While waiting for the other candidates to finish, the other candidates were told to stay backstage and aren't allowed to change until the top 10 is announced.
Lavalee was just sitting in boredom in her chair while Jaxith talked to the other candidates.
Jace sat beside Lavalee and gave her a sandwich.
"Are you hungry?" Jace asked and offered the sandwich which Lavalee accepted
"I want to go to sleep already," Lavalee grumbled her complaint as she leaned on the wall but since her top is backless, it was cold.
Jace shook his head, as he noticed this, and pulled Lavalee to lean unto him.
"Who's Jean?" Lavalee asked softly while leaning toward Jace
"An acquaintance," Jace replied
"But she always asks you to buy her stuff, huh?" Lavalee asked again while looking at the other candidates who seem to be staring at them
"Sometimes," Jace answered
"Who's more of a brat, me or her?" Lavalee asked again and looked at Jace's face
"Her, you're kind," Jace said and caressed Lavalee's hair
Unknown to the two who seem like they have their own world, Jess, Jaxith, and Hendrix are grinning while watching them.
"I'm telling you, Lavalee will not leave here single," Jaxith said while shaking his head
"Of course, she deserves that! She did too much just to make sure her brother has a love life before Frost even left to go to Breakore to visit Summer and Winter. She deserves it as much as she believes that he deserves it." Jess said while shaking her head
She remembered the insane stunt Lavalee pulled just to give Frost a love life.
Suddenly, a group of candidates walked towards Jaxith.
"Does your partner have a boyfriend?" one of the girls asked
"I don't know their label, sorry, but you should ask them that," Jaxith said to brush the topic off
They do not want to go ahead and assume Lavalee's decision because they know the responsibility that rests on Lavalee is heavy.
After all the performances, they were called back up the stage while Jace remained backstage while Mnemosyne was up.
"What's your label?" Jess asked and stood next to Jace
"Label?" Jace asked her
"I mean relationship status." Jess was clear on her question
"Single," Jace replied and Mnemosyne played a game
"Are you planning to date Lav?" Hendrix asked
"Do you?" Jace asked back
"No, my girlfriend is enough," Hendrix replied while shaking his head
"Maybe when she's in the legal age," Jace said and turned his head back to watch Lavalee from the side
Meanwhile, Lavalee and Jaxith have their ears covered with headphones so they won't hear the question, that is because although they are asked questions in a different order, the questions remain the same. Lavalee and Jaxith will answer so they walked up to the judges.
"Jaxith, who is your role model, the same question goes to you, Valerie," the judge asked them
"Honestly speaking, my role model is Lavalee Flamelinne Hanazono." Lavalee's eyes widened when she heard Jaxith's answer
"I mean every one of the Hanazono successors is admirable but for me, my role model would be Lavalee Flamelinne Hanazono, maybe you are wondering why she is my role model when I don't know her personally, but I do. She is a great ally, mischievous, stubborn, and a great friend," he smiled at Lavalee before continuing to speak.
"On top of all that, I can only say one thing, she is very selfless. She finds pleasure in seeing us, the ones she values, happy. You can ask Chelsea, Jess, and Irene and they'll tell you the same. Lavalee, she's too precious, her name literally means fire and she gives us warmth, she supports us in whatever we needed, and she's willing to put her needs aside just to help us succeed. " Jaxith said and returned the microphone to the emcee
"That's so sweet, how about you, Valerie? " Said the emcee and handed the mic to Lavalee
"My role models were and always, would be my eomma and appa. My parents are my role models, my father is cold towards others and to us when we needed to be disciplined. But he is the sweetest and calmest person I know, my mother, she's the most understanding and loving person I know and she always helps us with whatever we need. To me no matter where they are, they will always be my role models." Lavalee answered as she kept smiling even though her eyes were starting to water
"What has been your biggest failure?" the contest judge asked Lavalee
"My biggest failure… honestly, it would be choosing to leave instead of staying. Of course, it seemed too shallow but for me, if I chose to stay in our house 5 years ago, my mother wouldn't have been left with my youngest sister. I could've helped them when people came to our house. That was my biggest failure, my failure to protect Eomma, and my failure to give my siblings the complete family they deserved to grow up in." Lavalee replied and her tears slowly fell.
Suddenly, Mnemosyne runs and approaches Lavalee while a packet of tissue is pinned to the top of her collar. Lavalee took it and Mnemosyne went back to Jace.
"Jaxith?" the judge called Jaxith for this to answer.
"Right now, maybe the failing grades. Sometimes I'm not good at time management so I don't accidentally put aside the things that I should also take care of." Jaxith replied with a small smile
"How do you handle peer pressure?" asked another judge
"I weigh things. I know that peer pressure is difficult, but if you have the courage, to think about the possible consequences, you can cope. It doesn't depend on them, it depends on you, when you feel like you're being pressured by the people surrounding you, take a breath away from them and that's when you'll realize what's right and wrong." Jaxith replied
"Personally, I think peer pressure is tolerable by being you. Because you see, when you don't force yourself to fit into them, they won't be able to pressure you either, because as long as you force yourself to fit in, they will pressure and pressure you, it's up to you if you influence or you'll be you even if they decide to turn their backs at you. " Lavalee replied and the audience applauded.
"Thank you, Valerie, Jaxith." The emcee said and they went back the backstage
Jace welcomed Lavalee and he was the one who wiped Lavalee's tears.
"You did well," Jace said while wiping Lavalee's tears.
"Thanks," Lavalee answered and she felt Mnemosyne pulling her gown slightly so she carried her and smiled
Jess came to her and hugged her, along with Icarus and Jaxith.
"You didn't tell me I was your role model." Lavalee teased Jaxith
"Of course, you might get too cocky." Jaxith teased back and they all chuckled
"Let's go, you're makeup's removed already," Jess said and pulled Lavalee to the dressing room
"You did well," Irene said when Lavalee arrived
"Why does everyone keep on telling me I did well?" Lavalee asked and chuckled
"Thank you," She said sincerely
"Okay, go leave, she still has to retouch!" Jess said and pushed Irene out of the dressing room.
Jess reapplied the make-up on Lavalee's face then she smiled after finishing.
"You look so beautiful, Lav," Jess said
"Don't I always?" Lavalee kidded
"You! You know how to do that now, huh." Jess said and placed her hand on her waist jokingly
"Let's go!" Lavalee said and stood up
They went out of the dressing just in time when the facilitator said that all candidates should go up the stage for the announcing of the top 10.
"Everyone, are you excited?" the emcee asked and everybody cheered
"We are too, so let's not stretch the tension any longer. We have the result for the top ten!" The emcee announced and opened the envelope he was holding.
"Congratulations, contestants number thirteen, sixteen, thirty, thirty-six, forty-nine, thirty-four, thirty-seven, nineteen, forty-six, and eleven!" the emcee announced and they stepped forward
"Now, this is the moment of truth." The emcee said and gave the microphone to one of the judges
"Candidates, where do you see yourself 10 years from now?" the judge asked
'Dead, if I don't regain my title,' Lavalee thought then she saw Jace giving her a thumb's up from her peripheral vision.
Every candidate did their best to answer and they were all nervous to answer because this will be the final part and after this, the top five candidates will be chosen. After the top five candidates are chosen, they will announce the winners for the casual wear category and other categories, then the announcement of the top three down to the Mister and Miss Intramurals.
"Valerie?" the emcee called her and gave her the microphone
"Ten years from now, I see myself being able to help people rise from hitting the rock bottom. I can see myself being with my family, my complete family in front of our parent's grave finally being free." She said and smiled