A YEAR LATER
“Ladies and gentlemen, let us all welcome our dearest Summa c*m Laude, Lilibeth Phoenix, for her valedictory address!”
A round of applause reverberated inside the huge auditorium. Everyone rose from their seats to acknowledge my presence.
With the grace of a queen, I rose from my seat and faced the cheering crowd with a smile. With the same grace I showed earlier, I walked down the carpeted aisle, and a thousand eyes followed my every move.
Cameras flashed in my direction, almost blinding me. I walked until I reached the stage and stood on the podium with my chin held high to deliver the speech I had memorized by heart.
Just a year ago, I was nothing. As others put it, I was an insignificant speck of dust with no bright future waiting for me. However, I proved them wro
