Magnolia talks to the first runner up after the pageant.
I listened to Linger by The Cranberries all day today and this is the result.
Warning: Angst, no comfort
Tagging: @rottent33th, @slaasherslut, @the-pinstriped-hood, @devil-doll13, @bugginbeetlew, @manbehindthemask
Staring at the curtain ahead of her, Magnolia's deep and slow breathes quicken in pace. "Hey," her friend, Joan, whispers. A cold hand interlockes with Maggie's clammy one and gives it a soft squeeze. Trailing the olive toned hand up to its owner, blue eyes meet soft brown ones. "You'll be fine- whatever happens, you still proved that you're prettier than half the town." She jokes. "Thanks..." Maggie mumbles, quickly touching her heated face. Chuckling, the brunette leaned down and pecked her cheek. "Good luck Maggie." She whispers, though it fell on deaf ears as the blonde's body went rigid.
"Joan Price just kissed my cheek."
Joan Price. The pretty girl that sits next to her in homeroom. Her partner in biology who laughs when Maggie gets too excited to answer a question. The same Judy Price who slept over the one time Trudy was out of town. The girl that looked so cute in Maggie's pajamas and shared a bed with her. The best friend that she's always thought was prettier than any boy she's ever seen just kissed her cheek.
Just a few more inches over and it could've been a dream come true.
Magnolia didn't hear her name be announced until the bright flash of a camera stunned her out of her thoughts. "Oh my god..." She whispered. The crowd stood in applause as a "MISS AMBROSE 1992" sash was placed over her delicate baby blue dress and a bouquet of roses was placed in her arms. The blonde flushes a bright pink as her second runner up pulled her into a hug, leaving the shorter girl's thoughts run wild.
"Does she like me?" "Do I like her? Is that even possible?" "Mama told me that a man would make me happy one day but she makes me happier than any man could..."
Soon enough, Joan took Magnolia's hand once more and walked off stage with her. "C'mon, Miss Ambrose," her new title danced off her friends words teasingly, "You gotta show off your new crown to everyone!" "Uh, actually, Joan..can I talk to you real quick?" Maggie spoke up, squeezing her hand for reassurance. "Of course." Her focus went straight to Joan's lips. The same soft, glossy lips that made her feel everything all at once with just one kiss on the cheek. "I don't know how to say this...but you make me feel so many things." Maggie breathed out. "When you kissed my cheek, everything just flooded and I didn't even know what happened because I was just thinking about you and your lips and-" her words were cut off by Joan's hands leaving hers.
"Listen," Joan went silent. Her lighthearted tone dimmed, her eyes darted to anywhere that wasn't Maggie's direction. "I'm not..I'm not into you- girls, like that." She confessed. "I think I'm gonna go, my family is waiting outside.." she quickly excused herself and left her by the wing of the stage.
Magnolia took in deep breaths and sat on the steps of the stage, knees to her chest as she reeled in the conversation. Touching her cheek, she felt the residue of Joan's strawberry scented lip gloss. Black streaks of mascara quietly ran down her cheeks upon contact. Faint calls of her name could be heard, but the new beauty queen of Ambrose chose to deck her head in her lap and remain silent.