Fleeting Skies

Chapter 15

Kumakanta na ang choir para mabigyan ng sapat na oras ng preparation ang mga contestants kaya dumiretso muna ako sa canteen upang bumili ng makakain namin. May nadaanan akong stall na nagbebenta ng mga bulaklak. Tuwing may event kasi dito sa school namin, may mga dumadayo na outside vendors. Napansin ko 'yong LED rose bouquet na kulay pink. Magugustuhan kaya ni Alyana 'to?

"Alam ninyo sir, magandang instrumento ang mga bulaklak upang magpahayag ng pagmamahal sa isang tao." anang matandang nagbebenta nang mapansing nagtitingin-tingin ako.

"Po? Wala naman po akong mahal sa ngayon." Pineke ko ang tawa ko.

"Pero iba ang sinasabi ng mga mata mo, oh." Tapos binigyan niya ako ng makahulugang titig.

Ang ending tuloy, naglakad ako papasok ng auditorium na dala-dala ang bouquet sa kanang kamay ko at ang plastic ng pagkain sa kaliwa. Grabeng marketing strategy 'yon, nabudol ako.

"Wow, flowers?" puna ni KL sa hawak ko. Andon na sa mama sa upuan niya at mukhang may tinatawagan sa telepono. Si papa naman ay nakikinig sa usapan nila.

"Ito 'yong sa'yo. Mag-thank you ka na lang." Sabay lapag ko ng plastic ng pagkain sa kandungan niya.

"I know. At alam ko rin kung para kanino ang flowers." Inirapan niya lang ako at nagsimulang kumain. "Ayan na, Q&A!"

Bumaling ako sa nakangiting si Xyzereanne na nasa stage. Her sash represented the country Spain and her earrings shone brighter as the spotlight hit her.

Sa tindig at projection niya pa lang, halatang-halata mo na sanay na sanay na siyang sumasali sa mga ganitong patimpalak. Kaya siguro marami ang humihiyaw para sa kaniya dahil siya ang manok nila.

"You look dashing tonight, Miss Spain!"

"Thank you, Mr. Sorio. As you are extremely handsome tonight, too." Nagtawanan sila ng emcee. Halatang sanay na sanay ito sa ginagawa dahil kayang-kaya nitong kausapin ang emcee ng walang halong kaba.

"Well, to be complimented like that by you, I am honored! Now, are you ready for your question?" Tumango si Xy. "If you were to be President for a day, what would you do to help this country?"

Hindi na ako nakapakinig sa sagot niya dahil nakita ko si Cryd na lumabas sa gilid ng stage kung nasaan ang mga technical staff. May camera sa leeg nito at mukhang kumukuha ito ng magandang pwesto. Matapos sumagot ni Xy, naghiyawan ang mga tao. Lalo naman itong lumakas nang tawagin ang sumunod na contestant.

"Ma, asaan diya'n 'yong sira ng gown? Ang ganda ni Ate Aly!" bulalas ni KL na manghang-mangha sa entrance ng ate niya. She cheered loudly while she raised her banner even more. I

I just sat there looking at her while she flashed her perfect smile towards the crowd. I know I have always said she's beautiful in every metaphor I could, but let me say it again–Alyana looks ethereal. Light lamang ang make-up niya kanina, pero talagang ginalingan ni kuya Mike ang page-emphasize sa features niya ngayon. She was on fire tonight and I swear, I'd let her burn me without any complaints.

"Wow, Miss Brazil! I wondered why it suddenly felt hot out here. It was you all along!" anang host na niluluwagan pa ang necktie. "Are you perhaps Katniss Everdeen's successor? The girl on fire?"

"Thank you for that, but I'm nobody's successor. I create my own flame." Lalong umingay ang crowd. Get it!

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa gown niya at nanlaki ang mata ko nang ngayon ko lang mapansin ang malaking slit na nage-expose sa binti nito. I was too focused at her face that I didn't notice how much skin she was showing!

"Ma! Bakit ang laki naman?" Baling ko kay mama na sinimangutan lang ako.

"Tama lang kaya 'yan. Tignan mo naman, lumitaw lalo ang seductive side nitong si Alyana. Siya lang ang may ganiyang daring look ngayon, oh!" Proud na proud si mama sa tono nito.

"Mom's right. Look at the crowd going wild, kuya." I surveyed the noisy crowd.

I am hearing random boys screaming her name at the back! Does she even realize how she makes everyone so crazy about her effortlessly?

"So here's your question. If you were to be President for a day, what is an underrated issue you would like to address?" Nanahimik ang crowd sa katanungang binanggit ng emcee.

"If I were to be President for one day, I would like to talk about mental health awareness. Society tends to criticize people whom they do not understand just because they think these people who are emotionally unstable are faking their condition. I say, let's not invalidate people, rather let's be more understanding and extend a helping hand to those who are need of help. Let's check on our friends, let's save lives. That's all, thank you." Halos mabingi ako nang umingay lalo ang crowd. Mukhang mas maingay pa 'to kaysa nung si Xy ang sumasagot.

I looked at Cryd again who's passionately taking pictures. I looked at Alyana, then at the bouquet I was holding. Should I just back-off and let them be?

Huli na siyang sumagot kaya naman pinabalik na ang mga contestants at pinahilera sa stage. May mga kung ano pang sinabi ang emcee tungkol sa mga sponsorships bago nag-proceed sa announcement ng winners. Nang tawagin naman ang runner-ups, tumindi ang tension mula sa audience. Lalong umingay ang mga tao nang tinawag si Alyana at Xy para sa dalawang natitirang posisyon. Pumunta sila sa harapan para magharapan at mag-holding hands. They looked at each other and smiled.

The woman I once loved and the woman I love, in one stage, fighting over the crown.

"For our Miss United Nations, who would it be? Miss Spain or Miss Brazil?" Mariing wika ng emcee na lalong nagpalakas ng hiyawan sa crowd.

All I could hear were names. Everyone was going wild and the adrenaline was just so high. Both of them were definitely the crowd favorite. Nakatayo na rin sina mama sa sobrang kaba habang masugid na nag-aabang ng resulta. KL was jumping on her seat while I held on to my pockets like my own life was on the line.

"Go, Alyana! You deserve it!"

"Xyzereanne, bring home the crown!"

"Parehas kayong maganda, akin na lang kayo!" sigaw ng isa sa likod.

"The name I am going to call is our Miss United Nations 2020. So that automatically means that the name not called is our Miss United Nations First Runner up..." Binuksan ng emcee ang card. "So, without further ado, our Miss United Nations 2020 is..."

I looked at Alyana and my heart just feels really happy. I'm no prize, but all I know is that she already won my heart... though I can never win hers from the start.