Paijo stared at us in horror as soon as we got to the room where the contestants were getting ready.
I smiled with relief seeing Via, and the others there.
Gilang took me only to the front door of the room. He smiled sinisterly at Paijo who was watching us from inside the room.
"Hey you, what's your relationship with that guy?" Gilang asked slowly.
Yeah, I know who Gilang is referring to.
"Maybe an enemy? Or... something like that?!" I wondered to myself.
"No way, just look at that person's horror look, I'm sure that he has a crush on you!"
I don't understand why so many people say that to me.
Well, what they say is unacceptable. Is there someone who likes to say rude, and cynical to the person he likes? It doesn't make sense.
"Well, thank you so much for bringing me all the way here. Seriously, you're so kind!"
"Don't hesitate, we will be together soon, right?" Gilang joked.
I chuckled softly at Gilang's joke.
"It's still a long time, I think, after all, Bambang and Naca are both weird, there's more fighting than romance!"
"True, but what are you going to do? It would be ridiculous if they were so romantic, intimate, lol, genuine, goosebumps right away!"
"Why? It must be so sweet..."
"No, I can't imagine that, the cynical Bambang, and the cold Naca, romantic?! If you are with me, it will be so sweet, if they are, the jokes are there!"
I laughed at the thought. What Gilang said is also true. Naca is very fierce, and Bambang is very chatty. Like Aunt Yuyun, and Uncle Uyon. There's nothing romantic about it.
"Oh yeah, here's your cell phone!" Gilang exclaimed while reaching out to ask for my cellphone.
Without asking much, I just gave it away.
Gilang recorded a number on my cellphone keypad.
"If there's anything, you just call me, or you can find me in the cafeteria!"
I nodded quickly.
After Gilang left, I made up and walked over to Via who was still tidying up her clothes.
"How come you can be with Gilang, anyway?" Paijo asked as soon as I sat down next to him.
"A long story!" I said briefly.
"I will wait patiently!" snapped Paijo.
"I'm too lazy to talk!"
Paijo turned his head and sat facing me.
"You know what kind of person he is?!" Paijo murmured.
What? Why? Gilang is a strange man, temperamental, and when he is angry like a trance? That's what Roulette guys always say.
"Whatever he is, as long as he's nice to me, I don't mind!" I said.
Paijo shook his head slowly.
"Stay away from him! He is ambitious and temperamental! Not good for you!"
"You have no right to forbid me to be friends with anyone!"
"I don't need rights!" snapped Paijo slowly.
I flinched at Paijo's words. Is this the attitude of people who are in love with someone else?
"Compared to Gilang, you look weirder and more temperamental! Sometimes you're nice to me, but more often than, is not, you're rude to me! I don't know what's wrong with you! I hope I don't have to know you all! So that no one else gets angry and yells at me like this!"
After saying that, I immediately moved to sit nudged between Via and the supervisor who was discussing.
Until the competition started, we, the models, sat in the space provided, and the make-up artists began to cleverly apply our makeup according to our respective traditional themes. Coincidentally, Via and Ryza got a share of the Central Java bride. So, they didn't do much with my hair, apart from putting on the bun and all the accessories.
Ryza smiled happily every time she put makeup on my face. She said, my face is very oriental and beautiful, so make her confident with her make-up.
Maybe it's because of the skincare that mom gave me. I look so beautiful.
The judges not only judge the final result, but they also judge every process that takes place.
After we finished with our make-up, Via started to act by dressing us in wedding clothes.
I smiled seeing Via who was so meticulous with the details on the wedding dress I was wearing.
"Perfect!" she said proudly.
Via looked at me one more time from top to bottom.
After everything was done, Paijo and I stood at the assessment place, the teacher had taught us beforehand, how to stand, and what poses we should do during the assessment.
Unintentionally, I looked down at the stage, I wanted to fall right then and there, but with all my might, I tried to support my body.
The group of monstrous monsters I was trying to avoid, instead sat proudly, staring intently at me.
They whispered a few times, then laughed at me.
I also tried to ignore them, because I didn't want to spoil Via and Ryza's hard work. It's their important day.
After the final assessment was completed, Via asked us to take a picture together. Satisfied with taking photos, then they took off all the accessories attached to us. And change our clothes into uniforms like before.
After removing the braid, Ryza brushed my hair. There was nothing that could be done with the front part of my hair that had been slicked before, so the girl tricked it, by tying my hair back together, and putting a banda over my head, so that the snagged part wasn't as visible.
She also carefully removed the make-up on my face, then applied a light powder and lip tint so that my face didn't look pale.
"You are very beautiful, I swear, we are very lucky to have you as a model!" Ryza exclaimed excitedly.
"Yea, her body is also very good, my clothes are very beautiful on her! I'm sure we will win!" Via added confidently.
"It's not that I'm beautiful, but your work is really good! You've worked hard for this, you can get a champion! Cheer up!" I support them, meanwhile, Paijo who is sitting not far from us, just stares at us in silence.
"Sure thing, I'm sure!"
"But our competition is tough, Vi, have you seen the Sundanese custom earlier? It's so cute!"
"Balinese customs are okay too!"
When they were busy chatting, I said goodbye to go to the toilet. I've had enough of it, now I have to go.
I walked unsteadily down the corridor, and after going to the toilet, I planned to go straight home, because there wasn't anything to do here.
However, when I passed a class, I was forced into the classroom, and the door was locked very quickly.
I froze to see who was in there.
Jessica, Flora, and the gang! Ah, I also saw some of their boyfriends sitting on the bench watching us.
"Hi, Siti! Long time no see, huh! After being dropped from here, where have you been? I heard you were adopted by someone?!"
I never liked Jessica's tone of voice. That girl is the source of all my suffering during school here.
"Sorry, my name is Melody, not Siti. You have the wrong person, so let me go!" I said quickly.
The girl slapped me with emotion. My vision instantly darkened for a few seconds.
"You think you can fool us with your different make-up, huh?! We're not stupid, Siti!"
Siti! I hate hearing that name! That's not my name, it's a name they gave themselves because they thought I was a village girl who didn't deserve to sit among them.
"What do you guys want?" I started to not be able to contain my anger. If mom knew I was being treated like this, she would be very sad, and angry.
"We don't want anything from you! Just say hello, because we haven't seen each other for a long time!" cynical Flora.
"That's not the way to say hello!" I said annoyed.
Once again Jessica slapped my face.
"You forgot if you're not allowed to talk to us?! So, don't answer, you idiot!" Jessica snapped.
My knees are really weak now.
But suddenly...
Everyone in the room turned to look at the door.
Brack!
It was as if someone wanted to break down the door.
Brack!
Both sides of the door slammed, and it opened wide. I almost cried because I was relieved to see Gilang emerge from there.
Full of emotion, Gilang entered the classroom.
"Dare you to touch her again, I'll break your hand!" Gilang snapped when he reached two meters in front of Jessica.
Jessica looked very surprised. He must not have thought that there were also people who cared about me.
Jessica shook her head slowly, still with a haughty face, she came closer to me and grabbed my hair in front of Gilang.
When Gilang stepped closer, the men I knew were the boyfriends of these damn girls, immediately confronted Gilang.
Seeing Gilang's angry look, it looks like he's about to go berserk right now.
"You're their boyfriends? Good, because I don't have to touch a despicable girl like them anymore!" said Gilan.
Fandy--Jessica's boyfriend, immediately threw his fist at Gilang, but the man could easily dodge Fandi's fist.
Now it was Gilang's turn to throw his fist at Fandy, causing the man to bounce far to the floor.
Gilang again threw a kick that hit Fandy's stomach as soon as Fandy woke up.
Fandy's friends tried to attack Gilang, but none of them hit Gilang, even they were injured by Gilang's blows.
If only they knew, Gilang had been trained for something like this.
Once again, Gilang kicked Fandy until the man fell face down on the floor.
Gilang stepped on Fandy's shoulder and pulled the man's hand up until he screamed in pain.
No, Fandy's hand could be broken.
"If you don't take your hand off Melody's hair, I'll break your boyfriend's arm!" Gilang threatened.
I felt Jessica's handshaking. It's the first time I've seen her scared like this.
With slow-motion, Jessica removed her hand from my hair.
"Mel, now you slap him twice!" exclaimed Gilang which immediately made my eyes widen.
I shook my head weakly.
"I'm sure this isn't the first time you've been treated like this, is it? Now, get back at her! Just slap her!" Gilang growled.
I want to do it. But Mother never taught me to repay people's evil with evil either.
I ran to Gilang and begged him to stop this.
"Please..." I begged until Gilang let go of Fandy.
"This is the problem, Mel! You're too good, they always trample on you! If they're bad, then they're bad back! Yes, when they're bad, you're still good, soap operas?!" Gilang growled.
"You think you'll just get away with it?! I can report this to the police!" exclaimed Flora, who turned out to be recording us with her cell phone.
Gilang smiled cynically, he approached Flora, then slammed the girl's cellphone until it was crushed.
"Just report it! Let's meet in court! You don't think I can't afford a famous lawyer, do you?" said Gilang.