Chapter 8

• Chapter 7
• The Joy of Money
• Suzy's POV***
• Truly, my friend Linda is an amazing makeup artist. She has a future in this business and I do wonder why she chose to be an IT student like me when her talents on Facial Art were superb.
• After submitting our application at the Bikini Contest I can not even believe that I am admitted easily by the selection team. I heard that other girls have to come back more than three times to become a contestant. Also, I heard from the lady supervisor that most of them have visited their dermatologist surgeon to fix some imperfections. Like recontour their faces or add some silicon to the boobs. Luckily, all my flesh is nonsurgical.
• Although the first time I auditioned wearing the skimpy bikini was a hair-raising experience, the thought of my mother's operation and how the money could save her, kept me going. Anyway, it was my mother who always wanted me to act like a  beautiful woman. So I consoled myself with the thought that I am only doing this for her good. 
• When Linda started her plan on how to give me a new face of the century, as she describes,  I have to be content at staring back at my own face because I have no idea how I could be of help. Linda's hands were here and there on my face and even patiently trimmed my bushy eyebrows to a perfect arch, complimenting my round eyes. She has done a good job of my bushy eyebrows.
• My hair too, the one larger than the nest is tamed to a round brown ball. I don't know where my curls went after Linda applied a lot of chemicals on my hair, dyeing it to a brown hue. But all I could remember was my eyes were already drooping as it took her morning to night to finish with my hair.
• “My hair looks neat Linda, amazing. The curly wires are gone.” I chuckled, satisfied that not even my mother recognizes me now.
• Linda smiled, admiring her masterwork, beads of perspiration now building on her forehead. I must be a big project to work on.
• Without surrendering, Linda then puffed my face with more powder.
• “I think I look like a geisha or a cake flour” I laughed because the liquid powder felt heavy on my face.
• I remembered that when I joined the audition, I was so nervous, I always hesitated to bare naked. The selection manager noticed my delay in wearing the bikini, so she gave me a long sour look, then asked: “You Susan, this your first time to join?”
• I stammered shyly “yes Ma'am”
• She said, “You need to loosen your arms away from your boobs. If you are embarrassed to flaunt your body, you can not level up, you know what I mean?” she asked while chewing a piece of gum.
• Linda made a sign to push outward my boobs like a duck. Which I immediately did. I pushed my chest like a mother duck.
• Practice, practice. Walk, turn, walk, swing. Turn around. I can do this. I will not be embarrassed.
• Many young women aspirants crowded the preliminary selection. Every day, they would trim down the number. Some girls became my friends. They voted for me to win, admitting that I have a better view of my butt and boobs. Back then, I also tried to have a view of the other girls, To me, all of them are really beautiful. Although Linda said that some of those are really fake.
• Some crewmembers always secretly eyed me, Linda whispered to me. She said that some young men are asking if we can become friends after the contest. Well, romance was not in my mind but money so I said not this time.
• The company has a strong policy against approaching a bikini a candidate. So as of now, those men let me be. At least, they can not embarrass me this time.
• Every day that I remained on the race, my confidence to get the prize money increases.
• I close my eyes dreaming about the money and wake up aspiring for it. Money, money.
• Money for my mother is my only motivation as to why I bare my self almost naked before the crowd. If not for the money, my body will remain unseen.
• I heard a staff inside the powder room who gossiped that the grand winner gets the highest pay and probably the highest bid by some rich men who need a sleeping companion. I shook my head. “that is selling their bodies like a whore”. The prize money is enough even if I become top 5 only.
• The knowledge that bikini winners are labeled as gold diggers made me self conscious of this kind of contest. I resolve in my mind that as fast as possible, I must have little contact from the agency. I pray that luck favors me, and I can quickly go be back to my old self, and the bikini girl issue can always be kept hidden from my father.
• All this stupidity must always be a secret where no one will find out. Other than the prize money, I have no desire to further my career as the MAD Model. Especially that I heard that their bikini models will become a mistress or girlfriend of some rich horny billionaires. The thought does repulse my stomach. I feel like throwing up.
• As to the prize money, Linda and I had already a plan on how to handle it. If ever I will win, as my “manager”, Linda gets to represent me to encash the prize money in check”.
• I have submitted to the agency that my friend Linda is designated as my AGENT.  So she can transact on my behalf for some terms about the claim on the prize money. Linda likes this idea as my "agent/manager". She insists that I have a good future in modeling, and well, for her as my agent/manager. We both had a good laugh about it. 
• The issue of Linda as my agent was easily settled with the submission of the agent's contract.  I think she also over-exaggerated the Agent idea because she was with me every day and often interfered with the selection team.
• But when the grand day came, my stomach went to knots, my resolve to act natural was wavering. No matter how I console myself, I can not easily borrow a sack of confidence. , I was full of nervousness. Butterflies begin attacking my intestines.
• To dispel my nervousness, Linda hugged me and made me laugh as she prepared my makeover again. She said that she is as certain as the color of the sun that  I will land in top 5  if the applauses are to be counted. Indeed, I feel that the crowd supports my sway because whenever I make a fluid turn, they say “ooh”. “aah”.
• I remembered that when I walked out of the dressing room, wearing only my red skimpy bikini,  with glitters on my skin and gold chain around my waits, there was a huge gasp of reaction from the crowd. It appeared that  I was a crowd favorite with my swinging hips, so it seems. For me, their claps mean I was a step closer to solving my money problem.
• "Congratulations Contestant number 5, Susan Anna"! the gay host called me in his loud booming voice!
• I got chosen! Yes! Yes!  So when my name was called as one of the top 5, Linda and I jumped in joy. Who would not be elated? The five hundred thousand currency money is already a guarantee that my mother can get her needed operation. 
• This face is not bad after all. It can save my mother's life. I am so happy, I can eat a horse!
• The program host's voice booms to my ears. “And the fifth winner is...Contestant number five, please come to the stage”. The crowd whistled and applauded louder.
• At that point, my anxiety was replaced with joy. “Money, money for my mother was all in my mind.”
• I think I grinned ear to ear happily as I walk to the center of the stage. The lights are causing my forehead to sweat but I do not mind at all. I see no faces, only the thought of money. Money.
• So this is the feeling when a thorn is plucked out from the chest. The joy of it. I never imagined that winning for money would give me this contentment.
• I just barely received the congratulations from the host when he again announced that the grand winner has been selected.  
• “That fast?”!!!  everybody just wondered. I thought we will be making a slow walk for a few turns.
• The sound of the orchestra drum rolled before the winner is called. Then silence.
• “And the Grand Winner is......”