Red(67)

It was time.

A fast pop song blasted through the speakers, and Donna Marie shouted, “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you this year’s Miss Scarlet contestants!”

Radiant smiles in place, shoulders back, and chins held high, the girls looped around the stage, waving at the packed house and trying not to squint under the bright stage lights. The walk lasted only about ninety seconds, but Felicity heard voice after voice screaming her name. By the time she was back in the wings, her heart was pounding in her ears. She had forgotten how scary and thrilling it was to be onstage in front of so many people.

When it was time for her personal introduction, she strode toward the microphone, trying to radiate confidence and enthusiasm. She smiled at the judges first, then scanned the cheering crowd, taking stock. There was her mom, sitting next to the judges’ table and grinning so broadly Felicity feared her face might shatter. There was the mayor, his tiny mustache twitching with excitement. There was Gabby in the press section, her pen flying over her notepad. There were Andy and Tyler, sitting with her neighbor Victor a few rows back and waving madly. There in the back was a bored-looking Brent, his arm wrapped around the skinny shoulders of Gretchen Williams. There was Ms. Kellogg with a group of teachers.

And there, sitting just in front of her, was Jonathan.

Jonathan, who had no Scarletville spirit. Who couldn’t care less about pageants.

Who was smiling at her now as if they were the only two people in the room.

Felicity’s stomach did a little twirl, and it had nothing to do with being nervous.

She forced her eyes back to the judges and gripped the microphone. With a bright smile, she said, “Hi, everyone! I’m Felicity St. John. I’m seventeen years old, and I was born right here in beautiful Scarletville. I was first runner-up in the Miss Ruby Red Pageant when I was twelve. This year, I was the cocurator of the student art show and served on the prom committee, for which I designed all the decorations. I also helped organize and run the winter recital at Red Shoes Dance Studio, where I’ve been a student since I was three. I’m so excited to be here, following in my mom’s footsteps as I compete for the title of Miss Scarlet.” The crowd cheered, and Felicity made sure to smile at each judge individually before she turned and walked into the wings.

She headed downstairs to the dressing room, walking slowly so she’d have a moment alone to think. Why was Jonathan here? Had he come to see her? Tickets had gone on sale long before the two of them were friends, so maybe he was here for another reason entirely. But the way he’d smiled at her just now made her doubt he was here for someone else. The memory of it made her feel tingly all the way to her fingertips. His presence also anchored her somehow—having him here in person was so much better than carrying his note in her pocket. Everyone else was looking at her sparkly facade, but she knew Jonathan was looking at the real Felicity behind the mask.

She found her swimsuit—black with white polka dots, just like her prom dress—and joined Haylie at their table. “How’d your intro go?” Haylie asked as she tied her turquoise bikini top.

“Good, I think.” Felicity unbuttoned her blouse and stepped out of her skirt, then draped a robe over her shoulders before swapping her underwear for her bikini. “How was yours?”

Ivy rushed into the dressing room and grabbed her swimsuit off the rack. “A whole bunch of swim team girls are here,” she said, obviously distraught. “They’re wearing these stupid T-shirts that spell out ‘Go, Ivy, go!’ It’s so embarrassing.”

“Only you would be upset that people came to cheer for you.” Felicity started applying Topstick to her butt.

Ivy gave her a horrified look. “Are you taping your suit to your ass?”

“Yeah, everyone does. There are some things the entire town doesn’t need to see.”

“There’s nothing worse than a wedgie onstage,” Haylie stated with great authority.

Ivy shuddered. “I sincerely hope I never have to experience that firsthand.” She pulled on her full-coverage tank suit, which was emblazoned across the chest with the Scarletville High School Rubies logo. As Haylie rolled her eyes, Ivy accessorized her outfit with flip-flops, a rubber bathing cap, and goggles.

Brenda called six minutes to lineup, and Felicity went over to inspect herself in the full-length mirror. She stretched and shimmied for a minute, making sure her tape held and everything stayed securely in place. When she glanced around the room, she found that nearly half the girls were wearing shades of turquoise. Cassie’s suit was covered in ruffles, as if she were going underwater salsa dancing, and Madison was struggling into something that looked more appropriate for the bedroom than the pool. No one else had a pattern on her suit, and Felicity smiled, pleased that her polka dots would stand out.

It wasn’t until she was standing in line in the wings that she realized she was about to parade out onstage, nearly naked, in front of Jonathan. Somehow, the hundreds of other people in the audience didn’t bother her—the swimsuit competition had never seemed scarier than walking around at the public pool. But even when Felicity was fully dressed, the way Jonathan looked at her was sometimes so penetrating that she felt unclothed. Her palms started to sweat, and she wiped them on her bare thighs as she watched Ariel pose and turn.

Ariel headed off into the wings, and Donna Marie called Felicity’s name. Felicity took a deep breath, smiled, and ordered her feet to move forward.