Chapter 5 What's Most Likely To Happen Is Not The One That You're Praying For

• The man's name was Zeno and that was the only thing Hana knew about him. "Who is that? Do you know him?" No one answered her question again. The two beside her were speechless as if it was the first time they’d seen a handsome man. Well, Hana could not blame them. The man was being flocked by girls everywhere he went for a reason. Aside from the fact that he’s visually pleasing, he’s also tall enough to catch everyone's attention immediately, even if he's drowning in a sea of strangers. Tonight, Zeno was wearing a white shirt and jeans. He looked a little younger compared to when she saw him back at the mall where he was wearing semi-formal clothes. His outfit was simple, but his gait and posture made him appear regal, unlike her and the rest of the people here who were like a bunch of plebs 'in the streets'.
• The guy probably felt her unwavering gaze on him. He looked towards their direction and their eyes met. Hana felt nothing at first. She knew her looks and outfit that night wouldn’t connect her with the woman at the pizza shop and the man also did not look in her direction when they were at the mall earlier. They met multiple times but only she knew that. However, Zeno looked at her longer than necessary. She started feeling nervous.
• Why is he looking at me? Did he recognize me? Was he able to spot similarities between my current character to my office girl character?
• Thankfully, he stopped staring at her and tried to move forward once again.
• Oooh, I knew it. He does not know that we met multiple times already.
• Hana danced happily in her head.
• It’s crazy if he ended up knowing we’ve seen each other multiple times. He’d think I’m his stalker.
• Going back to her friends and remembering that the two ignored her twice, she kicked Sam's leg and nudged Lacy with her elbow. "Ouch!" The two exclaimed at the same time. "What the fuck was that for?" Samantha rubbed her leg while glaring at her. "I was asking if you knew that guy and here you are, drooling grotesquely." "Hah, 'grotesquely'? Your distorted face is the grotesque one," Sam retorted. Lacy, on the other hand, pinched her waist for revenge. Her long nails dug into her skin, but Hana just smiled through the pain. "You know that guy?" She asked Sam again. "No, I don't. I wouldn't be drooling this much if I’d seen him before. My god, who's that hottie?" They both looked at Lacy.
• "What are you looking at? I have no idea, too!" "Your man never told you? He looks like he's someone important." Sam teased Lacy. "I guess your skills aren't that good." "There's a locker room in this gym. Want me to prove my skills to you?" Hana interrupted the two. "Stop flirting with each other." "We're not flirting with each other!" "I'm not a lesbian!" The two simultaneously screamed at her.
• Zeno was finally able to move past the women with the help of organizers who formed a barrier around him. "Look at that. I never saw anyone getting treated like that in this place," Sam was wide-eyed as she gestured to the man with her hand. The man was led into one of the judges' seats. "Oh! There's an extra seat among the judges! Maybe he's a special guest!" Lacy was so excited that she kept hitting her arm. Hana moved away from her discreetly. If she didn’t her arm will fall off without her knowing it.
• The abandoned gym they're currently at was not exactly where ‘classy’ people just drop by and that 'Zeno' does not belong here. He stuck out like a sore thumb. The boxing ring at the center was modified for it to be wide enough to dance on by up to seventy people. All the lights were on it and she thought it was the cleanest place in that area. Looking around, the old things used in that gym were just piled up in a dark area so they were barely noticeable, and aside from the boxing ring, the other areas were still dusty. But then again people who come and go to these kinds of places regularly are the types who don't care about such things. Maybe 'Zeno' was not that much of a clean freak.
• A man in his early thirties climbed up the huge boxing ring. He was holding a bunch of cue cards and a microphone in his hands. Finally, it's starting. "Ladies and gents, good evening.” His deep voice resounded through the speakers.
• “I am Tony, your host for tonight's events. Welcome to this year’s Ultimate Dance Battle!" The audience clapped their hands loudly. There were a few who even whistled and hollered in excitement. "Tonight, the organizers have a surprise for everyone. You see, they built three special entrances for this place- the industrial elevator, the parking space, and the garbage chute. Don't worry, the garbage chute is clean." The people laughed.
• "Okay, so, there is something special in these entrances. There's a scanner placed in it to assess you." The people screamed in alarm. Scanning them without asking for their permission first was just plain illegal. Yes, betting was illegal. but scanning their identities without their knowledge was on another level and a lot of them can’t take that. "Wait. Please, wait." The people hushed to listen to the host's explanation.
• "The scanner was not there to unveil your identities or your Swiss accounts or your passwords or your porn preferences. It was there to just evaluate your body, especially your legs, and see if you guys dance regularly." The people calmed down a little after hearing that. Some even laughed. "You see, this method is related to the surprise that I was telling you a while ago. We are going to pick three from you guys, to compete right here in the middle of the dance floor!"
• Most of the people gasped in excitement while others were nervous about being picked. She belonged to the latter group. She regularly dances when she's alone. Competing alone in front of a huge crowd is a different story. "The spotlight will roam around you and will stop on the people chosen. This is exciting, isn't it?" The people cheered since the majority were excited. "Of course, nothing is for free. You get to entertain the people here and of course, you will also get something in return for it to be fair, right?" The people cheered louder and those who were initially shy about dancing on the spot in front of a crowd of strangers also joined. "We will of course have a consolation prize for the loser, but, the winner will take home a whopping amount of ten thousand dollars!" By this time, the people, especially the guys, pounded their hands against the walls or tables to create drum noises. The entire gym was chanting in sync with the drums as if they were going to war like people did in ancient times.
• "I know you're all excited but here's what you will do in case you were chosen. You have to dance in the middle of the dance floor for not shorter than 2 minutes, okay? When the spotlight falls on you, please go to the DJ at that side and tell him your song choice. Then, we will proceed to the team competition first, to give you time to formulate your dance and practice on it in the locker room. Capisce?" Multiple yeses were uttered as a reply. "Okay, so we'll start the selection in three, two, one, go!"
• The drumming sound effect was played and the spotlight moved all over the audience. The light occasionally landed on Hana. She did not want to be chosen and she was praying so hard in her brain. Every time the light landed on her, her heartbeat skyrockets. She was so nervous she started sweating bullets. Her back was now drenched. Aside from dealing with Casanovas, she also hated being the center of attention. It would have been okay if her character concept that night was that of a female CEO or if the crowd was composed of only five people maximum, then, she would know how to suppress her nervousness. But her character tonight slightly resembled her original self who liked to hide under a jacket and its hood, so she found it hard to contain her urge to puke from the stress.
• On her side, Lacy was excited. "I only know how to dance salsa. What if I get chosen? Isn't it boring if I don't get a partner? Would they allow me to get a partner?" Samantha does not dance so she's not worried at all. "How about you, Hana? Do you dance?" She gave them a shaky smile. "A little. I hope they don't choose me. I hate dancing in front of a crowd." Lacy noticed her unease so she tapped Hana’s back.
• "Maybe they'll give you a chance to reject the offer. Don't worry too much about it." She just nodded towards her but she still wasn't assured.
• After building up enough tension, the spotlight finally stopped. It landed on a woman who was cool and muscular. It looked like she was dancing all the time. "It's going to be a tough competition. That woman is a regular at Glides," someone said beside Sam. Glides is a popular place to learn dancing from professional choreographers and dance instructors. She visited that place sometimes but she never encountered that woman. The spotlight started looking for the second contestant and Hana's heartbeat increased once again.
• Please don't let it be me. Don't choose me. Not me, spotlight, please.
• Hana kept on chanting these words over and over again in her head. Finally, the spotlight stopped. It landed on someone she was familiar with. It was Audrey, Zeno's current fling. The woman confidently smiled at the people looking at her. She even blew a kiss at Zeno. It looked like she expected this competition because she was wearing a very sexy costume and heels. She even had glittering makeup all over her face. "She's that handsome guy's bitch, isn't she?" Lacy asked while glaring at the woman. "I think so, too." Sam patted Lacy's head as if to comfort a child. "I think she's gonna win. She looks like she was prepared for this competition." Lacy just glared at Hana. "What? Do you hate her because she's the fling of the man you like?" Lacy rolled her eyes at Hana. Sam chuckled and said, "Bull's eye. You've hit her where it hurts most, hon."
• Finally, it's time to pick the last contestant. That night, Hana's heart was abnormal. One moment it's calm and the next, it pumped too much blood.
• It's the fault of these stupid organizers! I'm not coming back to watch again! Please don't let it be me. Don't choose me. Not me, spotlight, please.
• She chanted these words once again. But of course, in times like these, what's most likely to happen is not the one that you're praying for, right? And that's exactly what happened. The spotlight landed on Hana.