>>18186086As Miss USA received Colby's firm grip, a mix of emotions washed over her. She didn't know whether to smile or bawl or do anything in between. All she knew was that she wanted to do all these things and none of them all at once.
Maybe it was the adrenaline or perhaps it was pure sensory overload, but at that moment Miss USA; Uma Stacy Addams really did feel on the level with the with Colby Jefferson. Though the words came out of her own mouth, Miss USA truly felt the weight of them as her eyes met Colby's. An understanding was reached. No matter where they were before and where they go, this moment would be a touchstone of their respective paths.
A fated rival, a person who was the antithesis of everything she represented, a reviled enemy was now someone she could see as a peer.
As her neurons started firing and the physical pain that she sustained from the battle started to bloom within her, Miss USA ekes out a thought.
>Maybe peer is too strong of a word.She wrestled with the idea but it was clear. The mere thought of Colby certainly didn't inspire as much passion and anger within her as it did before. Nonetheless, she knew that Colby was still a threat. But maybe she didn't need to be a threat to her. She had felt this once and only once before and at that moment Miss USA pondered if she should hold tight and pull Colby in for a hug.
A flash of memories of NATO overwhelmed her already clouded ability to think.
Before she could decide, Colby had made the choice for her as she pulled her hand away. All Miss USA could do was give Colby a polite, yet firm, pat on the back as she walked past her.
She stared at Colby as she slowly walked down the aisle towards the exit as she thought to herself:
>I don't know what Miss Hailey saw in you.>. . .>Whatever it was;>I think I may have just gotten a glimpse of it.>Be proud, Miss Colby.>. . .>For us. For a brief moment, Miss USA considered walking out with Colby.
She didn't.
She just smiled.
