I don't know many girls who could keep their composure after being dumped in front of the entire school. I had never been so thankful for my pageant training from Momma. After Bobby left me standing on stage alone, my chin started trembling. People were booing. Half the girls on the squad were looking at me sadly, and the other half was throwing murderous glares at Bobby and Chloe.

"Why, err, and, let's give another hand for our Homecoming King and Queen!" Principal Browning was booming into the microphone, and my eyes met Momma's in the crowd. She had her hands clasped to her heart, but plastered on her face was the biggest smile I'd seen. 'Keep smiling, sugar.' I heard her voice in my mind. 'Even when the whole world is falling down, keep that pretty smile on your face.'

I smiled for all I was worth, waving to the bleachers with a shaking hand. "Come on, Maggie." I felt Missy and Abby on either side of me, sliding their arms through mine in a show of solidarity. "Let's get out of here."

I was in a numb haze as the girls led me down the stairs and off the stage. We passed the football team, where several of the boys looked mutinous. I was great friends with a good deal of them, and Tommy looked like he wanted to strangle someone. "It'll be okay, sugar," I heard him say as I walked past him, my head held high.

We were almost to the end of the field, when we were forced to pass by Bobby and Chloe. I was a Queen. I was untouchable. I summoned every ounce of grace and poise I could and nodded grandly at both of them. I kept my features neutral.

It was only when I got into the safety of our locker room that I slid to the ground and started sobbing in the arms of my two best friends.

I don't think Bobby really thought through the ramifications of his decision. The Braves didn't just lose our Homecoming game. They got slaughtered. What was usually a tight knit unit fell apart into chaos. And then, without their captain and two best cheerleaders, the girls put on a lackluster performance.

"Maggie, he's such an idiot," Missy was saying as she wound my hair around a curling iron.

"Such a jerk." Abby agreed, patting blush on my cheeks.

The girls had convinced me to go to the dance even though all I wanted to do was stay at home and cry on the couch. Momma had taken one look at me after I stumbled home, slightly tipsy off the bottle of champagne the girls and I shared in the parking lot at school. "Oh, my sweet darling." Momma had swept me up into a perfumed hug. "What an ass!"

"Momma!" I exclaimed, surprised to hear the word fall from her lips.

"Oh, sugar, I'm absolutely warranted to curse in a situation like this. What kind of jackass does that to my baby girl? In front of the entire county, no less!"

"Princess, I'm going to call his father. Bishop should have raised his boy better." Daddy had set down the video camera on the counter, taking his cell phone out of his jacket pocket.

"Daddy, don't. I don't want to make things worse." I sunk down into the stool at our kitchen's island counter.

"Oh, look at that," Momma cooed to Daddy. "Isn't she just an absolute angel!"

Daddy smiled at me. "What a classy baby girl we have here. Keeps her grace even under pressure." He sat on the stool next to me, putting his hand on mine.

"Sugar, don't you worry. Right now, Socastee High is just like a fish bowl. Bobby's just a big fish, where you, my dear, are the most beautiful mermaid princess in all the seven seas."

"Momma," I tried to hide my smile at her example.

"It's true, princess," Daddy boomed beside me. "Bobby Bishop is just a pretty face. But, you, you have the entire world in the palm of your hand. You're beautiful, and you're brilliant."

I felt slightly better. "Really, Daddy?"

"Really, angel."

"Honey, you go to that dance tomorrow with your head held high in the sky." Momma ran her manicured fingers along the tip of my tiara.

"I don't want to go. I don't have a date." I looked down, feeling my heart break again.

"I'll make a few calls," Daddy started to get up, but I pulled him back down.

"Daddy, I don't want a blind date! I want Bobby! I don't want to go and see him and that…that…"

"That tramp!" Momma added. "Maggie, darling, it won't last. That girl is nothing next to you. Why, bless her heart, but doesn't she know that too much black is never flattering on everyone!"

"That's what I said!" I wailed.

"Baby, you go to that dance tomorrow, and you wear your crown, and you show that Bobby Bishop just what he's missing!" Momma's eyes were bright as she adjusted the tiara on my head.

And, here I was, with my two best friends doing my hair and makeup for me. I didn't have the heart to primp. After crying all night, Missy had taken one look at my puffy, red eyes and had booked me at the nearby spa for a massage and soothing facial treatment. "You are going to be the most beautiful girl at that dance, Maggie."

"Well, she already would have been," mused Abby.

"Yeah, but, you're going to sweep in there and make every single boy in there fall absolutely in love with you!" Missy said firmly.

We had driven to Coastal Grand to pick me out a new dress. Missy had decided that I no longer needed my giant cupcake confection of a gown, and wanted me to vamp it up instead. Abby had wholeheartedly agreed, and they both had pushed a slinky red dress into my arms.

"Now, take a look at yourself, sugar." Missy and Abby stepped back, already both absolutely gorgeous. Missy was wearing short, polka-dot dress that showed her amazing long legs, and Abby was a ice queen in a pale blue gown. I turned to look at myself in the mirror, and immediately shook my head.

"Girls, I can't wear this."

"Oh, you are absolutely wearing this," Abby said, pushing me towards the mirror.

"But…it's so…"

"Sexy?" Missy said with a wicked grin.

The dress was even more scandalous once we had taped my boobs up and together (in true pageant fashion). The red silk hugged every single curve of my body, dipping low in the front and exposing my back down to my tailbone. Abby had curled my auburn hair and swooped it over one eye, and Missy had applied fire engine red lipstick.

"You look like Jessica Rabbit!" Missy added.

"But, I don't want to look cheap!" I said, examining how I looked from behind.

"You don't look cheap," Momma said as she came into the bathroom. "Oh, baby." She said as I turned around to show her my dress. "I am so proud right now." As if on cue, Momma's green eyes filled with tears. "You might even be more beautiful than me," she joked, half-serious.

"See, Mags? You look great!" Abby clapped her hands together.

"You do, baby doll. That Bishop boy isn't going to know what hit him. Now, we need to get you out of the house without your father seeing. Lord knows he'd keep you locked away for the next ten years." Momma grinned, reaching forward to adjust the Homecoming Queen tiara on my head.

Both Abby and Missy, bless their hearts, had told their dates that they were going to ride with me to the dance. We were all going to meet up outside the gym and walk in together. I needed the support.

"I bet the bastard doesn't even show," Missy was saying as we parked outside the gym.

"I bet the emo tramp is wearing those trashy fishnet sleeves from Hot Topic," Abby grinned at Missy, who was driving her Daddy's Mercedes, and then winked back at me.

I mustered small smile as the girls continued to deconstruct the outfits Chloe wore to school on a daily basis. I saw Artie, Molly (his date), Tommy, Brad (Missy's date), and Graham (Abby's date). All the boys lettered in varsity sports, and Molly was on the cheer squad with us. I smiled at the sight of my friends. Even though I felt miserable, I wanted to focus on the positive. What I did have. Otherwise, I would be no better than Chloe.

The boys were looking at me strangely, though. Artie's mouth was open, and Molly was beaming. I heard a wolf-whistle. "Lord almighty, you look…" Tommy began, his blue eyes staring at the dress in awe.

Missy and Abby were hugging their dates hello and fielding compliments as Tommy smiled down at me. "I know. The dress is a bit…" I started to bite a lip, and then remembered my bright lipstick and stopped.

"Maggie, stop. You look like you belong on a red carpet somewhere, not some hick high school dance." Tommy put his hands on my shoulders. His eyes softened. "Mags, I'm glad you came."

I shrugged. "The show must go on, right?"

"Maggie, we've all grown up together," Artie said, stepping forward, his hand clasped in Molly's, who was nodding. "Bobby betrayed one of our own. You wouldn't hurt a fly, and he broke your heart in front of the whole county."

"Yeah, she's not even pretty," Molly chimed in, her black bob swinging as she nodded.

"Thanks, y'all." I tried to smile at everyone, and then turned to Tommy. "Where's Darla? Wasn't she supposed to be your date?"

Tommy's cheeks flushed, and he looked down at his feet. "Uh, yeah, I kind of told her something else came up." Tommy had been casually dating a girl who went to the neighboring Myrtle Beach High School. We had met her at Kryptonite, the big club in town, one night. She seemed nice.

I blinked at him. "But you're here!"

"Yeah, well, something did come up." Tommy reached behind him and pulled out a gorgeous orchid corsage. "One of my best friends needed a date to Homecoming."

My eyes did fill with tears then as Tommy slid the flower on my wrist. I looked at the rest of the group, who beamed back at me. "Did you guys know?"

Missy nodded. "It was a surprise! The Homecoming Queen couldn't just show up without a handsome escort!"

"We love you, Mags. This is your night," Tommy said softly, squeezing my hand. "You deserve it."

I threw my arms around him, so grateful for such a great friend. "Tom—" was all I could choke out.

"Maggie May, don't you dare cry and mess up your makeup!" Abby and Molly crowded around me, dabbing at the corners of my eyes.

Tommy met my eyes over their heads and smiled. He really did have a beautiful smile, with his square jaw and dimples. The curly blonde hair and blue eyes contrasted nicely against the black button down shirt and slim cut pants. Tommy raised a brow, and I realized I had been staring at him while the girls were fussing over my hair. I flushed, smiling back. What a nice guy, canceling his date to take me instead. I made a mental note to buy him a sweet thank you card. Momma always said that people underestimated the value of a well written thank you card.

"I have one more surprise for you, my Queen." Artie reached into his pocket and pulled out an airplane bottle of Jack Daniels. "I present liquid courage." His grin was devilish.

Momma's voice came floating to me as I took the little bottle and unscrewed the cap. 'Southern women might be delicate, sugar, but we sure can hold our whiskey!'

Wherever Mr. Jack Daniels is today, I do admit I love the man. Perhaps it is rather immoral of me, but I just can't say enough about how good a little liquor is for the ego. Tommy produced several more bottles, and we trooped into the locker room for a quick round before entering the gymnasium. I like to think I'm a down-to-earth girl. Momma always told me, 'The good Lord blessed you with those looks, sugar, so don't go thinking you're something special.' I tried to be humble, sometimes to the point where I could get self-conscious. But, when I drank, I became a whole different girl. I was confident. I was dazzling. I was all those things I could fake on cue.

Shoulders back and smile sparkling, I held Tommy's elbow and sauntered into that gym like I was working a runway. The slutty dress didn't fee slutty anymore. It felt perfect. I had worked hard for this body, and I was proud of how I looked. A DJ had set up on the far stage, and couples were dancing in the middle. Punch and appetizers were along the baseline, and more couples sat talking in the bleachers.

Pageant girls learn to walk with the beat of the music. It was something I could do naturally without thinking. The result is pretty spectacular. The good Lord gave me hips, and I knew how to work them. We made quite an entrance—my friends are pretty spectacular looking, and really, we are the life of any party. People looked and waved. I saw several people point to me. Tommy's arm tightened around my waist, and I lifted my chin, regarding them calmly in return. This was my night, and some trampy boyfriend thief was not going to ruin it.

"Oh, oh, looks like we got the Queen in the house, ladies and gentlemen," the DJ crooned into the microphone. "Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you," he sang smoothly into the microphone, flipping a record onto the table. I grinned as the Rod Steward song for which I was named began to play.

"You're the only girl I know who gets a theme song wherever she goes," Tommy murmured into my ear. His lips brushed my lobe, and I felt shivers go down my back. People did play this song for me wherever I went. Momma and Daddy had met at a Rod Stewart concert, and had shared their first kiss during "Maggie May". My name was a constant reminder of how much they loved each other.

"It's because I'm amazing," I purred back, smiling at him over one shoulder.

"You are," he agreed, staring hard at me again. My stomach flip flopped again, and it wasn't from the alcohol.

We were jostled apart as the rest of the squad came rushing over. "Mags, you look gorgeous!" called out Jenny, a brunette base.

"I love your dress!" said one of the fliers.

"I'm nothing without my friends," I demurred modestly, smiling over at Abby and Missy. "This is all because of them."

Following their dates, several players from the football team wandered over: Larry and Frankie Lewis, the twin linebackers, and Shawn Dawson, a wide receiver. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to cheer you boys on yesterday," I said, pursing my red lips in a pout.

"It's okay, darling," Frankie said, looking me from head to toe in that involuntary way that boys do and can't help.

"We're on your side, just so you know," added Larry.

"Boys, you are both just the sweetest." I laid a hand on Frankie's forearm. "But, really, don't go hurting the team because of me. It just wouldn't be right."

"You're such a better person than me," Missy sighed. "If it was me, I'd make the entire team mutiny."

We laughed together, and Tommy squeezed me again, and I felt like things were going to be okay. I was going to be able to not only get through this night, but have fun doing it.

Then he walked in with her, and my heart broke all over again.

Bobby was just as handsome as ever, in his slacks and dress shirt. His brown hair was worn different than usual—instead of gelled and curved over his eye, it was shaggy and loose. He looked slightly like a puppy dog.

I heard Missy's sharp intake of breath next to me, and she moved to my side, taking my other hand. I didn't need to look over to see that the rest of the group was glaring over at Bobby and Chloe. Not only was she wearing an ill-fitting, un-ironically vintage dress, she was wearing entirely too much black eye shadow and bright pink Chuck Taylors. Didn't anyone ever teach her about respecting herself by always looking her very best? Despite the anger I felt, my fingers itched to help her clean off her makeup and to find her a suitable pair of heels to borrow.

Several of our mutual friends wandered over to say hello to Bobby, but still cast uneasy looks in my direction. Bobby followed their gaze, and by the time he saw me, I was standing in the way Momma had shown me that best flattered a woman's body. Hips turned away, chest out, and body long and lean. I saw his eyes bug out slightly as he saw the dress. Bobby might not love me anymore, but he still was a red-blooded man. Poor dears could never help themselves.

Our eyes met for a long moment, and I felt a spark of old connection. I pressed my lips together, gripping Missy and Tommy's hands for all I was worth to keep from reaching out for him. Then, Chloe looked over at me. Her eyes narrowed like I was an insect on the bottom of her shoe. Her eyes still on me, she nuzzled into the side of Bobby's body. He broke eye contact with me to smile down at her.

My heart wrenched all over again, and suddenly, despite the fire going through my blood from the whiskey, I just wanted to go home and cry again. Tommy was shaking his head, "I hate how he's disrespecting you, Mags."

"Don't be angry, Tommy." I had to turn away to keep from seeing him kiss her in front of the entire gym, who predictably had lost interest in dancing and was now watching the non-verbal exchange between Bobby's group of friends and my group of friends. "He's your best friend."

"But, so are you. And he's wrong in this situation." I snuck a peek back over to where he was standing, and he was kissing her again, this time, almost dramatically. Like he had something to prove. "I want to leave. Tommy, please take me home."

"You're not going home." Tommy looked down at me suddenly, his blue eyes sharp. "You're going to get even."

Then, with the entire gym watching, Tommy Phillips crushed me against his body and pressed his lips against mine.

((A/N: Well, due to some lovely reviews, I absolutely am going to keep going. But, don't worry Lifestyles fans. I'll keep writing there too!

I haven't done responses in awhile, and I was so happy I wanted to write a few for the reviews that really made me happy. (I love all of you, but a few really made me want to answer!)

Skive: Something I really hate is two-dimensional characters. I totally agree. I always try to write characters as people. No one in life is two-dimensional, even those bitches we all hate. Even bitches laugh while playing with puppies, right? And puppy lovers are never that bad. Also, the country is cute. I'm Southern by location, and I can just hear of them talking so clearly in my head. It makes me happy.

Pretitful: First of all, love the name. I'm always saying things are "pretttiful!" to people. Second, isn't this perspective interesting? There really are two sides to the story. I'm really trying to write this taking Chloe's mindset into account too. I mean, people assume all the time that the beautiful girl is automatically a bitch, and hearing a mean comment at lunch could completely predjudice a girl. And really, who can resist the most handsome boy in the world? There are so many sides to each story, and I really want to explore it!

Iiheartyuu: I'm super interested in the "other woman" concept. Another one of my stories (Like White Russians) actually deals with an "other woman" scenario from a different viewpoint. I'm excited to see how this progresses too! I probably could have been more clear about the passage of time…I'll have to remember to do that when I go back and edit.

Venussmurf1: oh, I bet there will be a happy ending for dear Maggie may!

Jessnutsss: yeah, a lot of stuff on FP is exactly the same. I actually got inspired when reading a random story on here. I had to stop and go, but what about that girl? What about her feelings!? Hence, Maggie was born.

Sorry I didn't get to everyone, but please please keep telling me how you feel and what you want to see. I love you all madly.

XOXO That Girl You Love))