Unbound

“Charlotte come on you’re going to be late!” Lisa shouted through the bathroom door at her.

Charlie groaned and sunk deeper into the hotel bathtub, just barely keeping her nose above the water line so she could still breathe. The luncheons were always the worst parts of the pageants for Charlie. Well, those and the swimsuit competition. Basically, the luncheons gave each individual girl a chance to meet the competition while listening to a speech from one of the pageant administrators. It was the same with every pageant. The girls were expected to sit with each other and make polite conversation in an attempt to make friends. Like that would ever happen.

“Charlotte are you even listening to me?” Lisa asked as she pounded on the bathroom door.

“Huh?” Charlie asked, bolting upright in the tub. “What?”

“Hurry up and get ready.” Lisa said impatiently.

Charlie reluctantly got out of the tub and wrapped one of the hotel’s fluffy white towels around her before opening the bathroom door.

“Well it’s about time.” Lisa said irritably.

“I wasn’t going to be late, it’s only noon.” Charlie said, glancing at the digital clock on the nightstand.

“Yes but you’ve still got your hair to do.” Lisa said, handing Charlie her clothes.

“I can just tie it up.” Charlie said, slipping her strapless bra and underwear on under her towel.

“Absolutely not, you’re flat ironing it.” Lisa said as Charlie pulled on her white thin-strapped sundress and matching ballet flats.

“Ugh, why?” Charlie whined as Lisa zipped up the back of her dress. “We’re just going to eat.”

“You know why, now go.” Lisa said nudging her back to the bathroom.

Charlie finally finished flat ironing her naturally curly hair straight forty-five minutes later and was now on her way down with Lisa to the ballroom of the hotel where the luncheon was to be held. The pain in her stomach was coming back stronger than the day before but she ignored it.

“Oh, wait.” Lisa said, stopping in front of the double doors of the ballroom. “I almost forgot your sash.”

“Mom.” Charlie groaned as she watched Lisa pull her Miss New York sash from her purse.

“Put it on.” Lisa ordered. “It’s a requirement.

Charlie grumbled inaudibly under her breath as she put the sash on over her head and around her shoulder.

“Alright, you’re ready.” Lisa said before walking ahead of her through the doors.

Charlie took a deep breath the followed suit. In the ballroom were ten tables each set with five places and a long table at the back of the room for administrators, judges, and or parents. Some of the girls were already seated but most were just mingling around the room.

“Hi!” An excited southern voice said from behind her.

Charlie winced and turned around slowly to face whoever it was. She was now face to face with a bubbly looking blonde girl wearing a similar dress as her, except the new girl’s was pink. The sash around the new girl read ‘Miss Kansas.’

“I’m Joanne Green.” The girl said smiling widely at Charlie as she extended a hand to her.

“Charlotte Smithson.” Charlie said shaking her hand lightly. “But I go by Charlie.”

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet ya Charlie.” Joanne said sweetly. “You can call me Jo.”

“Nice to meet you.” Charlie said, attempting a smile.

She had the sinking feeling that this would be her only friend for the duration of the pageant judging by the dark looks being cast in her direction from some of the other girls.

“C’mon let’s go find a table.” Jo said, taking Charlie’s hand and leading her to one that still had two empty seats left.

“Hi ya’ll!” Jo said excitedly to the other three girls already seated at the table as she and Charlie filled the remaining two. “I’m Jo and this here’s Charlie.”

“Whitney.” The dark-haired girl with ‘Miss Michigan’ on her sash said.

“I’m Hannah.” The redhead from Rhode Island said.

“Sierra.” The honey blonde from California said.

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet ya’ll.” Jo said, still with an overly friendly tone in her voice.

“You’re Lisa Smithson’s daughter, aren’t you?” Whitney asked, addressing Charlie.

“Yes.” Charlie said slowly. Why?”

“It must be hard.” Whitney said. “Living in her shadow.”

The other three girls turned and faced Charlie to see her reaction to Whitney’s comment.

“It’s going to be even harder for you when you lose to me in this pageant.” Whitney said.

Hannah and Sierra’s eyes widened in shock.

“Now, now girls let’s not have any of that.” Jo said. “We’re here to make friends, remember?”

“Oh can it Dorothy.” Whitney said rolling her eyes. “This is a competition and I’m playing to win.”

“As are the rest of us.” Jo said. “But you don’t have to-”

“Jo, it’s fine.” Charlie said quietly.

Jo shot Whitney a nasty look before replacing it almost immediately with a wide smile. “Oh look, bread rolls!” She said reaching forward and grabbing one from the center of the table.

Charlie followed suit as the other three at the table looked at them with astonished expressions on their faces.

“You’re eating bread?” Sierra asked.

“Sure.” Jo said as she took a bite. “Mmm these are wonderful.”

“But aren’t you worried at all about gaining weight?” Hannah asked.

“Nope.” Jo said, making a small popping noise on the end of the word. “I was blessed with a high metabolism.”

Charlie chanced a glance at her mother who was seated across the room, but wished she hadn’t. Lisa was glaring at her and the roll in her hand, clearly giving her a look that said “don’t you dare.” Charlie narrowed her eyes at her and took a large bite from the roll. She smiled to herself at the furious look on her mother’s face, but knew she would pay for her disobedience later.

“So, Charlie.” Jo said, bringing her attention back to the table. “What’s your talent?”

“Talent?” Charlie questioned.

“Yeah you know, like mine’s dancing.” Jo said.

“Oh,” Charlie said awkwardly. “I…um, sing.”

“Really?” Hannah asked. “What song are you singing for the pageant?”

“I’m not sure yet.” Charlie answered, not entirely truthful. Her mother had made her sing ‘Amazing Grace’ in every pageant since she was twelve so she didn’t expect this time to be any different.

“Whitney sings too.” Sierra said. “Don’t you Whit?”

“Yes.” Whitney said curtly.

“Do you know what song you’ll be singing?” Jo asked.

“Think of Me, from Phantom of the Opera.” Whitney said.

“Ooh! You do show tunes!” Jo said excitedly. “Do you know anything from Hairspray?”

“No.” Whitney replied coldly.

“Oh.” Jo said quietly.

The tinkling of silverware against glass called the room’s attention to the front of the room where an elderly woman with silvery white hair stood up from her seat.

“Good afternoon ladies.” She said in an oddly strong voice for someone of her petite size.

A man coughed to her immediate left and she paused.

“And gentlemen.” She amended. “My name is Victoria Cramer, President of the Miss Universe Organization which heads the Miss Universe, Miss United States, and Miss Teen USA pageants.” She stopped to allow a small round of applause before starting again. “Thank you. The title holders of Miss USA personify the combination of beauty and intelligence that defines the twenty-first century. The winner of this year’s should demonstrate such characteristics. Part of this year’s prize package is an employment contract with the Miss Universe Organization, where she will be the representative of the company for one year, traveling the world, meeting heads of state, appearing on television, and getting the education, experiences, and values to fulfill her career goals.” She paused for effect then spoke again. “So who thinks they’re ready to become this year’s Miss United States?”

The whole room erupted into applause and excited chattering amongst the contestants. All except Charlie of course.

“It gives me great pleasure,” Victoria started again after the chatter had died down. “to welcome you all to the fifty-seventh annual Miss United States pageant. Good luck ladies.”

A few minutes later, several waiters entered the ballroom to take everyone’s lunch orders as Lisa excused herself from the front table to stop at Charlie’s.

“Charlotte, let’s go.” She said tapping her on the shoulder.

“But I haven’t even eaten yet.” Charlie protested as Lisa pulled her up from the table.

“I saw that roll you ate, now let’s go.” Lisa snapped as she led her from the room in the direction of the large theatre attached to the hotel. “I told you not to eat it and you did anyway. For that, you’re going to be practicing an extra hour onstage while the rest of the girls are eating.”

“Whatever mom.” Charlie said rolling her eyes as she allowed herself to be pulled through the theatre doors and down the isle past the rows of seats.

“Go. Get on the stage.” Lisa ordered as she sat down in the front, middle seat to watch.

Charlie reluctantly obliged and walked up the steps on the side of the stage.

“I’m ready.” Charlie snapped, giving Lisa a dark look as she stood in the middle of the stage.

“One, two, three, four.” Lisa called out as she hit her thigh to the steady rhythm.

Charlie started walking up and down the stage following Lisa’s steady beat and turning when she gave her the cue.

“Keep your back straight.” Lisa barked as Charlie continued her routine.

“It is straight.” Charlie snapped.

“Not straight enough.” Lisa said. “And stop looking at your feet.”

“I’m not.” Charlie said angrily, stopping in the middle of the stage.

“Yes you were.” Lisa said. “And I didn’t say you could stop. Keep going.”

Charlie muttered darkly under her breath as she started walking gracefully across the stage, careful to keep one foot directly in front of the other at all times. She couldn’t have been at it for more than eight minutes before Lisa stopped her again.

“You’re supposed to be smiling.” She snapped. “And for God’s sake, keep your head up!”

“It is up!” Charlie shouted, stopping and turning to face her. “If you’re not happy with it, do it yourself.”

“If you haven’t noticed, I did do it.” Lisa sneered. “And I gave it much more effort than you are.”

“So why are you forcing me to do this?” Charlie asked angrily. “Why didn’t you just continue competing and keep me out of all this?”

“Because twenty-three years ago I made a mistake!” Lisa shouted. “You were the reason I couldn’t compete anymore. You can’t compete and be pregnant at the same time.”

“A mistake?” Charlie asked quietly.

“You didn’t honestly think I planned on getting pregnant with you, did you?” Lisa asked, laughing cruelly.

“You stopped because of me?” Charlie asked as tears started pricking at her eyes.

“Well it’s not like I wanted to.” Lisa said rolling his eyes. “Your grandparents forced me to keep you when I found out I was pregnant. Said they didn’t believe in abort-”

But Charlie didn’t here the rest of what Lisa was saying. She was too busy running off stage and out the theatre doors.