1YOU'LL FIND SOMEONE TRUE

Chapter 1: Oh! You Pretty Thing!

The crown was cutting off the circulation to her brain. A dark haired girl shoved open the dressing room door and tore the crown from her imaculate up-do. She tossed it onto the counter before her and threw the door shut. She stared at her reflection in the well lit mirrors and glared in disgust. Sarah felt her stomach heave. The girl that stared back at her mad her want to throw something heavy against the glass. She was undeniably pretty, but her smile was too white and wide, her skin too tan, her arms a little too thin. The sky blue evening gown she was squeezed into was a size one, when not quite a year ago she had been a comfortable size five. A white ribbon looped around her chest and under one arm, signifying that she was indeed Miss Richmond. There was so much makeup on her face it was if she were trying to look like a different person entirely. Maybe she was.

As Sarah stared at herself in disdain, she found herself wishing for simpler times. A time before she had agreed, at the advice of her step mother, to take up beauty pageants. It has been nice, at first. Karen, a former pageant winner herself, was thrilled at the chance to bond with her pretty but troubled step daughter. Sarah had found she like spending time with the woman when they were on common ground. Soon, however, the hobby turned into something more like a constant torture. Sarah desperately wanted to pursue acting when she went away to college in the fall. Karen wanted her to aim for Miss Virginia, then Miss America. Sarah knew she didn't have it in her, but Karen was determined.

Sarah sat and began to remove the bobby pins from her hair. Hunger made her stomach burn. She hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. Although Karen encouraged healthy weight loss, unlike many pageant moms, Sarah found it was sometimes just easier to go with out. The results were more noticeable that way.

Jerking a comb through her heavily hair-sprayed hair, she winced at a missed bobby pin. She set the brush down to dig it out, and it was then that she noticed a pair of black soft leather gloves sitting on the counter next tot her things. Absently, she ceased the search for the pin and picked them up. She rubbed the softness between her fingers, then slowly slid them on. They were snug, but oddly much to long for her fingers. She was hypnotized by them for a minute before she realized what they meant. He had been there.

He was always there, watching, waiting, laughing at her and the unhappy life she had chosen for herself. He was so cruel. She would look out into the audience every nigth and see him there, standing at the back of the room, smirking that smirk of his. He could see right through her, through that fake smile she gave to everyone else, see the self-loathing that burned behind those pearly whites. He could see everything. Her friends would ask if she wanted them to say something, if he was dangerous, but she laughed off their concern. He was harmless, she assured them. That wasn't entirely true. He was the most dangerous person she had ever met, but he would never hurt her. He was the only person she could say that about.

She felt a sudden presence in the corner behind her. "Hello, Jareth."

He stepped into the light, an imposing figure in his grand cape. She no longer found him terrifying.

"Hello darling," he crooned in a voice that was sickeningly sweet. "Rough night? You were crowned though. Must make the pain a bit more bearable." His words had a bite to them, a bitter flavor tangible against her tongue.

"Shut up."

"It amuses me that, while you accept crown after crown from strangers, wolves in sheep's clothing that wish to change you into someone barely yourself, you refuse the one crown offered by the only one who actually cares about you." He seated himself on the counter next to her and gave her a criticizing look

"I'm an adult now Jareth. I can't live in you fantasy world now." She pulled a baby wipe from the box by her makeup case and began to remove her makeup, layer by layer.

"How can you call it fantasy when you know it exists?"

"Are you finished? My parents will be here any second.' She sighed.

"For now. Will I see you tonight then?"

"If you want."

"I always do."

"Suit yourself."

He snatched the crown from it's place on the counter. He examined it, then jumped off the counter. He knelt so his breath was hot on her ear. "This is nothing compared to what I could give you," he hissed, and then he was gone.

Sarah felt her heart go with him, what was left of it anyways.

The sky was dark and ominous over head as Sarah raced towards her car. The beat up Civic, whom she lovingly referred to as Lucy, was in bad need of a paint job, and was the bain of her step mothers existence. She begged Sarah to let her buy her a car worthy of a beauty queen, but Sarah laughed at her. Lucy was merely a beauty queen with out her face on. Her parents had offered to give her a ride, but she had declined, saying she would meet them at the restaurant. They had to pick up Toby anyways.

As she drove, it began to rain. Sarah sighed. It was supposed to be summer. The pavement steamed, as it had been a hot day, though there was no sign of that sun now. Sarah turned down a street into what was called the 'business district.' It was a stretch of worn buildings, once old shops that had now become low income housing. A few shops had stayed, but mostly there were just windows full of For Sale signs.

Sarah parked on the street and got out, making sure to lock her car. She ducked away from the rain and jaywalked to the alley way across from her. Several feet intot he dark corridor was the little hole in the wall café she was so fond of. It was open 24 hours, and the only people that ever went there had been there before. They served the best chi around, and the staff knew Sarah and their other regulars by name. A decrepit red neon sign hung lopsided above the door. It read Fin, and from what Sarah had learned from those damn film students at her soon to be college, it meant 'end.' Perhaps it was appropriate, considering. She loved the atmosphere the most, with darkly painted walls, plush velvet furniture, and candles that burned light into the small corners that the wall sconces could not.

She chose her favorite chair, a burgundy colored one shove in a dark corner. It was the color of the wine they served and didn't card for. Sarah ordered hot tea and sat down to wait. Presently, a familiar face appeared through the door. The woman raised a hand in acknowledgment and Sarah did the same. The woman ordered red wine and came to join her. Sarah gazed at her companion as the woman sat across from her in a chair resembleing her own but in dark forest green. She wore a long leather coat, with a short electric purple dress underneath and black boots that reached above her knees. Her hair was blue-black, and there were sunglasses on her head despite the rain.

"Hello Devon."

"Hello Sarah. How was the pageant?" The woman arched a thin, manicured eyebrow at her. Her eyes were the piercing green that made any man she deemed unworthy of her time back off instantly. Her face was that vicious kind of pretty that made her both sexy and mean looking. Her bone structure was thin enough to make an 80 pound modal jealous.

Sarah took a sip of her tea and laughed. "Your looking at the freshest Miss Richmond."

"Congratulations." Devon said, smirking.

"It was sickening."

The dark haired woman threw her head back in a predatory laugh. The two chatted for a while before Devon leaned forward, her boots hard against the stone floor. It was time to get down to business.

"Well, congrats again, and I'm glad those Barbies didn't poison you." Devon stood and extended her hand. Sarah grinned, shaking it.

"See you around." She replied.

"Next week babe." And Devon was gone, a dark form slipping out the door with 100 dollars in her hand. Sarah heard her motorcycle roar down the street.

"It was only after the woman was gone that Sarah retreated to her corner and opened her hand. The small baggy of powder seemed to glow, it's pure white form blinding. She smiled. This would make an evening with her parents more bearable. She folded the bag into her pocket, downed the rest of her tea, and vanished into the cold.

Standing outside the Olive Garden, Sarah tapped her foot impatiently, glancing around for her parents SUV. She had changed into a simple but elegant and expensive black pantsuit and black heels in the car. The blow she had snorted off the dashboard made the world hazy with rainbow tinges. Her parents were never late, and as annoying as they were, worry crept into her body. Toby was with them. Were they alright? She glanced at the small sterling silver watch, a present from her father, and sighed. The door behind her opened and a young waiter stepped out.

"Miss, your table is ready." He sounded nervous, as if she might turn and slap him.

"Thank you. They should be here any minute. This was their idea in the first place."

He nodded and slipped back inside with an audible sigh of relief. Sarah grumble and glanced at the sky. She could smell the oncoming storm. She checked her watch as Karen's silver SUV pulled in at top speed and squeeled into a parking lot. Her father got out, looking a bit shaken. Karen got out, looking flushed. Toby jumped out and raced towards her. She grunted and laughed as her hit her full force. He was four, but tall.

"Hey sweetie." She ruffled his unruly blond curls and wiped his grimy face. He grinned up at her.

"Mom said you won. I told her you were the prettiest."

"Thank you, sir." She said, laughing.

Karen reached them and smiled apologetically. "Sorry we are late. You father wanted to try one of his famous short cuts, and well, you know how that goes."

Sarah laughed because she did. George Williams was notorious for his short cuts. They never took you where you wanted to go, and you always wound up royally lost in some place you had never been before.

The waiters were overjoyed they had finally come inside. Her father bragged to them about her every chance he got. His little girl was a pageant Queen. Karen beamed. Toby ate fettuccini Alfredo, which her managed somehow to get on his forehead. Finally, things died down. Sarah kissed Toby and said goodbye to her parents. Her head pounded as she hurried for the car.

The house looked the same as it had when she was fifteen. Nothing ever changed in this town. She still had the same neighbors, who still had the same dogs that barked at the mailman. The park where she used to play was still the same. Climbing from the car, she felt the first splash of rain on the top of her head. She rushed inside and up the stairs to her room. It was the only thing that had changed. He old toys were now in Toby's room, except for Lancelot. Band posters covered the walls. To her surprised her room was empty. She had thought he'd be waiting. She glanced around and realized that this was the last place she wanted to be. Then she remembered one of the pageant sisters had mentioned a party at her parents beach house. Sarah changed quickly into a short black cocktail dress. She left her high heels and added an ankle length black coat. She was down the stairs and gone again before her parents had even left the restaurant.

The house was built right on the beach and Sarah could hear the music from down the road. She parked off to the side. A few more lines of blow off the dash board and she was ready to go. She climbed out of the car, tugging her dress back down her thighs. She glanced nervously at the angry ocean as she walked towards the house. The place was packed and Sarah could hardly squeeze through the door. As she entered, a lull fell about the room as people turned to see who came in. The was a whoop from the kitchen, and Sarah laughed as Candy, pageant runner up and friend, jumped off the table she was dancing on and bounded toward her friend.

Candy looped her arm around her friend's waist. "How about a hip hip hurrah for the prettiest girl in town!" Candy led the crowd in a cheer as Sarah turned tomato red. "You bitch," Candy whispered jokingly in Sarah's ear.

"That was so embarrassing,"she hissed at the crazed red head.

"Drink?" Candy asked, tugging her into the kitchen.

"No, gee, I came here to study. Duh." Sarah laughed.

Candy handed her a beer from the well stocked fridge. "Enjoy your self, huh. You never party." Candy grinned a vanished into the crowd.

Sarah wondered out onto the deck to watch the violent ocean and the black sky. She set her beer on the railing and leaned out to feel the breeze. The sliding glass door opened behind her, and Sarah felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face Seth, a varsity football player a year older than her.

"Hi Seth." She feigned a smile.

"Congrats on your win. Every girl in this house hates you right now."

Sarah took a swig of her beer as she pictured Seth thirty years from now. A beer belly, and a nice shiny bald spot running across his head, his foot ball scholarship going to waste as he sits in his Lazy Boy and collects unemployment. She laughed at the image, and Seth, who though she was laughing at his obvious wittiness, laughed even harder. His toned stomach flexed, as he wasn't wearing a shirt. Sarah knew where this was going, or at least where he wanted it to go. She turned back to the ocean a finished her beer in one gulp.

"Let me getcha another brewsky. Can't let the Queen go thirsty." Without even waiting for a reply, he grabbed her empty bottle and disappeared inside.

Sarah considered slipping away to avoid the obvious direction of this encounter. He wanted in her pants, and that wasn't on her agenda, not him, not tonight, not ever. I should have stayed home. Before she could escape, he was back and she was stuck inevitably turning him down.

"Here, drink up." He shoved the beer into her hand.

Sarah turned away and chugged that beer. Soon it was gone too.

"What do you say we head upstairs?" His breath was hot on the back of her neck. He reeked. Sarah cringed as his hands slid down her shoulders and caressed her waist. She shoved him off.

"Seth, thanks but no thanks. I just don't think so." She turned to walk away, but the room spun and she stumbled. She caught her self on the railing, and Seth was at her side, his arm under hers.

"Let's go find a bathroom. Looks like party girl has had a little too much to drink."He led her into the house.

"Seth, really, I am fine." But she wasn't. She couldn't even stay upright. What was going on? She had only had two beers.

Seth had her upstairs in record time. She pulled away and collided with the wall. She leaned against it.

"Seth, I am not going to puke. You can go now." The hard-on under his jeans made him seem untrustworthy.

"I think I'll stick around until I am sure you are alright." But he was coming closer, and the look in his eyes said he wanted to do more than hold her hair back.

He had her pinned to the wall before she could think. The room swirled and it was turning black. He was sucking on her neck, slipping her jacket off. Sarah groaned, and that was when she saw the figure come up the stairs behind Seth. The figure ripped Seth away and tossed his against the opposite wall like a rag doll. Sarah gasped as she was suddenly swept off her feet.

She tried to struggle, but the dark form held her firmly and carried her down the stairs. She heard people go quiet around her, and then she was out side, the salty air rushing over her. Then it went black.