Colliding Rulers

Pageant (3)

Third Person's P.O.V

It was finally the day of the pageant. It was the day that Gevia dreaded the most. Of course, Gevia was sure of the Q&A portion, since she was one of the top students in school and usually, those that excel in academics don't enter pageants. Gevia, though, didn't underestimate her opponents. She just doesn't have enough motivation to actually do well.

While everyone was happily looking forward to today. People were busy. Gevia was busy too, but with a different thing. Gevia kept on sighing. Every hour, a sigh would escape Gevia's plump lips. Gevia was the talk of the school and everyone was excited to see Gevia on the stage. It was the highly anticipated event of the month.

"I don't want toooo," Gevia whined to Joshua, who was having a hard time making Gevia lift even a finger. Gevia was beautiful already, but makeup was a necessity. Gevia stomped her feet, hugging her knees after stomping like a little kid.

"I thought this was for your daddy?" Joshua didn't want to guilt trip Gevia, but he felt that it was what Gevia needed to get moving.

"I know what you're doing and it isn't working."

Joshua facepalmed, giving up. But then he decided on something. It was worth a shot. Although it was something that Gevia had been in denial about, he was willing to test the waters with it. The evil grin on Joshua's face wasn't known to Gevia. Joshua cleared his throat and spun around.

"Awe, there was someone that really wanted to see you too." Gevia didn't say anything, but she was listening. Her heart was pounding, nervous that Joshua was onto something.

And Joshua was right off the bat. Gevia remembered Alex's words, that they were going to support Gevia. The memory was slowly, but unknowingly, making Gevia want to do well. But Gevia needed more to actually start moving.

"Of course, that someone even repeated the same words."

If I ask who now, then Joshua might get the funny idea of me having someone else besides him and Aeron. Joshua knows it's only them that I talk to. Gevia couldn't help but deduce her thinking to an extent.

"That person said that that person wanted to see you under the spotlight." Joshua's vagueness was getting to Gevia, but in a good way.

Joshua made a couple of side glances at the sulking Gevia, checking if it was somehow making Gevia move. But the fact that Gevia wasn't retaliating meant that Gevia was listening and reconsidering things. Joshua's lips couldn't help but curve in a happy way. He needed to convince Gevia fast. Time was running out and the pageant was going to start in a few hours.

Gevia still needed to do her makeup, and practice a few things, recollect herself and smile for everyone to see. Gevia was forced, but she couldn't beat the system.

"That person came up to me, surprisingly, and said with a smile that that person was looking forward to the pageant because you were competing." Gevia pursed her lips, trying to stop herself from asking suspicious questions.

Gevia's ear twitched, and Joshua saw that. A gleam of hope made its way to Joshua's heart and mind, almost jumping in happiness. But he kept himself calm. Gevia's reactions were already saying something. The fact that she wasn't saying anything made Joshua understand everything that needed understanding. Including the fact that Gevia was also trying to hide it.

Gevia sucked at hiding it. The more Joshua spent more time with Gevia, the more Joshua understood Gevia's body language. The unconscious eye movement, and the subtle changes in Gevia's eyes when it comes to Alex. It was all there.

"That person would be so bummed if that person were to know that you're not going." Joshua grinned, seeing Gevia grip her own arms.

"That person was also an introvert, and to think that that person was willing to come to me and excitedly told me this. Tsk tsk," Joshua's nonsense was now getting to Gevia.

Gevia poked out her head and saw a grinning Joshua, shrugging teasingly. Gevia couldn't send a death glare, but a guilty stare. Gevia looked adorable, and Joshua could not help but laugh. Joshua sat beside the guilty Gevia and looked at the mirror right in front of them. Everything was ready. The makeup kit, the outfits and the heels. Gevia was the last thing that everything needed to work.

"Guess that person crawled out of their cave for nothing, huh?"

Joshua's nonsense was making sense to Gevia. Alex was an introvert and there were only counted times that Alex was willing to attend crowded events.

Take the bait, dammit. Joshua wanted to rush things, but he knew Gevia so well that he couldn't. Gevia was hardheaded, much more like him, and if he were to approach Gevia in a threatening and forceful way, Gevia would cower back to her original state, nulling all progress.

"I remember that last person's words,"

"What?" Gevia asked. Joshua had no intentions of completing the statement, since Joshua was still processing what lie he would say to Gevia. But Joshua's pause to Gevia was an invitation for a question.

Joshua looked around, trying to think of something that would greatly make an impact on Gevia. His last lie was going to be the cherry on top. If he were to fail at that instant, it would be the end for Gevia and she would become more guilty afterwards.

"That person said," Joshua paused again, searching for the right possible words. He was racking up his brain for something. Something that would touch Gevia's steel heart.

"Said what? Joshuaaa," Gevia whined like a little kid. The cliffhanger wasn't to Gevia's liking.

When Joshua found the right words, he stood up and let his back face Gevia. Gevia looked up, looking at Joshua's back with an expectant gaze. It threw Gevia's stubbornness off. Joshua smiled at himself, hoping that it would actually work.

"That that person was going to support you with everything that that person got."

Fuck Did Alex actually go and meet Joshua? Those were Alex's right words, and the person that Joshua kept on describing sounded like Alex.

Those thoughts ran to Gevia's head, massaging her hard head.

"Ugh, fine." Gevia begrudgingly stood up and stretched. That position impacted Gevia's posture in a bad way, so the stretch was very much needed.

Joshua smiled a victory smile before spinning around and facing Gevia. Gevia had a scowl on her face while Joshua was brimming with happiness. Joshua pushed Gevia onto the chair that was directly in front of the mirror.

"Let me do my magic." Joshua said to Gevia.

I never knew Joshua could do makeup. Gevia fully trusts Joshua. Aside from Joshua being Gevia's friend, Joshua was also confident and that confidence wasn't easily overlooked by Gevia.

"Do it fast, please." Joshua clicked his tongue,

"I got you, homie."

For the next two hours, Josuha tried his best, showing his skills and putting them to work. He needed to make Gevia shine even brighter, brighter than the others. With a light so blinding that no one would dare look away. Joshua was in a battle with time and in a battle with his haters.

As Joshua did his things, Gevia noticed Joshua's fine work. It was unique and the techniques were there as well. There were some hacks that Joshua knew that surprised Gevia. The look was not Gevia's usual style, but it sat right with Gevia.

"Alright, the hair." Joshua said, wiping his sweat. He had his game mode on, with a serious look on his face but with a sense of contentment.

"Do your thing."

Others hired professionals, making sure that they were going to beat Gevia. Gevia already gave them a handicap by wasting time sulking and not hiring anyone. The others who hated Gevia wanted to show Gevia that they were better at something than Gevia. They know that they couldn't beat Gevia when it came to natural beauty and brains, and opted for emergencies.

"Ooh, you do know your thing. How come?" Gevia just had to ask. Joshua looked like a pro while he worked on Gevia. Joshua smiled, proud that Gevia acknowledged his skills.

"I used to work with models."

"Models?" Gevia asked with a proud smile on her face.

"Mhm, it was something that I excelled at."

"Was?"

Joshua hummed.

"I stopped."

"Why?"

"The demand was stacking up and I couldn't sacrifice my studies for work. Unless I make a name for myself and not under someone else's, then giving up my studies would be futile."

The world needed connections and a branded name. Those were two things that Josua lacked and accepted.

"Let me hire you then." the statement made Joshua halt what he was doing and stare blankly at Gevia's hair.

"What?"

"Let me hire you. I have temporary staffs, and I had no plans on hiring them anyway."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why not hire them?"

"They're my daddy's. I want someone that I want."

Nothing could have been more endearing to Joshua's ears.

"You sure about me?"

Gevia smiled.

"What makes you think I'm not?"