Chapter twenty-six: Grand Competition

Sophia's POV:

"I'm so excited, girl! Good luck for us tomorrow."

Craig squealed inside my office, but Daniel's words were still swirling inside my head. 

Maybe he noticed that I wasn't in the mood so he took a seat in front of my desk.

"What happened to you, girl? Why does it seems like you're not excited for tomorrow?"

I sighed and leaned on my seat.

"You don't know how excited I am, Craig. I was just thinking what Daniel told me this morning, he wants me to quit the finals."

"What?" 

I rolled my eyes when he screamed.

"That's the same reaction I had earlier when he told me that."

"Oh, my God! Did he tell you why he wants you yo quit?"

I sneered crossing my arms over my chest. 

"Because I got bruises from the rehearsals, can you imagine that? Just because of these simple things, he wants me to quit----"

"Oh my gosh, girl! He's worried about you. Tsk.tsk.tsk, he's now showing concern for his wife!"

I arched my eyebrow and sarcastically chuckled at him.

"Yeah, you're right, he's concerned."

"See, I told you!" He exclaimed grinning and flipped his imaginary long hair.

"He was just concerned with his image and reputation but not for me, and what made you think that he would worry about me?"

"Because he's 'also' falling in love with you!"

"Here we are again."

I sighed shaking my head. 

"Wait! What do you mean by the word, 'also?" I asked glaring at him.

"Oops! Did I mention that word?"

"Yes, you said he's also falling in love with me."

"Ohh... don't mind it, girl." He winked at me. "By the way, what did you tell him, did you agree? Are you going to quit the finals?"

"Of course, not! Even if he's willing to donate all his millions for the typhoon survivors in the whole America, I won't quit the competition! You know how much efforts and time we put in this team just to go through the finals. We have already reached the top and its just a step up for the grand finals. And whether we win or not, he can't do anything to stop us!" 

"Wow!" He said clapping his both hands. "I like your spirit, girl! And because of that, I'm sure we will bring home the title and the crown!"

I chuckled when I heard the word 'crown'.

"Craig, it's a dance competition and not Miss Universe pageant."

"Come on, it's both competition so it's just the same!"

"Fine!" I said rolling my eyes.

~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the grand champion for the United States International Dance competition is...."

The emcee paused for a second. Craig took my hands and we faced each other while waiting for emcees' next words. I could hear more the loud pounding of my heart inside my chest than the screams of the audiences across the whole stadium. It's very loud and deafening that almost blowing up my eardrums.

The loud sound of a fake heartbeat from the speakers around the stadium added to the nervousness that Craig and I felt at the moment.

"The champion is..."

"Fuck you!"

I can't help not to chuckle when I heard Craig cursed the emcee. I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"She's doing it on purpose! Forgodsake, doesn't she knows that I'm dying here waiting for the result? I swear if she'll do it again, I will skin her alive-----"

"The grand champion for the United States International Dance competition is... 'Sophia and Craig' from Los Angeles, California! Congratulations!"

He didn't finish his statement when we both heard our names being called as the grand champion.

"Did I hear her right, she mentioned our names?" He asked me with his eyes rounded like a saucer.

"Yes, she mentioned our names!" I nodded as I screamed.

"So that means we are the winner?" 

"Fuck you, Craig! Yes, we are the winner! We are the grand champion!"

And we both screamed in unison. I looked at the audience while Craig was still screaming beside me, and my eyes met the smiling face of my husband.

-'He's here.'-

I silently muttered as I can't believe that he's also standing below the stage with his mother and sister and some of our supporters.

Soon the person who's in charge to give us the trophy and the check came from backstage. Someone also gave me a bouquet of flowers.

We stayed there for almost twenty minutes, accepting the congratulation messages from the sponsors of the show, the president of the stadium where the contest was held, the judges and lastly, from my husband who was called by the emcee to give me a personal message.

I felt Craig's elbow on my side and I glared at him when Daniel accepted the microphone and walked towards me. 

I gulped when he took my free hand.

"Sweetheart..." 

I tried not to roll my eyes when I heard his first word. 

"Congratulations to you and to Craig, I know how much efforts you put into this competition, to the point that you left me for one week just to rehearse for the finals..." 

I gasped but smiled at him, although all the people around us doesn't know that I'm actually glaring at him and holding his hand tightly. Does he really need to mention that in front of everyone?

"But I understand because it's for the grand finals, and it's worth it!" 

He said grinning and show our intertwined hands to the audience.

-'Liar!'-

"I know I don't tell you this often, but I want you to know how much I love you, that I will always be here for you and will support you in all your dreams."

We both heard the loud screams from the audience including Craig and the emcee behind him. And what happened next really surprised me. After he gave the microphone back to the emcee, he cupped both of my cheeks and kissed me right in front of all the people watching us on the stage.

~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~

"Congratulations, Craig and Sophia! You were so good in your performance earlier." Mrs. Giovanni said while kissing our cheeks.

She insisted to have even a simple celebration in Washington before we fly back to Los Angeles.

"Thank you, Mrs. Giovanni." We both said in unison.

"Oh, I remember your husband's message, Sophia, is it true that you left him for a week just to rehearse for the finals?"

I bite my lips and glanced at Daniel who's currently talking with Mr. Giovanni.

"Yes, but he understands and it will never happen again." I said smiling and it died when I noticed the 'devil' walking towards us.

"Ohh... poor Daniel." 

I just smiled again but deep inside me, I wanted to kill my husband for mentioning that on the stage.

"Hi, girls." 

"Hi, Daniel. I'm congratulating your wife and Craig, they were both great dancers!"

"Your right, Mrs. Giovanni, that's why I fell in love with her over and over." He replied smiling while looking at me. 

-'What a great actor!'- 

I want to puke with his sweet words. I don't know how can he manages to speak those sweet lines in front of everyone. But what they didn't know, he wanted me to quit and back out for the competition in the last minute.

"Ohh... so sweet." Mrs. Giovanni said dreamily. "Anyway, I'll leave you two alone for a while, I'll just talk to my husband."

"Okay."

"Thank you, Mrs. Giovanni."

We replied in unison.

"So cute." She said before walking towards her husband.

When we were left alone, I tried to walk past him...(tried)... but he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him.

"What are you doing?" I asked glaring at him.

"Pulling my wife." He shrugged before giving me his signature smirk.

"Mr. Kelley!" I said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, is that how you should call your husband, sweetheart?" 

He put his hand around my waist and pulled me closer to him, 'till our faces were just mere inches away from each other.

I gasped and glared at him but he just tightened his hold on my lower back. I gulped when I noticed that his staring down my lips and before I could say anything, he already captured it in a sweet and sensual kiss. I gasped inside as I felt the shivers that run down my spine. I don't know but when he pulled me even closer and his tongue invaded my mouth, everything went blank. I just found myself kissing him back with both of my hands around his neck.

We stayed there for I don't know how long until...

"Ahem!"

I was about to pull back when I heard someone's voice behind him but he didn't let me, instead he put his hand on the back of head and angled his face so he could kiss me deeply.

I tugged the side of his jacket as I felt the shortness of breath, but he still continued his assault and didn't let me go.

"Oh God, big brother! Is that how you love your wife, kissing her until she's out of breath?"

When I heard Rian's voice, I pushed him away but not enough to catch someone's attention.

I was catching my breath when I turned to his sister who's now smirking at us. I noticed the glare that he gave her, but Rian, stubborn as his brother just returned it with a chuckle.

I just shook my head when he left me with his sister without uttering a word.

-'Tss! Great! What a great husband -slash- actor you are, sweetheart!'-

I muttered to myself while glaring at his retreating back.