Maria read the Annual Dress Showoff flyer on the Hyland Middle School’s bulletin board. “ On November 12, Casey and Brianna will again hold the Annual Dress Showoff in the Hyland Middle School’s gym. You must make your own original designer’s dress and model the dress. Casey and Brianna will judge, and the winner will get a $45.00 gift card to Joel’s Dresses, (the best dress store in Kansas).

“ Hey, Maria that sounds like fun!” said Meagan, Maria’s best friend.
“It does, but are you sure Casey and Brianna will even let us enter? I mean, they are the most popular girls at Hyland Middle School and they hate us,” Maria murmured.
“Come on,” Meagan begged “Please?”
Maria thought and finally said in a unsure voice, “Okay.”


After school, Meagan and Maria sat on the local park bench and talked about what the dress should look like. “Maybe we could make a leaf dress, you know, because it is autumn!” Meagan suggested. Maria made a funny face.
“ Really, do you think the most popular girls at school would pick a leaf dress to win?” Maria said.
Meagan sighed.“No.”
“Why don’t we each make a dress and exchange them to enter in the contest? Maria suggested. Meagan thought about it.“Yeah that sounds good.”


The next week, both girls brought their finished dresses and gave them to each other. Maria gave Meagan a silky, light blue dress with spaghetti straps and a light green belt to go with it. “ This is so pretty!” Meagan exclaimed!
“Thanks!” Maria said. Then, Meagan gave Maria a ragged un-even dress that had patches of different colors everywhere. “Uh, this is what you made?” Maria stuttered.
“Yeah! I think it will be the next new style!”
Meagan grinned.
“You are sure right about that! Maria said . “ The next ugliest dress in the world style!” Maria shouted. Megan ran down the hall crying. “What am I going to do now? Maria thought. “ The show is tomorrow, and I have the world’s ugliest dress.”


At home Maria sat on her bed and thought. She decided not to call Meagan, because Meagan could hold grudges a long time. Finally, the show came. Meagan wore the dress Maria had made for her knowing for sure that she was going to win, and that Maria would get mad that she was wearing her dress. But when she got to the gym, she saw everyone but Maria. All the girls absolutely loved Meagan’s dress.


When it was show time, Meagan went, and everyone clapped. Casey even gave her a thumbs up. She knew she had the prettiest dress of all. When she got seated they called out Maria’s name, and out came Maria with Meagan’s dress. Everyone booed and Maria came up to the end of he catwalk, and she said in a bold voice “ I know that you all think this dress is the ugliest, but someone made this dress just for me, and I love it even if all of you think it is ugly.”
After the show, Casey announced the winner. “And the winner is… Meagan! Meagan came up on stage and said “ This gift card really belongs to Maria. Not only had Maria got the gift card, but she got her friendship back with Meagan.