The crowd screams wild. Cheers, boos and yells fought for dominance in the hall. Standing here backstage, peering through the small opening of the curtain – there I saw my friends laughing, my dad standing in the front row with a poker face drawn all over his face.
I saw the host in his glittering suit asking the crowd whose name caught their eyes for the most coveted crown, tonight. On the other side of the stage, I saw him – them. They were here, they're all ready so do I.
Nagpakawala muna ako nang malalim na buntong hining. Few minutes onwards, everything will change. Nanginginig man subalit handa na ako. In fact, I've been waiting for this very moment since Day 01. Since the first day of my reign as our campus queen last night.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, let us hail on stage the reigning Miss Santillon's High Queen..." Finally, the moment has come. It calls for my entourage, my final say, my final walk and my final goodbye and much more. "Celline Florencia Florentino on her final walk and farewell message!" The curtains opened wide. All I saw were blinding lights as cameras before the stage started flashing off.
Ngayon ay lantad na lantad na ang kabuoan ko sa madla. Lahat ay handa na sa pag-papaalam ko bilang Miss Santillion's High Queen. Their eyes – the crowd's – cry excitement for this moment, my end.
Hawak ang isang handy Mirror sa kaliwang kamay, at kagat-kagat ang isang hair-stick sa pagitan ng aking dalawang mga labi, nakalugay ang buhok suot ang kulay puting mahabang damit, nagsimula akong naglakad sa entablado.
Cameras all over are blinding me but I managed to walk still and ramp on slowly and bitterly. Yep, I am supposed to smile before them but nope, none of these peasants before me deserves my smile not even a single one of them. "Whoo! Hindi ka na magre-reynahan, Florentino!" "Yeah, wala ka na! Laos na!" "Ang farewell walk ng pinakabobong Miss Santillon's High sa history!" "Thanks god, we're done at this stupid era where we are acknowledging a queen who didn't even answer the final Q and A properly!" "BOOOO!" here goes the crowd, ugh! I don't know why but I have already developed huge tolerance for this words. I don't give a damn anymore, and will never be.
Sandali akong huminto sa gitna ng runway, mabilis kong inayos ang nakalugay kong buhok at kinuha ang hair stick mula sa bibig ko upang gamitin ito upang pang-ipit sa buhok ko. I smiled mockingly at everyone. I then continued walking straight ahead to the microphone stand waiting for me at the end of the runway.
I raised the handy mirror I am holding sideways on the mid-air habang nakaharap ako sa mikropono. "Mirror, mirror in my hand, now tell me who will be this year's new Miss Santillon's High Queen?" Ibinaba ko ang kamay ko upang pagmasdan ang mga reaksyon ng mga dearly spectator. As expected of these peasants, skeptic na naman ang mga mukha. Out of curiosity, ang dating maingay na madla ngayon ay nababalot ng katahimikan waiting for my further words of goodbye. Muli akong humarap sa mikropono upang magpatuloy sa mga dapat kong sasabihin. "Hmm... Hahaha!" I slowly laughed but sad to say none of them shared laughter with me. I continued, "Standing before you is your reigning Santillion's High queen. I know that some of you or should I say literally each and single one of you is waiting for this moment and don't worry guys, you are not alone with such notion." "Believe me when I say this, but even I, myself has been hoping to this day. The end of my reign. I know I have failed you for not getting a place during the inter-university pageant. I sincerely remorse that I disappointed you." I pretended like as if I am really being sad then immediately laughed.
"Hahaha! Oh God, I can't even say it with a straight face. Anyways, I cannot share so much words to you tonight because the heart of it all is that I will have to deliver my final words as your queen. With no further ado, ladies and gents..." I took a pause and grabbed a moment to look at them east to west. Sari-saring emosyon. I don't know, all of them are confused they're a little unpredictable.
"I am Celline Florencia Florentino, leaving you my..." I then slammed the mirror I was holding on the floor beneath me unmindful of the wounds its every broken piece may hit me.
Everyone screamed in shock almost in chorus of the unexpected act I've just done. I smiled still then bend down to grasp for a broken piece out of the mirror I just had slammed. Nang makakuha na ako ng isang piraso ng basag na salamin, bumalik ako sa harap ng mikropono. "leaving you my fairest farewell!" and with one hard strike, I thrusted the sharp edge of the broken mirror right next to my chest. At once, I never felt a pain which motivated me to further strike the glass deeply in to penetrate my body. Now I saw blood running out of me. I saw too much blood. Suddenly, I felt pain. Penetrating pain that my sight gradually turn dark. I cannot control my balance anymore, everything is in slow motion. I feel my body falling down and there I saw in front of me my dad rushing after me then at the last sight, I saw them. I can't read their minds but I know, it's over for both them and for me.
