Chapter 18 Long Live the Queen

Whoever would have expected that I would be doing this? Going to a stupid sports event when I could be attending a decent anarchists' meeting. Actually standing on the football field, making a spectacle of myself, in a contest that I know I'll lose. And in a dress!

My boobs are freezing. Whoever thought that decolletage was decent clothing in mid-November? Some male who likes looking at cleavage, I bet.

At least the swelling's gone, and between distance and Glynis' makeup, nobody can see the bruises.

Luke was standing at her side, his arm linked in hers. To their right, at ten-yard intervals, were Elizabeth and Ashley, each with her own escort.

"And now," came Price's voice over the loudspeaker, "the moment we've all been waiting for --"

I'm waiting for it all right. So I can get the hell out of here once it's over.

There was some rustling of paper over the intercom. "And the winner of the 2005 Homecoming Queen contest is -- " and Price stopped. At the moment Grace thought he was increasing the suspense. Later she realized that he had actually been stunned speechless on opening the envelope.

"The winner is Grace Polk!"

The crowd made a confused roar.

This can't be happening. It's a dream, a nightmare. If I tune it out, maybe I can wake up by sheer willpower.

Luke was tugging at her arm. "Grace! You need to turn around with me. And try to live up to your names and be graceful about it."

He backed up, rotating her around. From the opposite sideline a float was approaching, decorated with Arcadia High's Eagle mascot. It was pulled by a pair of horses from the Begh estate, and the professor himself was driving them, clad in a colorful costume that was probably derived from the Ottoman Empire. The school band was playing Beethoven's Turkish March. Grace thought it looked very picturesque, though she also reflected that if the horses happened to leave their end products on the field, the football teams would not be very happy.

The horses brought the float next to Grace. Professor Begh climbed down and helped Grace climb to the top -- help she might have resented were it not for the fact that she was worried about tripping on her ankle-length skirt. After helping Luke up as well, the Professor walked to the horses and led them the rest of the way by the bridles, having apparently calculated that the float might not hold three people.

Ms. Lischak was standing at the sidelines, in a dazzling costume of her own. As Elizabeth, Ashley, and their escorts lined up with Luke, the teacher placed the tiarra on her Grace's head. The audience, having by now absorbed the unusual choice, cheered. A Queen was a Queen after all.

After the noise had died down a bit, a girl walked up with a fancy camera. "Hi. I'd like to take pictures of you for the yearbook -- all three of you."

"OK, but I need to redo my makeup first," said Grace. It sounded like a reasonable request, but Grace's makeup was hiding black eyes.

"So do I," said Elizabeth. "I'll come with you."

"I don't need makeup," huffed Ashley. Nobody paid much attention.

Grace and Elizabeth retrieved their purses and went to the nearest ladies' room. Grace was wondering what on Earth was going through the losing girl's mind. Was she planning to strangle Grace?

Inside, Elizabeth commented: "We'll use my makeup kit; it's an actress's kit, with a lot more variety."

Grace decided to be direct. "Elizabeth, I don't know what happened. You were a shoo-in to win."

"What happened," stated Elizabeth as she examined Grace's eye, "was that I Emailed everybody in my address book Thursday, asking them to switch their votes to you. And I have a BIG address book."

"But why?" protested Grace.

"Because Price was wrong, at the very beginning. Goodness SHOULD have something to do with it. You got beat up because, two months ago, you protected a Muslim girl from bullies, and saved the honor of the whole school. I haven't done anything comparable. You deserve the Queenship, Grace. And it isn't as if I lack attention. I'm starring in WEST SIDE STORY in January, anyway."

"Still, thank you. Look, my boyfriend's birthday party is tonight. I'd like you to come."

"Um, I have no time to prepare a present --"

"You made him the HomeComing Queen's escort. That's enough for a present."

"I'll come then -- there! Check yourself in the mirror. I don't think the camera will pick up the damage. Future people looking at the annual won't ever know there was anything amiss."

There was a certain amount of double-think in Elizabeth's attitude: Grace's injuries were both a source of pride and something to be hidden. But Grace was too happy to criticize Elizabeth.

Video God had been right, and everything had turned out. It wasn't just a matter of Grace vs Evil with some friends on the side. By staying in the contest Grace had given the student body a chance to vote their convictions, and they had voted for substance. The Queenship wasn't just some empty ritual; the Queen represented the community's ideal, a girl who had protected other people.

Buoyed up with happiness, Grace decided to proceed with a daring plan that she had conceived for tonight. To start with, she had to stop at a pharmacy ---

(Author's Note: Credit to LostSchizophrenic for suggesting Grace as the surprise Homecoming Queen. The events that led up to it were my invention)