Raging Love

Kapitulo 5

Kapitulo 5

We are now in the backstage area, and I don't know what happens next. I look at the crack in the curtain and saw Cyrex, sitting stiffly with his hand massaging his jaw. Looking somewhere. I motion the curtain sideways, went back to my place. While Miss Pangasinan couldn't get her sight off of me. Wondering, probably.

I sit down on the chair. Freeing my breath, and take the brush with my hand. If he's the owner of this stadium, it means that I am dead. Knowing he'd do everything. To make me suffer. Roughly.

"Fereine," Miss Pangasinan calls me, and I turn around. "Congrats pala, ha. I know that you're nervous, but still you execute your stance.

I smile, slightly. "Uh, yeah. Thanks."

She went back to her vicinity. While I am busy fixing my hair. I look at the ground, take off my stilettos, and notice something is pin on my shoe. I got the pin. It's a paper. I open it and read the passage: I know that you're nervous, but I believe that you can. I will be there to sit and watch you. Good luck.

I don't know if should I smile or not. But my lips can't help but jerk up. I shake my head, crumpled the paper, before pulling on my shoes and push myself as gracious as I could.

We marched to the stage as instructed a few minutes later. We need to complete the round—the question and answer round. When I move my head to one side, there is no Ghad. My heart leaps for a second until somone waves at me, and I saw him sitting in a row next to Cyrex.

I wave at him. He smiles. While Cyrex is seriously glaring at me, and pulls down his eyes to my heels. He smirks. I recall the texts written in teeny handwriting. I have to admit, this man would never let me go not until he got what he needed.

"Hello there, I'm back," and he then smiled at the audience. "Are you excited for this round?"

The crowds are yelling and some are chanting to their candidate. I know this portion will never be easy. If you're not prepared enough you might get tremble.

He exhales. "But before that, let me introduce our beautiful and handsome judges."

He introduces them one by one until he stops at Cyrex, who's now staring at him. I study his face. He gave me a smirk that's evident from the screen as the camera man highlighted him.

"Cyrex Resere, the owner and CEO of Growsman Shippinglines; the owner of RJC Arena where we're standing now," he jokes, and Cyrex's sight firms up at him. "He's also the grandson of the former president of the Republic of the Philippines, Frion Resere."

The introductory process of the host is lame. That Cyrex almost yawned. The camera highlights him again, and he smiles at the monitor. And back to me.

"Now, let's begin with... Miss Pangasinan." His voice is beyond aloud.

Miss Pangasinan walks into him, giving him a smile and past him to the judges. Her straight, jet black hair had made me look for her for a few seconds before switching my sight to Cyrex.

"Miss Pangasinan, how are you?" he questions casually.

She gave him a shy smile. "I'm good, how 'bout you?"

"I'm... fine. Well, perhaps a little nervous but seemed not to notice," he muffles the last word, and all people were laughing. "Okay, we move on to that. Are you ready for your question?"

She nods her head. I saw the judge looking at her intently. The other ran a sight down to her body. I simply breathe. This is pageantry. If you want to choose this track rather than others, then you have to face immoral treatment of the people.

"What is the greatest factor in HIV and AIDS awareness?" The host glances at the card and back to her.

She grasps the mic before speaking. "HIV and AIDs awareness has helped a lot of individuals to avoid getting infected. And for me, the greatest factor of this program is to mandate people to regard the horror value of this infectious disease. Let them use their agency to commit such an act that would and not harm them."

After that, the crowds are yelling at her. While the man looks at her, amused by what she gave. Me either.

He peeps at the card. "Miss Cagayan De Oro City. Please join me here on stage."

He asks her about self-education that the students were deemed to implement. And she gave a direct but on-point response, citing the issue of the country's education as the main reason for the event. Why do people prefer to self-educate rather than enrol in a formal education that will make them feel useless and worthless? Genius.

He called five ladies and they answered the questions well. Though Miss Cebu City stuttered, she still nailed the right answer. Pointing weaknesses and putting them up to make her stronger. What a reply.

"Miss Manila," he pronouces, and she smiles walking into him. "What is the biggest contribution your society has made to the nation?"

"The biggest contribution of my society is..." she pauses, hinting for an answer. "Is... um, to—to help the nation grow. Thank you."

The man on the stage looks in turmoil at her answer. Maybe she was just nervous, but I don't seem to have any wrong with her answer. That's how she viewed it.

"Thank you, Miss Manila." He looks at the card. "Bulacan."

She walks unhurriedly to the centre of the stage. Waiting for her question. She has a rectangle body shape that made her more pretty, and her lips made her appearance glossy.

"What's the purpose of freedom of the press?" he asks in a low tone.

"Good evening everyone. I would cite the word "freedom" in a nation. This freedom had helped us understand our society's composure and the opinions we hear. I believe that freedom of the press will become valid if we use it in a manner that's not degrading to someone. Thank you."

"Thank you, Miss Bulacan." His lips twitches up into a line. "Bacolod."

I look to the side as he called her name. I don't hate her, but it is better to avoid it than to make it void.

He almost yawned, but he resists it. "What legacy would you give to your children?

She licks her lips. "The lagacy that I would give to my children... is the beauty of their mother. They'll be facing the woman who gives them hope, and births them without any doubt. "

I raise an eybrow. Well, she's a point there. She's not making any mistakes right now. Maybe soon. Goodness, I'm just kidding.

"Thank you, Miss Bacolod."

He called six ladies, and none of them had the flaw of replying with the question. The audacity to respond factual information. It has made me respect them more.

Cyrex's gaze became intense. His facial hair, which appeared to be growing on his cheek. Gave him a strong, masculine appearance. His thick lashes curl upward that made him look more dark. His nose tilts down on the paper as I am watching him closely. Clearly.

"Ilo-Ilo City," he calls and she came into view. "Here is your question. What advice would you give to an electoral aspirant who wants to rule this nation? "

Woah! That's a tough one. How could she address that if this was based on politics? What a question was that? Was that even a real question? God.

She held the mic. "To all aspirants who want to rule this nation. I want to hear your mission, not just your vision. I want to see improvement and not a debasement of the economy. In short, I would like to give my best advice on becoming a leader, not a boss. That's all."

"T-thank you, Miss Ilo-Ilo." He simply wipes the sweat beads on his brow.

He called Miss Butuan and Cotabato City. They gave a satisfactory answer that a judge should have listened to.

He glances at the card, and his eyes lands on me. "Miss Makati."

I walk into the centre of the stage. I fix my hair. Cyrex stares at me. And I can't help but avoid his sight that's close to scanning.

"Miss Makati, here is your question. If you win the Nobel Prize award, what would you present to them that'd mirror of your nationality?"

I grasp the microphone, while Cyrex fixes his gaze on me. I breathe. "Winning such a prestigious award is such an honor. So, I will show to them our culture and local fabrics that would refine the vision of a true Filipino. Thank you."

He grins, slightly. "Thank you, Miss Makati."

I smile at the crowd and went back to my place. While Ghad is just smiling at me. He's happy that I'm here, finally. I see it.

"Miss General Santos City, here is your question. If you were given a chance to change history, what would it be? And why?"

I dart my eyes at her. She's powerful in a way that a manner of braveness is on her tonight. And I knew she could answer well.

"If I were given a chance to change history, I would start by putting someone's regime into positivity. I would change the fallacy that he's an autocrat and a venal leader. A legend like him should have formal texts to the nation. Should not give fallacious data during his reign. He's a great and true leader that we need nowadays."

My eyebrows arched. How come they say it as if it's easy for them? These ladies were strong enough to acknowledge the truth and not abide by the hoax.

"There you go. Once again, your top twenty," he says it aloud, walk off the stage.

I breathe. We went backstage. We had a couple of minutes to prepare. Do retouch or whatever. I look at the mirror, guiding my hand to the hem of my dress. Fixing the disheveled part. It's a one-shoulder dress with glitters that gleams the night.

"Sa tingin mo makukuha ako?" Miss Bacolod queries her peer.

"Oo naman, ang ganda kaya ng sagot mo," Miss Palawan retorts, fixing her hair.

I think they're friends. I don't have friends here. But I talk with Miss Pangasinan with civility. Aside from that, I've nothing but myself. It's better to be alone than to be someone's villain.

"This is the moment of truth..." He gazes for a few seconds at the card and back to the camera. "From twenty powerful women down to ten who strongly fight the round."

I still wear a smile even though I hate smiling at him. Cyrex winks at me and sips on his juice, showing off his perfect white teeth. I reckon he's seducing rather than motioning. Dirty man.

"The lady who will take the first spot is..." he pauses, and continues. "General Santos City."

Wow! Well, she nailed it. She walks to the floor and turn sideways and did her pose.

"Moving on to..." he pauses for a thrill. "Pangasinan."

Thy're shouting her name when she smiles at them. I really love the way she walks, smiles, even the way she looks at people. Deserving to be the one.

"You're in the top ten, miss..." he did it again. "Makati."

I was close to shock. I don't know what to do. I walk onto the stage, did my pose, and stop next to Miss Pangasinan. I really love her dress, even before. When we're just rehearsing, I can't take my eyes off of her. She's like an innocent princess.

And he then called Miss Bulacan, Ilo-Ilo City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Bohol, Mandaluyong, and Zamboanga. These powerful women standing next to me are serious with their advocacy. And they were kind and responsive, too. We are all deserving for the title, I view.

"Everyone. Your top ten," he says in a manner of pleasing, walks off the stage.

I look at Cyrex. His lips pull uphill and I slant my sight. My eyes wander to my cousin. He can't removed the smile, and I could see the joy every time we looked at each other. I look at my supporters who never stops yelling my name until we're instructed to go backstage again. I did it!