Prom Girl

Determination and Debating (part 1)

It happened while I was in class. This teacher knocked, sticking her head round the door.

'Is Sandy Brown in here?'

I stand up, and she beckons to me. Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I follow her out, slamming the door behind me.

'Yes, Miss?' The woman has pale, wispy hair, and round, owlish spectacles, which she hitches a few centimetres up her nose every few seconds.

'Hello there, Sandy. I've been looking forward to this conversation. Tell me,' She leans forward conspirationally, her beady brown eyes glinting beneath her glasses.

'What are your career choices?'

I blink, puzzled. 'My career choices, miss? Um, I dunno. Feminist icon, woman power, something to do with that?' I shrugged, wondering why this strange woman was asking me random questions.

She smiles. 'I thought so. You see, Sandy, I am Miss Partridge, head of debating. Ever since your little speech in the cafeteria the other day, I have been eager to find you and invite you to our team. I think you would be a valuable member. What do you think?' She flattens her hair behind her ears, and I find myself blushing bright red. She saw what happened in the cafeteria? She knows?

I think about what she's just asked me. Sure, I'm good at argueing my points, but debating?

I muse over it for a while, then make my mind up.

'Sure. I'll go for it.'

Miss Patridge grins, holding out her hand for me to shake.

'Welcome to the team.'

* * *

'I disagree! Beauty pageants are shallow and your rebuttle to my previous statement is complete bull shit. The fact that the child is seemes to like the pageants is no real arguement. They have been brainwashed ever since they learned to crawl, what else could they think? Can you really justify putting  a whole lot of slap on a poor, innocent childs face?' I slam my fist against the table, and theres a woop from the corner of the room, either from Justin, Celia, or one of my parents. I smile to myself, as my opponent, a sharp faced, snooty looking girl from some posh private school in the middle of nowhere, glares at me, her slanted cat eyes dancing with fire.

This is my first debate and I have to say I am seriousy enjoying it. Not only have my friends and family turned up to support me, Child pageants are a favourite topic of mine which gets my blood boiling. I swear, if this girl wins this debate, I'll never forgive myself.

'But the child shows obvious enjoymnet at this. You say its wrong too put makeup on a child and dress her up, but didnt you play dress up at a young age? Didnt it give you a thrill to dance about in fun clothes and play with makeup? Well if it gives someone such pleasure why shouldnt they do it every day?' The girl sneers down her nose at me, and I curse to myself. Damn, this girls good.

'Are you implicating that dressing up is a natural way to enjoy yourself? Have you even watched any programmes about child pageants? There is nothing natural, I assure you. They seem to want to cover up a young girl growing up. If a childs tooth falls out, they give them fake ones. Does that seem normal to you? To hide the fact that shes still a child? Are you aware that they do strip dances, to show their sex appeal? Do you know how old they are? Some are four, maybe even three. Do you call that natural?' I stare her out, and she blushes. Result!

Theres a bang and the announcement is made; 'Team Sandy wins, Team Bianca loses.'

The uproar is huge. Justin wraps his arms around me and lifts me off the ground, and I giggle, half embaressed at his cringy display of affection in front of my parents, half delighted at my victory against that snotty bitch Bianca! My first debate and I'd won! I'd won for my team!

My team members throw themselves at me, and even people in the audience come up and slap me on the back. I feel my head swell with pride, and comments like;

'That girls got fire!' and, 'You can see shes passionate about debating!' echo in my ears, and my happiness maximises even more when my parents tell me that as a treat they're taking me and Justin to restaurant La Rustique.

We drive down to a posh part of town, and its hilarious how much Justin sticks out in his leather jacket and gelled back hair. Were lead to a  table on the balcony, where candles line the walls and big plotted plants remind me off an excotic jungle. Fairy lights are strung over the roof, and I blush as I think how romantic this would be if it were a date.

I smile as Justin scans the menu, grimacing at the new, foreign food. 

'Snails!' He exclaims, looking disgusted. 'Those gross slimy things in peoples gardens? What kind of a sick person eats snails!' I laugh so hard tears run down my face.

'Jus, you doofus! Snails are a traditional food in France, egghead.' 

He frowns. 'Oh. Well they got some weird traditions.' My mum raises an eyebrow at me, sipping at her gin n tonic and exhanging knowing glances with dad.

But I dont  have time to scowl at her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kira and Danny, with a whole bunch of my friends sitting at a table in the corner, laughing. I realise with a short gasp that its Kira's birthday. This must be her party.

I feel tears come to my eyes as she flicks her strawberry blonde hair in the way I know so well, when she's basking in attention. Danny says something and everyone laughs. He puts his arms around her, hugging her, and then they're all singing happy birthday. I feel like someones stabbed me in the heart. 

'Sandy? Whats wrong?' I nod my head towards there table, without turning, and I feel Justin stiffen in the chair behind me. 

'Oh Sandy, I'm so sorry.' I dont say anything. I remember how Danny used to hug me, to tell me jokes, to laugh and compliment me in his cheesy doofus way.  Now, Kira's opening all their presents, and I watch as my friends, Reece, Becca, Mirie, and so many other familiar faces that I've known all my life talk to each other, in that chatty, interested way old friends always have, and I miss it so sorely it feels like i've been rubbed against a grater.

'You should go say happy Birthday.' I turn to him, defiance in my voice.

'No way! Not after what happened last time.' I could still remember the cold, unforgiving stares.

'But its your last chance, Sandy. Make it happen.' And i dont know what made me do it, but suddenly I felt this courage, this determination. 

'Allright. I will.' 

And I got up and walked over to their table.

Authors note:

Cliffhanger again! Hope you enjoyed! I loved writing about one of my fave topics, beauty pageants, and putting my own opinions into Sandys views, so you got a little bit of what I think in this chapter. What will happen next? Will they have a big arguement in the middle of the restaurant? Will Kira forgive her? Will her other friends come to her rescue? 

This chapter is dedicated to bestie Celia Bax! For always being excited about my next update! Read her shamazing book, Can't I? its great and she deserves the votes guys!

Byeeeeee xxx