Episode 56: Scene Three
"You know, Shannon, pink doesn't become you."
Shannon whipped around at the sound of a famliar voice, her mouth immediately bursting into a radiant smile. Her arms flew out and she ran towards a tall, slender young woman. "Macie! Oh my lord, when did you get here?"
"Well, I would have been here sooner, but I got stuck on the runway in NYC," Macie Freemont groaned as she rolled her eyes and pulled her little sister into a headlock. "If planes could honk, I would have been up in the front cabin banging on the horn."
Shannon quickly drew back from her sister, her eyes wide in awe. "You were in, dare I say it, New York City? The New York City."
"Please tell me you're not still stuck on that BAO."
"BAO?" Shannon's eyebrows arched in confusion.
"Big Apple Obsession. I thought you'd grow out of that, but alas, somethings never change. So, what's up?"
Shannon's smile quickly disappeared, being replaced by a hardened, angered look. "Can you believe that there's a girl in this school blackmailing me into helping her get with this guy?"
Macie put her hands on her hips and clucked her tongue. "Oh, no she didn't! And you're letting this little hussie get away with that?"
"You know I don't want to," Shannon was quick to say, "but I don't have much of a choice. She's blackmailing me, Mase."
"How can she do that if there's nothing to blackmail with?" Macie said, and then noticed how Shannon's body suddenly tense. "There isn't anything that she can blackmail you with, is there?"
"Look, there's just stuff that's going on here that I'd rather not be talking about right now. The main thing is that I have to find a way to get that girl off my back."
"Well, who is she? Maybe I could have a little chat with her, if you know what I mean," Macie smiled as she nudged Shannon with her elbow.
"Thanks, sis, but no. I wanna take care of this one on my own. As soon as I come up with a way to get myself out of this crap, I will. But enough about my problems," Shannon immediately jumped up and put an arm around her sisters neck. "Are you hungry?"
"Absolutely famished. I thought you'd never ask. Would you believe that after almost two-hours on the runway, they wouldn't give us anymore than three drops of Coke and some month-old bread?"
"I believe ya! But trust me, there are some awesome booths down at the carnival that will quickly fill your hungry lil' tummy," Shannon laughed while patting Kacie's stomach.
"Carnival? What carnival?"
"Well, Miss Freemont, you have arrived just in time for the Beach Blast 2001. It is the coolest of all cool summer carnivals, with booths, games, and, of course, sun-bathing. I hope you brought your sunglasses, darlin', 'cause you sure are gonna need 'em!"
Macie patted the 1970s-rooted glasses that were raised just above her creamy forehead and smiled. "You should know that Macie Freemont always comes prepared. So let's head on down to that booth you were talking about and then catch some rays. I haven't had a tan in months."
Shannon and her older sister began skipping out of the Arboretum as they used to when they were little girls. Just as Shannon was finally beginning to forget about all of her troubles, someone caught her eye. There, in a corner of the large room, was Marlo, waving her down as if she were a 747 coming in for a landing. Smile still present and gaze unfaltering, Shannon merely tossed her head and looked back up at Macie. Nothing was going to ruin her day, not even Marlo. Besides, she was going to find a way to take care of her. Someway, somehow, she would get herself out of that situation and finally concentrate on what mattered to her: family, friends, and her theater.