In the Shade of Groves [COMPLETE]

Chapter 12

Songs: The Dangerous Ones (acoustic) by Hawks and Doves 

The day of the annual Grove fundraiser has arrived. My mother has been running around our house frantic since yesterday. She hasn't slept, eaten or done her normal rambling. She keeps checking her phone and throwing last minute things in our car. Every ounce of glitter in our house has been packed into clear plastic tubs, no doubt on Carol's behest.

At 7 o'clock this morning she threw me out of bed to shower and get ready for the pageant. She insisted on being my stylist for the day. The makeup is darker and my hair more voluminous than I prefer, but my mother is satisfied and that's all that counts. My dad is wearing a business suit and his blonde hair gelled back. My mother is wearing a dress that makes her look like she is also competing in the pageant, and we both have the exact same hairstyle. I cringe at what the two of us will look like when we walk in.

By now, most of the carnival-like activities are done. My mother went to help set up while I was showering and eating a lighter than normal breakfast. She didn't want me to look bloated in my formal wear. Now that it's late afternoon, the family fun will subside for the highly anticipated pageant.

The whole car ride my mother tells us all the problems they're having with the fundraiser so far. The lighting is off, people are dressing too casually, and Carol is nowhere to be found. My mother claims to have taken over as head of the committee. I tuck my camera bag close to my side. My parents weren't happy when I said I needed it for yearbook, but I convinced my mother it would be good publicity for the fundraiser and she couldn't argue.

The entire town of Grove will be at town hall. Short of a fatal illness or terrible accident, no one would dare miss Carol's event. Nobody wants to be accused of being uncharitable. Even though the event is for Timber High School, not a single person that is zoned for that school will attend; probably because they aren't invited. The whole town is much more comfortable handing off a check than actually co-mingling. They call them zones for a reason.

We finally arrive at the chaos that is our town hall. Carol has hired valet and crossing guards to help direct the flow of traffic. Police officers are required for all public events with more than fifty people, as instructed by city ordinance. Their presence is a formality because there's never any street crime. This is Grove.

My mother whines about how we'll have to park down the street and walk. Thankfully, she let me bring my heels and dress with me in a bag, instead of having to wear them. She said she didn't want me to ruin them before my big moment.

"Can you drop me off here? I should really get backstage and start preparing," I ask.

"Yes, of course. I'm glad to see you're finally getting into the spirit," my mother smiles at me.

My dad doesn't respond but unlocks the door, letting me out. He hasn't spoken to me since the day after they picked me up in New York. He called Principal O'Donoghue to try and get me off of yearbook as he promised. The principal told him with less than two months left in school, it was impossible; though he regretted deeply he couldn't. My parents are among the highest donors of Grove High. Second only to Carol Todd. My dad wasn't pleased and has been ignoring me ever since.

A few people stop me to say hi and ask how I'm doing or how my sister is at Princeton. I just smile politely and tell them we're all doing fine. I take a few photos for the yearbook right as the stations start to close and the crowd pushes its way inside for the evening events. I quickly run upstairs to get changed. There will be a few performances before the pageant starts. For example, the Grove Elementary School fifth grade class will be singing a song they've been practicing all year.

I turn the corner at the top of the stairs and find Loli, Raven and Ross all waiting for me at a changing stall.

"Could you be cutting it any closer?" Raven asks me. She's been working day and night trying to finish my dress this week. This will be the first time I see it.