Ruining Her

Chapter 5: Winner

Angeline POV

"Deep breaths. Just continue listening to orchestra music, Gie." sabi sa akin ng handler ko.

It seems like yesterday, nagtrai-training pa ako paano rumampa. Ngayon, araw na nga ng mismong pageant. Nasa backstage kami kasama ng iba pang contestants.

Hindi ko inakala na ang backstage ng school auditorium namin ay madedecorate naman pala nila na mala-dressing room. It's not that bad as I expected from this provincial school.

I did as my handler told me to. Weirdly though, I do not feel nervous or anything. Maybe it's because I'm confident enough from the way I've trained? Hmm...

"Hi, Geline!"

Lumingon ako at nakita ang "reyna" ng Alcontar. Siya ang pinakalate sa lahat ng contestants and unlike us who got our make-up done here, siya ay nakaayos na.

Pinuntahan ako ni Xyza at nakipagbeso pa sa akin. Tsss. How fake can you be?

"Good luck later. I am so proud of you, look at you now, joining this pageant." dagdag niya pa at nagawa pang i-hug ako ng saglit.

I slightly smiled but I really could not equal her fake enthusiasm.

"Yeah, thanks, Xy." I said simply.

She smiled at me a bit again before going to her handlers, a bit far away from us. Kaya naman ang mga chit-chat at bulong ng mga handlers ko sa akin, hindi nila marinig.

"Plastik 'yun no? Kung makaasta akala mo panalo na." sabi ng make-up artist ko.

"Oo nga. Di siya aware kung gaano ka-trained 'tong anak natin." sabi pa ng isang handler ko.

I just smirked at them but did not say anything. I knew that if I said something, it would not be good. Right now is not the time to let out what I really feel, I'm sure of that.

"Go get the bacon, Gie!!!" sigaw ng handlers ko bago ako tuluyang pumunta sa stage para sa start ng marami naming rampa.

While we were doing the ramps, kapansin-pansin na ang mga hiyaw ng tao ay malakas lamang kapag ako or si Xyza na ang naglalakad. Pareho ang intensidad ng mga tao kapag kami na ang naglalakad at mas lalo ba ito lumakas noong naga-awarding na ng minor awards.

"Best in Talent goes to... Candidate #12, Angeline Luces!" the announcer declared.

Humiyaw ang mga tao, lalo na ang mga handlers ko na parang nawala sa mga sarili nila.

For my talent during the pre-pageant, I sung "I See The Light" from Tangled. I have always been familiar with singing these kind of songs dahil dati, pinag-singing contests ako ni Mommy. Turns out I would really get to use that skill in the end, huh.

Si Xyza naman on the other hand, ay sumayaw lang. The same old boring dance. She even got Ryle to be with her during her boring dance interpretation of "Love Me Like You Do", can you believe it?

Ni wala man lang silang chemistry! Halatang pilit. I remember going back to backstage again, not watching their dance fully dahil naiinis ako sa mga galaw nila. I hate the way Ryle swayed her hips and almost grinded her! Nakakainis!