Page 28 of The Accidental Beauty Queen
“I think I did really well,” she gushes. “How about you? I noticed a few of your judges reaching for the Kleenex. Crying is a sure sign that you nailed it.”
Right. Except at the moment, I’m the one on the verge of tears. My eyes brim with humiliation, but at the same time, a swell of anger is rising up inside me.
“I need to go.” I turn on a wobbly heel and walk away before Miss Nevada can ask me what’s wrong.
The hotel is packed wall to wall with contestants, and I can’t stomach the sight of any of them right now. I push past them as quickly as I can, but it’s not fast enough, so I commit the cardinal sin of removing my shoes once I get to the lobby. Miss New York, Miss New Jersey, and Miss Rhode Island are gathered in a glamorous little trio just inside the elevator bank, and all three of them freeze in alarm at the sight of my nude patent leather stilettos dangling from my hand. I might as well be walking through the hotel stark naked.
Taking my usual route, I head for the stairwell. Alone at last inside the sterile concrete chamber, I break down. I’m shaking with rage. I realize what just happened is 100 percent my fault. I lied, plain and simple.
What kind of person pretends to adopt a dog? Not one who wants to be a role model, that’s for sure.
But did he have to be so haughty in his assessment of me? It’s abeauty pageant. Or a scholarship competition.Whatever. It’s not like this is actually important.
Except it is. To my sister, at least.
And now I have to go back to our room and tell her that judge number six thinks she’s faking the whole animal-rescue thing. Or thatI’mfaking it... whatever. I’m not sure which one of us is actually competing anymore. I just know that it’s been less than an hour since I started walking in my twin’s beauty queen shoes and I’ve already made a mess of things.
It’s over.
I’m not doing this anymore. I can’t. There’s no way I can face that man again. I’m done.
Ginny will be disappointed, but she’ll get over it. It’s not like she can be a beauty queen forever. She’s going to have to move on eventually.
Besides, I tried. I really did.
By the time I trudge up the final flights of steps, I’ve made up my mind. Now I just have to break the news to my sister, which I’m going to do immediately. Quickly. Like ripping off a Band-Aid. Or in this case, double-sided wardrobe tape.
“You’re back!” Ginny is wrapped in one of the hotel’s plush robes and tucked into her bed when I walk into the room. Buttercup is curled against her hip, and the television is blaring. Kylie Jenner’s lips take up half the screen.
Before the door has a chance to click shut behind me, Ginny sits up, aims the remote at the flat screen, and the television goes blank. “How did it go? Tell meeverything.”
I take a deep breath and climb onto the bed, beside her. Soon we’re propped up on pillows with our heads resting against the headboard, side by side. Just like when we were kids.
“Well? Don’t keep me in suspense,” she prompts, swiveling her face toward mine.
She’s putting on a good show, pretending to be excited about the interview. But at such close range, I can see her red-rimmed eyes. Her puffy face is tear-streaked, and there’s a pile of wadded up Kleenex on her nightstand.
She’s been crying.
“It was...” I swallow. Hard. “It was okay, I guess.”
Good job, Charlotte. Way to rip off the Band-Aid.
Ginny deflates a little bit, and I try not to notice how tiny she looks in that big, fluffy robe. So sad and vulnerable.
I’m not going to lie. Seeing her this way gets to me. I can’t remember the last time I saw Ginny cry.
“Just okay?” She blinks, and her eyes go shiny.
I look away, but my gaze flits automatically to the television screen, where I can see our reflection. Two sisters, shoulder to shoulder. Only it’s as if we’ve switched bodies. I’m undeniably pretty and polished, and Ginny is a mess. She’s in even worse shape than when I left her here a couple of hours ago.
I drop my gaze to my perfectly manicured hands, folded neatly in my lap. “Actually, the first five interviews were pretty great. I brought a couple of the judges to tears.”
“What?” Ginny squeals. “That’s amazing!”
I have to remind myself that none of this matters. I’m quitting. But my heart gives a joyful little tug. Itwaspretty amazing. Until the last three minutes, anyway.
“But I totally blew it on the last one,” I say.
