If this is going to work, then perhaps you should call me Donna.

The next day I got to sleep in, well at least compared to the day before. I was up shortly before eight and downstairs. While there were the normal offerings of a continental breakfast, all the other girls were digging into a piece of fruit or two.

For a moment or two, I seriously considered being a complete rebel, but I settled for something healthy, if a little different. I grabbed a container of yogurt and one of the individual boxes of granola. Sure, I knew that I needed to fit in with the girls, and that I shouldn't be drawing attention to myself, but I wasn't going to make the stretch to one o'clock on a couple of pieces of fruit and all the water I could drink.

I noticed a couple of the other girls go for the granola as soon as I took a seat, and hid a smile as Sarah joined me.

"Morning, sunshine."

"Morning, Sarah."

"what has you in such a good mood?"

"I seem to have started a trend," I said, gesturing with my granola filled bowl of yogurt.

"That looks really good," Sarah said as she got up and headed back toward the buffet table. I just laughed.

"Wow, girl, you have a really pretty laugh," Tara said as she sat down, yogurt in hand. I just smiled at her. Tasha sat down next to her.

"Yeah, It's pretty," she said. She had a pretty think accent, and it took me a moment to understand what she said.

"And you called me brave yesterday, Tara."

Both girls laughed and I let out a loud peal of laughter that caused everyone in the room to turn and look at me. I blushed and tried to hide.

"They're just jealous, Donna. you have nothing to be ashamed of. Like I said, your laugh is really pretty. Like a bell or something."

"Wow, I never thought about it that way," Sarah said while sitting down, "it is really pretty. Probably your best feature."

I blushed more at that, and the others just laughed.

We had a lot of work to do today, and none of us wanted to be late, so we all got on the busses waiting for us and got a ride over to the local high school where the actual pageant would be held.

You don't get a sense of how many people are in a crowd with you until all of them are trying to get into a single small space. The auditorium we were shuffling into could easily hold the more than three hundred girls that would be participating in this pageant, but that didn't hold true for the foyer in front of the auditorium. We chatted and smiled and laughed as we slowly made our way in. Sure, some of the girls seemed to be stuck up, but that didn't bother me much. I wasn't here to please anyone other than Sarah, and maybe myself.

We sat down and waited for all the girls to get in. The houselights came up to full and Andrea, on of the judges, stepped out to center stage.

"Ladies, we don't have a lot of time today for what we're going to do. We'll be separating you out into three groups shortly, but I want all of your to pay attention all the way through, so we're waiting to do the separation 'til after.

"Group one will be participating in the first preliminary night. We understand that means you'll have less time to prepare the stage numbers, but we're okay with that. You're not judged on the stage numbers, and you've all had enough time to practice the other aspects of the pageant.

"Group two will be helping with staging for group one. Consider this as practice for the job of being Miss Florida Teen. Group three will get the opportunity, should they like, to fill out the audience. We expect your behavior to be exemplary at all times you are not participating.

"Anyone causing a disruption will not be judged harshly for their behavior, but they will not be allowed to continue further in the pageant."

There were some sounds of shock, and one or two of outrage, but I guess they'd not read the judging guidelines that carefully.

I just smiled at Sarah. We were finally here.

"Night two will be group two on stage, group three staging, and group one in the audience. Same rules and guidelines apply to everyone on this night."

"Night three will be group three on stage, group one staging, and group two in the audience. I know you'll all work your hardest this week. Today and tomorrow will be spent practicing the staging events. If you make it to the final night, then we'll try to have you in a similar place to where you are on your preliminary night, but if we can't then we know you'll do your best to learn your new position in the group numbers.

"One last thing. You will all be practicing every morning with your groups. This includes group one. We want all of you to be as ready as possible for the final night, which will have the largest audience of any of the nights this week.

"Your performance up there will be a reflection on yourself and the other girls as well as our organization. We want all of you to leave here feeling like the ladies we know you are."

The statement didn't phase me at all at the time. I was wearing some light makeup; I had my longish bleached blonde hair pulled into a hair band. My nails were painted with an iridescent white polish that made them glitter like opals.

I was, for this week at least, a lady, and I loved it being acknowledged. Next week would tend to itself. This week I was Donna.

"To make this as fair as possible on everyone, we'll be separating you by last names. A through F are group two, G through M are group one, and everyone else are group three."

I looked with dismay at Sarah, since she would be in group two but she just smiled at me, "Don't worry, Donna. I'll get to be back stage with you, and you'll get to watch me on stage."

I relaxed then, and smiled. Sarah was fine with it, so I should be as well. Tara and Tasha would be with me, anyway, so I would at least have a familiar face.

<3  <3  <3
I groaned as I flopped on the bed. Sarah just gave out a weak giggle. I was really glad for the granola by lunch time, and even wished I'd eaten more. None of the girls turned down the subs that they'd provided for lunch.

Not that they were foot long meatball subs from Subway or something. It's just that we'd expended so much energy. Who knew that standing around in heels on a simulation stage in the hot sun all day could take that much out of you. Well, not just standing: Walking on, walking off, introductory wave, goodbye wave, and smile until your face aches.

Then we really got down to business.

There was separating us out into 5-6 person groups for the fitness routine, which was something of a mix between dance, a short workout, and a cheerleading routing. It was a lot of fun, but took a lot more out of you than you'd think it would watching it, especially after doing it for the eighteenth time of the day.

After that we did basic staging for the rest of the evening, including our personal interview and stage question, two completely different items. We'd already been scored on our academic achievements, so that was locked in.

I groaned into the mattress. My legs hurt. My back hurt. My face hurt. I just plain hurt all over. Turning my head to look her way, I could tell that Sarah felt the same, but she was smiling, and I had to join in. "Still happy to be here, then, Sarah?"

"More than ever. I want to win, David."

"I know. If I were judging, I think I'd have already crowned you."

"But there are so many talented girls here," she said with a little frown.

"And you're one of them."

"so are you, David. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

I smiled at her.

"I'm going in to get a shower...or maybe soak in the tub. I'm so sore."

"Those shoes sucked, didn't they?"

"My feet are fine," I said, "It's my calves that hated it."

She just nodded in sympathy. I soaked in the tub for about an hour and then got out for Sarah to do the same. Yes, there were bubbles and I loved the feel of my skin when I got out.

<3  <3  <3
I must have been asleep before Sarah got out of the tub as I don't remember her climbing into bed with me. I woke up in her arms, though, and started. I slipped out as carefully as I could and got dressed for the morning.

I wasn't the only one loading up on carbs this morning. Sure, usually you want to avoid them, but that is only when you are sitting around in school all day. Then a salad or a piece of fruit will tide you over.

With all the activity we were up to it was no surprise when they wanted more than just a piece of fruit.

Ok, so saying they 'loaded up' might be a little exaggeration. Two pieces of fruit, a yogurt and a couple of spoonfuls of granola isn't loading up in the football player sense.

Today was a lot like the previous day, but more so. Now that we'd been taught our places it was a matter of refinement, and just getting everything to seem natural and normal onstage.

Sarah and I collapsed into bed again after a giggle fest. We'd taken better care of ourselves today, and it showed.

We could hear the other girls more active in the hall as well.

"Want to go join in?"

I sat there for a few moments. It would be part of the experience, but I could easily, I thought, be outed in a moment of inattention.

Seeing me vacillating between yeas and no, Sarah grabbed my arm and dragged me into the hall. I slipped the card key into the pocket of my drawstring pajama pants and went out into the hall with her.

It was a madhouse. There were giggling girls running to and fro all over the hall, visiting each other's rooms. It was obvious that a lot of the girls knew each other from other pageants they'd been a part of. They didn't let us feel left out, though.

I'd imagined that this would be like the fantasies I'd always seen about pageants. Sure, some of the girls had their noses in the air, but most of us were pretty down to earth. I was sure that would change the moment that we were out there on stage and working on winning the crown, but right now? They were just normal girls.

There were a couple of pillow fights, none of which I started, I promise. There were some water fights, which got the girls involved in trouble, not me or Sarah. All in all, I think it was a stress relieve before the performances starting tomorrow. I truly hoped I would be ready for it when it came.

<3  <3  <3
As we'd have to be out there performing on stage that evening, my group had a light day of it. Specifically we were doing a dress rehearsal. An everyday/dressy outfit for the interview, a fancy dress for the onstage question, a dress for the introduction, an exercise outfit for the fitness routine, costume for the talent, and a final dress for the processional at the end. Well, the dress was really for the award ceremony at the end, but we used it for a recessional on the preliminary night.

Six changes of clothing, and no privacy to change in. I was glad I'd said no to the padding by the fifth time through. We didn't go through full length, just in out change wait in out change and so on.

The more female flesh I saw, the less it fazed me. It was nothing much to me at the beginning, and by the end it was just there. Something that they had and I didn't, and yes, I was a bit jealous some of the time. The rest of the time I was actually glad of my figure. It meant that I could get into, and out of, my different outfits a lot faster than they could. I didn't have to worry about putting on or removing bras that wouldn't fit with this or that outfit.

During the dress it got me roped in to makeup touchups when the girls realized how good I was. It was fun, too, making all those other girls so beautiful, getting their features to really pop.

By that night I'd earned a nickname: The Artist.

It's not that there weren't any other artistic girls there, but more that I was in a 'whole other league' or so Tara said.

Before I knew it, and before I even knew what was going on, we were sitting in the chairs getting our hair done for the introduction. I could hear the susurration of the audience, and then the music started. That was our thirty second call. I pulled off the shield from my gown and went to get into line. I grabbed the shield another girl had forgotten was there, and then we plastered on our smiles and moved out on stage.

"...Donna Lowell!" The announcer said. I missed him mentioning my town and high school. I waved to the audience and went, carefully in the three inch heals, to my place on the risers at the back of the stage.

We did our dance, and then we were making our way off stage, with waves and smiles, and then it was time for the talent competition.

While the first girl got ready, I could hear the emcee on stage talking about what it meant to her to be a MAO Teen. I didn't really pay attention, as I needed to get ready.

"Breathe, Donna."

"Hey, Sarah. So, how'd I do?"

She giggled, "About the same as everyone else."

I was wearing a sequined dress for my performance. It reminded me of some of the outfits that Lady Gaga wore on stage, but was a lot more normal and modest. It fit my personality a lot better as well.

I stood in the wings watching as the other girls performed. "Hey, you're Donna right?"

I turned to respond and my breath caught in my throat. The boy standing there was cute. No, I didn't feel any sort of 'zing' or something, just he was really cute. I liked his smile, and I think that I could easily have spent hours trying to draw it just right.

"Donna?"

"Oh, sorry. Yes, Donna, that's me...and I'm a complete dork right now."

"Lot's of the seventh graders get like this, there's nothing to worry..."

"Except I'm a Junior this year."

"Smart and pretty then."

I blushed at the pretty comment, "No, I'm pretty average. I'm sixteen, even though I don't look it."

"Um..."

"Delayed puberty. They're taking a wait and see attitude right now."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry?"

"Don't be. Sure, I'd love to have the curves and breasts the other girls do, but I make up for it in attitude and personality."

He laughed at that. His dimples were even better than his smile.

"So, personality, huh, what makes you so special?"

I looked left and right in a conspiratorial manner, "Don't tell anyone," I said quietly, in almost a whisper, "but I'm and artist."

"an artist, huh? Maybe I could see some of your work sometime."

"Tomorrow night I'm in the audience, so maybe..."

"Come and spent time back here with me..." He stopped as if listening to the headset and then said, "Go for Steven."

He waited a few moments before he said anything else, "No, the goose feathers are in the white sack next to the London flyout...No, London, the one with the fog, not the one with sunshine and white clay buildings, that one is Cairo...No problem," he turned back to me and said, "so, where were we?"

"You're a tech geek at this school?"

"Yep, I am." he said with a pose that made me giggle and got some shushing sounds from some of the other girls. I smiled and Steven grinned back at me.

"So, come back here tomorrow night," he said. I say Sarah coming to get me.

"Donna, you need to go, you're onstage in three more acts and they want to get your mic fitted."

"See you later?" Steven called to my retreating back and I just laughed.

"Oh my god, Donna. You were flirting with him."

"I was not."

"Yes...you were. And you are a bit of a natural at it, aren't you. You had him eating out of your hand."

"No...I couldn't...I mean he...I...no."

"Yes, girl friend. You have a crush, and you were flirting...with a guy."

She just grinned at me and I blushed and looked at the floor. She squeezed my arm slightly and whispered in my ear, "he's really cute, just be careful, okay?"

That statement felt like her giving me permission, and my mood lightened. It was fun to talk to Steven, for the short time I did, and I wouldn't mind doing it again.