AFTER Lily finished her closing statement, the filming was finally over. She walked around the room and congratulated the contestants who had made it to the next round. She also took time to comfort some of the eliminated contestants who had cried. And there were many who did just that.
The hall filled with the sound of quiet sobs. Some contestants sat in their chairs with their shoulders slumped, staring at the floor. Others hugged each other tightly, their faces buried in a friend's shoulder. A few stood by themselves, using the backs of their hands to quickly wipe tears from their eyes as they tried to look brave. The air felt heavy with the disappointment of dreams that had just ended.
