Chapter 98: Again
The loud screams outside made me stand off my seat. ’What the!? Night will be one of the judges!? How am I going to win if someone who really despises me will judge me?’ I feel like losing energy in my legs. How am I so unlucky?
"You’re so lucky!" Carla said with such a happy tone. "Your idol and crush will watch you."
Maris looked at me with apologetic eyes, it’s because Carla still doesn’t know that I’m not interested in Night anymore and I don’t blame her for saying that. But this is the worst. Now someone’s going to be hindering my plans to win this pageant. It’s not about the other students anymore, now that Night’s one of the judges, the score that he’ll give me will impact me more. "I feel even more nervous," I said and Carla thought of it as cute.
After the host introduced the judges, he soon introduced all the contestants including me. "Break a leg!" I still heard Carla saying that before I stepped into the stage and saw a vast audience cheering for everyone.
I heard a round of applause as I adjusted my eyesight with the bright light coming from above.
"Let us welcome our contestants!"
One by one, we showed ourselves to everyone and the cheers keep on getting louder even though I can’t see well due to the bright lighting. ’Are they supposed to be this blinding?’ That is what I thought as I tried my hardest not to squint since it might ruin my face.
"Contestant number 1, from the first year class 1. Let’s give a hand." The host said as he made the first contestant walk through the stage and towards the microphone in the middle. They placed the spotlight on her.
The first-year contestant introduced herself. ’They didn’t explain why we have to introduce ourselves with our full name.’
Even though my name’s really pretty, I’m just thinking what’s the point of all this? Would it lead them to being internet famous? ’Am I looking down on this contest too much?’ I’m just really nervous to the point that I’m starting to spout nonsense now.
"What are you squinting for?" I heard Francesca saying. She’s beside me and she’s the last contestant. "Continue acting stupid, it’ll make me shine." She said but I just ignored her. There’ll be nothing good if I keep getting provoked by Francesca anyway.
"And for our contestant number 11! Known to be the princess of class 3-D. Let’s give her warm applause." The host said calling for me. ’Why does he have to call me a princess? Now it’s making me feel embarrassed.’ I thought as I put on a smile and walked confidently toward the microphone. ’I feel like I’m about to throw up due to nervousness.’
My hand’s all sweaty but I feel cold. It’s weird and I don’t think I’ll be able to speak properly. ’What if I stutter and my points will be deducted? It’ll be so embarrassing!’ I thought as I took a deep breath. Let’s not stutter for my own sake.
"GO NOELLE!" I heard Andy’s loud voice causing me to smile genuinely.
I took another deep breath as I moved closer to the microphone. The princess demeanor that I’ve been forced to master was a great help as I stood in front with poise and elegance. "It is yet another lovely day to put on a bright smile." I bowed after saying that. "I am Noelle Faith Alcantara, representing third-year class D, and shall become your princess."
I heard loud squeals and scream from men after I said that causing me to flinch. ’I didn’t expect such a reaction from them.’
"I guess our princess right here is the crowd’s favorite." The host said as he stands beside me. "If I may ask, what is it that made you join this pageant?" He’s already asking me such a question? How should I answer that? Andy didn’t say anything about being questioned like this. This host didn’t ask the others either. Should I act confident or should I act humbly?
I put on a smile. "Isn’t it obvious?"
The crowd became wilder than before and I could hear wild screams from men more than women. "The confidence! I like it." After that, Francesca was called in front and I could finally breathe again as I go back backstage with everyone leaving Francesca alone in the spotlight. She probably planned this to get all the attention but I couldn’t care less.
"That was fantastic!" Carla said as she pulled me into a hug. "I didn’t know you could act like that. I almost fell in love."
Carla received a flick on the forehead from Maris after she said that. "Stop exaggerating and just help me prepare for the talent portion." She said.
Honestly, this beauty pageant costs too much money because you have to change clothes for the talent portion and then you got to have another costume for the last portion. It’s like the evening gown part of the world beauty pageants.
Even though I could easily use my princess costume for the talent portion, Andy said that it’ll be too boring to do that so I’m completely changing clothes. Although I’m wearing two gowns since I’m literally a princess.
"This violet dress fits you so well," Maris said after I changed into the said over-the-knee dress. It should have been a gown but Andy said that it’ll be boring to wear the same kind of outfit for this contest. That’s why they chose a shorter dress with my legs exposed for the talent portion and a ball gown for the last event where the question and answer will be held.
I looked at the mirror and saw my reflection. Maris quickly changed my hairstyle, she tied it into half twin tails and this violet dress has a violet gemstone in the middle near the chest. It also has a violet soft belt wrapped around the waist and frills at the end of the dress.
It’s really cute but I would love it more if it was in a lighter color, although violet suits me too. "What about the ring? Are you going to wear it?" Maris asked and I nodded. I really need to boost my confidence if I’m singing in front of Celine Garcia.
"What song are you going to sing?" Carla asked.
I actually chose Enchanted by Taylor Swift but I feel shy saying it to them.
"Y-You’ll know."
I’m not confident when it comes to singing so I chose something that I’m already comfortable with and doesn’t have lots of high notes. Now I feel even shyer. But wait... the good thing is I wasn’t affected by Night. ’I actually forgot about him even though he’ll definitely do something to make me fail.’ I thought as I sighed.
As my mind drifted, I started to wonder what was going on in our booth today. Is it going well? After the talent portion will be our break so I’ll be going to the swimming club’s booth and will be helping them. "Don’t you think the break’s too long?" Maris said after looking at the pageant’s schedule. "Will the students come back to watch it again?"
I shrugged. As long as they vote for me, that’s all I care about. "They will. It’s interesting after all." Carla said.
While they were talking about that, I felt my phone vibrating in my hand so I looked at it and saw a text message from El. He’s talking about the pageant because he saw the post on our school’s social media account.
That’s when text messages weren’t enough anymore and I received a call from El. "I’ll be taking this first," I said as I went out of the dressing room and answered El’s call.
"Hey."
"How come you didn’t tell me you’ll be joining a beauty pageant!?"
I immediately moved my phone away after El screamed. "Do you really have to scream at me?"
"I’m sorry, I just felt robbed."
My forehead creased after hearing that. "Robbed? Of what?"
"Of seeing you in a beauty pageant, all dolled up." He said making me chuckle. "I would have taken lots of your photos and I will even take a video of your talent showcase," El added making me feel a little weird but it wasn’t bad.
"I didn’t know it at that time when you told me you’ll be gone either," I said as I sat on one of the boxes outside, at the back of the auditorium. "I didn’t know I’ll be joining either. My friends just told me to do it so I did it."
Why do I feel like El’s pouting right now? "Really? You didn’t hide it from me, didn’t you?"
"Yes, yes," I said but then I heard a notification that someone sent me a message. "Wait a minute, let me look at this message I received."
"Okay, okay. I’ll be waiting." El said so I opened the messages and looked at the sender but it was an unknown number. "Who is it?" I heard El asking.
The moment I read the content, I felt my heart thumping so loud and my grip on my phone loosen to the point that I almost drop it if someone didn’t catch it for me. "Why are you dropping your phone?" I looked up and saw Night.
"Ellie? Noelle? Are you still there?" El asked.
