Miss Astig 2

Treinta y cinco

~35~

"...It's an honor to wear the first creation of my beloved mother..."

Lihim akong napakagat labi upang supilin ang hiya na unti-unting nararamdaman ko. Pakiramdam ko, it took me one full minute to gather my composure and start speaking. The idea that roughly one thousand or more people are watching you are enough to send me creeps. And these people aren't just ordinary people.

God.

"To be honest, I didn't see this coming. I even wondered if she really loved me because she allowed me to wear the 1830s gown earlier this evening..." I suppressed my chuckle as I heard the people laughed at their seats when I said that.

Namataan ng tingin ko si Papa na katabi ang asawa nito dahil nasa bandang harap sila nakaupo. I don't know if he was amused because he looked like he's just listening to some random TV news. I know that I have a blank expression when my eyes was focused on his seat, and yet as I was beginning to survey the crowds, a thought suddenly came in.

"My mother really is a woman full of surprises. A very remarkable one for that matter. That is why I cannot blame those people who wanted to compete with her. Those people who wanted to have what she had achieved. And those people who wanted to get rid—"

"Enough about me baby. I'm sure that everyone wants to hear more about the gown?" Mama cut me off na may alanganing tawa. Nasa mukha na nito ang pagbabanta. And I know it was only intended for me to see.

I subtly shrugged my shoulders, unaffected by her expression at binigyan din ito ng nang-aakusang tingin bago muling ibinaling ang nakangiting mukha sa madla. "And I would die for my mo—"

"Louie Antoinette."

"The dress... looks magical, isn't it?" Biglang buwelo ko, trying to sound so enthusiastic. Lihim na lamang akong napabuntong-hininga. "How it was ripped out of my body earlier bewildered me. This dress, unlike the usual Victorian cut, doesn't just create an illusion of ease and comfort. It literally makes me feel at ease and I am totally comfortablewearing it. And lastly," I scanned the crowd, as if searching for that one person I couldn't even figure out who. Yung tipong kahit alam mong natural lang na lahat ng tao ay titingin sayo, may kakaibang pakiramdam ka pa rin na parang may gusto kang tingin na hulihin? Basta. I cannot explain what it was. I just kept on searching somewhere around the crowd until I got frustrated and went on with what I was saying.

Then my eyes paused when it...

God.

Lihim akong napakagat labi.

"...the dress... makes me feel... like I am the only goddess tonight, thank you everyone!"

Malakas na palakpakan ang narinig ko habang pababa ng stage. Muli na ding nagsalita si Mama at hinalilihan din ito agad ng naunang host nang matapos itong magsalita. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hinarangan ako ng isa sa mga assistant ni Mama pero hindi na rin ako umalma dahil pansamantala kong kinalma ang sarili habang nasa baba ng stage. Maya-maya pa ay dumating si Mama at iginiya ako sa isang pribadong kwarto. Nang tuluyan nang maisara nito ang pinto ay agad akong hinarap nito.