Chapter 103: What Needs to Change
"Wow, you’re really... majestic."
I stared at my reflection in the mirror and saw myself. The princess I’ve been dreaming to become is right in front of me now. "This dress, it’s really pretty," I said as I touched the smooth and soft texture of this pink tulle dress.
"Yes, and it’s being worn by the pretty you," Maris said as she showed me a necklace. "This necklace is matching with the tiara." I let her put it on me as I was still staring at my reflection. Is it really fine for me to think that I’m indeed pretty wearing this dress?
Maris started working on my hair after putting my necklace on. This time she said she’ll be trying a different hairstyle and she’ll put on some hair extensions.
’It’ll be my first time using hair extensions.’
"Since Noelle usually has straight hair, this is the best time to try wavy hair," Maris said. I’ve been having this wavy hair since this morning though.
"Everything suits Noelle to the point that it’ll make girls envious of her," Carla said. I wonder why is she always acting like my fan girl. "Night finally noticed how much of a looker Noelle is. It’s probably because Night finally knows who Noelle is."
I looked at Carla after she said that. "Does he not know me before?"
Carla nodded. "Yeah. Actually, I talked to him before but he would only answer with a nod or with shaking his head." That’s new. I didn’t know Carla had the guts to talk to that cold guy. "I was doing some library duties back then and Night was forced to help because he’s kind." I doubt that last part.
"And?"
"I asked him about Noelle because that’s the only thing I could talk about at that time." What’s with that? "I’ve been curious about how Night feels for Noelle that time so... I asked him about what he thinks of Noelle," Carla said. "He was looking all confused. Night’s usually cold and snob but he looked genuinely confused."
Night? Genuinely confused? Those words don’t fit at all. I never saw Night being genuine.
"That’s why I asked him if he knows about Noelle, and he shook his head. Even about the nickname ’Night’s stalker’. He doesn’t know anything about it at all." I highly doubt that. Night must have been lazy answering that’s why he decided to pretend that he doesn’t know me. "I thought that it’s plausible because no man will ever reject someone pretty like Noelle."
There she goes again. Compliments feel nice but when it’s too much, it feels embarrassing.
"Let’s forget about that and get the tiara," Maris said making Carla stop talking and starts helping. "I’m sorry for that." I was stunned after Maris apologized. She must have thought that what Carla was saying made me feel uncomfortable.
"It’s fine." I smiled. Learning about the past is fine now that I’m ready to move on. "It doesn’t bother me that much." What bothers me right now is how Night is acting. It’s weird, his actions are contradicting what he told me before.
The other contestants started arriving in the dressing room and the noise is unstoppable. "Is it true? Did Night ask you on a date?" One of the contestants asked. I don’t even know her but she’s wearing a fairy costume. "You’re his stalker, right?" I didn’t like the sound of that so I chose not to respond.
They should be asking Night, why are they cornering me like this?
"Tsk. She thinks she’s so pretty just because the prince asked her on a date."
I almost rolled my eyes hearing that. ’She already knows the answer to her question but she still asked me.’
"You think you’re really pretty then," Andy said making my eyes go wide. The last thing I would want right now is a fight!
"Don’t." I grabbed Andy’s arm, stopping him from saying anything further.
"Why? This girl thinks she’s high and mighty despite being the ugliest in this room."
"Andy!" I called his name after he said that aloud.
"What did you say?" The girl with the fairy costume reacted. ’Oh my god. This is bad.’
"You want me to repeat saying that you’re the ugliest here in this room?"
"You... faggot!"
"Did you just call me faggot, you bitch!?"
"Kaoru!" I immediately called Kaoru’s name the moment Andy tried to attack that other girl, and Kaoru quickly pulled Andy away. "I’m sorry for that." I bowed to that fairy girl as she clicked her tongue, letting Kaoru go since one of the event managers came inside the dressing room due to the commotion.
’Why is everyone making my life harder?’ I sighed as I sat back in my chair.
"That was funny," Maris said while chuckling, making me chuckle due to how ridiculous that was. "Well, not the part where you have to apologize."
I nodded as I smiled. "It was ridiculous."
After that, we finished preparing and the host started talking on the stage again. He introduced the first contestant, it’s that fairy girl. I wonder what she’ll show on stage. As for me, I’ll be acting as some kind of princess from a faraway land searching for her prince. It was Andy who wrote my script for me.
Although it’s a little cringe since I’m waiting for some prince to appear to save me from loneliness, and even Ace was against this act, Andy said it’ll make me look so pretty. ’I think I will still look pretty even without waiting for a prince.’ I’m a damsel in distress again.
"Don’t you think it’ll be better if Ryzen or Kaoru plays as the prince in Noelle’s stage play?" Carla asked while she was combing my hair.
I do think that it’s better to have someone play as a prince, but it doesn’t matter even if there isn’t. "Noelle can capture everyone’s attention without the help of a man," Maris said and Carla nodded furiously, agreeing to what Maris said.
I need to win this contest for our class after all. It’ll give us more points and even if our exhibition isn’t doing great, we will still have a chance to win this school festival.
"I’ll do my best."
With that, I practiced my lines inside my head as I could hear the loud music outside. It’s for the walk of the contestants, and then they’ll get a question from the judges. After that, they’ll show a skit that connects to their character. It’s a short act, but I still need to make it perfect. It’s our last chance to show why we deserve to win the contest.
"What kind of questions will they ask though?"
I looked at Carla after she asked that. "I just hope they won’t ask anything about mathematics."
Maris laughed. "I don’t think it’ll be like the questions on the examination." She said. I really do hope so because I won’t be able to answer.
"Let’s give it up to the crowd’s favorite, contestant number 11."
I took a deep breath as I stood up from my seat. "I can do this." I walked towards the stairs and onto the stage. With a smile, I heard the crowd getting wild as I walked to the catwalk and showed everyone my beautiful dress. After taking a turn, I arrived beside the host in the middle of the stage.
"See that? I think there’s really favoritism that’s happening here." The host said. "Oh my, look at how pretty her dress is." He said and even made me go for a spin, flaunting the beautiful tulle dress. "What kind of question will our princess right here receive?"
They made me pull a paper out of a ballot box and brought it to the judges. "If Miss Celine would please read the question out loud." The host said as Miss Celine looked at the paper I got.
Miss Celine smiled. "Before that, it’s a lovely day, contestant number 11. It’s lovely as you are." She said causing me to blush. "For your question, here it goes. ’Do you think life is easier for women, or do you think it is easier for men?’."
"Oh my, that’s a really good question." The host said as the spotlight went back to me. "How will our contestant number 11 answer?"
I took a deep breath as I hold the mic. "In my opinion, there’s no such thing as an ’easier’ life for both."
Miss Celine raised an eyebrow. "Would you mind explaining further?"
I smiled.
"Everyone’s going through hard times, must it be men or women. Women, since ancient times, were seen as only objects that men could possess and that they must serve men. Although it’s becoming different as the days passes by, some people still see women like that. They get told what they should wear and how they should act as women are supposed to be feminine and submissive."
I’m just going at it instead of hesitating.
"That’s also the same with men. They are expected to be always strong and courageous, and when they’re not, they’re being called mean words such as gay or too feminine."
My eyes landed on my friends that were watching me from afar.
"I think that what needs to change is the society and how we view men and women." I received a round of applause after I said that.
