Grape Bubblegum

by Beth Bowland

Mom walked in the room and stared at my hair. She tilted her head to the side and scrunched her eyebrows together. “I like it. I really do.”

  Juan walked around my mother and started feeling her hair. “Hmm, Mrs. Peppercorn, I have some time before my next appointment.” He continued to pull her hair all around. “I see something short and sassy.”

  Mom reached up and smacked his hand. “Juan, kindly put my hair down.”

  “Who are you?” Shannan squealed. I spun around so she could see my new do from all angles. “Oh, I love it, Bebe. It’s so you.”

  “Better than my creation at the beginning of the school year?”

  “Yeah. This color fits you much better.”

  “Thanks, Shannan. Or, should I say ‘Auntie Shannan’!” I hugged her. “Congratulations!”

  Shannan’s eyes grew wide. “Since it was at a birthing center, I was able to be in the room with my sister and actually watch my niece being born.”

  “Really? What was that like?”

  “It was cool! But when the baby actually came out, it was gross!” she said and started laughing. “Those TV shows lied. Babies are not born all cleaned-up, and Michelle looked like a psycho woman.”

  “Too funny!”

  “Did your mom find shoes to match your dress?” Shannan switched to her favorite subject. Dances.

  “No, not yet, but we’ve narrowed it down to three different styles. Can you believe it’s already that time?”

  “Are you kidding? This entire school year has zipped by so fast, I’m still trying to catch up.” Shannan beamed. “This is going to be the best eighth-grade formal that Washington has ever had. My crew has worked extremely hard on it. I know everyone will have a great time.”

  And I was actually looking forward to it.

  Making my way down the hall, I felt stares coming from several of the students. Feeling more confident with my new hairstyle, there was an added pep to my step. To complete the package, I wore one of my new birthday outfits. Near my locker, I walked past Joel who immediately did a double take.

  “Whoa! Look at you, QB.” Joel grinned and nodded his approval.

  Several of his buddies that were standing with him also gave me the thumbs up. This was so going to be a great day!

  Spencer was standing in front of Mr. Dodd’s class waiting for me. I felt nervous. He quickly put me at ease.

  “Wow.” Spencer ran his fingers through my hair. “Nice.”

  “You like?”

  “Yeah. You’re beautiful.”

  Spencer and I stood in the hall and chatted until the bell rang.

  “You’re late,” I said, giving him a quick hug.

  “I don’t care,” he whispered in my ear.

  I entered the classroom, smiling.

  Chapter 26

  IT IS FINALLY HERE, I thought to myself as I stared into my closet. Looking back at me was an ivory sheath gown that actually made my fourteen-year-old tomboyish frame look curvy. The dress had spaghetti straps, and bronze and pearl beads encrusted the front bodice of the dress. It was perfect. A much better selection than what my mother had originally picked out. Talk about embarrassing.

  After I’d tried that one on and looked in the mirror, I’d almost fainted. Puffs were everywhere, on the sleeves, the skirt…It took a long time to explain to my mother that puffs were only cute on five-year-old girls during Easter programs at church.

  Mom walked into the room. “Need help getting into your dress?” Her voice cracked as she spoke.

  “Mom, don’t you dare start crying,” I said.

  The tears began flowing down her cheeks. Too late.

  She reached for a tissue on the dresser and dabbed at her eyes. “Oh, you’re just growing up too fast. You’ll start high school in the fall.”

  “Don’t remind me. I really hope the school board won’t pass that uniform rule.”

  “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it passed,” Mom said.

  “Ugh. You’re kidding. I so don’t want to wear those tacky khaki pants every day.”

  “There’s always skirts.”

  “Double ugh!”

  “Well, no need to be thinking about that now. Let’s get you into that dress.”

  “Beatrice, Spencer’s here,” Dad yelled up the stairs.

  I spun around in front of the mirror again, checking to make sure everything was in its place. Hair: chic. Dress: showstopping. Accessories: dazzling.

  Approaching the stairwell, I tried to hear what Dad was saying to Spencer. Sounded like they were talking sports.

  Slowly I walked down the stairs, concentrating on my steps. Yes, I was wearing real heels. The last thing I wanted to do was fall down the steps in front of Spencer. So, I had practiced walking in them for a week.

  “You look beautiful, princess.” Dad kissed me on the cheek.

  Auntie waltzed over and checked me out from head to toe. “Lovely. Absolutely lovely,” she said. “I was afraid you’d look like one of those loose women.”

  “Thanks for the compliment, Auntie.”

  Spencer was dressed in a black tux, ivory shirt, and silk tie. Boy, was he sharp. We looked like a bride and groom.

  “You look really pretty, Bea.” He placed my corsage on my wrist.

  We took a ton of pictures before leaving.

  Next, we would head over to Shannan’s house to pick up her and Joel. Our parents had all pitched in together and rented us a sleek, black limousine. Joel’s uncle was the driver.

  Once my parents shut the door and waved goodbye to us, Spencer moved and sat next to me.

  “Ah, this is much better,” he said, grinning at me.

  “Yeah, I figured you were playing it safe.”

  Spencer hung his head. “Busted.”

  When we pulled up in front of the house, Shannan and Joel were getting their pictures taken. Mitzie walked across the street, and holding her hand was Aidan, the cute wrestler. Spencer and I were both shocked. After exchanging awkward greetings, we joined them for pictures.

  While posing, I felt Mitzie looking at me.

  “Not too shabby, Peppercorn.” She half smiled. “Your hair is all right,” she remarked.

  I knew that was the closest thing to a compliment I’d get from her.

  “Thanks, Mitzie.”

  Shannan was gorgeous in her red halter dress. Mitzie shimmered from head to toe in a gold couture gown. Joel and Aidan both wore a black tux, each with coordinating shirt and ties to match their dates.

  Later, when we climbed back into the limo with Joel and Shannan, Mitzie and Aaron got into a white stretch Escalade.

  “To us,” Shannan said. She held up a champagne glass filled with sparkling cider. “And to the last hurrah as we end our drama-filled journey at Washington Middle School.”

  “To us!” we echoed.

  As we walked the red carpet lining the entryway, clusters of students gathered here and there whispering, joking and laughing, dressed in sparkling tops and dresses. Some wore entirely too much makeup. Overall, everyone looked really nice. Shannan, once again, did not disappoint. The DJ played all the hottest music. Spencer and I tried to out-dance each other on the dance floor.

  “May I cut in?” Billy Jacobs asked Spencer, who in turn looked at me.

  “I don’t mind,” I answered.

  Spencer whirled me around again. “Okay, I think I can spare one dance.” He grinned.

  Billy looked really nice; his hair was stylishly cut, face zit-free. He’d successfully maintained the new look that his grandma had given him.

  “Billy, you look like you’re losing weight,” I said.

  “Yep, I’ve lost twenty pounds.” He did an exaggerated dance step. “Next year, I’m going to have those girls at Carson High eating out of my hands.”

  “I think you will.”

  Billy smiled.

  After the song ended, I was once again in Spencer’s arms, slowly dancing to a woman singing about her first love. My boyfriend looked at me, blew a bubble and
smiled, exposing a patch of grape bubblegum stuck to his braces. Then he kissed me.

  Pure perfection.

  Acknowledgments

  Wow! Where do I even start with the thanks! First off, thank you Musa Publishing & staff for publishing my story. Kathy Teel who discovered this diamond in the rough and to Susan Sipal and her eagle eyes for molding it into a much better story through the revision process. Coreen Montagna, the fabulous book designer who made the insides all pretty. And the fantabulous Kelly Shorten aka Kells for the beautiful cover art.

  To you dear reader—Thank you so much for your support. I appreciate you taking the time to read Grape Bubblegum!

  The next groups of folks were always willing to read through the rough pages. Joy Tolliver-West, Gloria Caldwell, Toni Price, Greta Hillman, Patrick Dillon, Millicent Martin-Poole, Candace Norris, Brett Sturkey, Darlene Troxler-Cotton, Matt Howe, Patricia Givand-Holt, Tavernar “Tammy” Baxter, Kristi Holl & Michelle Dorsey. Thank you for the encouragement, feedback & support!

  Thank you Lord, for blessing me with the gift of creativity. Thank you to my beautiful mother Ruby Staples, and my father, the late Ernest Staples who is cheering me on from heaven, the greatest in-laws James and Rebecca Bowland & the best son-in-law ever Joel L. Todd Jr, for your continued words of encouragement and prayers.

  My daughter Shannan Todd, my #1 cheerleader, who encouraged me to finally just sit down and write and as I’ve watched her grow in adulthood has single-handedly given me a lifetime of storylines!

  Lastly, I want to thank my, wonderful, loving, husband Phillip for being so understanding of the chaotic and at times emotional life of a writer. For all the cooking, cleaning, laundry (with only 1 shrunken blouse to date), while I sat hunched over a keyboard. Thank you for your prayers and special words of encouragement. Words cannot truly express the gratitude I feel. I love you more than………………….

  About the Author

  Beth Bowland, a children’s book author, has always enjoyed writing and making up stories. She has two middle-grade novels with Musa Publishing, Grape Bubblegum and Sinclair Summer, coming Dec 28, 2012. She has one daughter and resides in Arlington Texas, with her husband, Phillip, and feisty 5lb Maltese, Rocky.

  www.bethbowland.com