Our Secret Diary

Our Secret Diary - Preparing For The Spotlight

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Dear Diary,

"Fear is a strange thing.

It doesn't always come when you're standing in front of hundreds of people. Sometimes it arrives long before that moment. It hides inside your thoughts, whispering that you'll forget your words, embarrass yourself, or disappoint the people who believe in you.

Tomorrow isn't here yet... but somehow, I'm already afraid of it."

The morning air at Evercrest University carried an unusual excitement. Students hurried across the walkways with notebooks tucked beneath their arms, some discussing assignments while others laughed loudly about the previous night's football match.

Lena adjusted the strap of her bag as she walked beside Maya and Chloe toward Professor Harris' classroom.

Maya yawned dramatically.

"I shouldn't have stayed up finishing my slides."

Chloe looked at her.

"You weren't finishing your slides."

"I was."

"You posted three videos online between midnight and one o'clock."

Maya gasped.

"You were checking my status?"

"I couldn't sleep."

Lena laughed quietly.

"You two are unbelievable."

Maya nudged her shoulder.

"At least I still finished my work."

"Barely," Chloe muttered.

Before Maya could defend herself again, they reached the classroom.

Inside, Ethan, Noah and Jason were already seated.

Noah waved dramatically.

"Look who finally decided to attend class."

"We're five minutes early," Maya replied.

"For you, that's an achievement."

"Oh? Keep talking."

"I'm just saying the truth."

Maya dropped her bag on the desk with a loud thud.

"I haven't even sat down and you're already getting on my nerves."

Noah grinned.

"My work here is done."

Jason shook his head with a smile.

"You two really can't go one conversation without arguing."

"It's his fault," Maya answered immediately.

"It's definitely hers," Noah replied at the same time.

Their voices overlapped, causing the rest of the class to laugh.

Ethan leaned toward Lena.

"Do they ever get tired?"

"I honestly don't think so."

"I've started bringing popcorn to class."

Lena covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

"You didn't."

"I considered it."

She smiled.

"That sounds more like Noah."

"Noah would forget the popcorn and eat someone else's."

From the other side of the room, Maya pointed accusingly.

"I heard that!"

"So did I," Noah added.

Professor Harris walked into the classroom before another argument could begin.

The room fell silent.

He placed a folder on the table and looked around at the students.

"I've gone through your project drafts."

Several students straightened in their seats.

"I must say, I'm impressed with the effort many of you have put in."

A small wave of relief spread across the room.

"However," he continued, "before the final submission, each pair will present their work to the class."

The classroom became unusually quiet.

"A presentation?" someone asked.

Professor Harris nodded.

"Each pair will have fifteen minutes to explain the inspiration behind their story, the development of the characters, and what they learned while working together."

Lena's smile disappeared.

She stared at the front of the room without really seeing it.

Present?

In front of everyone?

Her heartbeat quickened.

Beside her, Ethan noticed her fingers tightening around her pen.

Professor Harris continued explaining the guidelines, but Lena could barely hear him.

She hated speaking in front of people.

The last time she had stood in front of a class, her voice had trembled so badly that she forgot almost everything she wanted to say.

She never wanted to experience that feeling again.

"...The presentations begin tomorrow morning," Professor Harris finished.

"Use today to prepare."

As soon as the lecture ended, conversations filled the classroom.

Some students sounded excited.

Others looked nervous.

Maya clapped her hands together.

"This is easy."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Easy?"

"Of course."

"You nearly fainted during last semester's presentation."

"I did not."

"You forgot your own introduction."

"I was creating suspense."

"You called the lecturer 'Mom.'"

The classroom erupted in laughter.

Maya covered her face.

"I've been trying to forget that."

"I haven't," Noah replied proudly.

She glared at him.

"I hope your laptop crashes."

"I hope your slides disappear."

Jason sighed dramatically.

"I'm already tired."

Chloe laughed softly.

"They're impossible."

Meanwhile, Lena quietly packed her books.

She hoped nobody noticed how pale she had become.

"Lena."

She looked up.

Ethan was watching her carefully.

"You okay?"

She forced a smile.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm just thinking."

"About the presentation?"

She hesitated before nodding.

"I don't think I can do it."

Ethan frowned gently.

"What do you mean?"

"I've never been good at speaking in front of people."

"You don't have to be perfect."

"What if I forget everything?"

"You won't."

"What if I embarrass us?"

"You won't."

"What if—"

"Lena."

His calm voice interrupted her racing thoughts.

She looked at him.

"We're a team."

Those three words settled something inside her.

"If you forget something," he continued, "I'll help you."

She stared at him for a moment.

"You really think we can do this?"

He smiled.

"I know we can."

For the first time since Professor Harris's announcement, Lena felt the knot in her chest loosen just a little.

As the six friends stepped out of the classroom together, Maya stretched her arms.

"So..."

She looked at everyone with a grin.

"Who's ready to survive presentation day?"

Noah laughed.

"I'll answer that after lunch."

Everyone chuckled, but Lena's thoughts were still on tomorrow.

Tomorrow suddenly felt much closer than it had a few minutes ago.

Lena spent the rest of the afternoon trying to convince herself that Ethan was right.

We're a team.

The words replayed in her mind over and over again, but every time she imagined standing in front of the class, her confidence disappeared.

After lunch, the six friends met outside the faculty building.

Maya was the first to arrive, carrying a folder so full of papers that a few almost slipped onto the ground.

Noah looked at the folder and laughed.

"Planning to present a novel?"

Maya picked up the papers before they scattered.

"Unlike some people, I actually prepared."

"I prepared too."

Jason looked around.

"Where?"

"In my head."

Chloe smiled.

"That explains a lot."

Everyone laughed except Noah, who dramatically placed a hand over his chest.

"I can't believe my own friends are attacking me."

"We're correcting you," Maya replied.

"There is a difference."

Ethan arrived a few moments later with Lena walking beside him.

He noticed everyone had already gathered.

"Ready?"

"As ready as anyone can be," Jason answered.

"Speak for yourself," Maya muttered.

"I'm always ready."

Noah burst into laughter.

"You've changed your mind already?"

"I said I'm ready."

"You also said you were ready for last semester's presentation."

Maya immediately pointed a finger at him.

"If you mention that story one more time..."

"What will you do?"

"I'll make sure Professor Harris pairs you with me again next semester."

Noah's smile faded.

"...I take it back."

That earned another round of laughter.

The atmosphere became lighter.

Even Lena found herself smiling.

"Let's head to the library," Chloe suggested.

"It'll be quieter there."

Everyone agreed.

---

The library was unusually peaceful.

Only the soft turning of pages and the occasional tapping of keyboards could be heard.

The six of them settled around a large table.

Jason opened his laptop.

"I think we should all rehearse once."

Noah groaned dramatically.

"So serious."

"You'll thank me tomorrow."

"I'll thank you if we finish early."

Maya folded her arms.

"Let's start with Lena and Ethan."

Lena looked up.

"Us?"

"You two are probably the most prepared."

Ethan smiled.

"I don't know about that."

"You definitely are," Chloe said.

Jason nodded in agreement.

Lena swallowed nervously.

Ethan noticed.

"You don't have to stand if you don't want to."

"I should."

"You can sit first."

She took a slow breath before opening their presentation notes.

Her hands trembled slightly.

"Good afternoon, Professor Harris and..."

She stopped.

The words disappeared.

Silence filled the table.

Lena looked down at her notes.

"I'm sorry."

She tried again.

"Good afternoon..."

Nothing.

Her voice became quieter until it faded completely.

"I'm sorry."

She closed the notebook.

"I can't."

Ethan gently reached for the notebook.

"Lena."

She shook her head.

"I told you."

"No."

"I'll ruin everything."

"You won't."

"I already did."

"You stopped."

"Exactly."

"That's not ruining it."

She looked at him.

He smiled reassuringly.

"You're only practising."

Maya nodded.

"If this was the real presentation, we'd all be in trouble."

Noah looked offended.

"Thanks for including me."

"You'd probably forget your own name."

"I know my name."

"You forgot Jason's birthday."

Jason looked up from his laptop.

"You actually did."

"I remembered eventually."

"Three days later," Chloe reminded him.

Everyone laughed again.

Even Lena couldn't help smiling.

The heaviness in her chest eased.

Ethan noticed.

"There."

"What?"

"That smile."

She looked confused.

"Keep that tomorrow."

She lowered her eyes shyly.

"I'll try."

"No."

He smiled warmly.

"You will."

---

An hour later, things were going much better.

Lena had finally managed to complete the introduction without stopping.

The others clapped enthusiastically.

Maya even stood up dramatically.

"Our girl is improving!"

Lena laughed.

"It wasn't that good."

"It was much better," Chloe assured her.

Jason nodded.

"You sounded more confident."

Ethan looked genuinely proud.

"I told you."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, Maya and Noah had started rehearsing their own presentation.

Or at least they were supposed to.

"I'll introduce us," Noah said confidently.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll probably start telling jokes."

"They're educational jokes."

"There is no such thing."

"There is."

"No."

"There is."

Professor Wilson, the librarian, slowly walked past their table and cleared his throat.

"Please remember this is a library."

All six of them froze.

"Sorry," they whispered together.

As soon as he walked away, Maya leaned closer.

"See what you've done?"

"What I've done?"

"Yes."

"You were shouting louder than me."

"I was defending myself."

"I was defending myself first."

Jason rubbed his forehead.

"I suddenly understand why some professors retire early."

Chloe laughed so hard she had to cover her mouth.

Even Ethan leaned back in his chair, shaking his head.

Lena watched all of them.

Just a few weeks ago, they had barely spoken to one another.

Now...

It almost felt like they had known each other for years.

That thought made her smile.

Across the library, someone else had been watching.

Ava.

She had entered earlier with Sophie and Nicole to borrow a few books.

Instead, she found herself staring at the table where Ethan sat beside Lena.

Nicole folded her arms.

"They're together again."

"They're studying," Ava replied.

"Are they?"

Sophie looked carefully.

"They don't look like they're only studying."

Ethan was saying something that made Lena laugh.

The smile on his face was different.

Relaxed.

Natural.

The kind of smile Ava had spent months hoping to receive.

Nicole quietly spoke.

"You keep saying they're just project partners."

Ava remained silent.

"But look at them."

She looked.

Really looked.

For the first time, she noticed something she had been trying to ignore.

Whenever Lena spoke...

Ethan listened.

Whenever Lena became nervous...

Ethan encouraged her.

Whenever Lena smiled...

He smiled too.

Ava looked away.

"They're only practising."

Nicole sighed.

"If that's what you want to believe."

Without another word, the three girls walked away.

But Ava couldn't stop herself from glancing back one last time.

Something was changing.

And she could feel it slipping beyond her control.

Meanwhile, completely unaware that they had been watched, Lena closed her notebook.

"I think I'm finally ready."

Ethan smiled.

"I told you you could do it."

She laughed softly.

"Don't celebrate yet."

"Why?"

"I still have to survive tomorrow."

He stood, picking up his bag.

"Then tomorrow..."

He looked at her with quiet confidence.

"...we'll survive it together."

For reasons she couldn't explain, those words made tomorrow seem a little less frightening.