”Do I look good,Lizzy?” asked Jessica. The younger of the pair by four minutes,Jessica was the brassier twin. She had a certain type of teenage sexuality which she wasn’t afraid to show off by any means possible,whether it be through her midriff-baring shirts or her sexy smile or the sultry voice which often accompanied said smile. Jessica was one of the more popular girls in their class at SVH. She hung out with girls like Lila Fowler and Amy Sutton,the type of girls who hopped from boyfriend to boyfriend as frequently as they changed clothes.
On the other hand,Elizabeth was the more conservative twin. She dressed in more smart clothing than her sister,befitting the journalist she wanted to be someday. She didn’t mind a good party,but she could also be found studying or helping someone do their homework. She also served as features editor for The Oracle,the official Sweet Valley High School newspaper,second only to Roger Collins,the brilliant former English teacher who now served solely as the paper’s advisor. Her group of friends included people like Enid Rollins and Winston Egbert,people known more for their academic talents than much else.
”You look good” said Elizabeth,adjusting her dress. They went into the gym together and were greeted by a cacophony of light,sound,and dancing bodies. This was the Sweet Valley High 56th Annual Homecoming Dance,and as usual it was a lively affair. The Androids*,Sweet Valley High’s resident band, were playing up on the stage. Elizabeth winked a greeting at Dana Larson,their fellow junior,who was the bandleader. Next to her,Emily Mayer maintained her drumbeat while Sandra Bacon played up a storm on the keyboard and Max Dellon handled bass. The two singers,Lynne Henry and Tamara Chase,were halfway through some girl power ballad probably of Emily’s composition.
”They’re really on point tonight!”, Jessica yelled over the noise. Liz had to agree with her. The Androids had been the highlight of the dances for quite some time now. Looking for an escape route,she saw it in Enid Rollins’ arrival. The slim,pretty brunette walked over to them.
”Elizabeth! Jessica!”
”Hi,Enid”, Jess said with a slight waver in her voice. “You look pretty tonight!”
Enid looked down at her white shift-dress. “Thanks!” With that,she hooked Elizabeth’s arm in hers and headed for the snack bar.
”Impressive save on her part.”
Jessica whirled around and saw her fellow cheerleader Maria Santelli standing against the wall. “What are you talking about,Maria?”
”Look how Enid just decided to go off with Liz. Shows how much you’ve yet to learn.”
Jessica jutted out her chin. “Says who? I’m one of the most popular girls here.”
”Says me,your co-captain and friend.”
Jess looked at Maria. Maria looked at Jess for a few moments before dissolving in laughter at her own jape. The two walked deeper into the crowd,Jessica noting the dresses the girls wore. Tricia Martin and Cammi Adams passed her,clutching punch cups and laughing about something (probably boys,knowing those two). Helen Bradley was talking up a storm with Mike Harris. Cara Walker was trying to get John Pfeiffer,Liz’s Oracle co-editor,to dance with her,but he was interested in Bethel McCoy. Team captain Robin Wilson came in on Tom McKay’s arm. It was the usual scene at these things,Jess thought until she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder.
”Hi,Winston. What’s up?” Winston Egbert was a weedy but handsome boy with shoulder-length brown hair.
”The voting’s started. I’m in charge of king votes,Chloe Murphy’s in charge of queen votes,and Rosie’s in charge of court votes.” Rosie Shaw was Jess’ fellow cheerleader and a good friend of Winston’s.
”How’s it going?”
”Looks like you’ve a decent chance at winning.”
”Thanks.” She gave him a wink:she’d known since middle school that he liked her. He went off back to his station.
”Elizabeth!”
”What?”
”I voted for you!”, Susan Wyler said in an excited tone,her face bright in the lights. Jessica could see where she was coming from;she and Liz did look alike. But who was she to let her think she was her sister?
”That’s nice to know,Sue dear,but I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong twin”, Jess said with a forced smile. “I’m Jessica. You’ve gone to school with us since kindergarten,so I’d have thought you’d know the difference by now.”
”Sorry”, Sue said exaggeratedly, rolling her grey eyes to drive home the point. “You both look so much alike.” She disappeared into the crowd,doubtlessly to find her boyfriend,Ed Franklin. Jess scarcely had any time to react before Mike Sanford stood in front of her.
”Hey,Jess!”, the tall boy grinned. “We still on for Friday?”
Jessica smiled at him and clasped his shoulder. “Of course,Mike. Just as long as you voted for me!”
”Sure did!”, he hollered before melting into the crowd to score a dance with his sister Heather. As he disappeared he gave her a thumbs up.,just as Jess caught a glimpse of Winston dancing Annie Whitman around the floor. The pretty brunette laughed at one of Winston’s patented stories,then leaned in to kiss his cheek. Jess felt a blush well up in her face but was saved by the timely arrival of little Jean West.
”Wanna dance,Jess?” she asked in an excitable tone.
”Sure thing,Jeannie!”. Jessica usually wasn’t one to dance with her fellow girls,but for people like Jeannie she could make an exception given how long they’d known each other. Jess let the petite redhead lead her onto the floor. Within moments she found that for a girl,Jeannie made a good dance partner. With a lift of a long thin arm she twirled Jess through a full 360 degrees. She handed a thrilled Jess off to Mandy Miller with a smile.
”Someone’s been having a great evening”, Mandy said with a grin. She was a tall,pretty girl with dark hair and a tan. She and Jess had once been members of the exclusive Unicorn Club,back when they were in middle school. In fact,most of the Unicorns were here tonight.
”Yeah! Say,Mandy,may I have this dance?”, Jess asked in a mock-flirtatious tone.
”Sure thing!”, Mandy laughed. Jess found that dancing with her was almost as good as dancing with Jeannie. Owing to the dancing classes she’d taken when she was younger,Mandy had a natural felicity of movement that guided Jess along with her.
(don’t mind me,I’m a page break)
Not too far away,Liz stood next to Enid and watched Jess and Mandy cut a rug. “Wow!”, Enid said to her bestie. “Jess is such a talented dancer!”
”So they say”, Liz replied with a strained smile. She had danced with Winston as well as with Todd Wilkins (her sometime boyfriend),Barry Roarke,Tom McKay,and Tony Esteban. Liz preferred to dance with boys she knew she liked. “You wanna know something,Enid? Sometimes I feel smothered by Todd. I just want to date someone else once or twice,you know?”
”I wouldn’t mind being smothered by someone like Todd!”
”Enid,we’ve both known him since middle school. He’s just so handsome,but I don’t know if I could commit to something with him. And he put me up for Queen without even checking with me. Who does that?”
”Couldn’t you have pulled out?”, Enid asked.
”Too much paperwork for me when the ballots were already printed.”
”So who are the lucky candidates?”
”Me,Jess,Amy,Brooke Dennis,Julie Porter,and Vita Mendez. Regina Morrow and Abbie Richardson withdrew their candidacies.”
”I hope Julie wins. She’s one of the most popular girls we know.”
”I hope Jessica wins. It’s what she wants,and what Jessica wants,she gets.” Both of them knew the truth of that statement.
Enid decided to change the subject. ”So what are you doing your women’s history paper on,Liz?”
”Valentina Ponomaryova and her mission on Rodina 5.”
“Who?”
”The first woman to walk on the Moon.”
Before Enid could say anything,a recorded feedback noise signaled the onstage arrival of John Pfeiffer. He smiled. “As chairman of the Sweet Valley High Homecoming Committee,it’s my pleasure to welcome some fine-looking ladies up here. Our Homecoming Court is seven boys and seven girls strong. It consists of Barry Roarke,Kerry Glenn,Gene White,April Dawson,Bill Chase,Susan Stewart,Morgan Gathers,Darcy Kayman,Jim Regis,Andrea Slade,Manny Lopez,Sandra Ferris,Guy Chesney,and Grace Oliver.” John took a breath. “Tom,some royal tunes if you will?” Tom McKay cranked up some vaguely classical music.
“The King’s already been determined,but I’ll name our candidates for Queen. First up,Princess Vita Mendez!” The tall,friendly Latina waved at the crowd,and some people waved back at her. Everyone liked Vita,even Lila Fowler. The band played a Latin sting as she took her place next to Jim Regis,whose girlfriend Lianne Kane was manning the refreshments table.
“Princess Julie Porter!” Julie looked like an excitable little puppy as she stood next to Manny Lopez,her new boyfriend. Her sister Johanna was President of the senior class and she’d been one of Liz’s best friends for years. Liz waved at her as she ascended the stage,taking up position next to Andrea.
”Princess Brooke Dennis!” A cheer went up for the pretty,popular brunette as she stood next to Morgan Gathers. The daughter of Coco Grey,the operatic singer,Brooke was another Unicorn alumna. She preened for the crowd,earning her another cheer,and shook Morgan’s hand. Turning back to the crowd,she gave a mock bow and went to stand between April and Julie.
“Princess Amy Sutton!” The willowy blonde,who happened to be close to both Elizabeth and Jessica,waved to the crowd as she ascended the stage,shook Bruce’s hand,and stood next to Guy,flashing him a flirtatious look.
”Princess Elizabeth Wakefield!” Liz’s throat felt dry as she approached Bruce and he shook her hand. “Congrats,Liz. You look gorgeous tonight.”
She felt herself blushing. “Thank you,John”. He turned back to the mike. “Princess Jessica Wakefield!”
Liz saw Jessica stand between Amy and Guy (she herself was next to Kerry,another of her friends from middle school). She wondered if Jess was half as nervous as she was. John cleared his throat and Liz felt her ears ringing.
”And our Homecoming Queen is.......Elizabeth Wakefield!”
(don’t mind me,I’m a page break)
To say that Elizabeth was surprised would’ve been the understatement of the year.....no,the decade. She was the Homecoming Queen? She,the more responsible and less flirtatious of the school’s golden twins? How was something like this possible? She was almost sure she heard a voice demanding a recount.
She was vaguely aware of Julie standing next to her,offering her a cup of water. She took the cup and drank from it,self-consciously handing it back to her oldest friend. As Julie resumed her previous position John cleared his throat.
”I know that was rather unexpected,and believe me,I was surprised too. Congratulations again,Liz,on your deserved win.” The resulting cheer made Liz feel a little better about tonight. “But as the good man says,every queen needs her king. Tonight’s Homecoming King,I’m proud to announce,is my good buddy Winston Egbert.”
At that statement the crowd hushed as though John had confessed to murdering both Principal Cooper and Vice-Principal Dalton at the same time. Sure,Winston was a nice guy,and certainly he was popular with most,but Homecoming King? John might as well have named him President of the United States. He strode forth from somewhere in the crowd and bowed to John.
”Thank you,thank you,one and all! Next to the day I kissed Olivia Davidson in the third grade,this is the happiest day of my life! For my first decree,I hereby free all the lab rats in the school,except for my two pets,whom I shall name “Pinky” and “The Brain”” Another,confused laugh from the crowd.
“And for my second decree,it’s partay time!” A cheer went up from the kids as,unnoticed except by a few,Winston dashed off the stage,whooping wildly. He caught up with Elizabeth next to a door. “So,wanna dance,Lizzie?”
”You bet!” After all,why wouldn’t she? Winston was her best male friend other than Todd,and she sometimes thought that if Todd didn’t exist they’d be together. He was a funny boy and most of their class,boys and girls alike,liked him.
