Beauty had her mouth open in confusion.
There was no way she was picked as the best dressed!
"Beauty! Yeah! At last, the board isn't corrupt," Nia said and nudged her, grinning ear to ear.
She clapped enthusiastically, encouraging the rest of the room to join in.
A round of applause broke out, but Beauty felt frozen in place.
"But..."
That's all she could mutter. She had never imagined she would win something like this.
Her mind raced, and all she could think about was how much she wished Bruno were there beside her, holding her hand and sharing this moment with her.
Nia, sensing her nervousness, leaned in and whispered, "Come on, Beauty! You totally deserve this. Go get your award!"
Beauty swallowed hard, feeling her cheeks flush as the applause grew louder.
The crowd's claps and cheers rang in her ears as she stood up shakily, forcing a smile. Her legs felt wobbly as she walked toward the stage, her eyes still scanning the room, hoping, praying to see Bruno.
But, unfortunately, he wasn't there.
As she approached the stairs leading up to the stage, she nearly slipped. Her heel caught on the edge of one of the steps, and she stumbled slightly, her heart leaping into her throat.
Thankfully, she managed to catch herself from falling, but that brief moment of panic left her flushed with embarrassment.
She could hear a few gasps and chuckles from the crowd.
She drew a deep breath and forced a smile, knowing that all eyes were on her at this point. She better not mess this night up. With her cheeks burning with embarrassment, she made her way to the podium.
The host handed her a golden statuette.
"Miss Beauty! The best dressed award winner," he announced again.
Beauty smiled awkwardly, her nerves on edge. She had received many awards as a student but never this kind of positive feedback from others.
She held the award in her hands as the applause continued to ring out.
She searched and found Nia whistling and hyping her from their table. That lifted her spirits, but all of a sudden, she could feel the ache in her chest.
Where is Bruno? Why isn't he here yet?
"Thank you," she managed to say into the microphone, her voice soft and a little shaky.
"This... this is really unexpected. Everyone is looking so good, and the outfits are all amazing..."
She paused a bit, her eyes scanning the audience. Still, there was no sign of Bruno. She had been hoping he'd walk through the doors any moment, but as the seconds ticked by, her heart sank with worry.
With a small, forced smile, she continued her speech.
"Thank you, everyone. This is truly an honor, and I'm honestly still a bit in shock." Her voice wavered slightly, but she quickly composed herself.
"I want to dedicate this award to an amazing person, who made me feel confident and beautiful tonight. Without their creativity, I wouldn't be standing here."
She paused, glancing toward the entrance of the hall once more, her eyes searching desperately. Bruno still wasn't there.
Her heart clenched with disappointment and frustration.
"I... I apologize, but I need to excuse myself for a moment. I'll be right back."
The room fell silent, and the crowd exchanged confused glances. Even Nia, who had been beaming with pride just moments before, furrowed her brow in concern.
"Beauty, where are you going?" Nia mouthed from her seat, but Beauty didn't stop to explain.
She hurried down the stage steps, gripping the award tightly in her hand, her heels clicking against the floor as she rushed toward the exit.
She had to find Bruno.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she made her way out of the venue, her mind racing.
He had promised to be here, so where could he be? The hotel wasn't far from the ballroom, and in her gut, she knew that something was off.
She felt it deep down.
As she approached the elevator, she jabbed the button repeatedly, her anxiety growing by the second. She could feel something was wrong.
The doors slid open, and she stepped inside, pressing the button for Bruno's floor.
When she reached his room, she took a deep breath, her hand trembling as she placed it on the doorknob.
Pushing the door open, Beauty stepped inside the room, her breath caught in her throat at what she saw.