Ruby Reinvented

by Ronni Arno

  I slowly unfold the letter.

  Dear Ms. Miller:

  On behalf of the Spotlight Project Selection Committee, I am happy to inform you that you are the winner of this year’s Spotlight Project.

  Your application to produce a fashion show on Saturday, May 19, has been approved. Please provide all final plans to me no later than April 24.

  Attached please find a check in the amount of $100.00.

  Congratulations, and I look forward to a special event!

  Sincerely,

  Betsy Banks

  Selection Committee Chair

  And then, in flawless handwriting, a note that reads:

  Your dresses are exquisite! I look forward to the day that I’ll be able to wear one of your designs.

  “You won! You won! You won!” Summer’s dancing around the room. “I told you you would.”

  “Do you think they made a mistake?” I’m staring at the letter.

  “No, goofy! You won. Now do you believe me that your dresses are fantastical?”

  I don’t know what to believe. I’m too stunned to talk. I’m too stunned to even breathe.

  “We’ve got work to do.” Summer claps her hands together and opens her computer. “Let’s get started.”

  As I go to sit next to her, my first instinct is to call Ellie and my parents and tell them. But if I tell them, they’ll definitely come to Parents’ Weekend. To my fashion show.

  My fashion show. If my parents attended, nothing would be mine anymore. The fashion show wouldn’t be about me. It would be about the daughter of Zack Miller and Celestine Cruz. Nobody would come to the fashion show to see my designs, they’d come to get a glimpse of my parents. My designs—and me—would be invisible. Or worse, I’d be compared to my parents. Sophie’s words ring in my brain. How can you have a star baseball player as a dad and a supermodel as a mom and be so—talentless?

  “Hello?” Summer pats the chair next to her. “What are you waiting for?”

  I slide into the chair and brush the thought of my parents aside. This is a special moment for me, I decide. And I can’t let anything ruin it. I can worry about my parents later.

  But not yet.

  Chapter

  23

  DONE!” I PUT the last stitch in Summer’s T-Shirt dress and hold it up for her to see.

  “Whoa.” Summer throws the book she was reading onto her bed and leaps over to me. “It looks even better than I thought it would.”

  “Really?” I hand her the dress, which she holds like a carton of eggs. “Go try it on.”

  She carefully carries the dress to her side of the room, throws off her old clothes, and slips into her new design.

  “This. Is. Amazing.” She twirls around and around, and the hem of the skirt poofs up. I designed it that way on purpose, since I know how much Summer likes to spin. And spin. And spin.

  “It looks so good on you.” I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Nobody but me has ever worn one of my dresses before.

  “I am so excited to wear this. Wait till everybody sees it, Bea! You’ll have orders coming in by the truckload!”

  We hear a bunch of kids in the hallway, which means it’s dinnertime.

  “I should have Katie’s dress done by next week, and Cassandra’s done the week after that.” We follow the other kids to the cafeteria.

  “I can’t believe Parents’ Weekend is only three weeks away,” Summer says.

  “I can’t believe it either.”

  Summer opens her mouth to say something but closes it before words come out. Instead, she gives me a weak smile, and I know she’s thinking about my lack of parents. I try to smile back.

  Cassandra and Katie are already at the table when we get to the cafeteria. Katie squeals when she sees Summer’s dress and begs me to make one for her.

  Cassandra is decked out in a bright yellow eyelet sundress and matching strappy sandals. I think it’s a little cool to be wearing a sundress, even if it does have a fabulous circular hem, but at least she stopped wearing Red Sox gear. Summer’s telling them about their dresses for the fashion show, and Katie looks mesmerized. Cassandra looks bored.

  “Here comes Connor.” Cassandra fluffs her hair. “How do I look?”

  “Great!” I say a little too loudly. Cassandra raises her eyebrows at me, a sideways smile plastered on her face. I sink a little lower into my chair. I still haven’t told her that Connor asked me to the Spring Fling. It’s not like I stole Connor from her or anything. He never even liked her in the first place. And anyway, Cassandra’s never been nice to me. I shouldn’t feel bad. I know I shouldn’t. But I still do.

  Connor, Shane, and a boy named Timmy who I’ve only met a couple of times carry their trays over to our table. There’s an empty seat next to me. Shane elbows Connor and sits down in the seat farthest away, forcing Connor to sit next to me. If I sink any lower in my chair I’ll be on the floor. I try anyway.

  “Hi, guys.” Cassandra looks directly at Connor.

  They all mumble some sort of greeting. Timmy starts talking, but I can barely understand what about—words are flying out of his mouth at the speed of light. Connor and Shane are cracking up, so they must know what he’s saying. Maybe it’s a secret boy language.

  “How’s the chocolate cake?” Connor points to my tray. Timmy is still talking.

  I pick up the dish and hold it out. “Want some?”

  He picks up his fork and stabs at the cake. Cassandra is staring at him, and she looks like he just bit the head off a puppy.

  “Awww, the love birds are sharing food.” Well, Timmy sure said that clearly enough.

  I put my head down and will my hair to fall in my face. I peer at Cassandra through my curls. Her mouth is still hanging open.

  “Be quiet, Timmy.” Summer throws a crumpled up napkin at him.

  Connor mumbles something to him that I can’t hear, and I only catch Timmy’s response. Probably the entire cafeteria can hear Timmy’s response.

  “What, dude? I’m just messing around.”

  “Did you guys finish the social studies homework?” I know Summer’s trying to change the subject, and I’m grateful.

  “Omigod, I totally forgot about it.” Katie jumps up so hard that her chair wobbles. “Cassandra, you didn’t do it either, did you?”

  “Not yet,” Cassandra answers. She’s still staring at Connor and me.

  “We’d better get to the library. It’s due tomorrow.” Katie puts her hands on her hips.

  Cassandra tilts her head and stares right at me. “Okay. We’ll talk to you later.” She stands up in a huff, and struts out of the cafeteria.

  I sigh in an attempt to lighten the load that’s building inside me. How many secrets can one girl have?

  * * *

  “I should tell Cassandra about the Spring Fling,” I say, as Summer and I make our way back to the dorms.

  “Yeah, you probably should.” Summer reaches up and pulls a pink blossom off of a tree. She puts it to her nose and inhales. “Smell this. Isn’t it awesome?”

  She pushes the blossom in front of my face and I sniff. It does smell good. Like perfume. All of the trees are in full bloom now. It’s so much more colorful than Los Angeles.

  “When?” I ask.

  “When what?”

  “When should I tell Cassandra?”

  Summer stops walking and looks at me. “As soon as possible.”

  “But I feel really bad about it.” I kick a rock off the sidewalk.

  “Why?”

  “Because I know she likes him and—”

  “Connor likes you. Not Cassandra. He didn’t like Cassandra before you came here, and even if you never came here, he wouldn’t like Cassandra. I tried to tell her that, but you know Cassandra—she doesn’t always listen.”

  “I don’t want to hurt her feelings,” I squeak.

  “It will hurt her feelings more if she sees you guys at the dance together and didn’t know about it.” Summer starts walking again. “As
my dad always says, the truth is hard, but the consequences of lying are even harder.”

  My stomach clenches. All I can hear are Summer’s words over and over again in my head. The truth is hard, but the consequences of lying are even harder.

  But what about the consequences of telling the truth? Summer will hate me. There will be no fashion show. No Spring Fling. No Connor.

  In the interest of honesty, I decide to tell Cassandra about Connor. At least that only makes me a partial liar instead of a total liar.

  Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better.

  “I guess I should go find her.” I stop walking and look around campus, as if she might pop up in front of me.

  “Want me to come with you?” Summer asks.

  “No, but thanks.” I suddenly feel a chill, so I secure my wrap-style cardigan sweater with the bright orange button at the neckline. “This is something I have to do myself.”

  I turn around toward the library.

  “Good luck!” Summer yells.

  “Thanks,” I mutter. “I have a feeling I’ll need it.”

  Chapter

  24

  CASSANDRA AND KATIE are sitting at a table on the second floor of the library. Katie’s typing furiously on her laptop, a pile of books in front of her. Cassandra’s looking out the window, twirling her hair.

  The sight of Cassandra makes my stomach drop into my socks, but I walk toward her anyway. At least I can be honest about something.

  I take a deep breath as I reach their table. “Hi, guys.”

  “Oh, hi, Bea.” Katie smiles at me over her pile of books.

  “Hey, can I borrow Cassandra for a minute?” Suddenly I don’t know what to do with my hands. Putting them on my hips seems too casual. Crossing my arms seems too defensive. So they just hang there at my sides, completely useless.

  Cassandra purses her lips, as if she’s deciding whether or not to talk to me. Finally she pushes her chair back and stands up.

  She follows me to the poetry area, which is usually pretty empty.

  “What’s up?” One hand is on her hip, and her other elbow leans on the shelf. Her head is cocked to one side, and she’s looking at me like she doesn’t quite trust me. Which she shouldn’t.

  “Well, I, uhhh, I have something to tell you.” I shift my weight from one leg to the other. I still don’t know what to do with my hands, so I shove them into the pockets of my jeans.

  “I’m waiting.” Cassandra raises her eyebrows.

  “I just wanted you to know that Connor asked me to the Spring Fling.” I can’t quite look at her face, so I stare at the Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson just behind her head.

  She squints at me. “And you said no, right?”

  “Not really.” I push my hands deeper into my pockets. “I said yes.”

  Now both hands are on her hips, and her chin juts out over her chest. “You what?”

  “I’m sorry.” I finally get the nerve to look her in the eyes. “But I like him. And I guess he likes me. . . .”

  “It’s obvious that friendship means nothing to you.” The words shoot out of her mouth like daggers. I flinch.

  “What?” I didn’t even realize we were actually friends.

  Cassandra turns on her heels, and her hair whips me in the face. “You can forget about your stupid fashion show. I was willing to help you because Summer likes you. But I knew from the minute I met you that there’s something off. And now I know the truth. You are a horrible friend.”

  She turns the corner out of my sight.

  I don’t even bother to hold back the tears, which stream down my face. I wipe them with the back of my hand. It’s not that I care what Cassandra thinks, because I don’t. It’s just that she’s right.

  I am a horrible friend. And a liar.

  I go all the way around the library so I don’t have to walk past Cassandra and Katie. I put my head down so nobody can see how red my eyes are.

  Summer’s at her desk when I get back to our dorm room. She jumps off her chair when she hears me come in. She takes one look at me and groans.

  “Oh no. I guess she didn’t take it well?”

  I plop into my chair. “She hates me. And she’s out of the fashion show.”

  Summer stands next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder. “She’s angry now, but she’ll get over it. I’ll talk to her.”

  I shake my head. “She told me I’m a horrible friend.”

  “Don’t listen to her. She’s just mad because she didn’t get her way for once.”

  I want to tell her that Cassandra’s not wrong. If she knew the truth she’d totally agree.

  “Don’t worry,” Summer says. “We’ll get someone else to do the fashion show. There’s going to be a line of volunteers when everyone sees how awesome your dresses are.”

  I smile. For the next three weeks I’ll focus on the fashion show. That will take my mind off the fact that, sooner or later, the dream life I found here will come to an end, and I’ll be back to being the lonely daughter of celebrities. Oh sure, I’ll have people to hang out with once everyone learns who my parents are. But I won’t have friends—not true friends anyway. Summer will hate me. And Connor will never talk to me again.

  I shake the thought away. I decide that no matter what Cassandra says, I’m going to enjoy my fantasy life while I can.

  Summer hits the shower just before eight, and my parents FaceTime me a few minutes later. For once they’re actually in the same room.

  “We got another e-mail about Parents’ Weekend,” Dad says.

  “I wish we could change our schedule around.” Mom purses her lips.

  “Really, it’s not a big deal. Please don’t worry about it. I don’t want you guys stressing out about this.” I smile my biggest smile.

  “If you’re sure, Bea,” Dad says. “Because if you’re not—”

  “I am, Dad. Really.”

  “Are we missing anything special?” Mom cocks her head to one side.

  “No, just a rubber-chicken dinner.” I never told them about the fashion show. I want to keep this part of me only for myself.

  “Awwww,” Dad says. “Rubber chicken is my favorite!”

  I roll my eyes. “You’re such a goofball.”

  We say our good nights, and I shut down the iPad. Even though I’m thrilled my parents won’t be here to ruin my new life, I still really miss them.

  Chapter

  25

  CASSANDRA PRETTY MUCH ignores me for the next two weeks. She barely talks to Summer or Katie, either, which is so unfair, since they had nothing to do with Connor asking me to the dance. But since both of them still want to be friends with me, she doesn’t want anything to do with either of them.

  “I feel horrible that Cassandra’s blowing you off,” I say to Summer while we’re eating lunch. Cassandra sits with a group of seventh-graders on the other side of the cafeteria.

  “She’ll get over it.” Summer shrugs. “And if she doesn’t, then she wasn’t a very good friend to begin with.”

  “It doesn’t bother you?”

  “Meh.” Summer shoves the last forkful of rice and beans into her mouth.

  I wish I had Summer’s attitude. She doesn’t care what people think or what they say. She’s nearly always cheerful. I wonder how she’ll feel about me after she learns the truth.

  “Hey, guess what?” Summer puts her fork down. “You know Antoinette from tech class? She would totally love to be in your fashion show.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. Think you can make one more dress in a week?”

  “Sure,” I say. “I’ve sketched out a bunch of ideas.” Sketching helps me get my mind off of stressful things. I’ve done a lot of sketching lately.

  To keep my mind off everything, I throw myself into the dresses for the next week. Three of Holly’s friends asked last minute if they could join in, so I spend every spare minute I have stitching and sewing, with Summer oohing and aahing over my shoulder. I even manage to s
queeze in some time to make my own dress for the Spring Fling. I choose a vintage design made of white linen fabric with a rose pattern, and add princess seams for a tailored fit. I even include a boned bodice to make the skirt extra poofy (I pulled the boning out of one of Mom’s old dresses years ago when she was a runway model). When I close my eyes, I can see Connor spinning me around, my dress flying out around me like a scented flower garden since I plan on spraying the hem with rose perfume for the complete Spring Fling package.

  We have a quick fashion show rehearsal on Wednesday after dinner, but since the dresses aren’t completely finished it’s not a dress rehearsal. Summer organizes the whole thing, and everybody does a great job. They’re ready for Saturday night.

  I finally finish the dresses on Friday afternoon. Summer runs around campus giving them to the girls who’ll be modeling them, while I put the finishing touches on my own dress for tonight’s Spring Fling. I haven’t even shown Summer my dress yet. It’s so frilly and flowery and floofy. I’m afraid she’ll laugh, and then I won’t have the guts to wear it. And I really want to wear it.

  Our dorm room door shoots open, and Summer flies in. “Omigod, Bea. The girls flipped out over your dresses. They’re so excited to wear them.”

  “Really?” I’m so happy to hear this that I don’t even think to hide my own dress, which is laid out on my bed. Summer looks at it and gasps.

  “Is this what you’re wearing tonight?”

  I stare at her face for a few seconds but can’t tell if she’s happy or horrified. “Well, yeah, I think so. Maybe. I don’t know. . . .”

  Summer leaps over to my bed and touches the fabric. “It’s pure awesomeness.”

  All the tension flies out of my shoulders. “Yeah?”

  “Totally.” She rubs her fingers on the hem. “You are so amazingly talented.” She breaks into a huge smile and runs over to hug me. Something inside me breaks, and I start crying like an idiot.

  “Bea?” Summer takes a step back. “What’s the matter?”

  “Oh, Summer, I’m a horrible person.” The words spill out along with my tears.

  “What are you talking about?”