Chapter 102: The Pageant Continues
My eyes widened as I stood up after seeing the first one who reached the finish line.
"And there you go! Here’s our winner!"
I can’t believe this. All I could hear were the loud screams of the girls and as they stood up, I sat back in my seat. "Congratulations, Night Fuentes!" It was so noisy that I couldn’t hear anything else but the girls’ screams all around me.
’He won. I can’t believe it.’
"You won a school date with our mermaid princess, Noelle Alcantara. And for competing with our ace, you won two grand tickets for the newly opened amusement park also with Noelle."
As soon as Ericka announced that, the other students started groaning and complaining about the prize. They’re saying that Night didn’t need such a prize.
’I’m the one who’s supposed to say that.’
"My, everyone’s heated up. Don’t get mad at us, it was your prince who wished to go on a date with our princess." Ericka said trying to control her annoyance with the girls that keeps shouting at her.
"What do you mean princess? Isn’t Noelle Night’s stalker!?"
My eyes widened after someone shouted that from the bleachers. ’Oh no. Did Shiho hear that?’ I couldn’t sit still because of it, and I can’t leave either since I need to go back to the auditorium for the afternoon part of the beauty pageant.
"Don’t mind what they’re saying." Ace said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "And Night’s family’s already gone the moment he won." She pointed behind us and I’m so glad Shiho, Himari, and Makoto are nowhere to be found.
"They said they’ll be going back to the auditorium to get better seats." She added. How did she know of that? Did they tell her about it while I was distracted?
"Shit! We need to go back to the auditorium." I heard Maris saying. "Are you going to talk to Fuentes first?" Maris asked me as she tapped my shoulder.
I looked down and saw girls flocking around Night who was wiping his hair with a towel. Our eyes met and I immediately grimaced while he smiled causing everyone to scream while others looked in the direction where he was looking. ’At me.’
"Don’t tell me, Night really did fall for that stalker?"
"That can’t be!"
"How would something like that be possible!?"
I’m the one who’s supposed to ask those things! Night’s fan club is really annoying. I didn’t join it before and they didn’t want me in it either because they said Night is for everyone and not for oneself so they shouldn’t be selfish.
’What kind of rule is that? Night isn’t an object.’ I thought while shaking my head. "Let’s go. I’ll be eating lunch backstage." I said as I walked out of the indoor pool even though the other students are literally glaring at me.
"Why are they hating on Noelle? It was Night who said he wants to go on a date with Noelle." Carla said while pointing as we walk into the hallway towards the gymnasium. "Those girls are unbelievable." She added and I couldn’t agree more.
I wonder why Night’s doing these things just to fool me. Would it satisfy him if I fall for him again so that he could hurt me and leave? It would have been easier for me if I could give him what he wants, but I don’t want to get hurt on purpose.
’Why do I have to give him what he wants?’
"What are you thinking again?"
I went back to reality after Ace talked to me. "What?"
Ace sighed. "Your food will get cold if you don’t start eating now." She said that reminds me that we’re eating lunch now. I need to finish quickly because I’ll be changing clothes and putting on makeup again for the second part of the beauty pageant. The costume portion.
"You don’t have to gobble up everything that fasts." I heard Maris chuckling as she arrived with Carla and Andy in the changing room.
Some of the contestants are still not around. Maybe they’re eating someplace else, but I prefer eating here to make things faster. "We’re not that much in a rush, so take your time," Maris added.
That reminds me, Night will still be judging the contest, was it fine for him to still stay in the indoor pool. Maybe someone will fetch him anyway, and it’s not my duty to be with him either.
’Although I feel afraid that Kaoru’s not here because of that masked man.’ I thought as I sighed. Was it an illusion? But I clearly saw that masked man staring at me.
"You’ve been distracted. Did something happen?"
I glanced at Ace because of that. She really knows how to read me huh? It feels like I can’t escape from her now.
"I’m just worried that those girls might go after me because of what Night did."
I’m not lying, I’m worried about that, but I am even more worried about that masked man. But if I tell Ace that, she’ll get worried over nothing since I’m not sure if that’s the same masked man that tried to harm my life.
"I think he likes you."
"What? There’s no way." I said as I let out an awkward laugh.
"I say what I see."
Hearing Ace says that makes me doubt everything. I believe in Ace more than I believe in myself which makes me want to believe what she said.
"But it’s still your decision. 2 years are enough, you did your best expressing your feelings for him anyway, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t like him back." Ace said as she ruffled my hair.
Did I really express my feelings to Night before? Was he really aware that I like him? Because as far as I remember, the only thing I did was watch him from afar and stalked him wherever he goes. I didn’t dare to tell him that I like him.
Having a stalker must have been annoying for Night, maybe that’s also one of the reasons why he’s trying to make me fall for him again. To make me feel all the annoyance he had felt before. ’He’s doing all of these for revenge and I know it.’
"Cheer up," Andy said as he gave me a chocolate mint-flavored ice cream. "They’re selling this in front of the gymnasium." He said as I accepted the ice cream.
I started eating it while Maris and Carla were preparing my costume. I don’t know what kind of gown I’ll be wearing because Andy was the one who chose it. I’ll just trust his decisions.
"Brush your teeth after you eat that," Ace said. "I’ll be going to our booth first, I’ll come back before the event starts."
Ace left, leaving me behind in the changing room. I looked at my reflection in the mirror while I ate my ice cream. "I wonder where Kaoru went," I said aloud.
"Oh, Kaoru went with those people behind us on the bleachers." I heard Carla say while she was preparing the makeup. "He also said he’ll bring some accessories for Noelle." She added. Accessories? What kind of accessories do I even need at this point?
After I finished with my ice cream and brushed my teeth, Maris started doing my makeup. "I think this type of eyeshadow will fit her costume more," Carla suggested and the two of them started talking about things I don’t really understand.
When Andy arrived, he was holding a huge box. "This is a limited design," He said with a proud look on his face. "My mom helped ordered it from France."
My eyes widened. Andy’s mom? I remember she’s an avid fan of dresses. She knows all different kinds of dresses, it’s because she used to be a designer back when she was younger.
Ace keeps commenting about how it’s such a waste of talent, but Andy said that her mom’s dream was to become a great mom. That’s why she left the design world and became a mom.
"Isn’t this nice? We chose pink for you." Andy said with a huge smile. "It’s all thanks to your grandfather’s money though." I guess I’m in debt to Night’s family again. ’How am I going to pay my debts to them if they keep helping me like this?’
"Should we use this headband? Or should we use the tiara?"
"I think the tiara will suit Noelle best."
"You just want to see her wearing a tiara, don’t you?"
"That’s also one of the reasons, hehe."
I smiled as I just listen to them. As soon as they opened the box, my eyes sparkled the moment it landed on the dress. It’s a pink tulle dress, it was simpler than I imagine but it’s really beautiful.
"An elegant princess that could be mistaken as a fairy," Andy said making me shake my head. "Now, let’s help Ellie change into this."
