Free Sugar and Spice by Sheryl Berk Page A

that she’d hurt her chances of winning the pageant. “It just slipped out of my hand,” she pleaded. “It’s not my fault.”
    Kat glared at her. “And it’s not my fault if I deduct ten points from your score for assaulting a judge!”
    Meredith tried to sweet-talk her. “Miss Grabel, I am your biggest fan. I watched your winning aria as Miss Georgia on YouTube a gazillion times.”
    That seemed to calm the furious judge down. “You don’t say?”
    â€œI would never purposely hit you on the head with a baton,” Meredith continued, crossing her fingers over her still-glowing costume. “Cross my heart.”
    When she returned backstage, Miss Jen quickly pulled her to a side. “Nice save,” she said. “You played that judge like a violin.”
    â€œOf course I did,” Meredith said. “There’s no way she’s going to deduct any points. In fact, I bet she gives me a perfect score for that perfect suck-up speech I just made.”
    Harleigh’s silks routine was next, and it was flawless. She whirled and twirled in the air to the song “Amazing Grace,” wrapping the silks delicately around her arms and legs.
    â€œYou did great!” Lexi applauded her.
    â€œIt was okay, not my best.” Harleigh shrugged. “I kinda slipped up at the end.”
    â€œI didn’t notice,” Lexi assured her. “And at least you didn’t give any of the judges a concussion like some people.” She knew Meredith was standing right there and heard her.
    â€œUp next,” Mr. Jim called, “please welcome to the stage contestant number fifteen, Lexi.”
    â€œOh my gosh! That’s me!” Lexi panicked.
    â€œDeep breaths!” Harleigh tried to calm her. “And here’s a little trick: Don’t look at the entire audience. Just find one face and focus on it—one of the judges is a good idea. That’s what I do.”
    Lexi crept out onstage and cleared her throat.
    â€œShe looks terrified,” Delaney whispered to Kylie. “Shake it off, Lex! Shake it off!”
    â€œI hope she doesn’t faint…again,” Jenna said, crossing her fingers. “We don’t need a repeat of Romeo and Juliet on local Connecticut TV.”
    Lexi felt queasy. There were so many people, and they were all staring at her! She tried to focus on Kat Grabel’s spiky platinum-blond hair, but the room started to spin. She couldn’t catch her breath or steady herself. Just then, she saw a hand shoot up from the back row. “Lexi! Over here!” shouted a voice. The person stood up on his seat and waved.
    Lexi’s eyes met his—it was Jeremy! He had come to cheer her on. He was there for her, not for Meredith. He was still her boyfriend and he cared! She focused on his face as the music began to play.
    â€œYou make me happy when skies are gray,” Lexi sang sweetly, right to Jeremy. Everything else blurred away. All she could see was him. “You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you…”
    When she was done, she looked at the judges. Kat Grabel was sobbing, and she was pretty sure it was not because her head hurt. In fact, a lot of people in the audience were teary—especially Lexi’s mom, who had taught her that song so many years ago.
    â€œOh, Lexi,” Harleigh said, hugging her as she came off stage. “That was absolutely beautiful.”
    Lexi shrugged. “You think so? I kind of zoned out and did what you said. I just focused on Jeremy. Do you think the judges liked it?”
    â€œYou sang from your heart,” Harleigh replied. “How could they not?”

Lexi barely had a chance to catch her breath. There were still two more categories left to complete: fitness and interview. She ducked back into the dressing room and came out wearing a Blakely Bears basketball uniform that Sadie had lent her. Meredith spotted her and started