Lady Dragon of the Year

"We had so many wonderful contestants this year and we want to applaud every one of our finalists for their dedication and hard work."

"Of course, the judges had the near-impossible task of picking just one winner for Lady Dragon of Sea Mountain High.”

How did Ms. Avery do it? Look straight into the thousand lumen lights and to not only not squint, but to smile right back at them. Which was shinier? Which was more synthetic?

“Madelyn, your exemplary grades and your many hours of volunteer work, not to mention earning first chair violin in our Symphony-level orchestra. You hold yourself with poise and have never missed a single day of school for the last two years!” Applause. Her accomplishments felt trite now. Applause. Keep the smile up.

“Angela, your creativity shines through the very veins of our academy. From the mural on the front wall to the design of this year's t-shirt.” Applause. Was it Maddie’s fault she wasn’t gifted with the visual arts? Smile in spite of the cramp.

“Francine, your willingness to sacrifice your time to help those in need leaves these judges in awe. From your mission work in the Dominican Republic to feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving and organizing this year’s Fun Run to benefit St. Elmo’s Children’s Hospital.” Applause. Extended applause. Maddie could see it now. Where she went wrong. It’s okay to let the smile slip just a bit, right?

Ms. Avery let the audience quiet as she straightened the card on her podium and beamed with self-importance.

“Madelyn, Angela, and Francine. Please. Step forward.”

Maddie could see what Frankie was thinking in her sideways glance as they lined up even closer to the audience. It was all over her face: smug, but with a dash of contempt. Just look at me, Frankie’s body language screamed, and now...look at you. And Angela? Of course I’ll win. Did you really think you stood a chance?

“And our Lady Dragon of the year is. Francine Elaine Edwards.” The excitement in Ms. Avery’s voice scratched at Maddie’s faltering smile. Why did she act surprised? Surely, she knew.

Maddie walked off the stage. All eyes on her, the loser, she clenched her jaw and straightened her back as she walked back to her seat.

Minutes before her smile was bright and eager, and now her lips hid the brilliance of the teeth she'd spent the last several weeks bleaching.

“And now for the Gentleman Dragon of the year…” Ms. Avery went on and for each minute that she sat next to her mother in the auditorium, her shame multiplied. There was a larger applause and then talking as Ms. Avery left the stage and the audience released.

Congested and slow, Maddie lifted her lips in a hollow echo of a grin when greeted.

I'm so proud of you," said Mom right after him. "You're so brave." Wow, you put yourself out there and made yourself look like an idiot. That must be so embarrassing.

And then it came.

"Maddie, wait up!" Maddie turned in time to catch a mouth full of Frankie's curls as she slipped her arms around Maddie's waist - forcing Maddie to hug the much shorter girl around the shoulders. Because that was exactly what Maddie needed right now - to feel clumsy and too large and masculine compared to the stupidly pretty and petite Francine.

"I can't believe I actually won! I really thought it was going to be you," You win everything. Finally, time for the underdog to get the chance.

"Congratulations," Maddie mustered the single word and pulled the energy from her gut to turn her lips into a half-convincing smile.

Frankie winced. Maybe not even half-convincing then. And why did that make her feel so crappy? "You too. I mean even being nominated is great, right?" she said softly and tilted her head. You are not taking losing well, are you?

“Right. For sure.” She lifted her face to the crowd as they emerged into the lobby. “Well, I see my mom, so…”

She weaved through classmates and their family members. "Let's go home," Maddie said to her mother when she reached her as looking longingly at the glass doors.

Outside, the weather matched Maddie's mood. Violent wind and bitter rain. Leaves and other detritus whipped around. But even that looked more enticing than the idea of standing here with everyone who knew that she was a loser. =

“Take a minute, honey. You’re a better sport than this, right?” Insult to injury. Great.

Maddie searched the crowd for the third contestant, but Angie wasn’t in the crowd.

“Fine. I’ll go find Angie,” she said over her shoulder to her mother, who waved her off - already in a conversation with another parent.

She found Angie where she’d last seen her. Behind the thick velvet curtain tucked into the side stage with assorted props and framed by a series of levers and ropes.

“Hey, Angie, I just wanted to say- are you okay?”

Angie didn’t look devastated. Nor did she look pleased. She looked…scared?

“Yeah,” she said, though her head shook from side to side. “I’m definitely fine.”

“Okay. Well, anyway. I wanted to say good job and all that.”

Angie scoffed. “Right. Sure.” She looked annoyed for a minute, then the fear flipped back on.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? I just…” and then she flipped her attention from the door of the auditorium to Maddie. “Well. I guess we both just lost.”

It was exactly what Maddie had been thinking. What she knew everyone else thought. But said out loud like that?

“My mom is going to be so pissed,” Angie went on, folding her arms over her chest and hunching her shoulders in.

“Why? I mean, even being nominated is a big accomplishment, you know?”

“But they dragged us up there. Told everyone what we were most proud of them and then basically said that you and I weren’t good enough.”

Maddie’s chest cramped at the blatancy of it. The truth of it. The lie in it.

“That’s ridiculous,” Maddie fumed. “What makes art or academics less than charity work?”

Angie shrugged in response.

“No really,” Maddie went on, “I mean. I wish I had your talent. It’s something that will last, you know? But I worked really hard too. And do you know there are twenty other violinists? Getting first chair is good.”

“Not as good as raining money for a children’s hospital.”

“It’s not as good. It’s just as good. We should be,” and here Maddie swallowed as she realized the word that she was too afraid to want, but needed to acknowledge. “Proud.”

“Proud.” Angie nodded with eyes wide - wondering at the word.

Maddie didn't hear any hidden thoughts in Angie’s smile. And even if she was thinking something else, it didn’t matter. Maddie was proud of herself. And she hoped Angie and Frankie were too.”