Chapter 10

On seeing the duo step out from the curtain, the silence died down and a gigantic hush fell on the crowd. The girls, looking their best, strolled majestically to the front of the stage hand-in-hand. They looked perfect with no major contrast. Dressed in blue and red ball gowns for Pandora and Coraline respectively, they had both the judges and sponsors' jaws dropped when on their return, Pandora strolled back the way she came while Coraline, as prearranged, won the stage with her fine and eloquent cat-walking.

The other girls were stunning no doubt, but

the creative concept of these two coming out as a couple, combined with their complimenting beauties, was all they needed to stand out and make their walk interesting to view. Even their parents couldn't hide their shock, as Pandora's mother had her hands clasped on her mouth in surprise at how stunning her daughter looked, Coraline's father locked hands with her mum as tears of joy trickled down her cheeks.

The audience delivered another round of applause as all the contestants resurfaced again on stage awaiting the judge's decision with their hearts in their mouths. Some candidate's names were chanted from the audience but just as Ms. Jane took to the stage again, the pin-drop silence again ensued.

" They were all amazing, don't you agree?"

"Yes," the crowd chorused.

"But as we know, only one can come as a winner." She paused to take one insightful look at the crowd and the girls on stage putting them in suspense. " And that person who won the judge's heart is… Coraline Xander!"

Coraline was pinching herself just to make sure this wasn't a dream. Pandora had proposed that she would turn the spotlight on her as she deserved it for sticking up for her when she needed it. She immediately ran into Pandora, squeezing her into a tight hug while whispering a " thank you." She blew a kiss at her parents and ran up to collect the scholarship check.

Her parents were not that booming financially so she knew if she had to last till college, she needed that scholarship. Pandora understood her plight and so she decided to show gratitude in a little speech, " Thank you, mum, dad, Abel, Ethan and I would like to call Pandora De Mevius to join me on stage!" She screamed in her not-so-loud voice.

Pandora winked at Ethan as she joined Coraline on stage. Her whole future was laid bare before her as she could see a few agents conversing with her parents, Ethan was there to shoulder her, Coraline was a friend she trusted, and yet she still felt empty without him. But as they say, "change is constant," meaning she was going to survive at all costs, with or without Braxton Goldman.