Chapter 13. Saving her face
The fifth contestant had just take her stance on the stage with that poise that had been practiced for ages. Most people might even think that the poise and walk was inherent to her or... maybe it was.
However, she was still smart enough to notice that she something didn't sit right with her dress. Something was off but she couldn't tell. She didn't want to lose face so she remained calm. Her family was quite the reputable one so, she didn't want to bring mid to their faces.
From where she sat, Leilani was looking intensely at the fifth contestant, her furrowed at what might be a tragic outcome. Her mind wheels were turning but she couldn't think of anything. She didn't know how to stop the show. It was a big show hosted by one of the biggest brands in the world and to think of disrupting the event? She looked around but the cameras were just too many to count. If something happened at that moment, that fifth contestant was bound to lose face.
No one else seemed to take notice of the flaw of her dress. It was all good-looking and nothing else mattered. However, the slit that was sited at the front of the mermaid singlet-sleevoohappened. She couldn't tell if it was intentional or mistakenly. But, that wasn't going the end yet. Almost immediately, the MC who was calling them out missed a step and fell towards the fifth contestant.
No!
Leilani stood from her seat abruptly. She was at an advantage as she was sitting at the extreme so it was easy to race to the stage. The fifth contestant hadn't even noticed what was going on but for some reason, she saw one of the judges racing to the stage. And towards her. But to her, one thing was certain. Trouble was coming. At that moment, she felt her body turn cold with fear as she fell forward due to the push from behind and the tearing sound of her dress as she did that made her eyes shimmer with tears. She was going to be disgraced. Her reputation! Her father was going to kill her. He was never in support of her going into fashion and being on the screen. But she had gone against him to fulfill her happiness...and this was the result.
She saw herself falling forward. She was falling. She was going to fall. But, a slender arm wound around her waist, holding her in place. Her legs wobbled from the fright making her to clench tightly unto her aid.
Leilani had never run this fast in her life. She didn't know she was going to cover the distance within such limited time. But, she did. And she wasn't regretting it. She held the contestant tightly and held her up, clutching her close to her chest. She could feel the contestant's shaky body. She wouldn't be normal if she wasn't scared.
Leilani looked at the MC, her eyes turning to slits. "What do you use your eyes for?"
The MC didn't really know who she was but recognized her as one of the judges so he was a bit casual. "I missed a step".
"You missed a step? This is a fashion contest!"
Other judges were already standing and was watching the drama that was unfolding. They didn't know in particular what was going on. The only thing they knew was that Miss Zhang suddenly started running to the stage and the fifth contestant suddenly started falling forward.
"It was an accident".
There was murmuring in the crowd when he said that. They concurred with him. It was an obvious accident.
"Ha...", Leilani scoffed. She stared straight at the MC with cold eyes. "Accident? Did you say it was an accident?"
"Everyone saw it. What are you trying to say Miss?"
Some people from the crowd started talking about how annoying Leilani was being at the moment .
"What's wrong with that judge? Can't she understand that it's an accident?", a young lady with red hair said.
"That's Leilani Zhang right? Why's she being bitchy?", another lady added.
"She's being obnoxious because she's the fashion queen. Fashion queen my ass", a young man that was a blonde said after.
Some of their comments entered her ears bringing a smirk to her alluring face.
"Okay. Let's all agree that it was an accident". She turned around to the side and signalled Rachel to bring a coat. Rachel came forward and handed her the coat. She draped it over the fifth contestant's shoulders, finally giving her a chance to face the audience.
"He said it was an accident however, this....", she paused and gripped the shoulder of the sixth contestant who was standing next to her, then she continued, "contestant also stepped on her dress followed by the falling. How much of a coincidence is that?"
The audience gasped. The chances of it being a coincidence was quite slim. The sixth contestant looked at Leilani, "I didn't know that something was wrong with the fabric of her dress!", the girl shouted in defense.
Leilani chuckled at her foolishness. "What fabric? What dress? Did I say something?"
Seeing that she had no lee way, the sixth contestant started sobbing. "I don't know if you have anything against me but even if you have, why would you like against me?"
Without thinking, Leilani went forward and slapped her. Gasps erupted. "I don't have anything against you but now that you said it, I suddenly have".
The girl held her cheek as she trembled in pain. She didn't see that slap coming.
"Don't try to camouflage to get away with what you have done. You knew that the fabric of her dress wasn't quality and stepped on it. What are you aiming for?"
"I'd never buy a low quality material", the fifth contestant said catching the attention of everyone. Leilani looked at her. "So you're saying....", as if realizing something, she gasped. "Don't tell me.."
"Does that mean your dress was swapped?", a reporter who was close by said, amplifying Leilani's thoughts. Leilani gave him a secret thumbs up in her heart.
Everyone looked at the sixth contestant. She was already pale and shaking like a leaf. Leilani wasn't going to show her any mercy.
"And you connived with the MC", she said.
The MC who was silent all this while looked up in fright at her. "I didn't know she had a plan. She just told me to fall when she stepped on her dress".
"But it was an accident", Leilani teased.
"No it was not...yes it was!", the MC said his face ashen with shame.
"What did she promise you?", Leilani asked
"She said that she needed Miss Powers to leave the contest as she didn't need the fame. She was already the daughter of the mayor so what would she be doing with the title of 'Dior's visual'", he narrated.
When the fifth contestant heard this, she glared at the sixth contestant. She didn't expect that the one who was closest to her was the one who stabbed her in the back. Among the other contestants, Miss Powers took Maya differently. Throughout their training period, they were more like sisters.
"You're evil", Miss Powers said her voice choked with tears.
"It's you who is greedy! You're already the mayor's daughter, what else do you want? You should have just been satisfied with it", th girl named Maya said with hatred in her eyes.
"You're finally showing your true colors", Miss Powers said. She was really surprised at her attitude.
The sixth contestant ignored her and turned to the MC, "You traitor!", she yelled and dived the man, throwing punches at him.
Security came forward to take them away and the sixth contestant was disqualified by Leilani. The show commenced again after the fifth contestant changed her dress to the original one.