The next morning Sabine and I awoke to find a black envelope under our door. Inside it was a note informing us that "His Majesty" needed time to deliberate over the interview footage, so eliminations won't be happening until two days from now. In the meantime, we would be taking a trip to the boardwalk.
The envelope also contained two silver necklaces with the royal insignia dangling from them. We were to wear those on our trip out of the hotel to receive free food and rides.
Sabine wasn't happy about the news that our elimination had been put off, but I was exited to get out of the hotel. And more importantly, out of Sabine's crosshairs.
She hadn't done anything since our little confrontation before my interview, but I wouldn't put it past her to try something again. Especially after she admitted she enjoyed toying with me. I wanted to avoid her, and a trip out of the hotel was the perfect opportunity.
The fifty remaining contestants gathered in the lobby, all dressed in colorful beach wear. I could tell which girls lived on the coast and which ones didn't by how much stuff they brought with them. I kept my pack light, bringing only a beach towel, sunscreen, and a pair of sunglasses. While it was too cold to swim in my hometown for most of the year, I was no stranger to water.
Our ride turned out to be a long, white charter bus. We all filled in and I found myself sitting next to a tall girl with long, strawberry blonde hair. She looked familiar and it took me a second to realize that she was the girl I asked about the interview the previous night. She looked very different out of her dress and makeup. Still gorgeous though, I thought bitterly.
She smiled and offered her hand to me. "I'm Lydia Bell."
I shook her hand awkwardly. "Avery Crawford."
She raised her eyebrows. "Oh! Aren't you that girl Sabine spilled coffee on right before your interview?"
"Yes," I said, sighing. The story probably spread like wildfire among the other girls. I shouldn't be surprised though. With no TV or internet, gossip was the best form of entertainment. One girl trying to sabotage another was a hot piece of gossip.
"Wow. Did you have to change your dress?" she asked.
I nodded. "I don't think it made a difference though."
Lydia frowned. "You think you bombed?"
I shook my head, recalling the mischievous glint in the king's eyes as he said he wanted to see me again. I decided to keep that to myself. It would probably seem like a brag. And I didn't want to brag on the off chance I was wrong. Though said chance was extremely slim, I prayed it was true. Two days is enough for someone to change their mind, right? The novelty of my interview would wear off, the king would decide I'm not worth it, and sent me packing. At least that's what I hoped.
"It doesn't matter. I'd honestly much rather go home," I said, deciding to at least tell her about my feelings. She seemed nice enough.
Lydia laughed. "Lucky you. You don't have to worry about the challenges and enjoy a sweet vacation."
I found myself smiling. Lydia was kind of right. It wasn't much of a vacation, given that my roommate was a metaphorical demon, but I was really looking forward to exploring the boardwalk.
The bus stopped and the girls slowly filed out. I took in the sight of the boardwalk — the arcades, the food stands, and the giant ferris wheel looming over it all — and smiled.
"I haven't been to the beach since I was a kid," Lydia said. I hadn't realized she was standing next to me.
"I go to the beach pretty often, but my town's boardwalk is pretty sad compared to this," I replied. It was true. The Bayside boardwalk was just a pair of docks with some benches, a few seafood restaurants, and seagull poop. Lots of seagull poop.
"You're still lucky," Lydia said. "I live all the way in the Catskills."
"Cool. I've never been there," I said, not knowing how else to reply. I was surprised Lydia was sticking around and talking to me.
"So what do you want to do first?" she asked. My surprise grew. She actually wanted to hang out? With me, of all people?
I shrugged. "I've wanted to swim in the water since I first got here."
"Let's go then," she said, smiling. She laced her arm in mine and strolled down to the sand. I tried not to stumble as I matched her long-legged gait.
We passed by Sabine, who was laying a beach towel down on the ground. Lydia stopped and walked up to her. I cursed inwardly and looked away.
"Are you going to swim, Sabine?" Lydia asked casually, as if the girl before us wasn't some kind of nightmarish hellbeast in human form. Were they friends? Lydia seemed way too nice to be friends with someone like Sabine.
Sabine stood, smoothing a dark curl of hair behind her ear. "No, I'm going to get some sun. After all, I won't be seeing it again for very long."
Right, because she was going to become a vampire. I fought the urge to groan and roll my eyes.
"Try not to burn then," Lydia said nonchalantly. She tightened her grip on my arm and led me away.
"How stupid do you think I am?" Sabine called after us as we walked away. Ok, so maybe they weren't friends. But Sabine didn't seem antagonistic towards Lydia. And she said nothing to me, even though I was standing right there. Maybe it was good to have Lydia on my side.
"So, are you and Sabine friends?" I decided to ask once we were out of earshot.
"Not really," she replied. "I've known her for a long time though. My family and her family sometimes do business."
Business with Sabine's family meant Lydia was rich. "What kind of business?" I asked.
"We serve the Duke of New York. Sabine's family serves the Duke of Virginia," she replied.
My head reeled. Not only did Lydia have money, she had ties to political power. Sabine did too, which was admittedly terrifying. I wondered if this had any influence on their place in the competition. It couldn't have been a coincidence for them to be chosen.
Lydia spotted a seashell on the ground and stopped to pick it up. She dusted the sand off and pocketed it.
"Let's put our stuff here," she said, and we did.
I took off my tank top and shorts, revealing my navy blue one piece suit. Lydia wore a yellow floral print bikini. Her body was surprisingly toned. She must be an athlete or some kind of fitness junkie. I'd have to ask her about it later.
We waded into the water, which was surprisingly warm. The sand beneath my feet was soft, unlike the jagged coral and rocks I was used to back home. I floated on my back, drifting among the waves. Lydia floundered nearby, sputtering as the salty water splashed her face.
I closed my eyes, enjoying the rays of sun warming my face and the briny smell of the sea. A vision of the cliffside flashed through my mind and my enjoyment drained. The image was replaced by the king's face as he asked me why I tried to jump.
I swirled around, suddenly wanting to swim far, far away. I lunged forward, dodging the waves as I paddled towards the sun. I turned back, gazing at the beach.
Lydia was a small speck, her expression unreadable. The girls on the beach looked ants. The ferris wheel on the boardwalk spun around, lights gleaming.
First the interview, now this. I thought I was past my mistake. Why do I have to keep paying for it? Why did it keep haunting me?
The events of the past week played back in my mind like a film in reverse. The king at the interview, asking me why I wanted to die. The first official meeting with him, when he recognized me. The cliffside where he stopped me from jumping. And before that, the shameful walk from Rowan's house after he broke my heart. Rowan...
Memories of him crept into my thoughts. We used to go to the beach every day during the summer. He would have loved to take me to a place like this. We'd swim in the warm water, he'd win me some giant stuffed animal at the arcade, and then we'd sit in the gondola of the ferris wheel, watching the sun go down. He'd tell me how beautiful I looked in the evening light and then kiss me.
Except he wouldn't anymore. Because that person didn't exist. He wasn't sweet or kind or loving. He betrayed me when I needed him the most. I hadn't allowed myself to feel the weight of this pain since the day I tried to jump, but now it came back in full force. I tasted salt on my lips and I couldn't tell whether it was the brine of the ocean or my tears. I wanted to drown.
Was love a dream? A broken promise, a sweet lie, hopeless in its pursuit? No, it was more like a drug. Giving the user the greatest of highs, then leaving them spent and miserable.
The king must know this, I realized bitterly. He has lived long enough to know the suffering love brings. This pageant isn't real, it's just a game to him. He couldn't be naive enough to think he could actually find love, here, in these girls? In Sabine? In me?
His sea-glass eyes flashed through my thoughts. I remembered the kindness in them when he told me whatever had caused me to jump would soon pass. He didn't seem like a man playing a game. He seemed genuine, and a wave of guilt washed over me as I recalled his encouraging smile.
What was I doing here, so far from the shore? Lydia must be worried. Worse yet, she probably thought I was crazy. How like me, to alienate everyone with my dramatics. Maybe all of those accusations of selfishness from Rowan and my parents had been true. I sighed and swam back to shore.
Lydia sat on the sand, a towel wrapped around her waist.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
I nodded solemnly. "I just needed to be alone for a bit."
"Want to go get ice cream?" she offered.
I smiled and nodded. I really needed a distraction right now. Lydia rose to her feet the two of us made our way toward the boardwalk. We got our ice cream from the concession stand. I picked strawberry, while Lydia got double chocolate.
We made our way over to the tables. They were series of cheap plastic units with oversized striped umbrellas to provide shade. Matching flimsy chairs surrounded them. Lydia spotted a pair of girls sitting down at a table and waved to them. The two girls waved back, smiles on their faces. Lydia took me by the hand and led me to their table.
They introduced themselves as Anita and Elise. Anita had long dark hair down to her waist. Her skin had a natural bronze sheen, her face alluring and exotic. A feeling of inadequacy crept over me as I sat down next to her. Elise was lovely as well, with creamy pale skin, blue eyes, and short brown hair, but her beauty wasn't threatening. I got the feeling she wouldn't last long in the competition.
When I told Anita and Elise my name they gawked at me, mouths agape. "You're the one Sabine tried to sabotage at the interview," Elise whispered.
I laughed nervously. "Yep, that's me." I wasn't thrilled about my claim to fame had anything to do with being Sabine's victim.
"So how'd your interview go?" Anita asked.
"Fine, I guess," I shrugged, not wanting to go into details.
"That's good," Elise said. "I think I did alright too. Though I'm not sure if he bought my 'why do you want to be queen' answer."
"Same here," Anita replied. "I wish I knew what he was looking for."
"Probably some hot girl who doesn't drive him insane," Lydia chimed in.
"Sabine's right out then," I mutter, earning a giggle from the other girls. I laughed along hollowly, trying not to think about how todays meltdown put me squarely in the insane category along with her.
"I think you guys underestimate her," Lydia said. "Sabine wants this more than anyone else here."
"She already acts like she's the queen," Elise said.
I sat back and tentatively dug into my ice cream. The other girls didn't spare me a second glance as they chatted about competition gossip I wasn't privy to. Who had the best interview dress, who was going home, and who would take the crown.
Afterwards, we took a ride on the ferris wheel, played arcade games, and ate cotton candy and hot dogs. (Though not in that order.) I was grateful for their company, even though I still felt like an outsider.
When the sun set, the charter bus pulled up and parked along the road. The four of us boarded it and I ended up sitting next to Lydia again. I rested my head against the window and watched the boardwalk disappear in the distance as the bus drove us back to the hotel. With a pang in my chest I realized that however this competition ends for me, I will never see this beach or these girls ever again.