The Runway is my Life

13

Chapter 13

Gracefulness, Fierncess and Poise. The three most powerful words that I have lived by during my modeling career. And now more than ever I have to focus on those words. I need to do this not only for myself but for the people of Misthaven.

I open my eyes and stared at the mirror. I got this finale in the bag. I walk towards the backstage area, and I see Zelena coming out of Regina's dressing area. What the hell was she doing in there? That's when I hear the music starting, I shook away the thought and focused on my walk.

I prepare to make my way towards the runway line, and I see Zelena standing next to Regina. "So loser you ready to see me win this competition?" I scoff. "Please, Zelena you know I'm going to win." That's when I hear Regina simply sigh.

"Ladies let's enjoy this, this is our passion, let's have fun out there, may the best model win." I nod. "Regina is right Zelena." Zelena scoffs. "The title is mine." I sigh. That's when we get the cue and it's time to strut our stuff.

I see Regina walk first and of course she nails it like the queen she is, then out walks Zelena and she walks like a real witch that she is. It's finally my turn so I step on to that runway and show the judges why I made it this far. I walked with gracefulness, fierceness and poise.

I made my way backstage and changed into my second outfit. I see Zelena smiling proudly as Regina I'm is putting on her outfit and I wondered why. That's when I get a cue that I needed to get out there. I get on that runway and strut my stuff. That's when I hear the MC telling everyone that there is a special guest in the audience.

I gasp when I hear the name. Mrs. Banks? Why is she here? I look at the audience and I couldn't find her. It didn't matter now I needed to focus. I get to the end of the runway and I do my signature pose.

I walk back and changed into my final outfit. This is the last runway walk. They other models do their last walk but this time it was going to be just us three. Zelena was up first, then it would be Regina then finally me.

Zelena walks out then makes her way to one of the three pedestals. Regina walks out and I noticed something on her heel? She doesn't get half way when her heel snaps in half making her dress rip as she falls. Everyone gasps and I run up to her. I try to help her up but she can't.

"Emma I think I sprained my ankle." I gasp. "Just leave me here, you need to walk." I scoff. "Let's walk together." She pushes my arm away. "No Emma you will lose the title, you know the rules." I half smile. "I know but I think you deserve to finish your last runway walk." She smiles.

The music continued because the show must go on. I ripped the rest of her dress making more of her leg show. I know it's of bad form to rip a designer dress but right now that didn't matter. "Can't have the queen finish her last runway walk looking a mess." She smiles.

She put her arm over my shoulder and we both walked down that runway together. Zelena looks at us and scoffs. The audience claps louder than ever. I stood next to Regina at the end of the runway instead of being on our own pedestal. I look at the audience and I see Mrs. Banks and alongside her, Lacy, Ruby, Four and Killian. My heart soared because I thought I wasn't going to see any of them again especially Killian.

I look again and I see Ruby and Four clapping as Lacy was waving like crazy. I look again at Killian and he had a big smile on his face. I could tell I made him proud. I was happy with my decision, I know I will not win but that's not the case here. I thought I needed to win in order to prove to myself and to help out Misthaven but no.

I needed to stay true to who I really am. The music ended and the judges deliberated. The winner was Zelena, because the rules stated that each model needed to walk down the runway by herself. Once she was crowned the whole audience booed her.

I know what I saw earlier was Zelena sabotaging Regina's outfit, but that didn't matter because the whole world saw Zelena's true colors. The show ended and I helped Regina get backstage. I placed her on a couch and she hugged me like crazy.

"Emma thank you so much." I smiled. "You're welcome." That's when her manager/publicist, who might I say is the most influential man in the fashion industry walks up to me and thanks me. I nodded and that's when he pulls me to the side.

"As you know Emma, Regina is hanging up her heels and is retiring from the runway, I need a new model that will represent my company." I nod. "And I was thinking if you wanted to be it." I gasp. "But I didn't win, why me?" He smiles.

"You showed what it truly is to model, and that triumphs over a winning title any day." I smiled. "I would love to but I can't abandon my sponsors, they believed in me when no one would." He nods. "Well I do value honesty and loyalty." I smile.

"But if you don't mind working alongside us, I know a little town in which we could promote your designs and my walk." He nods. "We will stay in touch." I smile and nod. I change out of my clothes and made my way outside.

Paparazzi were taking pictures like crazy but security pushed them away so I could make my way to the back area. I took a deep breath in and sighed. "Can I get a signature from the famous model?" I look and I see Killian standing there. I drop my stuff and ran up to him.

I kiss him with such passion that I felt that my whole body was going to give out on me. We let go and I'm in tears. "I'm so happy to see you." He nods. "You did good up there Emma." I smile. "I made you proud?" He nods. "That's the Emma Swan I know." I smile and placed my head against his chest.

That's when it hit me, how did he get here? I back away and I give him a weird look. "How'd you get here?" He smiles. That's when Lacy runs up to me and hugs me. "You did good out there best friend." I smile as I hugged her back.

"So good to see you." She backs away and that's when Ruby walks up to me and hugs me as well. "You were smoking up there girl," Ruby says with a big smile as Four nodded. I smile. "Thanks." That's when I see Mrs. Banks standing there. I scoff. "What is she doing here?"

Killian walks up to me and grabs my hand. "That's who brought us all here." I chuckle. "I thought you wanted me far away from Misthaven and you, why you here?" She looks down, and sighs.

She then looks up to me and tears began to form in her eyes. "Because....." I was getting rather impatient, why doesn't she just say what she needs to and leaves. "Because what Mrs. Banks?"

A tear rolled down her cheek and she sighed. That's when Killian sighed. "You can talk about this in private Mrs. Banks you don't have to..." I hear Killian say but Mrs. Banks shook her head. "No she needs to know and it's time the whole world knows as well."

I scoff and rolled my eyes. "What do I and the rest of the world need to know?" I ask in a super sarcastic tone. She sighs then half smiles.

"That I'm your mother Emma."