Homecoming Queen (15 page)

“Yeah. And, man, you should’ve seen her diving today. She’s really good.”

“Apparently she’s even better at gymnastics,” said Rhiannon. “I mean, she used to be pretty good, but I hear she’s really taken it up a few notches.”

“I can imagine that.”

“Did she say anything about Conner?” Rhiannon’s voice sounded uneasy now. Like she was worried.

“Just that it was over.” Then DJ replayed how shattered Haley had been, but how she’d quickly found a new crush.

“Well, that’s good to know,” said Rhiannon.

“So, how did the sign making go?”

“Pretty well. Eliza already has a little fan club that’s helping. Mostly I just outlined the signs, and they were all doing the rest of the work.”

“She’s really into this homecoming queen thing, isn’t she?”

“You got that right.”

“Hasn’t she ever seen Steven King’s movie
Carrie
?”

“I don’t know. What’s it about?”

“You haven’t seen it? It’s like a classic. Hey, maybe we should rent it and force Taylor and Eliza to watch it.”

“Is it scary?”

“Duh? It’s Steven King. Although to be honest, I didn’t even get to watch the whole thing. All I know is that this girl gets pig’s blood dumped on her at the homecoming dance as a cruel joke. I was about twelve when it was on TV one night. My mom caught me watching it and turned it off.”

Rhiannon laughed. “Smart mom.”

DJ sighed. “Yeah, she was.” In fact, although DJ had complained loudly, she had been secretly relieved when Mom turned off the movie. It had been a little outside her comfort zone. All she really remembered was that the poor girl was picked for homecoming queen as a mean joke. And everyone knew that wasn’t the case with Eliza and Taylor. At least DJ didn’t think so.

14

“YOU LOOK BEAT, DJ,”
said Casey as she passed the salad dressing. DJ had considered taking her meal upstairs tonight, but didn’t want to aggravate Clara or make a fuss. Still, she looked forward to calling it a day.

“I am pretty worn out,” admitted DJ.

“Hopefully you’re not too tired to help us with some things for Eliza’s campaign tonight?” said Kriti. “We’re having a work party here at the house. Mrs. Carter said it was okay.”

“Why should DJ help
you?”
asked Taylor in an irritated tone.

“Why shouldn’t she?” asked Eliza. She smiled sweetly at DJ. “After all, I did let Rhiannon use my car to chauffer you around, didn’t I?”

“You did.” DJ poured runny low-fat dressing on her green salad and looked up at Eliza. “And thank you for that. But it really wasn’t meant to be a bribe, was it, Eliza? Surely you’re not running your campaign like that, are you?”

Eliza smiled innocently. “No, no, of course not. I just got the impression that you were going to support me in this, DJ.”

“Why should she?” demanded Taylor.

Grandmother cleared her throat rather loudly. “Girls, girls. Now, I do hope you won’t allow the homecoming queen competition to divide our happy little family. I happen to think it’s wonderful that two of our girls are competing for the crown. Such an honor. And, oh my, the fashion show committee was so pleased when I told them about it at lunch yesterday. Louise Bristow even reminded me that Desiree’s mother was once crowned homecoming queen.”

“Seriously?” DJ stared skeptically at her grandmother. “I’ve never heard that before.”

Grandmother waved her hand. “Oh, you know how your mother was. She never liked that sort of attention.”

“What year was it?” asked Rhiannon. “Maybe we can find the old photos in the school archives.”

Grandmother considered this. “Well, it must’ve been nearly thirty years ago. I was in New York, but someone sent me the newspaper photo.”

“You missed seeing your daughter crowned homecoming queen?” asked Eliza.

Grandmother looked unexpectedly sad, and DJ was curious. Did she regret missing that event all these years later?

“My mom is so excited about it,” gushed Eliza. “She already booked a hotel for homecoming weekend — and she’s bringing me a dress.”

Grandmother brightened. “So she’s coming to town then. Your father too?”

Eliza nodded happily.

“They’re so sure you’re going to win?” Taylor’s voice was cynical. “What? Is your dad planning on buying the title for you now? Maybe he has the inside track with the vote-counting committee.”

“No.” Eliza narrowed her eyes at Taylor. “They just wanted to come for the fun of it. Whether I win or not. They’re happy for me.”

Grandmother didn’t seem to notice the tension. “How nice. Perhaps your mother would like to attend the fashion show too.”

“Oh, I’m sure she’d love to.”

“And we’ll plan a special dinner for Saturday night,” continued Grandmother. “A celebration for our homecoming queen.” She clapped her hands.

“How do you know we’ll have a homecoming queen?” asked DJ. “After all, there’s still Madison Dormont to contend with. I’m sure her family thinks that she’s a shoo-in.”

“She
thinks she’s a shoo-in,” said Taylor.

“There’s one thing we agree on,” added Eliza.

“Yeah,” said Kriti. “You should’ve heard her today. She didn’t know I was behind her in the lunch line. I heard her talking to her friends, and they were all acting like the crown was hers.”

“Well, her family does have some influence in this town,” said Grandmother. She glanced at Eliza then Taylor. “And, as beautiful as you both are, you’re newcomers to Crescent Cove.”

“I don’t think anyone at school cares about that,” said DJ.

“Not any more than they care about silly signs and photograph buttons and chocolate,” said Taylor.

“Not just chocolate,” said Eliza proudly. “Godiva chocolate.”

“And Starbucks coffee coupons,” added Kriti.

“Oh, well, then,” said Taylor with sarcasm. “That should cinch it.”

“I don’t know why you pick on me,” said Eliza. “It’s your own choice whether you campaign or not.”

“Maybe I
am
campaigning,” said Taylor slyly.

“In the boys’ locker room,” said Casey, but not quietly enough.

“Casey!” Grandmother shook her finger at her.

Casey just shrugged then excused herself. But Eliza and Kriti were suppressing giggles. To her own surprise, DJ suddenly felt defensive of Taylor.

“Well, I agree with Taylor’s tactics,” she said. “If it were me, I’d just let the voters decide — without the signs and buttons and chocolate.”

“And coffee,” added Kriti.

“Yeah.
Without
the coffee too.”

Taylor reached over to give DJ a high five. And although DJ hesitated, she finally slapped palms. “Hey, you could be my campaign manager.”

DJ chuckled. “And we could run the
do nothing
campaign.”

“Let nature take its course,” said Taylor.

“The que sera campaign.”

“Whatever will be.”

DJ and Taylor both laughed, but the other girls didn’t look very amused. Then Grandmother tossed DJ a warning glance, although she said nothing, but DJ knew it was only because of Taylor. Grandmother didn’t want to criticize her, and so she was caught in a sticky place. Finally Grandmother stood and excused herself.

“Do remember that we are a family, of sorts,” she reminded them as she exited the dining room.

“A dysfunctional family,” said DJ when Grandmother was out of hearing distance.

“Yes,” agreed Taylor. “But we can put the fun back into dysfunctional.”

Of course, DJ was well aware that she had aggravated both Eliza and Kriti by appearing to align herself with Taylor. Not that it had been her intent to do so exactly. But something about their high-profile, expensive, bribeish campaign was starting to seriously irritate her.

“Well,
you’re
still going to help us, aren’t you, Rhiannon?” asked Eliza hopefully.

Rhiannon glanced at Taylor, then turned and smiled directly at Eliza. “Sure, Eliza. I said I would and I will.”

Now DJ couldn’t blame Rhiannon for that. After all, Taylor had stuck it to Rhiannon enough. Why shouldn’t Rhiannon support Eliza’s campaign?

“And you, DJ, are not to be trusted,” said Kriti.

DJ rolled her eyes. “You know what. I have decided to remain neutral on the issue of homecoming queen.” She stood and reached for her crutches. “In case you haven’t noticed, I have my own issues to deal with. Helping someone get elected homecoming queen just isn’t very high on my priority list right now.”

“Yes,” said Taylor. “Let’s leave the little invalid out of the fray before she gets hurt again.”

“Thanks,” said DJ. “From now on I shall be known as the Switzerland of homecoming.”

“Our own little invalid Swiss miss,” added Taylor.

DJ rolled her eyes then slowly made her way out of the dining room and up the stairs.

“How are you doing?” asked Casey as DJ shuffled across the landing toward her room.

“Tired,” said DJ. “Seriously tired.”

“Need any help?”

DJ considered this. Part of her wanted to take care of things herself, but she was so exhausted that it was overwhelming. “You know, Casey, I would love some help.”

“At your ser vice.”

“All I want to do is get ready for bed,” admitted DJ. “And I have to get everything together so that I can make it to school tomorrow.”

“So you’re going back?”

“Yeah. I think it’s time.”

“Just tell me what to do.”

So, with Casey as her aid, DJ managed to get things in order and ready for bed. She thought maybe, just maybe, she would actually make it to school in the morning.

“Yeow,” cried DJ as she stepped down too hard on her bad leg. She was in the bathroom trying to get into her pajama bottoms, but the boot had gotten caught up.

“You okay?” called Casey from where she’d been clearing DJ’s bed and putting things away for her.

“You mean besides being in excruciating pain?”

“Want some pain medicine?”

“Yes.” DJ continued to pull her pajamas on, gritting her teeth against the pain that was shooting through her leg. “I do.”

“Where is it?” asked Casey as she peered into the bathroom.

DJ considered telling her, but then remembered what Taylor had said. “I’ll get it,” she told Casey. “Would you mind getting my wet swimsuit and towel out of the backpack in the bathroom and hanging it in the shower for me?”

Then, as Casey was doing this, DJ made her way to the sock drawer, retrieved two pills, and called to ask Casey to bring her a glass of water.

“Here you go.”

DJ washed down the pills and leaned back into her pillows with a loud pain-laced groan. “Maybe somebody should just shoot me,” she said. “Isn’t that what they do to horses with broken legs?”

“Yeah, and they have four legs. You only have two.”

“It feels like I only have one.”

“Hopefully, you’ll feel better after you get a good night’s rest.” Casey helped pull the comforter up over her. “I’d kiss you good night, but that’s a little bit much for me.”

“And for me,” said Taylor loudly as she entered the room and peered at the two of them with a dramatically suspicious expression.

“Casey was just helping me get ready for bed.” DJ let out an exasperated sigh. “And I really appreciate it.”

“Speaking of helping,” said Taylor. “I’d like Casey to help me too.”

Casey frowned.

“Well, if you remember,” said Taylor. “Not so very long ago, I decided not to press charges in a certain little scandalous affair.”

“And?” Casey put her hands on her hips and looked evenly at Taylor.

“And, you told me you’d do anything —
anything
— to make up for what you did to me. Do you remember that, Casey?”

Casey nodded glumly.

“But Rhiannon took care of all that,” DJ reminded her.

“Sure, she traded me her part in the musical — which by the way isn’t much of a part — in exchange for excusing Casey. And I agreed to do that. But I still think Casey owes me something more.”

Casey pressed her lips together and looked down. Although she wasn’t saying anything, DJ felt fairly sure that Casey still felt guilty about the MySpace incident. She probably realized that, thanks to Rhiannon, she’d gotten off pretty easy.

“So what is it then?” DJ was impatient with Taylor’s little cat and mouse game. Also, she was starting to feel sleepy.

“I want Casey to do something to let everyone know that she was responsible for slandering me. Whether she writes a letter to the school newspaper or takes out an ad or makes a poster or whatever, I don’t care. I just want her to take full blame for the MySpace mess and make sure that everyone knows that those photos of me were tampered with by her.” Taylor glared at Casey. “Is that too much to ask?”

Casey slowly shook her head. “No. I can do that.”