Free Taffy Sinclair 009 - The Truth About Taffy Sinclair by Betsy Haynes

the bright colors splashing through it, and it made me feel good to look at it. I could hardly wait to put it on. It would be perfect for the party tonight.
    Mother came into my room after I had showered and dressed. She was all excited and had her arms loaded. " I brought my makeup and some other things, " she said. " After all, if you ' re going to be on television, you need a little eye shadow to emphasize your beautiful blue eyes and some color for your cheeks and lips. "
    I was too excited to trust my voice, so I only nodded and let her tie a towel around my neck the way the makeup lady had done on the set of Interns and Lovers. Things were working out too terrifically to be true.
    Finally, seven o ' clock came. As I stood by the window in my beautiful new dress watching for the limousine, I thought about all the kids from my class arriving at Curtis Trowbridge ' s house for the party at this very moment. They would all be there. Jana Morgan would probably be dropped off by her mother and her mother ' s friend, Pink. Jana ' s friends and Alexis and Scott and Keith and, of course, Randy Kirwan would come in their family cars.
    Just then a sleek white limousine pulled up at the curb. It was the longest car I had ever seen and the most beautiful. It had six doors along each side, and the windows were tinted so that you couldn ' t see who was inside. A tall, thin chauffeur in a dark suit and a hat with a visor stepped out and came to the door, bowing stiffly when I opened it and saying, " Miss Sinclair? I ' m here to drive you. "
    After my parents had both hugged me and wished me luck a jillion times, I took a deep breath and followed him out to the car. When he held one of the doors open for me, I hesitated an instant. Maybe I was making a mistake, I thought wildly. Maybe it wouldn ' t work.
    But hadn ' t my mother always told me to hold my head high and ignore what people were saying about me? I got into the car, and we drove away.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    I could see the fire in Curtis ' s barbecue pit as soon as the limousine rounded the corner onto his street. It was almost dark, and through the tinted windows the kids scampering around the yard looked like demons in the glow of the firelight.
    " I ' ll be back for you at nine o ' clock, Miss, " the chauffeur said when the car came to a stop in front of Curtis ' s house. I nodded. Then I allowed him to open the door for me, and I stepped out.
    Every single person in Curtis ' s yard had stopped and was looking at me with admiration. I was Cinderella getting out of her carriage. I was the Queen of England. I was a movie star arriving at the Academy Awards. I was Madonna stepping out on stage. I raised my head high, squared my shoulders, and walked through the gate to join the party. I would die before I ' d let anyone know how much I was hurting inside.
    At first no one said a word. They just stood there in the shimmering firelight and stared at me.
    Finally, Mona rushed forward and grabbed my hand. " Come on, Taffy. You ' re the last one here, and we ' re having fun! "
    I blinked and gave Mona a second look. She was wearing the blue outfit I had given her, and she really looked gorgeous. She giggled when she saw the expression on my face, and I started to compliment her when Curtis raced up to me.
    " Gosh, Taffy. That was some entrance. Where ' d you get that limo? "
    I had made up my mind to be mysterious about the limousine, so I ignored his question. " It looks like a great party, Curtis, " I said. " I ' m sorry I ' m late. Oh, by the way. Is it true that your parents aren ' t home? "
    Curtis looked embarrassed. " You must be the tenth person who has asked me that. I don ' t know who started that rumor. They ' re here, all right, but they promised to stay in the house. "
    A moment later Curtis was off and running again, passing out pointed sticks. A table was set near the barbecue pit, and it was piled high with wieners, buns, mustard, ketchup, and potato chips. Soft drinks