Arachne & Athena disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except for the "older girl who's six inches taller than Maureen".
"Maureen, that was great!" Mimi Marquez complimented her friend as she stepped off of the stage.
"Aw, thanks so much," Maureen Johnson said as she pushed her chocolate curls behind her ears.
"You know what this means, don't you?" Mimi asked excitedly, bouncing on her sneaker-covered feet.
Maureen wandered off to the food court, Mimi trailing behind.
"What?" Maureen wondered.
"You're, like, the best singer in your division!" Mimi nearly screeched.
Maureen laughed as she pulled a dollar bill from her pocket.
"A water please," she told the concession man.
She handed him the dollar and took her water bottle.
"We don't know that yet," she said cautiously, "The judges don't make their final decision for another 15 minutes."
"Oh trust me," Mimi reassured Maureen, "Your voice is so amazing. Any judge must be deaf to not vote you first."
"My voice isn't the only part of this competition," Maureen reminded Mimi, "My stage presentation was horrible so I know they'll take of points for that."
Mimi danced around in circles, not being able to sit still.
"Oh, come on!" she said. "You know you rocked. Don't deny it."
Maureen smiled.
"You're right," she agreed, "I did."
Maureen and Mimi sat at a picnic bench talking for a while, waiting to hear the results.
The speakers let out feedback before the judge's voice could be heard.
Would everyone who competed in the 15 to 18 year old division please come to the music tent.
"C'mon," Mimi pulled Maureen to her feet, "Let's go!"
"I can't do it," Maureen stood frozen.
Mimi sighed.
"Yes you can. It's easy. Left, right, left, right. Just move your feet."
"No," Maureen sat back down, "I don't know if I can hear the results."
Mimi sat back down next to her.
"Hey," she turned Maureen's head so they we're looking at each other, "Whatever score you get, you'll always be great. A number can't represent your talent."
Maureen smiled.
"Thanks Miss," she hugged her friend, "You're the best."
"I know," Mimi giggled.
The two girls walked over to the music tent where the judges were standing. They had already missed the beginning of the scoring.
"And first place goes to," one of the judges announced, "Maureen Johnson."
Both Maureen and Mimi screamed and hopped up and down like lunatics.
"You won!" Mimi yelled.
"I know, I know," Maureen shouted back, "I heard!"
Maureen ran up to the stage where the judge was waiting wither her prize.
"Congratulations, Maureen," he shook her hand, "I'm proud to announce that you are the first place singer in the 15 to 18 division."
He handed her a certificate and congratulated her again.
Maureen stood proud on the stage, smiling the biggest smile the world has ever seen.
"I'm so sick of her thinking she's the greatest person in the world," Tom Collins complained to his friend Roger Davis.
"I know," Roger agreed, "Ever since she won that stupid title."
"Who really care's if she's the "first place 15 to 18 division singer"?" Tom said hastily.
"I'm sick of hearing her brag about it all the time," Roger said as he slammed his locker shut.
The two boys walked down the hall toward their homeroom.
"I'm Maureen, and I'm the best singer in the world," Roger mimicked Maureen, "Aren't I amazing? And with no vocal coaching either. Gasp!"
Tom chuckled as he opened the door to the classroom. They headed to their seats. On their way, they passed Maureen and Mimi talking about an upcoming competition.
"Oh, here we go again," Roger sighed.
"Hey guys!" Maureen hurried over to them, "Have you heard about the upcoming New Voices competition?"
"Only about, oh say, fifty times," Roger smiled at her.
"Well there goes fifty-one," Tom whispered.
Maureen shot him an evil look and then turned back to Roger.
"Well, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," she said dramatically, "I bet I'm going to come in first for that."
Roger just stared at her.
"Honestly," he said in a bored tone, "Does it really look like I care?"
"No," Maureen said simply, "I'm just telling you so you know."
Suddenly, one of the older students talked up to the group.
"You know," she said to Maureen staring down at her, "I'm entering that contest, too."
Maureen stared back up at her. She was at least six inches shorter than the girl.
"I wouldn't go bragging about it if I were you," she warned Maureen.
"Oh?" Maureen asked innocently, "And why is that?"
The older girl rolled her eyes at Maureen.
"There are a lot of great singers who enter this competition each year," she informed her, "You may have a nice voice, but there are plenty of others who have had years of training."
"I don't need training," Maureen said sitting back down next to Mimi, "My voice is perfect."
Every student in the room had gathered around the two girls, wondering what would happen next.
"We'll just have to see how perfect it is this Saturday," she said.
Almost as if it were on cue, the bell rung, dismissing the students to their after noon classes.
"Oh, yeah," Maureen said gathering her bag and books, "We'll see."
"Last place?" Maureen asked in disbelief as she stared at the scoring sheet near the judges table.
"I told you," the older girl from her homeroom stated as she and a group of girls checked the score sheet for their own marks, "All that bragging just made you look stupid."
"I got second!" one of the girls shouted.
"I came in fourth!," another one exclaimed.
"Oh, would you look at that," the girl pointed out, "I came in first."
"But…" Maureen trailed off.
"Look," the girl placed a hand on Maureen's shoulder, "I've had vocal training since I was eight. It took me ten years to get where I am. Just keep at it and someday you'll be just as good as you say you are."
"Yeah," Maureen smiled slightly, "Thanks."