Shout out to bladekerr for leaving a review. Thank you for that. I'm glad that you enjoy the story and enjoyed the chapter. I'm not entirely sure on what you meant by the lies, but T.J. and Spinelli becoming a couple by pretending to be dating is a possibility.
Now, onto the chapter.
Chapter 11: measurements and compromises.
It was officially Saturday, which meant that today, it was time for the first "activity in the contest, and for Spinelli to discover if the Ashleys' were a part of the beauty pageant. T.J was also coming over for dinner tonight. Though, as Theodor, and not T.J. Yesterday had been tumultuous. First, T.J Had been accepted as her escort for the pageant, and then she ended up telling her grandmother that he was also her boyfriend, which she would have to convince him to pretend to be, with her. And then to top it off, her parents informed her that they were going on a business trip, leaving her alone with her very strict and old-fashioned grandma. She had a pitiful feeling in her stomach, that something was about to happen today, that she wouldn't like.
Her grandmother came up to her room and started talking. "Okay, Ashley. Since the first activity for the pageant is this afternoon, and is teatime, you will wear something else until noon, and then after lunch, you will change into the outfit you will be wearing for the activity, but before we go to the tea, then we will go to a seamstress to get you fitted for the evening gown, as well as the outfit for the group dance number, and you will have to remind Theodor about, how he must get fitted for a tuxedo, as your escort. And after we are finished at the tea, we will pick up the outfits you will wear for the talent portion, and the questions. Have you thought about what your talent will be? They'll ask you that, later on today."
"Uhm, no. I have not,"
"Well, then. I suppose you can do a dance sequence. You mother did mention that you used to take dance lessons when you were younger."
"But I haven't done that since the fourth grade."
"Well then, I suppose you will have to add that to your pageant training. So, to start with, just wear something nice but casual until lunch. I suppose, we'll just have to go out to lunch, but until then, dance practice. It should be at least good enough for tomorrow, so start by getting dressed in a dance outfit, and then after breakfast, get started on your training. Oh, and hurry up. We don't have all day." And with that, she left Spinelli to her own devices. It had only been less than a day before her parents were gone, and her grandma was overwhelming her with so much knowledge and telling her what to do. She had to remind herself that T.J didn't know that they were in a fake relationship in front of her grandma, or that he had to wear a tuxedo for the pageant, or that he should probably wear a suit for dinner. She wasn't sure on how to break the news to him because he was already doing so much for her in the first place. She left her thoughts, and got dressed in a casual dance outfit, and tied her hair in a bun, before walking down to make breakfast with her grandma.
Breakfast was more quiet than usual, because her parents had taken off, but not before her mom made a comment about the pageant. Her grandma nodded in approval of the outfit. It wasn't amazing, but it was enough to practice in. She just had to see if she remembered her dance lessons from back in the fourth grade.
After finishing breakfast, and cleaning up after eating breakfast, she went into the living room with her grandma, so that she could continue her pageant training, but also dance rehearsal. Her grandma made it clear that, first she should focus on dance practice, and then other pageant training related stuff.
Amazingly enough, she remembered most of the things she learned in her dance lessons from the fourth grade, and after two hours of practicing, her grandma, started talking. "Very well, Ashley. That'll be enough for today. I'm certain that, that'll be enough to impress the judges tomorrow and then we can work on that some more until the pageant. Now go on and take a shower, and when you do, I will pick out an outfit for you to wear. We'll go out for lunch today. Oh, and bring an underdress with you when we leave."
Spinelli didn't bother arguing with her grandma, so she just did as she was told. Instead, she just sighed, and walked up to her bathroom to take a shower; remembering the details that her grandma had practically drilled into her skull by now.
When she got out of the shower, she put on a bathrobe, and went into her room, where her grandma had already laid out an outfit on the bed for her to wear but told her to wait to put on clothes until after she had done her hair and makeup. Or rather, she just had to sit still while her grandma put on makeup on her and did her hair. Apparently, her grandma wanted it to be different from the day-to-day use, so she just sat quietly while her grandma did her hair and makeup.
When she was done, she got a good look in the mirror, and saw that her grandma had curled her hair, and put on a pink eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and mascara, as well as pink lip-gloss and red blush.
She saw the dress she had worn a while ago, on the bed. It was the dress that her grandma had sewn for her. Her grandma told her, that she would be downstairs while she would get dressed, but not before taking one of the underdresses with her, to put in her bag.
After putting on the dress, and a pair of stilettoes, Spinelli walked downstairs, to which her grandma looked pleased at her. "Very nice, Ashley. Oh, just wait a minute. You forgot to put the necklace outside of your dress. Oh, and you probably need to wear gloves. But you can put them on after we're finished with lunch. Now, come along. We don't have all day." Spinelli took her A-necklace, and put it outside her dress, so that it was visible.
She sighed, before thinking, 'It's now or never. I just really hope the Ashleys' are not part of the pageant.' And so, she followed her grandma out into the car, before talking. "Perhaps, I should talk to Theodor first, so that he knows what time he should come over for dinner, and that he should wear a suit. He lives just a few houses away."
"Well, that sounds like a good idea, Ashley, but just be quick."
Spinelli then walked over to T. J's house, praying that it would be him opening the door, which he of course wasn't the one who did. Instead, it was his mom at the door.
"Oh, Spinelli. Hello, dear. What can I do for you?"
"Is T.J home?"
"Oh yeah, sure." The older woman looked away, before yelling, "T.J, Spinelli's here." Before looking back over at her, and saying "Did you want to come in."
"Oh, I can't. I just had something I needed to say to him."
"Okay, then. I will just leave the two of you to it then." And as she said that T.J showed up at the door, as the older woman left.
"So, what was it, that you wanted to talk to me about?" He was a little surprised by how she looked but decided not to press the issue further.
"Oh, well it was about dinner tonight. It's at 7pm, so be there on time, please."
"Oh, yeah. Sure. No problem. Was that all?"
"Actually, no. There was something else. You should probably wear a suit for dinner, tonight. And uhm, for the pageant, you should wear a tuxedo."
"Wait. So, I have to wear a tuxedo for the pageant, and a suit for dinner. But I don't even own a suit."
"Then, rent one. Look, I know it's a lot to ask, but think about what I have to wear, every day. It's just one night."
"Okay, fine. I guess I can wear a tuxedo."
"Oh, and before I forget. I may have let it slip to my grandma, that you and I are a couple, so we have to pretend to be a couple in front of her. Oh, well. Would you look at the time. I have to get the going."
"Hold off." He grabbed her arm before she could leave and continued. "Why would you tell your grandma that we are a couple?"
"Because she asked, and I panicked. And look, it's just in front of her. No one else needs to know, and we can drop the façade after the pageant."
"Okay, fine. But just as long as it's only in front of your grandma. No need to make everyone at school think we're dating, let alone our friends. Don't want to have to explain that to them. But fine, tonight, we will pretend to be a couple, and as soon as she leaves, we stop pretending."
"Thanks. It really means a lot to me. I'll see you tonight, but now I really have to go. My grandma is waiting for me, in her car."
And with that, she left to go find her grandmother's car.
"So, did you inform Theodor about tonight and the pageant.?" Her grandma went straight to the point.
"Uhm, yes. And he agreed to do it. He's excited to come over for dinner tonight."
"Well, that sounds wonderful. You know, I suppose I could let you go out with Theodor at some point, since he seems like such an upstanding young man. But for now, you should focus on the pageant. There are only a few weeks until it. But I have heard that some of the activities leading up to it, will include the escorts, so you could bring Theodor along for those."
"Uhm, I will think about that, grandma."
They continued to drive in silence, before stopping at a restaurant, where they would get something to eat. Aggie of course, ordered for both of them, in which she ordered a salad and water for both of them. As she watched her granddaughter eat, she couldn't help but notice that while her table manners had slightly improved, her posture was still poor. She had to figure out something about that. She had to make a mental note, to get a posture corrector, but Ashley couldn't use that for the pageant, so something else would have to do for the pageant.
Eventually, they finished eating, and Aggie went to go pay for the meals, before they went off to the next thing, which was a seamstress.
They walked in, and a lady around in her early 30s showed up, and said, "Hello, my name is Lydia, how may I help you."
"Yes, my granddaughter here, is entering in a beaty pageant in a few weeks, and need an evening gown, as well as an outfit for a group dance number."
"Well, I see. So, what do you have in mind for the two gowns?"
"Well, for the group dance number, they all wear the same thing, and the girls are going to receive it today, but it might need to get fitted. we will still need to figure something out for the evening gown. Perhaps white or pink or red or purple," Aggie said. Spinelli wanted to say something, but knew she had to bite her tongue.
"Well, I have some color samples. How about I bring them over, and we can see what color suits her best." Lydia said, before talking to Spinelli. "So, what's your name, sweetie?"
"Ashley."
"Well then, Ashley." You just wait here, while I will go and find the samples, so just you wait here, and I'll be right back."
And with that, she left before returning with some color samples.
"Now, as you can see. I have the colors that you suggested. How about we just see what suits Ashley best." The lady said, as she held up different colors to her skin, before her grandma said, "Yes, I believe that white will suit Ashley the best."
"Well then. At least we figured out the color. Now what style should the dress be."
"Strapless, and ballgown, with sequins." Her grandma was quick to say. (A/N: For the reference, check out the movie 'Dumplin'. One of the girls played by Dove Cameron wears that type of dress).
"Okay, then. But first, I need to get the measurement, so Ashley, I'm going to need you to take of that dress, so that I can properly get your measurements."
"Just go over there and put the underdress on." Her grandma said, as she pulled out what she called a slip, which was really a strapless underdress, but shapewear. Spinelli went over to change into the slip, before coming back in just that, outside her underwear.
"Much better. Now, I can get your measurements. Please stand up straight, as I get the measurements." Lydia said, as she took out a waist tape.
"Is there something we can do about the posture?" Her grandma said.
"Well, there is one thing." Lydia said, before quickly leaving, but bringing something back. It looked like a corset.
"Okay, Ashley. I'm going to need you to take off your bra, and then breath in." Spinelli knowing, she didn't have a choice, did as she was told. She breathed in, as the corset was put around her waist, and then tied in the back.
"It's a little uncomfortable." She said, to which her grandma said, "Nonsense. You're just not used to it."
"It'll help with her posture, to keep it up. Now, this is just an example. You'll have to get one yourself. They can even be used as underwear. But first, let's get your measurement with it on, and I will get started on making the dress. You should probably stop by with the other dress later on today. But I think that we are done for now." And with that, she took out the corset, making Spinelli able to breath again.
Her grandma said goodbye to Lydia, before they left for the first activity.
Next chapter: Tea and dinner.
So, that's it for chapter 11. I hope you all enjoyed it.
Okay, so this chapter is longer than I had anticipated, and it wasn't what I initially had planned for this chapter, but here we are. But we will get to the first activity in the next chapter. Will the Ashleys' show up? And T.J will show up for dinner. Will he and Spinelli get exposed, or will they have to pretend to be a couple in front of everyone?
As always, I do not own Recess or its characters. Only my OC's.
And as always, R/R, and let me know what you think.