They went to announce names of the girls who got the top twelve scores......and we all listened with bated breath. All three were called. They asked these twelve girls to come onstage. They started by announcing the five lowest of those scores - the five Honorable Mentions. The man with the big voice and mustache climbed onstage to read the names.
" Diana Sinclair. Samantha Parkington. Rita-Maria Johnson. Casey Townsend. Maisey Douglas. Please come up here to get your prize." He boomed. The five girls - an indian girl in a silver strapless dress, a blue-eyed redhead in blue chiffon, a blond with long curls and a pink dress, and a dark-haired, dark-eyed little thing in gold - And Samantha, with an expression of horror on her face - walked up to get their prizes and pose for pictures. The dark haired one especially was very pretty. Samantha looked positively livid, and excepted her ribbon with a stoney face full of ice and annoyance. She shot evil glares at Rebecca and Melanthe; both of whom were still in the running. I felt bad for her; I knew how much she wanted to win. Samantha can be very competitive.
Then, the man began to announce the top seven places - first, second, third, and the four runners up. Melanthe looked very excited and nervous, but Rebecca just looked indifferent.
"In seventh place, we have Jessica Nelson!" He intoned. A petite, skinny blond with her hair piled on top of her head, and glittering with jeweled bobby pins, a short silver sequined dress with thin straps, and silver lace up sandals gave a little shriek. She jumped forward to get her ribbon, smiling broadly.
"In sixth place, we have Nalana Handover!" He called, smiling at the crowd. Nalana was a tall african american girl in a short sleeved yellow dress with a tight bodice and a silky skirt that was cut at a diagonal angle. She was super pretty, and I thought she should have placed higher, but she had stuttered a bit in her poem, so I bet she lost points for that. I didn't remember her question section, but I remember that she played the cello in talent, and sang along in a clear, sweet, voice. She glided forward and accepted her ribbon.
"In fifth place we have Megan Tomalas!" The man announced, grinning. A pretty Latina girl with curly hair down her back and dark eyes stepped forward. She was wearing a green dress with a light black tulle overskirt and sleeves made out of the same material. She had danced in the talent division, a pretty ballet piece that even Rebecca had liked. I remembered Rebecca saying that Megan was in one of her dance classes.
"In forth place, we have Melanthe Rose Willins!" He said. Melanthe gave a bit of a a gasp, then strode forward, her blue gown sweeping the floor, her red hair glinting in the light. Me and Ani screamed and jumped up and down, cheering for Mellie. She smiled as she accepted her ribbon, and ran to join the other girls at the back of the stage, where she gave a huge wave o Rebecca. Only three girls were left now. Samantha was looking like the devil, all screwed up in anger.
"In third place, we have Christina Carlyle! "His voice boomed. Out stepped the pretty chinese girl with her long hair braided with red ribbon, wearing a long red strapless dress with a little train. I remembered that she had sung in the talent division, a pretty song called 'Nobody's Crying.' It was very a very haunting, mournful, ballad. I remember hearing a very different, country version of this song once, that I didn't like. Ani, who was sitting next to me, leaned over and whispered that Sutton Foster had sung the song on her album, but had changed it from the country version, to a prettier, softer one, which is the version Christina had sung. I remember one line that went "I just have a secret hop/sometimes all we do is hope/but somewhere on the steepest slope,/ Theres an endless road,/ And nobody' crying." I clapped very hard for her. Only two people were left now. Rebecca, and a tall blond who's name I forgot.
"In second place, we have.......... Kaitlyn Masaka!" Kaitlyn was the tall blonde with an enormous chest who was wearing a lot of eye-makeup, and a short little sparkly green and silver dress with no sleeves. She also wore black fishnet tights, and green high heels. Her hair was braided and curled, hanging down her back in a beautiful mass of gold, entwined with bits of glittery clips and green ribbon. She looked like a mermaid. Evidently, that was the effect she had wanted, because if you looked closely, you could see a silver starfish charm around her neck. I remembered that in the talent division, she'd played the flute. She had been really good, too. I screamed for her, and gave a wild thumbs up for Rebecca! She was the only one left onstage. I could see Samantha with her face screwed up and anger in her eyes.
When Rebecca was announced as the winner, everybody went wild! She was graceful as she glided forward to accept her medal, her smile warm and pretty as cameras snapped. Her curly hair caught the light like branches on a summer day, and she glowed with pride as she posed for pictures. I glanced at the rest of the winners. They were all cheering and laughing. I saw Melanthe chatting with Maisey Douglas and Christina Carlyle. I looked around for Samantha, but I didn't see her. Oh no. Trouble was brewing.
"In seventh place, we have Jessica Nelson!" He intoned. A petite, skinny blond with her hair piled on top of her head, and glittering with jeweled bobby pins, a short silver sequined dress with thin straps, and silver lace up sandals gave a little shriek. She jumped forward to get her ribbon, smiling broadly.
"In sixth place, we have Nalana Handover!" He called, smiling at the crowd. Nalana was a tall african american girl in a short sleeved yellow dress with a tight bodice and a silky skirt that was cut at a diagonal angle. She was super pretty, and I thought she should have placed higher, but she had stuttered a bit in her poem, so I bet she lost points for that. I didn't remember her question section, but I remember that she played the cello in talent, and sang along in a clear, sweet, voice. She glided forward and accepted her ribbon.
"In fifth place we have Megan Tomalas!" The man announced, grinning. A pretty Latina girl with curly hair down her back and dark eyes stepped forward. She was wearing a green dress with a light black tulle overskirt and sleeves made out of the same material. She had danced in the talent division, a pretty ballet piece that even Rebecca had liked. I remembered Rebecca saying that Megan was in one of her dance classes.
"In forth place, we have Melanthe Rose Willins!" He said. Melanthe gave a bit of a a gasp, then strode forward, her blue gown sweeping the floor, her red hair glinting in the light. Me and Ani screamed and jumped up and down, cheering for Mellie. She smiled as she accepted her ribbon, and ran to join the other girls at the back of the stage, where she gave a huge wave o Rebecca. Only three girls were left now. Samantha was looking like the devil, all screwed up in anger.
"In third place, we have Christina Carlyle! "His voice boomed. Out stepped the pretty chinese girl with her long hair braided with red ribbon, wearing a long red strapless dress with a little train. I remembered that she had sung in the talent division, a pretty song called 'Nobody's Crying.' It was very a very haunting, mournful, ballad. I remember hearing a very different, country version of this song once, that I didn't like. Ani, who was sitting next to me, leaned over and whispered that Sutton Foster had sung the song on her album, but had changed it from the country version, to a prettier, softer one, which is the version Christina had sung. I remember one line that went "I just have a secret hop/sometimes all we do is hope/but somewhere on the steepest slope,/ Theres an endless road,/ And nobody' crying." I clapped very hard for her. Only two people were left now. Rebecca, and a tall blond who's name I forgot.
"In second place, we have.......... Kaitlyn Masaka!" Kaitlyn was the tall blonde with an enormous chest who was wearing a lot of eye-makeup, and a short little sparkly green and silver dress with no sleeves. She also wore black fishnet tights, and green high heels. Her hair was braided and curled, hanging down her back in a beautiful mass of gold, entwined with bits of glittery clips and green ribbon. She looked like a mermaid. Evidently, that was the effect she had wanted, because if you looked closely, you could see a silver starfish charm around her neck. I remembered that in the talent division, she'd played the flute. She had been really good, too. I screamed for her, and gave a wild thumbs up for Rebecca! She was the only one left onstage. I could see Samantha with her face screwed up and anger in her eyes.
When Rebecca was announced as the winner, everybody went wild! She was graceful as she glided forward to accept her medal, her smile warm and pretty as cameras snapped. Her curly hair caught the light like branches on a summer day, and she glowed with pride as she posed for pictures. I glanced at the rest of the winners. They were all cheering and laughing. I saw Melanthe chatting with Maisey Douglas and Christina Carlyle. I looked around for Samantha, but I didn't see her. Oh no. Trouble was brewing.
