The Last Dance

Chapter 3 - You did well

When I stepped on the stage, I heard a loud cheering and applause from the crowd. I gave my brightest smile while I walk to the microphone. Everything I practiced for the past week is in my head. Thankfully, I was able to deliver it confidently and articulately. I glanced one last time at Marco who was staring seriously at me. I want you to be proud.

"Alisha Villaflor. 1st year taking up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Business Engineering."

I heard a group of men shouted my name to cheer for me. I gave a flying kiss to their direction as a sign of thank you. I waited at the back part of stage. I thought the crowd was wild enough while introducing the ladies, but I was amazed by how much more they can go when the men are introduced. I see the hottest personalities in the university in their tuxedo. Leysam Montealto is the crowd's favorite, and that is not surprising at all. He's famous and has a great built.

After everyone is done introducing themselves, the loud music started to dominate the place. That's the cue for us to start the dance performance that we prepared for the crowd. My heart finally felt comfortable when the hosts made joke to lighten the mood.

The next part is sports wear. I am wearing an attire of a cowgirl. Mom chose this because she wants something unusual. The crowd's cheering is motivating me to give my best. I made eye contact with Marco, but he's looking at his phone. He's texting someone, and he's smiling while doing that. It must be another fling of his. I rolled my eyes when I turned my back. That's exactly when I saw the next contestant to me. She glared at me. Oh no. She might get the wrong idea. I didn't roll my eyes to her. But damn. This is not the time to explain something like that. I confidently walk to the back part of stage and smiled again as I faced the crowd.

I looked at Marco's direction, and saw that he's already paying attention to the candidate. I am disappointed with him.

When the elimination comes, the people went wild. They are cheering their bias and mom remained very still from where she is sitting. Symond was staring at me for the whole time. That is the kind of support I want from Marco, but he kept looking at his phone.

My heart was racing when my name was called for the last spot of the top 5 candidates who will proceed with the question and answer portion. I know, by that time, that I already made mom proud. She's smiling at me and she's clapping with all elegance when I was called. The group of boys who are supporting me were shouting as if I won already. I won't pray for anything more. Getting to this level is enough for me. I will not be greedy and wish to be the representative of College of Business.

We had a retouch of makeup in the dressing room. They advised me to keep my breathing steady while I am on the stage. I should not get lost and it's okay to be real when I answer the question. They gave me a bottled water first before fixing my lipstick. The smell of cosmetics inside that dressing room is something that's giving me butterfly in the stomach.

"Thank you so much for your help. I don't know what I'll do if you were not here." That moment, I am forced to give everything I got for their effort and for mom's expectation of me.

My friends are making sure that I don't feel pressured by cracking jokes. While waiting for the signal of the staff, I am clutching to my friends' arms. Even they tell me a hundred times not to be pressured, I still can't calm because this is overwhelming.

"No pressure, friend, but I want to see you compete with Camille Rivero for the title of Ms. Stalliion University. Can't you see? You two are in the same level. Those men who are supporting you since the beginning of this pageant are from Information Technology Department. It will be a good fight between you two if ever you meet in the actual competition." Faye said while looking directly into my eyes.

"I don't want to compete with her, Faye. If it's because of Marco then I won't go that far just to prove something to her." We hate each other so much, and everyone knows that. I don't want him for Marco because she's obviously using him, but I am not sure why she hates me so much. For this semester, she takes some subjects in our section. Everytime we come across each other, we can't stop loathing each other.

"She wants to compete with you, Alisha. You know that she's expert in this field, and she won't accept the dean's offer if she has no hidden intention. She has previously represented the country in international pageants, so when she accepts that offer, it's sort of unbelievable. We just assumed, but maybe she wants to contest with you. You are one of the most famous personalities in Stallion and you surely captivate men's attention with this exposure." I rolled my eyes.

"Are you sure you are not willing to go the hassle for Marco? I thought you will do everything for him?" This is not the right time to talk about him.

Fear arose in me when the candidate before me spaced out while answering the question. I tried to control my breathing when I stepped on the stage. I still managed to smile despite the pressure.

"Hello, Ms. Villaflor. How does it feel to be the crowd's favorite?" It was our college's dean who asked me that.

"It is overwhelming. Thank you for your support. This is for you." Another loud screaming from the crowd dominated the hall. I am sincerely thankful to mom because for once, she allows me to experience this kind of appreciation.

"Great! So here's your question." I paid so much attention to him while he read something in the tablet in front of him.

"In your next life, what gender do you want to be born? And why?" I prepared one whole week for this, but I never encountered this type of question. I thought it would be about social issues. I contemplated at first, but I looked at mom, and I gathered all my confidence. I carry her name, so I cannot make a fool of myself in front of everybody.

"Thank you for that question. If I were to be reborn, I will still choose to be a woman. We are empowered and we are strong as we are. We hold lives in our own body, and I think that's so beautiful. It has been a great pleasure to be a woman. I have the biggest respect for all genders, and that is something I uphold because my role model, mom, taught me that the worth and value of an individual cannot be measured in his or her gender. It is in one's capacity to change the world, embrace peace and shower kindness. So yes, if I were to be reborn, I might as well try to be half of how she is as a woman and a mother. Thank you." I gave the microphone to the host who is looking at me with a smile. Again, the crowd went wild and suddenly there's a sound of drum while the men are cheering for me. That is enough. I became real. I don't want any title because I made it tell everybody how grateful I am for mom.

"Girl! That was hell so good!" Bleian is crying when I looked at their direction at the backstage. I gracefully walked to the back part of stage to join the previous candidates who are done with the question and answer. They eyed me from head to toe and most of them rolled their eyes on me. They must be asking who I am. Their junior sweeping her seniors under the mat must be quite a disgrace. I want to be humble even they are showing me such rudeness. It is the one who plays fair who appears winner in everyone's eyes.

I literally feel like I was about to have a heart attack the moment that the host is announcing the 4th runner up. I looked at mom, and she's not displaying any excitement or nervousness. I think it's her experience for the previous decades that made her able to contain emotions inside her. No one is more amazing than her.

Everytime someone else's name is being called, my legs are shaking in nervousness. There's only two of us left. She looked at me and smiled. Her smile is sincere, so I tried to give her the same. We have this far so it's alright to lose in this part. This is far enough.

I looked at the crowd again with my brightest smile only to see Camille sitting with Marco. She's smiling sarcastically while looking at me. I know that she's in different level. She doesn't have to go the hard way to get what she wants. I respect that. What angers me is her confidence to sit with Marco, how she flirts with him even she got a man. I kept my smile even it hurts me to see them together again.

"To represent our College of Business in the Mr. Stallion University is..." There goes the drum again. Both of the men standing in the stage are crowd's favorites. It is so noisy, but my focus stays with Marco and Camille.

"Mr. Leysam Montealto!" I clapped my hands. Afterall, I know him. He was humble when he received the sash. There are flashes of camera that showered the stage that time. I saw Marco clapped sleepily. It's like they are already expecting this.

"And now for the lady who will represent our college..." I took a deep sigh and try to calm.

"The name that I will be calling will be our representative for the Ms. Stallion University 2019. Congratulations to the one I will not be calling because you have come a long way." I smiled to the lady in front of me.

"Congratulations, Ms. Alisha Villaflor!" I immediately hugged my opponent.

"And congrats to Ms. Paula Raymond for being the 1st runner up!"

Leysam escorted me to the middle. He even volunteered to hold the certificates and other awards I was holding for a while ago's special awards. I searched for mom in the crowd and I showed him my sash. This is for you. I didn't expect this, but thank you so much, Lord!

She clapped gracefully and mouthed me 'Congratulations'. Everything stops when I saw Marco holding a bouquet of flowers while walking to my direction.

He walked to the stage and gave me the flower. He didn't even think twice in joining a lot of people in the stage. The overwhelming feeling of being congratulated by all the people in that stage was nothing compared to the butterfly that Marco gave me as he handed me the flowers and said 'You did well.'

"Thank you.." He hugged me and requested the publication staffs to take pictures of us.