A/N: Hello everyone, I am back with my next Loud House story. Before I press onward, I must explain: the story I was going to start had to be delayed as I wasn't feeling confident in how it was starting out. Thus, I am going to do this one - shot then take a little break to plan. I'll then return to Loud House with a new story which I have the basis for down.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Loud House
It was a beautiful, sunny day in Royal Woods. Having gotten the okay from their parents, Lola and Lana Loud went out to Ketchum Park so they could play. Royal Woods had a really low crime rate so Lynn Sr. and Rita where fine with them being alone. Once there, Lola practice her pageant walks while Lola played in the sandbox.
"Can't you do that at home?" asked Lana annoyed.
"Yes, but here I can judge the response from people walking by." answered Lola.
"Of course." sighed Lana.
"It's not for ego. I use their response to judge what works and what doesn't." explained Lola.
"That's really smart." replied Lana.
"Linky taught me." noted Lola proudly.
Lola was so grateful she had such a great pageant coach.
"Plus, I need all the practice I can get." said Lola.
"Oh yeah, you some pageant coming up." recalled Lana.
"Little Miss Saginaw Bay and Lindsey Sweetwater is going to be there." said Lola determined.
Lola calmed herself.
"I always beat her, but if I don't practice I could easily lo...lo...you know." said Lola.
"You mean lose." guessed Lana.
Lola nodded her head confirming.
"Hey, what's your deal with Lindsey Sweetwater anyway?" asked Lana.
"We both entered the pageant circuit at the same time, but I always win and that tears her up." answered Lola.
"Oh yeah, didn't she once bobby trap the backstage?" asked Lana.
"Yes, but she was cleared." answered Lola.
Lola looked around.
"I think she bribed the officials." whispered Lola.
"That pageant stuff was fun and all, but give me good old mud any day!" declared Lana.
The two heard a familiar jingle.
"Ice cream!' cried the twins in unison.
The two ran and got their ice cream which Lola paid for.
"What flavor did you get?" asked Lana.
"Strawberry." answered Lola.
"I got rocky road." noted Lana.
As Lana went to take a lick, she spotted a sign she hadn't seen before.
"When did that go up?" asked Lana.
Lola looked over and spotted the sign.
"Oh. Must be new." said Lola nervously.
Lana raised her eyebrow.
"What?!" asked Lola defensively.
"You can read that sign, right?" asked Lana suspicious.
"Of course." answered Lola, clearly lying.
"Then do it." demanded Lana.
"I..." began Lola sweating.
"Are you afraid?" asked Lana.
"Of course not." answered Lola.
Lola looked at the sign and took a deep breath.
"N...N..N...oh...No. D...ooh..gaz..." began Lola.
"It's says no dogs without a leash." revealed Lana.
"I knew that." huffed Lola.
"I though those special classes where helping." said Lana.
Lola quickly covered her twins' mouth.
"Nobody can now I'm not a good reader." said Lola.
Lana removed Lola's hand from her mouth.
"What's the big deal?" asked Lana.
"In the world of pageant even the smallest flaw can be turned against you." answered Lola.
Little did they know, someone had overheard the two talking.
"Now that's interesting." mused Lindsey Sweetwater evilly.
A few days later and Vanzilla arrived at Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan. This was the sigh of the Miss Saginaw Bay Pageant as noted by a banner hanging outside. Rita parked Vanzilla and led Lola inside. They made their way to the auditorium where Rita signed Lola in. Once they set up, Lola decided to check out the competition. To no surprise, she spotted Lindsey Sweetwater talking to a few other girls.
"Hello Lindsey, ready to lose again?" asked Lola confident.
Lindsey and the other two girls, one blonde the other African American, snickered.
"Hey Lola, nice to see you." said Lindsey.
Lindsey and the other two girls held back laughs.
"What's going on?" asked Lola.
"Nothing." answered Lindsey.
The girls held back more laughter.
"I know something is going on and I want to know." demanded Lola.
"Like I said...it's nothing." replied Lindsey.
The three where ready to burst.
"Oh wait." said Lindsey.
Lindsey left and returned a minute later with a clipboard.
"Here." said Lindsey.
Lindsey handed the clipboard to Lola while continuing to hold back laugher.
"What is it?" asked Lola.
"It's our contestant number. You have to find yours." answered Lindsey.
Lola raised her eyebrow.
"Something stinks about this." thought Lola suspicious.
"Go ahead. Tell me what your number is." requested Lindsey.
Lola gulped and looked at the paper, but she was overwhelmed quickly.
"I..." began Lola.
"What's wrong?" asked Lindsey, with faux concern.
"I'm number seven." said Lola proudly.
The three girls began to laugh wildly.
"What's so funny?" asked Lola uneasy.
"That's a notice for a school play!" answered Lindsey.
"I knew that." replied Lola.
"You really can't read!" laughed Lindsey.
Lola felt a dagger go right through her heart.
"Of course, I can!" declared Lola.
Lindsey pulled a book out of her bag and gave it to Lola.
"Read." demanded Lindsey.
"Fine." replied Lola.
Lola gulped nervously. As she tried to read to herself, she found herself struggling.
"We're waiting." said Lindsey.
"Once upon a time..." began Lola.
Lindsey started to laugh again.
"That's a book about etiquette! This proves you can't read!" declared Lindsey.
"Lola can't read! Lola can't read!" chanted the other girls.
"Of course, I can." said Lola.
"What a baby." said the blonde who Lindsey was talking with.
"I bet her still wears diapers." said the African American girl who Lindsey was talking with.
"I don't!" cried Lola.
Tears where starting to build in Lola's eyes.
"Oh, is the little baby going to cry?" asked Lindsey mockingly.
Lola covered her ears.
"Stop it!" cried Lola.
"Baby! Baby! Baby!" chanted the other girls.
"Stop!" cried Lola.
"This pageant isn't for dumb babies. You should go home." said Lindsey.
"I..." stammered Lola.
Lola ran off crying.
"Anyone who tries to cross me will end up the same." warned Lindsey.
The pageant was a disaster. Lola couldn't focus because of the constant teasing by the other contestants. She tripped on the runway, stumbled on the question and faceplanted during her ribbon dance. The icing on the cake was the fact Lindsey Sweetwater won. Rita tried to cheer her daughter up on the ride home, but it didn't work. Lola shut herself up in her room going as far as kicking Lana out. Worried, Lana decided to seek help. He got Lincoln who popped his head in the twins' room.
"Hey Lola." said Lincoln softly.
Lola was lying on her bed.
"I heard what happened." said Lincoln.
"I don't want to talk about it." replied Lola dryly.
Lincoln entered the room closing the door behind her.
"Can you tell me what happened?" asked Lincoln.
"No." answered Lola firmly.
"I'm your brother and I love you." noted Lincoln.
"I know that." said Lola.
"And I want to help you." said Lincoln.
Lola stayed silent.
"But I can't do that if you won't let me." said Lincoln.
"It was her." said Lola.
"Who?" asked Lincoln confused.
"Lindsey Sweetwater." answered Lola bitterly.
"What did she do?" asked Lincoln worried.
"She picked on me because I can't read." answered Lola sadly.
"I'm so sorry." said Lincoln sympathetic.
Lincoln knelt down and took Lola's hand in hers.
"Nobody should ever be made fun of." said Lincoln.
"I don't even know how she found out." noted Lola.
"Who knows." sighed Lincoln.
"It wasn't just her though." said Lola.
"The other girls joined in." mused Lincoln.
Lola nodded her head confirming.
"They all teamed up making fun of me." said Lola sadly.
Tears began to well up in Lola's eyes.
"They called me a baby and Lindsey called me a dumb baby." sobbed Lola.
"It's okay." said Lincoln gently.
Lincoln wiped the tears away.
"It's okay. You're not a baby." said Lincoln.
"Maybe I am a dumb baby." said Lola sadly.
"No!" cried Lincoln.
Lola shot up in surprise.
"You a sweet, lovely girl! I never wanted to hear you put yourself down!" declared Lincoln.
"But..." began Lola.
"No buts." replied Lincoln.
Lincoln took a moment to calm himself down.
"Just because you have a hard time reading doesn't mean your dumb or a baby. A lot of people have struggled to read." said Lincoln.
"Really?" asked Lola hopeful.
"Yes. Everyone has something they have trouble with. I stick at sports." answered Lincoln.
"I guess Lynn got all the good sports skill." said Lola with a faint smile.
"Yeah." agreed Lincoln.
Lincoln chuckled.
"You can't let what other people say get to you." noted Lincoln.
"How do I do that?" asked Lola.
"Some people won't like you and you can't do anything about it. Just be true to yourself." answered Lincoln.
Lola hugged her older brother.
"I love you Linky." said Lola.
"I love you too." said Lincoln.
Lincoln rubbed his chin.
"I think ice cream might make you feel better." proposed Lincoln.
"That might work." agreed Lola smiling.
The two left and found Lana outside. Lana had pressed her ear to the door and heard their conversation. The three went to kitchen for ice cream.
"Thanks Lincoln." said the girls.
"No problem." replied Lincoln happily.
The trio began digging in.
"I'm just glad you're feeling better." said Lincoln.
"Thanks to you and Lana." noted Lola.
"I just got Lincoln." shrugged Lana.
"And he wouldn't have made me feel better if you hadn't." replied Lola.
Lana blushed.
"Um Lincoln..." began Lola.
"What is it?" asked Lincoln.
"I was wondering if you could help me practice reading after we're done." answered Lola sheepishly.
"I'd love to." said Lincoln.
A/N: That's where we'll end this story. I hope you liked this little piece. I thought it came out good. So, I will be returning to Loud House with my next story starting at the end of June and it will be heavy. Please review.