Red(72)

But even amid all that uncertainty, there was a part of her that felt gloriously free. The thing she had always feared most had happened, and she was still standing. For the first time in her entire life, she had nothing to hide.

When she heard footsteps behind her, Felicity whirled around, hoping it was Haylie. But it was only Brenda, her mouth pressed tight into a thin line of displeasure. “The judges want to see you in conference room C,” she said. “It’s just down the hall from your mom’s office. Do you think you can find it on your own?”

Felicity hadn’t expected the judges to call her in. Were they going to let her plead her case? It seemed unlikely after the stunt she had just pulled. But maybe they had appreciated her boldness and honesty. Maybe she had earned their respect.

Or maybe they knew she had swapped the interview questions, in which case she was in even bigger trouble than she’d thought. Was it possible to go to jail for tampering with pageant materials?

Brenda was still staring at her, and Felicity nodded. “I can find it.”

When she tapped lightly on the conference room door, a stern female voice called, “Come in.” All five judges were seated on one side of the conference table, as if Felicity were there for a job interview. None of them smiled. Ginger sat at the head of the table with a defeated expression on her face and several used tissues balled in her fist. Felicity took a step toward her, but her mom shot her such a hostile look that she retreated, chastened. Nobody offered her a seat. She stood with her hands clasped penitently in front of her and waited for her sentence.

The head judge, a severe-looking woman with white hair, stared her down over a pair of half glasses. “Felicity St. John,” she said, “you’ve certainly made this competition interesting.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Felicity wasn’t sure if she was being complimented or insulted.

“As you’re probably aware, your talent routine was in violation of section 103b of the pageant code, which states that a contestant may not alter her routine in any way after the final dress rehearsal without formally petitioning the pageant committee. Are you familiar with this rule, Miss St. John?”

Felicity nodded. “I wasn’t at the time I switched the music, ma’am, but I am now.”

“May I take that to mean that you did not, in fact, read the pageant rules prior to the competition?”

Felicity had flipped through the rule book briefly when she’d received her Miss Scarlet packet in the mail, then tossed it in the recycling bin. She had assumed her mom would keep her from doing anything that wasn’t allowed. “I read some of it, ma’am. But I must have missed that part.”

“Apparently.” The judge made a note on her legal pad. “Are you aware, Miss St. John, that failure to abide by the pageant code is grounds for disqualification?”

“I am aware of that. Yes.” Felicity realized her hands were trembling, and she clasped them together more tightly.

“The judges will take a vote to determine whether you will remain in the running for the title of Miss Scarlet. Ordinarily, the pageant director would conduct said vote, but obviously that won’t be possible today. Mrs. St. John, please step into the hall with Felicity, and we’ll let you know when we’ve made a decision.”

“We’ll wait in my office,” Ginger said. Felicity was horrified to hear how broken her mother’s voice sounded. She followed her down the hall, grateful that the judges hadn’t brought up the forged question. That, at least, was a small mercy.

“How could you do this to me?” her mother snapped the moment the office door closed behind them. “I spent seventeen years preparing you for today! I gave you everything, every opportunity, because I was sure you were a good investment! But I guess I was wrong, Felicity, since you decided to repay me by getting yourself disqualified and then telling the entire town I’m a liar!”

“Mom, I—”

“All I ever asked from you was that you take this competition seriously and win that prize for us, and I told you exactly how to do it. All you had to do was follow my instructions. You couldn’t even do that for me, after all I’ve given up for you!”

Felicity felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room. “I know how much you’ve done for me,” she pleaded. “And I appreciate all of it, I swear. I’ve tried so hard to be everything you wanted me to be, but I just … I’m not that girl, Mom. I don’t belong in pageants, and I never have. I’m not even a real redhead.”

“I made you into a redhead, and you threw it all away!” Ginger screamed. “I lied for you and sacrificed for you so you could have the life I thought you deserved! But because of what you did out there today, Felicity, everyone will think you’re nothing from now on. Not to mention you’ve put my job and my reputation on the line. Are you satisfied? Is this what you wanted?”

“I was being blackmailed!” Felicity yelled back. “I didn’t do this for the fun of it! I know you didn’t want me to fight Gabby, but I couldn’t just lie down and let her take everything away from me!” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she angrily swiped them away with the back of her hand. “This sucks for me, too, Mom, trust me! Everyone probably hates me now. But even that will be better than living every single second terrified someone is going to expose me. My entire life was a lie! You have no idea what that’s like!”