Sprayed, A Time Travel Series, Part Two
1. Good Morning Storybrook!
I woke up in the morning to the gentle twilling sound of the bird outside my window. I got out of bed, and began to get ready for my day by teasing my hair to its full height. I smiled back at my reflection, pinching my cheeks for color. I applied some red lipstick, and then threw on a plaid yellow skirt and a matching yellow top before bounding downstairs.
"MORNING MOM!" I cried happily. Mom was busy frying eggs in the pan, her hair was done up in curlers. She wore a pink bathrobe and had the TV set going on the weather channel. "Ugh, mom! Can't we watch the David Nolan Show?"
"Now you know I don't like you watching that show!" said mom in a gruff voice. "Belle, you need to stop watching this dance show! It's not good for a girl like you to… build your hopes and dreams up."
I sighed and lowered my head. Mom was right. All of the regulars on the David Nolan Show were beautiful and thin, and I was… not so thin. Okay, I was overweight. And it wasn't fair!
Throughout my whole life I was always the one picked on at school for being the "heavy girl," and "the one with the weird mother." It hurt me so much that the other kids couldn't see me for the nice person I was inside. The only friend I really ever had was Ruby, my next door neighbor who lives with her uber strict grandmother.
"I wasn't building up my hopes and dreams," I sighed. "It's a great show, and they are having a contest in a week. I thought I could try out-"
"No, Belle," groaned mom. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, I don't want my daughter to look like a fool on the TV! You know how people can be cruel, Belle. Don't give them a reason to hurt you."
"Mother, you wouldn't be saying this if I looked like Katherine," I said, pointing to the blonde, beautiful girl on the television. She dipped and flashed her bright white smile to the camera, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. "Maybe I could change all of that. Maybe David Nolan is looking for a new act, someone fresh and interesting. Please, you got to let me go!"
"I SAID NO!" shouted mom as she shoveled eggs onto my plate and threw the hot pan into the sink with a clang. There was a prolonged silence as I began to cry. "Oh honey, look at me. I know things have been bad since mom died, but take it from someone who has a lot of experience with the real world. People can be cruel. People ARE cruel. I know they talk about me behind my back, and it upsets me. 'Why does Maurice call himself Maureen?' 'Why does he dress like a woman?' 'Why are the French's so weird?' That's why I haven't left this house. I didn't want people to stare at me. I run my own laundry service from my house, make a decent profit, and support us both because of this. Baby girl, please, I'm only looking out for what's best for you. I don't want you to get hurt like I did."
If only she knew about the bullying in school, I thought to myself.
Ruby bounded into the apartment abruptly, her brown hair with red streaks tied into pigtails and wearing a corduroy blue jumper with a white blouse underneath. "Good morning, Ruby," said my mother politely as she rolled her eyes. Mom never liked how Ruby would always enter the house without knocking, but he surprise visits always kept us on our toes.
"Morning Mrs. French!" trilled Ruby. "So, Belle, are we going to-"
"Ah, let me brush my teeth and we will talk about it… LATER!" I said, shooting her a look that said not in front of my mother. Ruby caught the message and nodded.
I quickly brushed my teeth, shouted goodbye to mom, and Ruby and I bounded down the apartment stairs. "So, are we set to go to the David Nolan Show?" asked Ruby.
"Mom said no," I sighed miserably.
"Gran said no too," said Ruby. "But that's not stopping me. And it shouldn't stop you."
We walked down the street, and peered into my mother's old television shop that was now taken over by a new owner. The latest and best TV sets were in the window, and currently, all of them were playing the David Nolan Show. The commercial airing for a new act for the show came on, and there was a sudden flash of all of the current cast members. Katherine Smith and Ian Gold, the two stars of the show were shown first, their arms wrapped around each other lovingly and tenderly, smiling back at Ruby and I. Then Mary Margaret, August, Ashley, Archie, Regina, and finally, David Nolan himself.
Wordlessly, David Nolan pointed to the viewer, asking them if they had what it takes to be on his show. I knew I had what it took to be the best dancer on that show, and I suddenly chose to agree with Ruby for once in my life. "You know, Ruby, you're right!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to try out for that spot, and I am damn well going to get it!"