Colliding Rulers

Pageant (2)

Gevia's P.O.V

"What do you mean you can't take my name off of the list?" I practically screamed in the principal's face.

While Joshua, Aeron and I were talking while we ate, the principal asked to see me through the school's intercom. I finished my meal first before I went to the office. I thought the issue was solved, but to my dismay, it wasn't. And now the principal is telling me that they can't take my name off of the list?

"Miss Jones, we sent out the survey, excluding you since you made it clear that you didn't want to participate in it. Unfortunately, the system didn't want to allow you all to back off of the competition." I could hear the guilty tone in the principal's voice, but I didn't want to acknowledge it.

I was fuming inside.

"f**k the system!" I shouted angrily. It was good that Joshua decided to stay at the cafeteria. I was beyond pissed at the moment and I don't think I wanted to burden Joshua with my temper.

"Miss Jones, the student body wants to see you in this pageant," the principal was pleading.

I massaged my temples, calming my nerves down even though it wasn't really working. I just had to try. This day was really pushing me to my limits. I looked at the principal with a piercing glare. She looked away, pursing her lips.

"Let me guess, to raise funds again? Like how you did with Alex?"

"I-" she exhaled.

"I won't even try and deny that fact, Miss Jones, but as much as we really want to erase your name off of the list, the system isn't allowing us."

"You already spilled the tea, yet you're still defending yourself. What humor." the principal gulped and looked away. She can't even offer me a more convincing lie than that? What a joke.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jones."

I stood up and left the office. Since there was no more need for me to stay any longer, I went to the rooftop. The wind was quite strong there and I needed it to cool my head. From there, I saw my fellow students doing what they were doing. I see genuine smiles, forced smiles, and alone but contented.

I already have a lot on my plate and they're adding unnecessary things to that plate. I honestly could handle so much. There's Alex bugging my heart, and Aeron inside my head. Then there was that incident with Alejandro in the cemetery. What the hell was happening in my life? No one told me about this. The mystery behind someone's facade. I've never been this curious my entire life.

"Huh," it was like a contented tone. I spun around and saw Alex. They made their way beside me.

The cold wind was calming me down, as I intended it to. No one paid attention to us. I was thinking of Alex and look at that, they're here. Why is it always that whenever I think of Alex, they immediately come to my side? And at the most crucial time. Fate must be pulling some strings. Or am I just imagining things?

As much as I missed Alex's touch, they were confusing me so f*****g much. No, it was wrong of me to accuse Alex. I'm right here confusing myself. I don't want to see Alex, not now when everything's a mess. Plus, I don't think I can hold onto holding back the secret about Alex having a secret twin.

"I saw your name on the list." even Alex knew how much I disliked seeing my name up there. Why can't the others see that as well?

"Mhm," I could only manage to reply like that. I had no energy to handle bullshit at the moment.

"I heard about everything, and how everyone was also persistent about seeing you participate." I turned my head to Alex.

"What gives?"

"They're after the swimsuit-"

"Talk less." Alex pursed their lips, shutting up, which I am thankful for. I was in a really really bad mood. Not even Alex can dissipate this disliking of mine.

Alex grabbed something from their bag, but I didn't look at them. After a while, I felt an earphone being put in my ear. My eyes shifted to Alex, but didn't stay long. Alex put on some music for us to listen to. It was a chill instrumental song. It calmed me down. The music plus the wind were a great combo. I felt at peace. Inner peace was attained.

The chill progression of chords, the smooth transitions and the melodical change of pitch were a nice thing to listen to. It touched me innately. Something about music makes me want to just stop what I was doing, or feeling and just appreciate it. No matter what kind of music it was, I'd always want to listen to it.

"Are you calm now?" Alex asked. I hated how Alex knew how to change my mood. Alex understood me so well, yet here I was, avoiding everything else that came along with it. A coward, I tell you.

"Yes, thank you."

"Good. You could always forfeit or not attend the said pageant."

"I've thought about that, you know. But I'm carrying daddy's name with me. It's not just me. You know that as well."

"I never took you as the type to please someone else."

I sighed.

"That would be the case if it was someone else. But it's daddy we're talking about here." Alex turned their body towards me and with a smile. It was that smile again. It made my heart go thump thump.

Alex leaned in and stole a quick kiss. It was brief, but I still felt how soft Alex's lips were. I couldn't react in time to prevent the kiss, but who am I kidding? I'm always down when it comes to kissing Alex. There were students below us, but of course, they wouldn't even think of someone being on the rooftop.

Nobody really liked it here because it was so windy and cold, much less expect someone else to be here.

"That's what I like about you. Good luck on the pageant. I'll be cheering for you." I was too stunned to ask what Alex meant. They went and left me there, dumbfounded.

That's what I like about you? What the f**k does that mean? As in friends? More than friends? Like, as in tolerable enough to be able to have s*x with me? That reasoning is too vague for my liking, Samson! There were a lot of things I wanted to say and ask and complain about, but my mouth wouldn't open. I chew on the insides of my cheeks again. Something that I do when something's not in my favor.

"Bitch." was all I managed to say before I went down and searched for Joshua. When I couldn't find Joshua in the cafeteria, I decided to call him. I went to where he was and sat beside him. Surprisingly, Aeron was still with him.

Since when were they the best of friends?

"You're still here?" I asked, harsher than I intended it to be.

"Ouch. You don't like seeing my face?" Aeron jokingly asked.

"No, just surprised that you're still here."

It almost seemed like Aeron wasn't even trying to hide her identity from Alex. Which part of this was a secret again? The whole presence thing, right?

"I don't have friends." Aeron confessed lightly, making Joshua and I exchange looks.

"Funny, ain't we three the same?" Joshua giggled.

"Mhm,"

"So, how'd it go with the principal?" Aeron asked. My mood had already alleviated so the question wasn't pissing me off.

Going to the rooftop and meeting Alex there really did me good.

"I need to compete."

"What? I thought everything was okay?" the disbelief on Joshua's face was quite relatable.

"The system didn't want to erase our names and that the student body especially wanted to see me compete in that bullshit pageant." I sighed. How many sighs have I done already? Like, for real.

"System?" Aeron asked.

"The school has a system where everything is planned and final. The system is law itself." it was the most brief explanation available. Aeron nodded her head, getting the point of the whole system thing.

"And now you're stuck with that system?" I nodded my head.

I guess it can't be helped. I don't want to use my daddy's name, and I don't want to let him down. It would taint his name so much. He has already lost so much. His reputation should be the last thing. I don't want daddy to lose to Alejandro either. That son of a b***h doesn't deserve anything. Even Alex and Aeron are too good to be true to be his children.

"Absolutely. Quite happy about it, yes." the sarcasm was off the roof.

"How come you didn't know about the system?"

"I barely even care about anything," Aeron honestly answered.

I'm going to win that pageant for daddy.