40| The Beauty Pageant (1)

It was Sunday, the day of the beauty pageant. The backstage was so crowded that it was getting difficult to breathe. Plus, the anxiety didn't help Maya either. She felt like she was going to embarrass herself in the worst way possible.

"Are you sure this hairstyle suits me?" She asked the makeup and hair stylist. Her curly hair were gathered on top of her head in a messy bun that took the artist an hour to make.

"Yes, it does, sweety." She replied in her saccharine voice.

"How is it going, Aria?" She heard Zachary's voice and her heart jolted in nervousness. She didn't want him to see her like this but it was too late. He was already staring at her with his mouth hanging low.

"God!" He muttered under his breath.

"What? Do I look okay? I look bad, don't I?" Maya asked him while he kept staring with wide eyes.

"N... No. You look... Wow." Zachary said breathlessly.

Maya blushed at this and assessed herself once again in the mirror. Maybe she didn't look that bad.

"You have magical hands, Aria." Zachary said to the artist. She was one of Zachary's friends and by the look of it, it seemed like they were probably more than just friends in the past.

"Anything for you." She winked at him and he smirked in return. Maya watched their interaction with a frown on her forehead.

"I'll take it from here." He said.

After Aria had left, he walked behind Maya and tucked a loose curl into the bun. Through the mirror, their eyes locked together and they both passed each other a brief smile.

Once their staring contest broke, Maya looked around the crowded hall and her eyes landed on Althea. She looked mesmerizing in her black dress that looked like it was straight out of a Hollywood red carpet. Her makeup, hair, everything was done to perfection. She knew she didn't stand a chance against Althea and she was okay with it, as long as she don't get herself embarrassed by falling on the stage or something.

Sharp blue eyes, flawless skin, makeup done to perfection and dark hair cascading down her shoulder, Althea smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her team of hair stylists and makeup artists had done their job perfectly. Her dress was gorgeous and contrasted against her pale skin. Overall, she was sure she would win. The only thing remained was to inform the servants to prepare everything for the celebration.

She cast a glance at Zoey standing at her neighbouring table. She also looked amazing in her red flowy dress and she even did her hair and makeup herself. But for Zoey, winning didn't matter. Shame, because what's the fun in life if you don't excel in everything.

"Hey," Althea waved at Olive who was sitting there to give them moral support. "How do I look?"

"You look like you could give supermodels a run for their money." Olive commented.

"Why thank you, sweetheart." Althea said.

"Of course she is going to win. Her mother is the judge." Blaire Willow commented and Althea gave her a narrowed glare.

"As if you had any chance if my mother wasn't the judge" Althea said sarcastically. "Besides, everybody knows I don't need any unfair mean to win so take your whining to somewhere else."

Zoey who was listening to their arguing silently, rolled her eyes. She couldn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with winning. Competitions like this were supposed to be just for enjoyment. You dress up in pretty gowns, do makeup on your face, style your hair and walk down the ramp; that's the fun part.

The competition was going to start any minute now so she gave a final look to her preparation. She was wearing a red jewel-neck fit and flare dress. Her walk was ready, her makeup was done, her hair were made. Overall, she was satisfied with herself.

She looked around the dressing area and her eyes froze on a specific person standing near the entrance. It was Travis, looking around for someone. Walking past all the girls, Zoey made her way to him.

"Looking for someone?" She asked.

Travis angled his neck towards her and his eyes travelled down her body briefly. "Yeah, Maya."

Zoey gave a quick glance to the room to find Maya but failed. "There is a swarm of girls inside. It's practically impossible to find her." She told him.

"Hmm. Figured." He said and turned around to leave.

Zoey followed him down the stairs and called his name to stop him. When he did, she put her hands on her hips and made a pose. "How do I look?"

"You look okay." He said.

"Just okay?" Zoey scrunched her nose.

"Yep." Travis shrugged.

"Tell me Travis, do I look hot?" Zoey winked at him.

"Not really." Travis replied but she could see the faint hint of a blush on his cheeks.

"You are an ass." Zoey muttered under her breath and turned around to climb the stairs but the minute she stepped on the third step of stairs in her killer heels, her ankle twisted and she stumbled backwards.

A painful scream left her mouth as she felt herself landing on the ground forcefully. Her eyes clenched shut in pain and for a moment, she felt like her body was run over by a trailer.

"Oh my God! Zoey." Travis reached her and worrily assessed her. The impact of the fall was hard and she definitely hurt herself during this. "Are you alright?"

"No, I am not." Zoey groaned. She opened her eyes and everything felt blurred for a moment. She tried to sit up but wince after wince left her mouth.

"Let me help." Travis said and snaked an arm around her waist to help her sit up.

The pain was so much that it took Zoey a minute to finally come to her senses. "My ankle." Zoey whispered, slowly massaging her ankle. "It hurts."

"Shit. Do you want me to call you a doctor?" Travis offered, not knowing what to do.

"No. I hate doctors. I will be fine on my own." Zoey said and supporting her hands on his shoulder, tried to stand up but ended up falling back on the ground. "It hurts. It hurts so much."

"Don't be stupid, Zoey. I think we should call a doctor." Travis said, looking at her ankle in worry.

"No doctor." Zoey grumbled loudly.

From a distance, she heard the voice of the host announcing the start of events. The walk was going to start any minute now and Zoey couldn't even stand up straight, let alone walk. "Fuck, I am the third in line." She exchanged a worried look with Travis.

"To hell with this stupid beauty pageant. I am taking you to the doctor." Travis said. He put one arm under her back and the other under her knees and picked her up in his arms. Zoey screeched at this and linked her hands around his neck to prevent herself from falling.

"What are you going? Put me down?" Zoey said.

"Gladly. But right now, you are in no way capable of walking on your own." He said. "We are going to the hospital."

"No. Just take me home. Please, Travis." She said softly. "We can figure something out there."

"Fine." He said after contemplating for a moment and then started walking. Zoey had a big personality, sometimes too big to handle but she felt so tiny in his hands. Right now, she looked vulnerable and innocent that he felt himself melting for her.

Zoey rested her head against his chest. He smelled nice; all masculine and like rain. She might look skinny but she still weighed one hundred and twenty pounds but Travis had her in his arms as if she weighed nothing. She might be a feminist but she had to admit it felt nice, being carried by someone muscular like a sack of potatoes.

He reached his car in the parking lot and opened the door, sliding her in. Her dress took more space than her in the car. He then went to the driver's seat and started the car. Zoey rested her head against the window and bit her lips to stop herself from groaning in pain.

••••••••••

Maya's heart summersaulted in her chest as her turn got closer. She watched every other girl through the curtain as they made their way down the ramp confidently. Zoey never made it to the stage and Zachary told her that she might have changed her mind. Girls like Althea and Blaire walked as if they owned the ramp. Then there was Maya who felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest any minute now.

"You will be fine." She felt Zachary's hand on her shoulder.

"I don't think so." She said to Zachary and hyperventilated.

"Look at me." Zachary asked her to turn towards him. When she did, he cupped her chin and lifted her face up. "You are beautiful, Maya. And you are smart, so smart that it hurts to talk to you sometimes. Don't worry about the results. Even if you come last, you will be the smartest girl ever walked on this ramp."

Their eyes remained locked together and Maya felt soft and gooey inside at his words. The trance only broke when she heard the announcement of the number before hers and she rushed towards the stage.

Once the girl before her returned after the walk, she braced herself, put one hand on her hip and walked forwards, remembering the walk she had practised again and again with Zachary.

As she reached the stage, her lungs constricted on seeing the huge number of students and faculty. Some people here knew her as the top scorer, the tutor girl, the girl who follows every rule and the nerd while the majority here probably didn't know her as they never gave her second glance.

She took a deep breath, placed a subtle smile on her face and walked forwards, ignoring all the eyes on her. Her heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to the front and stopped there for few seconds.

"That's my friend, y'all." She heard a loud voice and she recognised it immediately. It was Mario, stupid Mario. It took everything in her power not to break into a laugher at this and then she turned around, slowly walking back to the backstairs.

Zachary was waiting there for her, smiling at how elegantly she had completed her walk. Some girls here were wearing better dresses and makeup than her but nobody even came close to looking as mesmerizing like her. She looked almost like a dream, a beautiful dream.

"How did I do?" She asked Zachary on reaching him.

"Amazing." Zachary said, linking his hand with hers.

All the girls waited near the entrance of the stage while the judges selected their top 5 girls who will move into the next round, the Q and A round.

After a torturing wait of fifteen minutes, Isobel Harper, one of the three judges made her way to the stage and started talking.

"Dear students, respected faculty and everyone else gathered here, good evening. First of all, I would like to say that all of you looks amazing. All the 30 girls had practised their best and that's what matters the most. But for the sake of rules, we have selected top 5 girls that we deemed more fit for the title of Miss. Majesty High. In the next round, we will have a brief conversation with each of these girls and one of them will be declared winner. Once again, if you are not selected in top 5, that in no way means you are any less beautiful. Keep your head high and conquer the world ladies."

With that, she announced the five names. Maya tightened her hand around Zachary, applying so much pressure that it made him wince. But he kept his mouth silent and remained with her during this time of anticipation.

"In no particular order, Blaire Willow, Evie Mekong, Sarah Shepherd, Althea Harper and..." Both Zachary and Maya closed her eyes. "Maya Andrews."

Oh my God." Maya shouted and leapt at Zachary, giving him a brief peck on lips and then hugging him tightly in excitement.

Zachary's eyes widened at her action and his jaw hung low. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around Maya's small waist and returned her hug. Suddenly, Maya stilled in her arms, probably realizing what she just did. They slowly parted away and looked at each other nervously.

"I... Um..." She stuttered.

It's okay." Zachary said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Yeah." Maya whispered and turned around.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Who do you think is going to win?

Zoey's outfit

Althea's outfit

Maya's outfit