She's One in a Million

Thirty-five

The night was reigning; covering the world with complete darkness but the twilight and the jewels in the sky reflected upon the sea, giving it a beautiful picture enough to take one's breath away.  

 Casey was sleeping peacefully beside Max. She sleeps like a princess, Max thought.  She stared at her for a minute before sneakily went  out of bed. She slowly gathered her things and walked stealthy passed by Casey and opened the door. She took a look back and thought she would miss everything.

She went downstairs along with her things and reached the lobby. Her hands held the knob, ready to finally leave the Mansion but despite being a coward, she managed to think to say a proper goodbye before she leaves. 

 She went to the recording room and found nobody there. It was a tiring night and she understand that they would be off sleeping before they get to go back to work the next day. 

Not that its a problem though.

She went towards the camera and switched it on. She sat on the bar and exhaled before she let out everything.

"Hey. You may see this tomorrow and I may be gone now but I don't want to leave without telling you everything about me. I have been hiding this ever since the competition and I would have wanted to keep it that way but all through out this journey, I wanted you to know who Maxine Reeves is."

"I am worse than the person who you thought I was. I have done things that are not honorable in the past that I have greatly regret. I was the worst student in school and I am great in breaking all the rules in the school's rule book. I skipped classes most of the time and I used to...to..." Her voice started to croaked, "spend my parent's money for partying, drinks and things illegally. I went to juvie for stealing. Relationships? Had an abusive one."

"But I didn't care back then. I thought I was having the time of my life and because of that, I hurt those people that truly matters to me."

"I dropped out of school before I could ever finished high school. That could have woken me up, right? No. It gave me more freedom to do things that I wanted. They tried to stop me but I shoved them away and went to people that I used to call friends. And then a phone call rang one night telling me that my father passed away."

"And to make things worse, we've lost our pub because I didn't know we are already heavy in the loans. My mother has gotten sick and I couldn't get a decent job because nobody would want a dropout. Thankfully, I've gotten several jobs with minimum wages but, it's better than not having one right?"

"So, how did I end up joining this competition? To be honest, I never wanted to join this one. My brothers did and knowing the benefits that I could win so I joined. Half a million was already a good one, I thought. I didn't care about any of you-the people here and especially you, Ian. I just want the money and all I ever thought is how I could make you fall for me enough to reach the goals. You were my ticket to achieving my dreams."

"But, the longer I stayed here that more I appreciated the people here. I met truer friends that I never thought I could find. I met great people and finally, I met you. You were the best one here and I fell in love with you. Something that I never found in anyone I've been with."

"But, I have to wake up now. I don't suit you. We are too different to be together, I realized. You deserve someone better than me. And even though I love you, you don't deserve someone like me."

"I'm sorry if I have to go now. I hope you'll find someone that can give you that happily ever after you've been wishing because, it's not me you are looking for. I love you and goodbye."

Max switched the camera off and breathed deeply just to not let the tears from falling. She went out of the room, out of the Mansion and into the gates where she finally decided to leave everything-the people, the friends and Ian-behind her.