I Gotta Kill the Prom Queen

Ch. 19 - Reprieve

Getting in the car felt like a mistake, but I didn't have a choice. I thought of ways I could get out of our usual routine and just go home. It wasn't the first time I wished I could spontaneously vomit. The debriefing of the day usually resulted in Tiffani pointing out all the ways we had screwed up and how many times we sucked the life out of her.

If there was a way to finagle getting dropped off at my own house I would have, but I had to make things look normal.

When we got into Tiffani's house Marta was waiting inside the door with sparkling lemonade that had fruit floating in it. The living room had Posters set up on Easels, and a very sketchy looking hourglass timer that had black sand in it.

I grabbed a glass and lined up in the usual spot by the fireplace waiting for the berating. Tiffani stared at me like I had a third eye.

"Aren't you quiet today. Maybe Ronald taking you on errands was good for you. No lip, no smug defiance, no snarky comments about the activity of the day?"

I knew she was jabbing me, she wanted me defensive and then she would either kill me, or get the information about what Ronald had planned, or both. I wanted to stalk for time.

"I am a little smug. It's nice to help plan something that doesn't involve killing off competitors. And if you don't already know, Ronald's a great guy who seems really attached to you, almost obsessive with wanting you to be happy. It was weird, but cute in a crazy stalker kind of way."

Her skin tone blushed and her eyes sparkled. I could tell she was excited about Ronald being gushy with her. No matter what his family and hers had going on Tiffani like him, which almost made me sad about dragging him into my plans.  Not bad enough to change them, I mean, at this point it was her or me.

Tiffani sat on the large cranberry couch and patted the seat next to her. I felt my feet moving toward her while my brain screamed at me to stop.

"So?" She asked staring in my eyes like she had secret lie detector abilities.

"What? You want to know Ronald's surprise?  The guy went through hoops all day to give you an amazing date and present and you want me to blow the whole thing?"

She squeezed the bridge of her nose and inhaled, like my third grade teacher Mrs. Fisham used to do when I pretended I had a stoke in my right hand and couldn't write for a day.

Mindi started tapping her foot giving me the evil eye. "She has to know what to wear, and how to do her hair. Why do you have to make everything so difficult Aria?"

Tiffani held up her palm and gave Mindi the evil leader look stopping the foot tapping and causing Mindi to instantly notice a flaw on her nail that had to be examined.

"I don't want you to tell me the date, or the gift. Ronald's planning isn't unnoticed or unappreciated. I want you to tell me that you still want to be the new me. That you're still loyal to your place on the ladder and that you realize your a hideous imbecile who makes horrible decisions. You've been a pain Aria, and if my gift, the one you helped pick out, is hideous I'll turn you into a dress mannequin in my closet."

I swallowed hard. Was I getting a pardon?  Was this her asking if she should do away with me on the spot?  Did my doing something in her mind for her make her soft?  I wanted to stand up and yell of course 'I'm not on board! You're a sociopath killing people for a fake tiara and an extra picture in the yearbook who sucks souls for a living turning girls into robots who can't think for themselves.'

But I couldn't do that. The room was tense filled and I could hear her breathing. I wonders if this was just a way to belittle me, or if she actually wanted me to say those things.  I swallowed my pride and looked directly at her.

"Of course I'm on board. I'm here aren't I? I'm wearing what you picked out and I spent the day with your boyfriend. I'm snarky and I have a backbone because I'll need it. You won't be here next year to make decisions, I have to understand it all, and be able to lead."

I sat back and crossed my arms. All those months of Lekka making me practice her debate skills were definitely paying off. Even without Tiffani's nod I knew that round was mine. I also knew I'd pay for the win, that's how it worked.

Tiffani stood up and strutted to the poster boards. Each one covered in a sheer black satin. "Marta!  We're ready get yourself I. Her wand you better wow me."

Marta came through the doorway in a short prom dress, two sizes too small and wearing high heels. Her hair was teased up and it looked like she had stuck her finger in a light socket that exceeded the standard voltages allowed. Her pump body moved stiffly, encased in the satin which squeezed all her excess fat into square segments that were touting the very seamwork of the dress. Despite not being able to move from the thighs up, her legs and ankles wobbled precariously on the high pumps as she made her way to the boards.

"I swear to God Marta, if you break an ankle you're still working. For christs sakes don't they have high heels in guatanimo? "

Marta sneered at her. "I'm not from Guatemala. I'm from Ecuador.  And I haven't been in heels since your father captured me and forced me to raise you, and even before that it wasn't hooker shoes."

Tiffani rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "We don't want to hear about you being a hooker Marta, your business is your business, but it's no wonder my dad rescued you, with a body like that you couldn't have had much work. Let's just get to the bonus round shall we?"

Marta continued to wobble toward the front. For an old plump woman she had a surprising amount of stamina, and very springy ankles. The robot girls snickered as she used the easel to steady herself and got into her best game show model pose.

We all waited for Tiffani to begin, bile already began creeping its way up my throat as her face gleamed with true unadulterated joy.

"Today's game is a fun one, and the winner gets a big prize. Unlike lame tv shows we won't be playing for money. Every round won gets you a free beauty session, and every lost round gets you the disfigurement of my choice, play wisely girls, the winner left standing at the end gets to be queen for a day."

The robot girls jumped up and down in a huddle of squeals and excitement. I tried shaking off my dread and turning my eyes into laser beams looking beneath the curtains. Our next target would be on one of those poster boards and it may have just been panic, but I was almost sure one of the portraits was me.

*****************************
There you have it, time for another game. Only this one upped the steaks and set me up to fail. In hindsight, I should have rescued Marta and hid in Ecuador. Maybe I wouldn't be in the mess I'm in now, but it's too late for hindsight. I heard through the grapevine were having oranges today, so this note is short. If that's true I'm gonna fight my way to the front. Movie lure or not, some things are worth fighting for. But it popularity, take it from me!!