Free Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

bigger than they actually are, and applied a little bit of shimmer to my exposed arms and legs to give me a little glow.
    I’ll just go ahead and say it: I don’t look half bad. I didn’t do as nice of a job as Miss Lauren, but for a complete novice, I really can’t complain.
    I know there’s no way that I’ll ever be able to top this, so I hope that Benny doesn’t figure out a way to get me to wear an actual pageant gown to school. Because if he wants that, he’s taking Chris to prom.
    I wish I could go right to school to see Benny’s reaction, but first I have to face my harshest critics.
    “Good morning,” I say as I reach in the refrigerator for some juice.
    I turn around to see both Mom and Mackenzie staring at me with their mouths agape.
    “Lexi? Is that a dress ?” Mom looks me up and down as if she can’t recognize an item of clothing as familiar as a dress on her oldest child. She comes over to me and puts her hands on my face. “What in the world? What happened to you? You look like a lady.”
    “Thanks, Mom. Do we have any oranges left?” I reach around the counter, pretending to be busy.
    “Is there something special going on at school today?” Mom continues to stare.
    “Nope. Just thought I’d try something new for a change.”
    She smiles at me. “You really look lovely, dear.”
    “Thanks.” We both give each other a little nod. It takes everything I have to not remind her that she didn’t think that this would ever be possible. But I don’t want to go there today. Today is going to be a happy day.
    “Doesn’t your sister look beautiful, Mackenzie?” Mom has never used that word to describe me. And as soon as that word escapes her mouth, I realize how much I’ve been craving it.
    “Why does she get a new outfit?”
    And like that, the moment is ruined.
    “Well, I hate to break up the lovefest, but I gotta go.” I grab an apple and head to my car. Pretty much the only benefit of being from a broken home is that I have my own car courtesy of Father Guilt.
    I look at myself in the rearview mirror. I hardly recognize the person staring back at me, but I can’t help but like what I see.
    I hate it when Benny’s right.

    Benny and Cam are waiting for me in the parking lot. The two of them start banging at my car window the second I’m parked and taunt me like a bunch of construction workers to get out.
    Once they see me, it takes a couple minutes for the shock to sink in.
    “Come here and let me admire my handiwork!” Benny stands back and looks me up and down.
    “ Your handiwork?” I’m annoyed. “You didn’t have to get up two hours earlier to make this happen!”
    He chuckles, but keeps staring at me. “I don’t mean to ogle you.” Benny’s eyes go up and down the new me. “But who knew you had such hot gams?”
    “Gams?” I tease him. “I know your clothing choices are stuck in the eighties, but didn’t realize your vocabulary is from the thirties.”
    “Hey!” Benny says as he flashes me his CHiPs T-shirt. “I’ll have you know that Chris finds my taste in clothing, and I quote, ‘a-freakin’-dorable.’”
    “That’s great. So why do I have to do this again?” I ask. Part of me feels super shallow for liking this fancy version of myself.
    “To prove a point,” Benny says with authority.
    “What point? That you’re a top-notch negotiator?”
    He sighs. “No, that you’re a total hottie.”
    I look at Cam for some support, but she’s staring down at my high-heeled sandals.
    “Don’t those hurt?” she asks.
    “Beauty is pain.” This is today’s mantra.
    “More like a pain in the butt.”
    “Tell me about it.” A well-timed yawn spreads over me. I was hoping that maybe I could rely on adrenaline to get me through the day, but it looks like I’m not going to be that fortunate.
    “Shall we?” Benny holds out his arm for me to take. “I can’t wait for all those stupid jocks to see the hottest girl in school on my arm.” He grabs Cam