addressed to Design Your Dream Outfit Contest.â A New York City address flashes on the front of the screen. âWrite that down,â I say to Mary Ann. Mary Ann starts writing. Fran keeps talking. âYou have three weeks to submit your design. I will personally look at each and every one that comes in.â Lights twinkle on the screen behind Fran. She smiles into the camera. âAnd when we come back, Iâll announce the prize for winning the Design Your Dream Outfit contest.â The TV cuts to a commercial. âI canât wait to start designing,â says Mary Ann. âMe too,â I say to my best friend. My head starts filling up with ideas. I can already picture the dream outfits Mary Ann and I are going to design.
Iâm really excited to design my dream outfit. But Iâm even more excited to find out what you get if you win the contest. When Fran returns, the lights twinkle again. âNow, the moment you have all been waiting for.â A drum rolls in the background. I squeeze Mary Annâs hand as Fran starts talking. Fran raises an eyebrow and grins. âViewers, I will choose the winning design. Then our seamstresses will sew it, creating a real dream outfit from the design.â Fran pauses like what sheâs about to say next is the most exciting thing she has said so far. Mary Ann and I lean in toward the TV. âThe winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for four to New York City ⦠AND a chance to appear on my show and model the winning design!â When Fran says that, Mary Ann starts bouncing up and down on the couch. Iâm starting to feel couch-sick. Itâs the same thing as seasick, except it happens when youâre on a couch that is moving instead of a boat. âWow! Wow! Wow!â screams Mary Ann. âAll we have to do is win the contest, and we get to go to New York City and model our outfits on the Fashion Fran show. Weâre going on Fashion Fran !â I look at Mary Ann. Iâve never seen her so bouncy. Iâm excited too, but Iâm not sure why sheâs so bouncy. Iâm also not sure why she used the word âwe.â I put my hand on her arm and she stops moving. âDidnât you hear Fran?â I say. âShe didnât say â winners ,â she said â winner .â I wait for what I said to sink in, but it doesnât. Mary Ann waves at me like sheâs heard enough. She points to the screen. Fran is starting to talk again. She holds up a sketch pad and a pencil. âYou design it. Our seamstresses sew it. One lucky winner will model her design on the show.â Fran smiles. âThis contest is only open for the next three weeks. So get busy drawing your dream outfit. I know thereâs a fashion designer in all of you.â Fran blows a kiss and waves. âThatâs it for today. See you tomorrow with more of the latest, greatest finds in the world of fashion.â The camera cuts to another commercial. â One lucky winner â keeps spinning through my head. What was supposed to be the most exciting episode ever just turned into the worst episode ever. âWhat are we going to do?â I ask Mary Ann. Mary Ann looks at me funny. âAbout what?â Sometimes I wonder what goes on in Mary Annâs brain.
âOnly one person gets to go on Franâs show. And there are two of us.â Mary Ann takes a deep give-me-a-minute-to-think-about-this breath. âItâs simple,â she says. âAll we have to do is make a pinky swear. If one of us wins, weâll figure out a way to both go on the show.â She holds up her pinky like sheâs waiting for me to hook mine around hers. I look at her. âHow are we going to do that?â Mary Ann shakes her head like now Iâm the one who doesnât get it. âWe need to stop talking and start promising!â I shake my head. âI donât see how