Chapter 1643
After a night had passed, Skyler had carefully tucked away the hurt in her heart,
Come afternoon, she arrived punctually at the location designated by her college advisor. Some students were practicing their lines, while others were rehearsing their acts; everyone was busy with their own tasks.
Only Skyler found herself waiting far longer than anticipated, as her partner was nowhere to be seen. She pinged her speech partner in their three-person WhatsApp group. [Hey, are you here yet?)
No response came.
Skyler glanced at the clock; they had agreed to meet at 2 PM, and it was now 2:30 PM, a full half-hour late. In life, there was little she detested more than those who didnât respect time. Even so, true to her nature, Skyler refrained from harsh words. [Hey, if you get this, please respond. Weâre half an hour past our meeting time. Do you know how much longer youâll be?]
She sent the message and waited some more, but still, there was silence from the other end.
The councelor, perhaps feeling the awkwardness of the situation, stepped in and said, [Skyler, why donât you just focus on memorizing your speech for tomorrow? Donât worry about the rest.]e2
Skyler replied with a simple âOK,â but she harbored a tiny grudge inside.
She could handle her own tasks perfectly fine. But a two-person job, with the other failing to cooperate, meant not only their embarrassment but hers as well. She had no desire to embarrass herself in front of her peers.
If her partner was so reluctant to speak onstage, they shouldnât have agreed to the advisor in the first place. Agreeing and then showing this kind of attitude was downright infuriating.
Unable to manage the situation, Skyler simply focused on her own speech, determined to do her part impeccably, regardless of anyone elseâs attitude.
September 8th arrived.
The Capital College opening ceremony was held in the grand Capital Stadium.
Before the ceremony, the warm-up acts, âVisions of the Futureâ and âSeeds of Hope,â not only lifted the spirits of the attendees but also gave many students like Skyler a glimpse of what could be.
After all, wasnât that what life was about? Holding on to hope.
The ceremony went on smoothly, following the program to a tee, and Skyler watched each performance with great interest. Emma tugged at Skylerâs sleeve. âHey Skyler, whoâs the guy youâre supposed to speak with today? His name isnât even on the program.â
Skyler just shook her head.
âYou went to rehearse with him yesterday, right? You mean to tell me you didnât even see him?â Emma asked incredulously.
Just a nod from Skyler.
âCan you believe it? Skipping out on something this important? Our counselor is so strict; they wouldnât let someone mess around like this,â Emma exclaimed.
Skyler didnât want to elaborate; such talk, if overheard and passed around, could easily be misconstrued as gossip. âIâm not sure whatâs up. Letâs just focus on the show, shall we?â
After a couple more acts, the stadium announcerâs voice boomed, âAnd now, please welcome our freshman representative, Skyler, to the stage for her speech.â
Skylerâs name echoed through the stadium.
As she walked elegantly towards the stage amidst loud applause and the watchful eyes of her classmates, Emma whispered to Amanda, âHey, doesnât Skyler look exceptionally stunning today?â
âIs today the only day Skyler looks great?â Amanda retorted.
âOf course not. You shouldâve seen my face when I first saw her on move-in day; I was absolutely gobsmacked, Emma confessed.
âWho wasnât? Sometimes I wish I were a guy,â Amanda mused.
âWeâre so lucky to have such a gorgeous roommate, Emma sighed with a smile.
While they chatted, Skyler had already reached the podium. Just as she settled into her stance, the announcer added, âLetâs also invite another Coutstanding student representative, Zavier, to join her onstage.â