As I walked into the lecture hall with Peter, Sarah, and Chris, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. My mind kept drifting back to the anonymous call I received, informing me that my tuition fees had been paid. I had been wondering who could have done such a kindness, and why.
Chris's behavior the previous day had left me puzzled. He seemed subdued, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was jealous about the anonymous payment. I pushed the thought aside, focusing on the day's presentation.
The day of our presentation had finally arrived, Peter exuded confidence, setting the tone for our incredible performance. His attire was impeccable, showcasing his keen sense of style.
He wore a crisp, slim-fit white shirt with a subtle sheen, perfectly complemented by a rich blue tie with intricate patterns. The tie added a pop of color and sophistication to his overall look.
His shiny black shoes gleamed under the presentation lights, revealing a meticulous attention to detail. As he began to speak, his deep, resonant voice commanded attention, filling the room with authority and conviction. With every word, he embodied professionalism, inspiring the rest of us to present with confidence and poise.
As I stepped forward to present, a wave of laughter swept through the room. I knew exactly why – my outfit. My big, long-sleeved shirt hung loose, and my trousers were baggy, like a balloon. The audience's giggles stung, but I stood tall, my eyes locked on the presentation screen.
I took a deep breath and began to speak, my voice steady and clear. The room fell silent, mesmerized by my words. I could sense their surprise, their expectation of me being a laughingstock shattered. As I finished my presentation, the room erupted into applause, and I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment
Our group showcased an excellent team work, and you could see the lecture smiling as he was gazing at us. At last he said, "wow, this group's collaborative effort resulted in a polished and informative presentation that impressed and blow our minds. Well done team."
As we left the lecture hall, the warm glow of accomplishment radiated from our faces. But little did we know, our success had ignited a spark of competition among our peers. A spirit of rivalry had been kindled, and we were about to face a new challenge.
That day changed other student's perspective on us, especially on me. They began to be kind and wanted to work with us whenever we were doing group discussions, while others were becoming our rivals. They were ready to go with us toe to toe.
In the afternoon, a couple of guys approached us, and we were just a mellow group of friends waiting for our afternoon lecture. One of them who goes by the name Thando, who was a quiet and reserved, beautiful, with a soft good looking skin said, with a soft and soothing voice "guys you nailed it. Your presentation was superb."
We both looked at her, smiles on our faces and Sarah said to her. "Wow thanks hey, you are so kind to give us such a compliment, we really apriciate that."
Stanley, a tall, slim and handsome looking guy, who knows fashion well, was dressed in clothes that looked expensive. He was standing next to Sarah, and he said, "guys to be frank enough, we overhead some guys who seem to be jealous of you and they were saying, 'well these guys now think they are the best group in our class. We will show them who we are."'
Peter's eyes gleamed with challenge and mischief. His deep voice reverberated through the air as he said, "Let the challenge begin." The words lingered, electrifying the air between us. For a moment, we all sat in stunned silence, and then, as if in response to the unspoken invitation, our laughter erupted like thunder, drawing attention of those who were sitting close to us.
As we looked around, we saw that students were staring at us in total confusion, wondering what happened that made us laugh like that. Meanwhile, half of the other students were staring at us, their curiosity piqued.
After having chatted for a while, we went back to the lecture hall to have our final lecture for the day. After we were done, we said farewell to each other and went each on his own way.
In the evening, I was a different person, way over the moon with excitement and I was barely able to contain my joy. Have you ever been that happy to the point that, no-matter how much you try to hide your smile, you will just give it away?
That was me that evening, because the lecture's words about our group, as well as Thando's and Stanley's words had given me hope. At last, I could see that I am not unvalued, unseen or was I like a shadow.
That night I could barely sleep because of joy, and all I could think about and what kept ringing in my mind was Thando's soft and soothing voice "guys you nailed it. Your presentation was superb." I quickly paced back and forth in my room after those thoughts, looked myself in the mirror, smiled and throw my self on the bed and exclaimed, "Lord thank you."
I know some of you want to know if I was happy because of our presentation or because Thando had said something positive to us. To be honest, I don't know. It was her first time approaching us, even though we are doing the same program and in the same class. But all I can tell you, is that I was happy.
The following morning, I called Peter, Sarah and Chris so we could attend the lecture together. As we entered the lecture hall, there was silence and I could hear the sound of my heartbeat and wondered, "what's going on, were people talking about us or there is something going on."
We realized that, our rivals had been saying something and one of them stood up and said, "guys are you up for a challenge, we are going to compete with you in everything."
"For we know that, in this class we are the best academically, we know our fashion to the point that everyone likes us and we are just cool. Are you up for it?" We gazed at him, smiled, and then we went and took our sits.
The following day, we took our sits in the lecture hall and Stanley came and sat next to Peter, and said, "guys, will you allow me to be part of your group. I just want to be with you guys. I know there are so many groups in this class, but I want to be part of you. You are nice people, humble and I think I would want to work with such people who are not full of themselves."
Stanley exclaimed outloud after we both noded our heads, his voice electrifying the air in the room, "yes!, yes!". He picked up his backpack and rushed out of the room full of excitement. There was a stunned silence the whole room for few seconds.