Read Online Sugar and Spice by Sheryl Berk - Free Book Online Page A

trailing behind the woman in red. “She’s kind of the queen bee at my school,” she explained. “Her name is Meredith Mitchell.”
    â€œYou know her?” Harleigh asked. “Are you friends?”
    â€œOh no!” Lexi laughed. “She hates my guts.”
    Meredith was also wearing a pair of large sunglasses, but that didn’t stop Lexi from sensing her cold stare. “She was mean to me, and I kinda said I was going to beat her today,” Lexi added. “Stupid, huh?”
    â€œNuh-uh!” Harleigh insisted. “I’m rooting for you. Besides, good always conquers evil.”
    Lexi grinned. “Funny, that’s what my friend Kylie always says. But she’s usually talking about monster movies.”
    â€œWell, she’s right,” Harleigh said. Her very blond mom was waving at her from across the floor. “I gotta go. But I’ll catch up with you later. K?”
    â€œK,” Lexi answered. It was probably a good idea to find out where Delaney had wandered off to. Lexi found her friend chatting up the pageant host, a jovial man in a tuxedo named Mr. Jim.
    â€œSo, here’s the scoop,” Delaney whispered to Lexi when they were out of the host’s earshot. “You need to win as many of the categories as possible if you want to qualify for one of the supreme titles.”
    â€œMeaning?” Lexi asked.
    â€œMeaning you have to place top in interview, talent, and fitness,” Delaney explained.
    â€œI might as well go home now,” Lexi fretted. There was no way she was going to win all of those categories—much less even one of them!
    â€œYou can do it. I believe in you,” Delaney said.
    â€œWe do too!” Kylie suddenly appeared behind her. The other girls had dropped off the cupcakes in the ballroom and were waiting for Sadie’s dad to assemble the display he’d built.
    â€œWe brought a whole cheering section, chica ,” Jenna said. She pointed to Kylie’s mom, Jenna’s mom, and Herbie, who were all purchasing wristbands to attend the pageant.
    â€œSave me a seat,” Delaney reminded them. “We’ve gotta go get ready for gowns.” She pulled poor Lexi along with her. “Remember everything I told you: shoulders back, head up, walk slowly…”
    It was so much to think about! Lexi’s head was spinning as Delaney led her to the dressing room and helped her into her long gown. There was lots of noise, along with endless racks of clothes, and dozens of girls were getting primped and prepped for the pageant.
    â€œWhat if I forget which way to go?” Lexi asked her friend. “What if I suddenly go left when I’m supposed to go right?”
    Delaney zipped up the back of Lexi’s dress. “You’ll be fine. Smile and sparkle.”
    A voice suddenly boomed over the loudspeaker. “Ladies, this is Fitzy. Please line up backstage according to your contestant number. Ten minutes till pageant time!”
    Lexi felt her heart leap out of her chest. “Oh my gosh! Ten minutes!”
    Harleigh found her and gave her hand a squeeze. “You look beautiful,” she said. “Purple is definitely your color.” Lexi saw that Harleigh was wearing a white gown with a sweetheart neckline and intricate rhinestone beading on the bodice.
    â€œYou look beautiful too,” Lexi said.
    â€œAnd look, I’m number sixteen and you’re number fifteen. So we get to stand next to each other!”
    Having Harleigh at her side made Lexi feel a tiny bit better, but then she spied Meredith making her way down the hall in a billowing, red-sequin ball gown.
    â€œShe looks like that evil queen from Alice in Wonderland ,” Delaney whispered. “You know—the one who shouts, ‘Off with her head!’”
    Lexi reached for her neck. “Not helping, Laney,” she said, secretly wishing there was a rabbit hole she could duck