, Ava. You’re perfect the way you are.”

SIXTEEN

AVA

“Are you ready?” His voice is gruff and annoyed from outside my room and I can't help but smile. I’ve been done getting ready for nearly five minutes now, just sitting here scrolling on my phone.

We’re on the third week of our tour and I’ve learned quite a bit about my new, temporary best friend.

One, he absolutely hates when I tell him he’s my new bestie, hence why I’ve started to sprinkle the term of endearment into my conversations even more.

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