MISS CHAMP
1034 Words
The showcase lights were off.
People were packing up.
Chairs scraping.
Racks rolling.
The sound of a dream that just ended.
*Jessica: Liana!*
*Hope: We saw it!*
*Ella: You didn’t just walk. You floated!*
The three of them ran to her backstage.
Hugs.
Screams.
The smell of hairspray and victory.
*Jessica: I told you! I told you "The Benin Breeze" would cook!*
*Hope: Were you nervous? Because we were nervous for you.*
*Liana: _laughs, shaking_ I was. I thought I was going to faint.*
Her hands were still trembling.
Adrenaline leaving her body.
*Ella: But you didn’t. You won.*
They pulled her in for another group hug.
Three girls and one plaque between them.
*Ella: Come on. Let’s go outside. Get air.*
---
The parking lot was almost empty.
Cool night air.
The smell of dust and car exhaust.
The smell of Benin at 10pm.
Liana stood there.
Plaque in one hand.
Bouquet of sunflowers and white roses in the other.
Chocolate in her bag.
Proof.
Proof that she did it.
She was waiting for her ride.
Headlights pulled up.
Black car.
Window down.
*Leo: Miss Champ.*
Liana smiled so big her cheeks hurt.
The kind of smile that reaches your eyes and stays there.
She got in.
The car smelled like him.
Like cologne and chocolate and safety.
*Leo: You did it.*
*Liana: _holds up plaque_ We did it.*
*Leo: _laughs_ I just clapped. You did the flying.*
They drove.
Music low.
Windows down.
Benin breeze coming in.
Fitting.
*Leo: So "The Benin Breeze" huh? Sounds like something that would blow me away.*
*Liana: _hits his arm lightly_ Stop it.*
*Leo: What? It’s true. You blew all of us away. Even Madam was sweating.*
*Leo: I saw her. Backstage. Wiping her forehead like she’d run a marathon.*
Liana laughed.
For the first time in weeks, it felt real.
No pressure.
No panic.
Just jokes and night air and someone who saw her.
Then his phone rang.
Loud in the quiet car.
Like a glass breaking.
_Alexia calling_
Leo’s jaw tightened.
He let it ring.
One ring.
Two.
It stopped.
Then rang again.
*Leo: _sighs_ I have to take this.*
He pulled over to the side of the road.
Dust kicking up behind the tires.
*Leo: _answers_ Yeah?*
*Alexia: _voice through speaker, sharp_ Where are you? We need to talk. Now.*
Liana froze.
She reached for the door handle.
_Get out. Don’t be here for this._
A voice in her head told her to give them space.
She didn’t mind standing outside.
She didn’t want to be the girl in the car during that call.
Leo saw it.
His hand shot out.
Caught her wrist.
Gentle.
Firm.
Like _stay_.
*Leo: _into phone_ I’ll call you once I’m home, Alexia.*
*Alexia: Leo, this is important—*
*Leo: I said I’ll call you when I’m home.*
He hung up.
Click.
The car was quiet again.
Too quiet.
The kind of quiet that has weight.
Liana stared at her hands.
At the flowers.
At the gold on the plaque.
*Leo: _soft_ You don’t have to go.*
*Liana: _low_ Is she okay?*
*Leo: _exhales_ We just got into some misunderstanding. But don’t worry, we’ll talk it out.*
*Liana: _nods_ Oh.*
She wanted to ask more.
Was it about Naomi?
Was it about her?
She didn’t.
The awkwardness sat between them like a third person.
In the back seat.
*Leo: _starts driving again_ You still hungry, Miss Champ?*
*Liana: _forces a smile_ A little.*
But the jokes didn’t land the same anymore.
And the night air didn’t feel as light.
It felt heavier.
Like before rain.
And again his phone rang.
_Alexia_ on the screen.
Again.
*Leo: _ignores it_*
*Liana: I think you should take that,* she muttered, looking away.
Out the window.
At nothing.
The phone buzzed again.
_Message from Alexia._
_RING._
Insistent.
Leo parked the car in front of a small restaurant by the roadside.
Yellow lights.
Plastic chairs.
Suya smoke in the air.
Normal.
He picked up.
*Leo: Why aren’t you answering the call? _Alexia snapped_*
*Leo: I said I’ll call you when I’m home, babe.* _steady_
*Alexia: But I want to talk to you _now_.*
Immediately, Liana opened the door and stepped out.
The night air hit her face.
She knew Leo would decline the call again.
She knew and she still left.
She stood in front of the car, still holding the flowers in her hand.
Sunflowers.
White roses.
Proof that someone was proud of her.
Leo exhaled at her actions.
Liana was giving them space.
She didn’t want to feel like the villain in their love story.
She didn’t want to be the reason.
Leo was talking to Alexia, but his eyes were on Liana.
Watching her closely.
Every detail.
How the wind lifted strands of her hair and brushed them across her face.
How she closed her eyes for a second and exhaled, like the whole week was finally leaving her body.
How she held the flowers to her chest like they were proof that she did it.
Like she was holding herself together.
He was still on the phone with Alexia, but his eyes didn’t leave Liana.
Like he was trying to capture every second of her relief.
Like he was afraid if he looked away, she’d disappear.
After a few minutes, he ended the call.
_BEEP._
He blew the horn.
Two short taps.
Come.
Liana looked up from the window.
She walked to the passenger side and tapped the glass.
*Leo: _winds down_ Yeah?*
*Liana: Can we eat here? I’m starving. I had a long day.*
*Leo: Yeah, sure.*
He came down.
Liana set the bouquet gently on the passenger seat and followed him inside.
Careful with the flowers.
Careful with everything.
The cashier looked up and smiled.
*Cashier: Aww, you two look cute together. Winning and eating? I love that for you.*
Liana’s cheeks went red.
Hot.
*Leo: _small smile_ Thank you.*
They walked to a table by the window, still laughing.
For a moment, it felt normal again.
Like just two people.
Like Miss Champ and the guy who clapped.
Until Leo's phone buzzed again.
On the table.
Face down.
But they both saw it light up.
- Writer
