CHAPTER 4- The Crown and the Escape

I

“And our Ms. Albaya 2020 is … Contestant number 8!” the crowd screamed with glory and Mel jumped to his feet, clapping and shouting.

Grazziena looked at her wristwatch; it is eight minutes before midnight. Fears wobbled in every purse of her skin. She needs to escape now. 

When the young and gorgeous Chairman of the Board of Judges came near her, his lips were almost touching her right ear as he whispered, “In due time, you will be mine.” However, Grazziena did not notice his words anymore. She was already uneasy and thinking about how to escape.

As soon as her crown has been put by him on her head, Grazziena acted as if her stomach was aching. “Excuse me, I can’t take it anymore, I need to go to the comfort room.” Then she turned her back, got her crown from her head, and ran. 

Grazziena motioned to Mel to get her prizes and without any word, to the shock of the spectators and judges, she ran going out of the auditorium, without looking back. She cannot afford to ruin her dreams, which she knows is likely to happen if she will shift into her wolf form in front of those crowds. With so much fear, Grazziena, although with shaking legs ran as fast as she can going home.

The Chairman of the Board of Judges followed with his eyes the running new crowned Ms. Albaya 2020 with full amusement on his expression. He heard what she said a while ago and he chuckled.

Grazziena found a secluded, dark area where she removed her gown, thereafter a ray of light enveloped her whole body, shifting her into her wolf form. Seeing that no one was around, the ugly she-wolf ran as fast as she can with the blue gown on her mouth, leaving the main road and taking the forest, where she took the shortcut going to their far Barrio.

A few minutes more and Grazziena’s wolf form was already jumping into her room’s window. Good thing her parents including her neighbors were sleeping already. The yellowish, sluggish, and ugly-looking she-wolf wiggled its tail and then it crawled down below the bed as if tired and sleepy; beside it, is the blue gown of the newly crowned Ms. Albaya 2020.

Mel apologized to the Emcee and to the judges explaining that her friend could not take it anymore as her stomach was about to explode already. The Emcee and the judges understood and even laughed.

At backstage, Contestant number 2 is swearing in anger. She could not take it that a nobody like Grazziena beat her in the beauty contest. She is the daughter of the Vice-Governor of this province and the Chairman of the Board of Judges is the Governor; his father’s ally, a family friend, and her long-time secret love. She was ashamed of him that she did not get the crown.

“Mariella, my friend, congrats, you got so many awards.” Leslie, the best friend of the Vice-governor’s daughter immediately looked for her friend after the pageant. She was right, Mariella stayed backstage fuming.

Mariella shot her best friend with her fiery eyes. “There is nothing to congratulate Leslie. Are you insulting me?” 

Leslie came near her to Mariella. “My friend, you got three awards that most of the candidates don’t have; you still stand out from the rest.” She smiled at her best friend, whose tears are now starting to fall.

“But I did not win Les; I am a disgrace again to my family.”Mariella sobs.

Leslie caressed the hair of her crying best friend. “No, no, don’t you ever think about that. I bet Uncle Bart is proud of her youngest daughter because she almost got all the awards in the pageant.” 

“You think so, my friend?” She looked up at her best friend with hope in her eyes. Her eldest sister was the first crowned Ms. Albaya and she even won Ms. International when she competed in the national beauty pageant competition in their country.  Compared to her elder sister, she is always nothing. That is most probably why their mother’s favorite is not her but her older sister.

Leslie nodded with a smile on her face, with sincere hope to pacify the bruised ego and emotion of her best friend.

From the start of the competition, Leslie herself already concluded that Contestant number 8 might win the contest. The moment Contestant number 8 walked down the ramp, her illuminating aura already captured the heart of the crowd and she bet the judges too. What she became afraid of was when she saw the Chairman of the Board of Judges following with his glimmering eyes, every move of Contestant number 8. She knows what it implies and she knows further that it will hurt Mariella more. Mariella greatly adored that man since her high school years. Her love for him is almost over the moon.

II

The next day, Mel came to Grazziena’s house early in the morning again. 

Grazziena was already awake. She was drinking coffee and eating boiled banana saba when Mel arrived rushing.

“Grazziena girl, congrats eeeeee!” Mel shouted to the shock of Grazziena’s mother who was also drinking coffee beside her daughter. 

“Ga, did you win?” she asked. She dared not to ask this morning since she thought Grazziena failed to get the crown as she was just silent.

“Yes, Mamushki; your daughter got the crown. Here is her prize; it is fifty thousand pesos, and also, here is her trophy and certificate of scholarship.” Excitedly, Mel handed everything to Grazziena’s mother.

Grazziena’s mother, Lumen was so shocked. Her daughter did really win and she is so proud; really proud of her. She stood up and called her husband after hugging Grazziena tightly.

“Ruben, Ruben!, come here. Looked! Our daughter won the Ms. Albaya 2020!” she exclaimed happily while showing her husband Grazziena’s prizes.

“I knew it at the onset that she will win.” Proudly, Ruben stated smiling wide.

“Ey, girl, you need to prepare this afternoon. Your beauty will be riding the float together with your runners-up. The whole Albaya will know that you are the crowned winner last night and not the Vice-governor’s daughter.” Then Mel laughed after remembering the answer of Contestant number 2 during the question and answer portion of the last night’s beauty contest.

“Psst, stop laughing at Mariella’s answer Mel. You know, we should not be happy for the downfall of others,” Grazziena reprimanded Mel.

“Yes, Sister Teresa.” Then Mel vowed his head with hands clasped as if praying.

Grazziena laughed out loud and pinched her gay friend, who laughed more.

 In the afternoon, Mel did the hairdo and make-up again of Grazziena. He made sure that her friend will stand out again among the rest.

As Grazziena climbed up with poise the ladder, going up the float where she is going to ride during the whole parade; she was in shock when up there, a young gorgeous man in his tuxedo gallantly extended his arm to assists her.

Their eyes met and as Grazziena handed her hand to him, a voltage of current sprinkled throughout her body, and then she heard that growl deep inside her again.