I.
What a bitch of a day this had been. Amber laid in her bed and looked at the ceiling. Tracy had ruined everything. She screwed her dreams of being a star, of going on to Broadway or movies even television. The heifer took it all away from her. With agents there and live in front of all of Baltimore, she took it all away. However, at this moment, her thoughts were not of Tracy. Not even Link, the boy wonder, they were on her Mother and the strange events that followed the whole Miss Teenage Hairspray Pageant. If someone had told her a day ago that her Mother's words would make her afraid, very afraid, she would have totally disregarded them.
The whole Pageant thing was something Amber didn't even want to think about. What happened after was first and foremost on her mind. Her mother was dragged away by security, kicking and screaming. Not just screaming but screaming specifics. Screaming threats.
"Collins, you are going down." She bellowed, "I will destroy you. I will make you suffer every indignity that you have made me suffer. When you least expect it, you expect it! Watch your back, Collins! You are not going to make it out of this. You will not forget this night……."
Amber couldn't hear her anymore as she was pushed down the hallway. Good! She thought as she watched this unfold. This smarmy bastard deserved everything she could dish out. As he crowned Inez Stubbs, Amber wished him all the fires of hell that her mother could unleash. And she could, no one knew the power her mother held. Her connections, her cash and her body could get her anything she wanted. Amber knew that she would make good on her threats as well. She had seen this kind of thing going on her whole life. Whether it was a love rival's disappearance, a new car or position desired, Velma got what she wanted and she didn't care at all who stood in her way. They didn't stand long.
But as Amber glowed in the revenge that she was about to witness, the strangest of all unfolded. She headed back to the dressing rooms to pack her belongings. She had no place here anymore. She planned to get her dresses, get her makeup and follow her mother. She snatched her clothes. What was she going to put these into? As she searched, the music from the show ended. Suddenly she heard steps and laughter coming down the hallway. Oh she didn't need this right now. She shot to the Ladies Room, pushed into a stall and lifted her feet. Confrontation was not on the menu tonight. Without her mother's support she knew she couldn't handle it. In the long run, Amber was not her mother and was never able to muster up the ability to be a royal bitch unless she stood behind her. Mother was long gone.
Amber sat uncomfortably, waiting for the noise to die down. After what seemed like hours, she peeped her head out. No one was around. Amber sighed with relief. She wanted to get her belongings, get to her car and get home, never to return. She began her search for a box. She walked down the line of vanities looking at the pictures, good luck charms and souvenirs from different vacations. Tears came to her eyes. Some of these kids had been horrible to her, some she considered friends. She lived her life for this show and her dreams that followed. Now they were all gone. She would never see this place again, she would not be in the spotlight. Link, and the envy of the other girls would be no more. Everyone would look at her differently, like she had cheated when she had nothing to do with any of it. Not to say that she didn't appreciate what her mother had done but……
Did she really? Amber was always deluded into thinking that she was the most popular dancer on the show. She was the star for three years. Amber knew that people loved her. She was the best dancer, the best singer. Now Amber doubted all of it. Had her mother done this before? Her thoughts drifted back to the first of these pageants. She was a skinny, gawky fourteen year old. She admired the older girls, some of which had been taking lessons since they were three. They moved with grace, they sang like angels and got fan mail by the bag load. Yet, she won the contest that year. The next and the next too. Was she really that wonderful or had her mother made it happen? Amber suddenly felt overwhelmed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Was she really that great or was this just another maternal fabrication? Her mascara ran down her face as she plopped into her chair, grabbing a tissue from the box there. She wiped the black liquid, took a fresh tissue and dipped it into the cold cream in front of her rewiping the stains. As she wiped looked positively plain. It really wasn't a pretty reflection that she stared at.
She wanted to believe that she was the prima donna her mother made her out to be. It was easier to put total trust in her mother than to actually do anything herself. She felt physically sick to her stomach at this moment. She dropped her head between her knees and attempted to control her sobs. It wasn't working too well.
She felt a hand slide down her back, "Amber, are you okay? Can I do anything to help?"
It was that Asshole Collins as her mother put it. Only his voice was deep and sympathetic. She looked up and stared into his eyes. No laughter, no smiles, no gloating. He seemed genuinely concerned. Did she really hate this man or was she told to?
"Thanks, I'll be okay." She stated but didn't feel it.
"Amber, I'm really sorry about what happened to you, " he began, "I know you were counting on that crown and to be signed by William Morris. I'm sorry things didn't work out for you."
Was this guy for real? "No you're not." She said coldly, "You're thrilled this worked out this way. Come on."
He looked down. "Well if we could have work things out for everyone concerned, in the way each wanted, it would have been better for sure. No one worked to personally destroy you. Things just snowballed."
"My mother did." She said with a sob, "It would have been alright if she wouldn't have done this. I could have gone on with the show, stayed in the background and have some of my life stay the same. Now what am I going to do?"
"Amber, look at me. If you want to come back here and continue to dance, I'll stand behind you." He said with a smile, "You are not your mother, you did nothing wrong."
"Those girls are going to be horrible to me. I'm not sure….."
"Not on my show." He said as he stroked her arm. "I'll have a talk with the council. There is no reason to make problems here. If anyone gives you a problem, you come to me. I'll nip it in the bud. You are a good dancer Amber, maybe someone saw you before and is willing to sign you anyway."
Did she even want that anymore?
"Just come back and finish out the year," he continued, "As God is my witness, no one will be say a word. You will at least have what you know until you can find what you want."
She stared at him in disbelief, trying to see the hint of triumph in his words. She couldn't find them. Who was this man? Why was he being so nice to her? Guilt? Maybe, but short of her mother, no one had ever been this genuinely considerate of her feelings and now even her mother was a question mark in her mind.
"I have to think about it, Corny." She replied.
"Think about it and the show will still be here next week." He slid an arm around her shoulders and gave a friendly hug, "You'll be okay little girl, no matter what. Understand that. Now let me walk you out to your car. Get some sleep and you'll feel better tomorrow."
He stood and extended an arm to her with a smile. She looked down. Everything was upside down. She had tons to think about. She stood and took his arm.
"Atta girl," he grinned. "Don't forget your purse. Where are your keys? Good. Now let's get you home. It will look different in the morning."
It all looked different now. Her mind raced as she drove. Why was this man being so nice to her? Was her mother wrong the whole time? Really, Corny didn't do this, Mother did by cheating with the tallies. Why was he responsible for her problems? It was a puzzle where the pieces didn't quite fit and she needed time to work on it.
As she entered the kitchen door, her mother was on the phone. "…..you'll find the first payment in your mailbox tomorrow. Make sure you are careful. Don't let anyone know. Because if anyone finds out Amy, it will be the last amount you see and I will deny everything. You must be as cautious as……"
Amy? Why was her mother talking to her? She had never given the makeup girl the time of day before this. She barked commands at her and basically treated her as just another worker bee in the hive. What was she conniving now?