Behind the Pageant Face: Chapter 1, Part 1

I heaved a deep sigh and closed my eyes. Butterflies flew through my stomach as I waited on the anticipated moment.

My mom came rushing beside me as she noticed my face growing paler. She handed me a Spring Water and rubbed my shoulder to calm me down. It wasn't working.

"Miranda, honey," she started, "You know that you don't have to do this." I looked at her, amazed at what she'd just said. I straightened my back and lifted my chin in attempt to look more confident.

"No, Mom, I do have to do this," I replied, trying my best to hide the nervousness that took over my body, "I've gotten this far and I can't just drop out now." My mom was smiling, I knew that was exactly what she wanted to hear, but it didn't help me at all. I tried my best to smile as my mom walked back over to the table sitting in the far corner of the large room that was backstage.

I walked slowly over to the mirror, careful to not trip on the high heels that my mom said I 'simply must have'. I mean, sure they were gorgeous and went perfectly with my dress, but I could barely take a step in them without falling flat on my face.

Looking in the mirror scared me even more. I barely knew who was staring back at me. Her hair was in a tight bun on the back of her head, her make-up was flawless, and she was extremely beautiful, unlike the regular girl who I see in the mirror everyday before school. That girl had hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, she always had a book in hand, and she never even wore make-up.

I was so busy being amazed at my own reflection, that I almost didn't notice that my name had finally been called. I rushed to the side of the stage and my older brother locked arms with me with a little too much force.
"Stop that, Tim," I said under my breath as we walked out to see a ocean of people staring at us. I almost froze in center-stage, but Tim kept on pulling me until I had to do a graceful turn to show off my beautiful purple dress. Returning to my brother, I gave a sigh of relief as we walked backstage and the next contestant's name was called.

"Wow, that was extremely hard," Tim said sarcastically and I glared at him. He backed away to go check out what was waiting for him at the snacks table.

"Oh, honey," my mom's voice came from behind me, "Now aren't you glad that you did this pageant?" I didn't like this pageant business one bit, but all I could do was smile and nod. Although I win almost every pageant that I entered, I hated doing them.

They say it is to build 'character' and 'confidence', but let me tell you that once you put a twelve year old girl in a beautiful and uncomfortable dress, the last thing they feel is confident. Anyway, I knew that all that confidence stuff was just a charade and that when they say they look for personality too, they are lying through their teeth. All they look for is beauty and poise. I, unfortunately, have both, hence all the winning. It's also unfortunate that every time I win a pageant, my mom just keeps signing me up for more, and more. It's so annoying and unneeded.

I just wanted to be at home, under my covers, reading one of my books when it was time for everyone to move onto stage. They were about to announce the winner.

I went out and waited as they tried to draw out the wait as long as they could to make it 'dramatic'. All I did was wait after they said, "And the winner is..." 'Do they even need a drum roll?' I asked myself. "Miranda Swift!" they finally exclaimed and I walked out to the front of the stage, my heart racing too fast as I smiled out into the roaring crowd. I accepted the trophy, sash, flowers, and the all-famous crown and walked out to the very front of the stage. I waved the little wave that everyone expects and did a little curtsy.

I sighed, turned around and walked backstage again as they started calling out the second and third place winners. Before I could even fully walk into the room my mom squealed with glee. 'Oh great,' I thought, 'Here comes the hardest part.' I turned to face my extremely happy mother.
"Oh, honey," she said as she hugged me, "I just knew that you would win!" I smiled, hugging back. 'So did I, mom' I thought, 'So did I.'

Well, it's not my first pick but it's alright. I found the whole plot a bit chilche. A girl who is forced into paegent's by her mum but doesn't actually want to do them. I've seen this so many times, that it's really boring. Maybe if you added something different it would be less... dry. Perphaps her mother resents the fact that her daughter goes in these competitions because she thinks they're unfeminist and wrong.

That girl had hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, she always had a book in hand, and she never even wore make-up.

If she wins beauty contests, you would assume that she would always look beautiful, even at school. If not by her own choice, but her mothers.

I rushed to the side of the stage and my older brother locked arms with me with a little too much force.

I didn't understand this sentence. You should make it more clear.

Overall, it was acceptable, but a little dull and over-done. You really need something new to make this type of story sucessful. Right now it has nothing new.

I disagree with Chocoholic. Yes, having the mother think it's unfeminist and wrong would mix it up a bit, but that completely takes away from the main character, who doesn't actually want to be doing that pagent because it's not who she really is. (hence the title).

But I do agree with the need to mix it up a bit. Like, she has to the pagents for scholarship money, or to help a family situation. Something other than because the mother said so. Seeing as this is just the beginning, the story can be taken in so many different directions it's hard to judge what you have now.

Good job though, it was well writen.

-Arion

I agree with the other authors that this needs to be mixed up a bit. For example, I think horse back riding, speed skating, and ballroom dancing would all be much more interesting... since they aren't used as much Also, there are other things that take poise and beauty than a pagent. Heck, you could make it some sort of Renaissance Fair Pagent or something. Grab us with something unique :D:D

HMm....sounds familiar! lol!

I liked it, it was awesome!

-- M.B.Author