TWO:Vanessa's POV

"Vanessa, get up. Now!" my mothers voice registered in my thoughts.

"I'm up," I muttered.

"Now. It's two-thirty. The opening ceremonies begin in an hour and a half. Get up. Now!" she was pissed. I wasn't listening to her again. Oops. I stretched and groaned, sitting up groggily. Thank you twelve hour sleeping pill; plus teenage hormones.

I stepped out of bed and wrapped myself in my soft, fuzzy, white bathrobe before going to find the thermostat. I didn't want the rooms to be this cold. I only liked the cold in the rink.

After finishing my scavenger hunt, I showered, dried my hair, and dressed in simple ripped skinny jeans and a tank top with my Alice Springs Skating School hoodie on top. I zipped my sweatshirt as I slid on my flip flops and headed out the door.

"What are you wearing?" my mother demanded, looking at me.

"Clothes," I responded automatically.

"Enough with your smart ass comments. Go get into something suitable for the Opening Ceremonies." She told me as I just stood and looked at her. "Now!" she commanded.

I shrugged and walked back into the suite. I sighed and began to rummage through my clothes.

"Need some help?" Valerie asked from the door.

"Please," I spun to face her.

"Something simple, but nice. Hm…" she began to look through a suitcase. She turned quickly to look at my sweatshirt before throwing my black mini skirt at me with a baby blue tank top.

"Keep the hoodie, but leave it unzipped half way. And," Valerie stooped down to my travel shoe case. "These," she tossed me my black gladiator sandals.

"Plain black eyeliner. Not smudged. Well, it depends. How about I just take care of that?"

"I guess," I said.

"Go change. I9'll get what I need." She smiled. I turned for my bathroom and changed into my ensemble. It was adorable.

As I opened the door, Valerie appeared.

"Good, you're ready." She forced me onto the counter and told me to close my eyes.

She lightly touched my face with her make up numerous times within the next few minutes, and then told me to look.

It was pretty. There was a thin line of eyeliner above my eyes which was overlapped by a layer of baby blue eye shadow. The bottom rims of my eyes were also lined with black eyeliner. It was a very pretty ensemble.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"No problem. But I'm officially your stylist for the Olympics." She grinned. "And I'll come out with you, just in case."

"Sounds good." I grimaced, thinking of my mother.

We walked out in silence, meeting my parents and Molly down in the lobby.

"IT wasn't much of an improvement," my mother glared.

"Trust me. this is the perfect ensemble for the figure skating competitors to wear at the Opening Ceremonies." Valerie viewed her thoughts to my mother.

My mother grumbled a little more but we all did end up in the limo with Valerie Kathryn's behind us.

As we stepped out at the stadium, I was relieved that Valerie had dressed me in a skirt. It was dry and hot in this Egyptian air.

"Your only job during the Opening Ceremonies is," Valerie appeared beside me.

"To smile and wave." I finished her sentence.

"Correct. You'll be standing on a platform with all of the other competing skaters." She continued.

"Okay."

"Just smile and be happy. Oh, and one more thing," she smiled as I looked at her expectantly. "Don't let the other competitors get to you. Hold your head high, and ignore every word the say."

"Oohk," I agreed, taken aback.

"Just trust me," she promised, leading my parents, plus Molly and myself into the stadium. I definitely had butterflies threatening to overflow out of my stomach, but I would be okay. I'd done this a million and one times before.

I nodded as my mother gave the guy at the desk my name and motioned to me. he handed her four laminated passes and I waited for Valerie Kathryn to get hers.

"Here you go miss," I saw him smile as he handed her hers. She smiled warmly at him before coming back over to me.

"Lets go to your little 'prep room' to get you ready for the ceremony." She led me over to my small room.

"Okay, now, don't freak out. Just stay calm, smile, and wave and it'll all be good." Valerie smiled.

"You got it. Smile and wave. Smile and wave." I muttered as I dropped my cell phone onto the bench.

"Keep it with you. Trust me, but put it on silent." I shrugged, muted my phone, and then shoved it into my bra.

"I'm ready." I stood up straight, stretched, and headed out the door with Valerie Kathryn at my side. I heard mutters from the crowd as they saw my friend and it just reminded me to smile, so I plastered a fake smile on my face and continued walking towards the center of the arena.

"Alright," Valerie told me. "You stand there with the other competitors," she pointed. "And I'll be up there," she pointed to a VIP section of the stands. "With Molly and your parentals."

I nodded and hugged her quickly before heading off towards the skaters competitive platform.

The ceremony moved smoothly with many 'ooh's' and cheers from the crowd as Michelle Kwan lit the torch, signaling the true beginning of this years Olympic games, and the many surprised gasps as Valerie Kathryn stepped up to the plate for Russia next to the representatives from all the other countries to sing their national anthems.

"Okay!" Valerie met me back in my prep room. "You've got four days to shop and keep your head before your division of figure skaters competes. Okay?"

"Sweet, shopping. And you never told me you were representing Russia for the anthems!" I exclaimed as I grabbed my Züca and headed out the doorway to meet up with my parents and Molly.

Valerie merely shrugged. "Mrs. Rochester?" Valerie approached my mother.

"Yes," she turned stiffly towards Valerie.

"Would it be alright if Vanessa and I took the day to shop tomorrow? I think she deserves a treat." Valerie said politely as my jaw dropped to the floor. She was insane for even trying to speak to my mother in the first place.

"No, she'll be either practicing or resting up for the next four days. You of all people should understand that, Miss Kathryn." My mother was such a bitch.

"Yes, Mrs. Rochester. Sorry to have bothered you." She turned away without another word and got swiftly into her limo. As soon as her door was shut, the limo took off.

I was sitting in my limo, sipping a strawberry frap when my phone vibrated.

Your mom's kinda…

-Valerie

I read silently.

A bitch? Yeah, I know.

I sent back.

Well, we'll just have to shop after the Olympics, I guess.

Valerie sent back.

No. Come to my suite tonight with a lap top. We'll shop online.

I sent.

Can do.