Sleeping Beauty: Part Five

     Yes, life is incredibly complicated when you're beautiful. I'm not sure why. There is probably some reason, though. But like I said, I am always very busy. Too busy to find out what that reason is…

     * * * * *

      I woke up for no particular. All on my own, on time! I was wide-awake as well, which was also strange. I hopped out of bed and walked straight to my vanity desk (just like always) and stared in horror.

     "My mane! My tail! My FACE!" I grabbed my head with my hooves.

     I looked awful. I was covered in twigs, leaves, dirt, slime, mud and bugs. I was used to looking bad, but not this bad!

     I snatched up my sparkly hairbrush and ran out of my room and into the bathroom. I jumped in the shower and washed myself more vigorously than ever before. I managed to wash away all the filth, and comb the tangles out of my hair.

     When I looked in the bathroom mirror I was back to my normal fairly-ugly self. I headed downstairs to have breakfast, and saw that everyone was already up. I couldn't look any of them in the eye. I still felt so awful for what had happened last night.

     I sat down with a glass of juice and a bowl of Neocrunch. Sparkle was sitting opposite me, but we avoided each others' eyes.

     I ate as quickly as I could, and as soon as I finished I ran upstairs, grabbed my bag with all my school books in it, and ran out the front door. It felt so weird not saying 'good morning' or even 'goodbye' to any of my family. It wasn't that I didn't want to - I just couldn't bring myself to.

     "Beauty! Wait!"

     "Hello, Battle_Galactic. I would prefer that you call me Beauty_Queen571, thank you," I sniffed. "Or don't speak to me at all."

     I didn't even slow down. I just kept marching on, with him running to catch up.

     "What's wrong with you, Beauty?" he asked, looking sideways at me. "Why did you run off yesterday? Don't you like me or something?"

     "Why don't you just leave me alone?" I snapped, trying to shield my face from him (more for his sake than mine). "I really don't want to talk to anybody at the moment." I ran off, and left him quite a while behind.

     * * * * *

     There was the usual rush when the bell went. Everybody was trying to force past each other to get into the classroom first (what is the point in that?). I had forgotten what it was like to be at school over the holidays.

     "Excuse me!" shouted Miss Flammhouten, a yellow Krawk. "Would you all please BE QUIET!"

     Everyone was silent, and the only noise was that of creaking chairs as the students settled themselves in alphabetical order. And of course, due to our names, Battle_Galactic and I were seated right next to each other.

     "Now that you're all settled down on this fine Thursday morning… Don't know why school starts on a Wednesday…" (Miss Flammhouten, like me, had that habit of talking to herself) "Anyway. I believe we will start the day… Thursday, that is… with some History."

     The groan of all the students echoed around the classroom, but the teacher paid no attention. She started droning on… "The Town Hall in Tyrannia was founded many years ago due to…"

     I stopped paying attention after that. I think everyone did. I mean, are we honestly supposed to sit there and listen to that?

     I was drawing a beautiful, pink Uni in the front of one of my books when Battle_Galactic started poking me. "What?" I demanded.

     He pointed out the window. A massive banner was stretched against a large building. It said in big bold letters: 'BEAUTY CONTEST - SATURDAY'. For a moment I stared, transfixed, and then had a sudden inkling of what he was up to.

     "What about it?" I said suspiciously. I didn't trust him, and I had a feeling he was trying to make me look like an idiot in front of everybody.

     "Well…" He was speaking slowly and cautiously, obviously picking his words very carefully. "I think you should enter." The shadow Lupe bit his lip, waiting for my reaction.

     "Are you crazy?" I hissed. I gestured wildly at my face with my hooves. "Look at me! I could never win a thing like that. People would laugh at me as soon as I got on stage!"

     He raised his eyebrows. "What ARE you talking about?"

     Just then the bell rang for lunch and everyone (including me) ran outside.

     * * * * *

     I bit savagely into my tea leaf sandwich. I knew what he had been doing. He wanted me to go on stage and humiliate myself in front of the audience. He didn't expect me to win at all! But that wasn't going to happen. I wouldn't enter. I wouldn't even GO.

     Stupid Battle_Galactic could go on his own and watch all those beautiful pets parade around. I vaguely wondered if the Uni from the hospital would be entering. I wouldn't stand a chance against her. I wouldn't even stand a chance against Miss Flammhouten.

     "Beauty, why are you so uptight? Why don't you want to enter?"

     "Stop pretending, Battle_Galactic. I know all about your little plan!"

     He looked somewhat surprised. "What are you talking about? What little plan?"

     "You know…" I waved my arms around helplessly. "THE little plan!" I got up and ran off, blushing. I guess I looked pretty stupid, running to the classroom before the bell had gone.

     * * * * *

     "Well, poetry is a very complicated and difficult thing to write. Now I trust you all brought your copies of 'Poetry for Peophins'…"

     Thay was not entirely true. I had actually borrowed Honey's copy. I was sure she wouldn't mind.

     "Oooohhhhh! Miss! MISS!" Kitty_Girl36, a blue Peophin, was jumping up and down on her seat, so, naturally, her imitation - Copy_Cat41 (also a blue Peophin) - was as well. "Oh Miss!" Kitty_Girl squealed. "Miss, I already read the first 3 poems!"

     "Me too!" agreed Copy_Cat, nodding vigorously.

     "Will everyone please choose a poem," Miss Flammhouten said dryly. "Read the poem and then write a summary about it… they never choose good poems these children…" She sat down at her desk and started reading the Neopian Times.

     I flipped through the book, and eventually found a poem I liked. It was called 'Not So Lucky'. It went like this:

     NOT SO LUCKY

     Every morning when I wake up

     I wish I was someone else

     I'm poor and ugly and have no friends

     I hate being myself

     I realise that my life is bad

     The road is long and rocky

     Other pets live the lives they want

     But I am not so lucky

     By Never_Smiler the cloud Uni

     I wrote a short summary about it. It was a poem I could identify with (but I didn't put that in the summary). I was just wondering how I could track down Never_Smiler, when Miss Flammhouten started talking (again).

     "Now," she drawled, "I would like you to write your own poems… as if they'll be any good… and if you don't finish them you can do it for homework…" And she went back to reading.

     It is really hard to focus when the teacher is talking to herself, the two Peophin clones are giggling away and EVERYONE seems to be discussing ideas for their poems or what they did on the holidays or what's going on the weekend. So, naturally, I couldn't think of anything to write my poem about.

     After I'd started about the hundredth time (and ripped out the page and thrown it in the bin) I was getting really sick of poetry. I moaned. "Homework…"

     "What?" Battle_Galactic obviously thought I had been talking to him, because he looked hopeful.

     "Leave me alone," I muttered. Now he looked crestfallen.

     "Now."

     Everyone looked back at Miss Flammhouten. She was clutching a stack of papers to her chest. "I know there is only about five minutes until the bell…" (I looked at the clock. She was right) "…But I would like you all to take these notes home and have them signed and brought back so we can have our excursion to Tyrannia tomorrow, since we've been researching the Town Hall. Who would like to hand them out?"

     Kitty_Girl and Copy_Cat squealed with enthusiasm until I thought they would collapse, so Miss Flammhouten chose them.

     * * * * *

     I pushed open the front door. I knew that Mum would have to sign the note since it was a thing for lessons (but if it was just for fun - I wouldn't count on it!).

     "Mum!" I yelled as I walked into the kitchen. "I need you to sign this note… It's for school!"

     She came in from the lounge. "Is it fun?" she asked suspiciously. Her eyes were narrowed, as she searched my face for any hint of a lie.

     "Mum, it's for history. Do you actually think it'll be interesting? We're researching the Tyrannian Town Hall."

     She took the note and read it, her eyes darted across the page. She nodded slowly, and reached for a pen.

     "Thanks Mum!" I didn't hug her - I just went up to my room and sat at my vanity desk. I had been thinking that if I smothered the orange spots on my face with purple eyeshadow, I might look a bit better (although I wasn't entirely sure). I didn't have any purple eyeshadow to try, so I just sat and stared at my reflection.

     I must have been there for a while because all of a sudden I heard Mum yelling. "Giiiirrrrllllssss! Dinner's ready!"

      I ran down the stairs and sat at the table next to Sparkle, who shuffled away from me a bit (she had found out about her hat - which had been her favourite). I bit my lip. I knew what I had to do.

     I stood up. "I'm very sorry everyone." I stared at my feet. "I'm sorry that I lost your stuff and especially sorry that I lied to you. I hope you all forgive me." Mum actually started clapping and then Honey and Sparkle joined in (why is my family so weird?).

     And so we were a happy family again. After dinner we sat in the lounge reading, talking and playing for a while. Then I went upstairs, brushed my teeth, took one last look in the mirror and went to bed.

     My life was far from perfect, but at least it was back to its normal state.

To be continued...