Homecoming Queen (23 page)

DJ frowned.

“I thought it could be a problem. And, okay, please, don’t think this is crazy, but what about Conner?”

DJ stared at her, and then shook her head in a firm
no
.

“I mean he still really likes you. And he misses you too.”

“Really?”

“I could ask him for you.”

“No, thanks.” DJ shook her head again.

“Okay. I guess it was dumb.”

“No,” said DJ. “It was sweet. And, okay, kinda dumb too.”

Haley grinned.

DJ made her way to the lane on the end, but today Caleb wasn’t around to help her. She didn’t really need so much help now that the crutches were gone, and her leg seemed stronger too — still, she missed him. She set her cane beneath the lifeguard chair and carefully climbed down the ladder. As she swam she considered her new dilemma. An escort. She wondered if Taylor would have a suggestion for that too. DJ ran possibilities through her head, but she honestly couldn’t think of one guy she wanted to ask.

“Hey,” said Caleb as DJ slowly climbed up the ladder. He had her cane in hand. “Congratulations!”

“Who told
you
about it?” she asked with surprise.

“About what?” He handed her the cane.

“The election?”

“What election?”

She laughed. “Maybe we should start over.” She held up her cane. “Is this what you were congratulating me about?”

He nodded and scratched his head. “What did you think I meant?”

So she quickly recapped the last half of her day. And now he congratulated her again. “That’s fantastic, DJ. Very, very cool.”

“I guess. Except that now I’m scrambling. My roommate is taking me formal shopping in a few minutes and somehow I need to find an escort.”

Caleb put his hand across his mid section and made a formal bow. Then, standing, he smiled. “Escort, at your service, miss.”

“Are you serious?”

“Why not?”

“You’d do that for me?”

“And for me too. I think it sounds fun.”

She frowned. “You’re supposed to wear a suit, I think.”

“I happen to have a dark brown suit.”

She blinked and shook her head. “This is like a weird dream.” Then she remembered the Steven King movie. “But I hope it doesn’t involve a bucket of pig’s blood.”

He laughed. “I’ve seen
Carrie
too. But I don’t think you need to be worried.”

She told him where to pick her up and when then hobbled off to try on dresses. After three dresses, she wanted to give up. She was exhausted and frustrated.

“Try this one,” Taylor said. It was a plum-colored satin gown. “It will look nice with Caleb’s brown suit.”

“Okay, but it’s the last one I’m trying on. So it better look good.”

It did. It looked stunning. Even DJ had to admit that.

“And since you can wear only one shoe, you better go with your black ballet slipper,” Taylor said. “Let’s go home and get ready.”

Back home Eliza was not a bit pleased when she saw DJ. In fact, she wasn’t even speaking to her. Neither was Kriti.

“Don’t worry about them,” said Rhiannon as she helped DJ with her hair.

“I’ll be glad when this is all over with,” said Taylor with a bored expression. She was putting eye shadow on. When her own makeup was finished and perfect as usual, she offered to help DJ with hers. DJ happily accepted. Just as they were finishing up, Inez knocked on the door and before anyone could answer, she stuck her head in.

“Your young man is downstairs,” she told DJ with a wry expression, “talking to your grandmother.”

“Oh, dear,” said DJ, hurrying to wrap around her shoulders the faux fur cape that Taylor had loaned her. “I better hurry.”

“No telling what your Grandmother might be saying to him,” teased Taylor.

“She wasn’t happy when I told her how old he was,” admitted DJ.

But once downstairs, she saw that Grandmother was smiling and seemed completely pleased with DJ’s escort.

“You didn’t tell me that Caleb was a Bennett, Desiree.”

“Desiree?” Caleb’s brows lifted curiously.

“DJ is fine,” DJ said.

“I’ve known the Bennetts for ages,” continued Grandmother. “A very fine family indeed.”

DJ smiled nervously at Caleb. “Ready to go?” she asked hopefully. If they stuck around much longer, her grandmother might try to arrange their marriage.

“Not until I give you this.” Caleb shyly produced a wrist corsage. “The florist seemed to think these were still acceptable.”

“And it’s the school colors,” pointed out Rhiannon.

Finally, good-byes were said and Grandmother even wished her good luck. But by the time she was sitting in Caleb’s car, she was a bundle of nerves.

“I know I shouldn’t care so much,” she admitted.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because it’s never been my dream to do something like this. I’ve never liked this kind of attention. And now here I am.” She shook her head. “It’s so unbelievable. Like a fairy tale to even be included in the court.” DJ was glad she’d remembered to put on two layers of antiperspirant.

“Well, I hope you get crowned queen tonight,” said Caleb after he parked the car near the stadium and helped her out. “But whether or not you win, you are a winner. Everyone can see that.”

“That’s nice of you to say.” She took his arm and adjusted her cane. “But I don’t feel like much of a winner.” The truth was she felt ridiculous as she limped across the parking lot. But several kids called out to her, wishing her good luck and saying they’d voted for her.

“Thanks,” she called back, feeling a bit more confident.

Before long, the court was assigned cars that would be driven in parade fashion around the track. To DJ’s surprise she and Caleb were picked to ride in a very cool Bentley convertible that Eliza had been eyeing for herself.

“Nice wheels,” called out Taylor as she waved from the back of an old Mercedes convertible.

“Thanks,” said DJ. “Good luck!”

But Taylor just winked and grinned as the procession began.

“You ready for this?” asked Caleb as he gave her hand a warm squeeze.

DJ sat up straighter (remembering her grandmother’s constant reminders about good posture) then smiled. “I think so.”

With the band playing loudly, the classic cars paraded around the bend of the track then one by one pulled forward in front of the large podium that was decorated with crepe paper and flowers. DJ couldn’t help but notice how fantastic both Eliza and Taylor looked tonight, but there was nothing unusual about that. Even Madison looked pretty good, and she was smiling brightly as if she had the sweetest disposition of them all.

Suddenly DJ wondered who would win. Eliza seemed most likely — and she would make a beautiful homecoming queen. But then Madison had a lot of friends too. And Taylor had a lot of male admirers who could’ve cast their votes in her direction.

Now the principal was making his way to the podium. He looked odd and out of place in his tuxedo, but he soon warmed up the audience with some cheerful banter about homecoming and traditions and how Crescent Cove was such a great little town.

“And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” he said dramatically. Then he paused to turn and look at the members of the court still seated in the backs of the classic convertibles. “Have you ever seen such a beautiful bunch of ladies?” The crowd cheered, and then he went on to introduce the girls. DJ felt like she was going to burst if he didn’t get this over with soon. Still, she just smiled, sitting up straight and grasping Caleb’s hand tightly.

“And this year’s homecoming queen is . . .” He paused for a drum roll. “Desiree Jeannette Lane — otherwise known as
DJ Lane
!” At this moment, DJ felt a shock wave running through her, from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes, and she wondered if this was for real or if she’d imagined the whole thing. But when she turned to look at Caleb, he was nodding and smiling. “Congratulations, Queen DJ.”

And while he was helping her out of the car and waiting for her to get her cane into place — to her amazement — the crowd was going wild. Clapping and yelling things like “Way to go, DJ!”

As Caleb helped her toward the podium, she turned and smiled at the rest of the court — all of them. And they all smiled back. But DJ felt sure she saw traces of shock and disappointment behind some of their smiles. Well, except for Taylor. Her smile looked wide and genuine, and she gave DJ a big thumb’s-up.

”Congratulations, Desiree Jeannette,” said the principal when, with Caleb’s help, she finally reached the top of the podium. Then the principal handed her a bouquet of red roses as last year’s queen arranged the crown on top of DJ’s head. Then she too congratulated her and stepped aside.

Now the principal chuckled into the mike. “But your friends call you DJ, right?”

DJ nodded and smiled, unsure of what she was supposed to do. “Thank you!” she told him, and then she turned to the crowd which was still clapping and cheering. “Thank you, everyone!” she cried out. “Thank you so much! This is unbelievable. Thank you!”

“So, DJ, do you have an acceptance speech?” he asked as he pointed the mike toward her.

She blinked. “Well, no. I just want to say thanks again to everyone. This is so amazing. I think I’m in shock.”

The principal nodded and smiled. “Well, I just happen to have a small speech prepared, if DJ doesn’t mind.” He glanced at her, and she nodded eagerly.

Then he cleared his throat and unfolded a piece of paper. “Some of you might be aware that DJ recently became known as the hometown heroine when she saved a young boy’s life.” He smiled at her. “And, naturally, we were all very proud of her. We’re also proud of her for her athletic achievements, although her injuries have temporarily benched her. But another thing that some of you grown-ups might not have heard is that DJ was a write-in candidate for homecoming queen. Not only that, but she’s somewhat new to our town, so winning this crown is quite an achievement.” He paused and smiled at her again. “But here’s something about DJ that some of you younger folks may not be aware of, and something that some of you older ones may have forgotten: DJ’s mother, the late Elizabeth Carter Lane, was crowned Crescent Cove High’s homecoming queen too. Back in 1976, DJ’s mother ruled this podium. And today the crown is passed on to her daughter. Hey, DJ, I’ll bet your mother is watching and cheering for you right now. Congratulations!”

Read chapter 1 of
Viva Vermont!
,
Book 4 in Carter House Girls.

1

DJ STILL FELT LIKE CINDERELLA
the next morning —Cinderella after the magic was gone, that is. Not that she wasn’t still pumped about last night. Who would’ve thought that she, of all people, would be crowned homecoming queen? But now it was Saturday morning, and her grandmother was droning on and on about today’s BIG fashion show, like she thought they were walking a runway in Paris instead of Crescent Cove, Connecticut.

“And I expect my girls to behave themselves as ladies,” Grandmother said as the six girls poked at their breakfast of granola, fresh fruit, and plain yogurt. For no explainable reason, DJ was craving bacon, eggs, and pancakes slathered in butter and syrup. Like that was going to happen.

“You will be representing Carter House . . . and me,” continued Grandmother. “And this fashion show is your debut in the community. I expect all of you to put your very best foot forward.”

“That would be my right foot.” DJ held up her cane and frowned down at her large walking cast. “Do I still have to do this, Grandmother? My leg is really aching today.”

“That’s because you were such a show-off last night.” Eliza’s tone was teasing, but DJ sensed a hard glint in her pretty blue eyes.

“You’re just jealous,” said Taylor as she refilled her coffee cup.

“I most certainly am not,” said Eliza, her chin held high. “I couldn’t be happier for DJ. I thought it was just the sweetest thing ever seeing her limping forward with her cute little cane to receive the crown. Even my parents were glad for her.”

Casey made a snorting laugh of disbelief, and Grandmother gave her a stern look. “Sorry,” said Casey sarcastically. “But I happened to have been sitting directly behind Eliza’s parents last night, and I heard her mother gasp when they announced DJ’s name over the loudspeaker.”