WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CATEGORIES TRANSITION
"You still haven't found him?" She seethed as Kin clipped the final hairpin into her hair.
Kon shrinked back, "I'm sorry. I thought I had him, but it was just Derek. Then when I actually got him, he slipped away."
Laney pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to calm herself down, "Fine. You tried, Kon. Just, make sure he knows our entire gig is killed if he doesn't show up."
"Well it isn't the gig he's avoiding." Kin rolled his eyes. Laney shot him a glare.
He held his hands up defensively, "Sorry. I'll see if I can find him when you're on stage. He's more vulnerable then."
"Yeah!" Kon smiled, "Besides, Corey would never miss a gig. Even years of unanswered romance and teen angst smothering over his own feelings can't keep him away."
Laney found a light blush gracing her cheeks as she stood from her chair, and examined herself closely, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, I wanted to talk to him before them. It's killing me." She pouted as she pulled down the hem of her black skirt.
Her outfit was amazing to say the least. Though it had taken extra time, Corey insisted on dying the white dress skirt black so that he could paint a decorative line and flame pattern in her favorite shade of green. The jacket remained white with the same designs while her snug undershirt remained plain green. A loose, customized GB tie was sorted neatly and draped halfway down her torso.
"Don't focus on your ever so depressing love life." Kin smiled, "Think about driving the Newmans into the dirt with pure talent."
Laney smirked at the thought of a defeated Newman, "Alright, I'll do my best."
"Laney," The woman walked by without stopping, "you're on."
Laney straightened her posture, and walked away from the twins, "Core better be here when I return if you wish to keep the perfect tone of your non-bruised skin."
She smirked, practically smelling the fear and urgency radiating from them, and walked to her post once again. She felt the presence of Carrie pull up behind her, but took not so much as a glance at the girl. She clenched her fist and walked out onto stage.
Despite everything else, she still felt nervous (even more so without Mustang by her side) about Carrie. It was about something more than her perfect looks and amazing clothes. She couldn't help but feel Carrie still had a way to beat her in this pageant even without her pageant material figure. It made her want to scream in frustration, but for once in her life she. Laney Penn, was nearing a trembling nervousness over a hunch about a Newman in a beauty pageant of all things. At this rate, she might as well buy beach blonde hair dye and become her mother.
Laney inwardly shuddered. No, that was not going to happen. Not today, not ever. She walked on stage, hiding her nervousness with an expertise one could only inherit. The man put on his seemingly always fake smile.
"Laney, your final question is 'What is the meaning of life?'."
Laney resisted the urge to say 'The meaning of life is to quit wasting time on these stupid pageants and start working and getting dirty for a change.' and spoke much softer words.
"The meaning of life is different to every person alive. For some, it's being the best they can be. For other, it's finding their true love and never letting go. And for some it could be as simple waking up in the morning being happy with the way they are. But for me, I've yet to find the true meaning of my life, but I'll keep living until I do, and even then I'll keep going farther." She took in a deep breath after her somewhat dragged out speech, and smiled at the crowd and struck her desired poses.
She flicked her hair in (what a only a person with a death wish would call) a diva like way, and walked back to her friends. Well, where they should have been. The twins were now gone without a trace. Great, she went from three, to two, to none of her bandmates.
She rolled her eyes and walked through the crowd of nervous teenage girls, cranky stylists, bored bodyguards, and backstage members. Slowly, she started searching. As she slid her way across the floor and around the many people, she didn't see a single one of her band amigos. She checked the buffet table, but Kon wasn't there. She tried the makeup tables where almost stylists met, but Kin wasn't there chatting it up with his so called equivalents.
Groaning in frustration, she stomped her way back into her dressing room. She didn't have time for them to go missing. She would just have to change into her last outfit for the night, and prepare for the gig.
She swung the door open and slammed it shut. Judging from the moved hangers, and discarded clothing, Carrie had already changed. Laney locked the door with a swift flick, and pealed off her stylish suit. In its stead, she placed on a simple black GB tank and red skinnies. She pulled on her precious converse (painted and sharpied with every symbol the band ever had) and put in her bass earring and necklace set (her most prized jewelry given to her by Corey).
She stared at her reflection, and attempted to drop her scowl. She felt so stirred up inside, emotions of fear, love, anxiousness, nervousness, and relief washed in and out of her system. Glancing at the clock, she found she had fifteen minutes before the start of the next and final act, the talent portion.
With a final thought, she found a napkin and a pen, and started writing.
IT MAY NOT BE DIARY MODE BUT IT WORKS TRANSITION
"Laney!" Kin shook the girl violently, "where were you?!"
"Doing things." Laney rolled her eyes at the hyper active boy. Usually it would be her crush to do this, but she couldn't always be as lucky. She glanced around the area, noticing a lack of Corey Riffin, "Where's Core?"
"Kon has him." Kin shoved her in a chair, and began combing her hair, "So little time!"
Quickly and with an expert hand, Kin completed his work, a simple hairdo only a bit longer than Laney usually kept it, and fairly simple makeup. He jumped up in glee and set down his tools.
"Perfection!" he yelled, "You're ready! Are you feeling up for the song?"
Laney grinned softly. After writing down her feelings on an old napkin, she felt refreshed and ready to take on the world, "Yep. All I need now are Kon and Core."
"It would be too risky to have Corey around you until it's time to perform. We can't have him run off again."
Laney laughed, "It's not like the mere sight of me drives him away."
Kin kept his serious look. Laney frowned and hit his shoulder without saying another word.
"Girls!" The stage director called, "Time to line up, ladies. You know the drill. It's just like practice."
The red head stood up, "Well, that's my que. Get the guys set up, and don't do anything stupid because I'm not there."
Kin opened his mouth to speak, but Laney interrupted.
"Including laser alien fights."
Kin frowned, but nodded as he walked away from her.
"Thanks." Laney called to him before taking her spot in line.
It was a fairly simple process for this round. The girls were to parade themselves down the stage to show off their outfits (specially formulated from their talents) in a spectacular dance routine, and stand in a line. Instead of the usual question, the girls would be asked their talent. Once that was done, the six contestants would perform in reverse order. After performing, the girl was to proceed backstage until further notice.
The music and incredibly cheesy singing started to play as the girls walked on stage, waving and striking each dance move with poise and persision timing. Laney restricted the urge to roll her eyes as she walked up the conga line and spoke "Laney" with a wink into the mic.
Oh yes, she would hate herself for that later.
The rest of the routine was rather painless, and the girls lined up behind stage. Laney listened to the man speak, "Now, the girls will perform in reverse order. Please welcome, entree 12, Madaline Donald, and her sock puppets of reckoning!"
Laney quirked a brow as the girl ran on stage, but said nothing.
SOCK PUPPETS CAN RECKON TOO TRANSITION
"And now, entree 4, Carrie Beff singing with her band, The Newmans." The man smiled. Before Carrie went on, she turned her head to wink at her competition, her smirk giving Laney back her ominous feelings.
Laney watched nervously as the Newman's plugged in their final cords to the amps, and began playing. She almost relaxed until she heard the words leave Carrie's mouth, her words to be exact.
