After ng performance ng Lakanbini girls, pumasok na kami sa dressing room nila Mikha. Sinabihan kasi kami ni Direk Dan na andun daw si Direk Joyce at gusto niya kaming ma-meet.
And since may sugat si Mikha sa paa, halos huli na kaming dalawa na nakapasok. When we entered, I tried to hide from Direk Joyce kaya nagpunta lang ako sa sulok nung dressing room.
"Joyce, I'd like you to meet the Lakanbini girls. Ito si Colet, she's our leader, ito si Stacey, ito si Gwen, and of course, you've seen Mikha."
"Congratulations Mikha." sabi ni Direk Joyce.
"Thank you po direk."
"Also, ito nga pala si Sheena. She's our newest talent. Ito naman si Jhoanna, she's a theater actress, I'm sure you've seen her. And si Maloi, I'm sure --"
"Oo naman 'no, eh halos anak-anakan ko na 'tong si Mary Loi." sabi ni Direk tapos yumakap siya kay Maloi.
"And of course --" sabi ni Direk Dan tapos lumingon siya para hanapin ako. The rest of the girls followed suit. Pero since hindi naman malaki ang dressing room, nakita na rin agad nila ako. I made my way across the room at lumapit kay Direk Joyce.
"Hello, mother." bati ko sa kanya.
"My queen!" sabi ni Direk Joyce tapos nag-bow pa siya bago siya yumakap sa 'kin.
I can feel my cheeks starting to warm up dahil napansin ko na nakatingin sa 'min yung girls. Direk Joyce was looking at me from head to toe and I rolled my eyes.
"Grabe yung pag-inspect, mother. Nakaka-offend." sabi ko sa kanya.
"Ang tagal nating hindi nagkita eh." sagot niya. "Ay, anyway. Sige na, kailangan niyo pa 'atang mag-ayos. Hindi ko na kayo guguluhin. I just wanted to say hi." sabi ni Direk Joyce tapos bumeso na siya isa-isa sa 'min.
Palabas na siya ng pinto and we all followed her with our eyes nung biglang tumigil siya sa paglalakad at lumingon ulit siya sa 'min.
"Aiah." sabi ni Direk Joyce.
"Yes direk?"
"May magiging summer pageant project kami, baka gusto mong sumali?"
"Direk, medyo retired na ako dyan."
"A queen never retires, Aiah. Hindi ako naniniwala dyan." sabi ni Direk.
"Pag-iisipan ko muna direk. Summer yan, so mukhang bikini labanan. Di ko sure kung kaya ko pang magdress up ng ganon."
"Let me know. I missed seeing you in pageants. I hope you'll consider. Maybe you still got the charm."
"I'll think about it, Direk." sagot ko. She just smiled tapos lumabas na siya.
Paglabas ni Direk, nakatingin sa 'kin yung mga girls at halatang nagulat sila. They were all staring at me with mouths wide open and they weren't speaking.
"Wait, anong ibig sabihin ni direk na a queen never retires?" sabi ni Shee.
Biglang natawa si Staku.
"OMG. Grabe talaga guys. Hindi niyo ba talaga kilala si Ate Aiah?" sabi niya. I glared at her pero natawa lang siya.
"Ate Aiah's a beauty queen. She's an undefeated queen and five times na siyang title holder." sabi ni Staku.
"TITLE HOLDER KA?" sabay-sabay nilang sigaw.
"Bakit di mo sinabi sa 'min Staku?" sabi ni Colet.
"Di ba I told you guys that she's a queen? I literally said she's a queen."
They were still staring at me. Kahit nga sila Maloi, nagulat din. Direk Joyce is usually the director who works on pageant shows, kaya kami nagkakilala. Apart from that, tulad din ni Direk Dan, she also hired our agency for some of her ads.
