Research On You

Chapter 7 : The Presentation Disaster

"Rule number one," I said, pacing in front of the whiteboard. "Do not panic."

"Rule number two," Theodore said, spinning in the chair. "Do not let Reyes panic."

"I am NOT panicking," I said. "I am preparing."

"It’s the same thing," he said. "With you."

It was Wednesday. 8 AM. Our midterm presentation for thesis was in 2 hours.

30 minutes. 40 slides. 40 classmates watching. Professor Celes judging.

And our PowerPoint was not cooperating.

"Why is slide 12 blank?" I asked, clicking frantically.

"I don’t know," Theodore said. "Maybe it’s shy."

"This is not the time for jokes, Alistair."

"This is exactly the time for jokes," he said. "You’re turning pink."

"I do not turn pink."

"You do," he said. "It’s cute."

I threw a pen at him. He caught it.

The door opened.

Sera. Cass. Eli.

"Emergency meeting?" Sera asked.

"Tech emergency," I said. "Our slides are broken."

"Let me see," Cass said, walking to the laptop.

Eli was already taking photos. "For documentation. Of the disaster."

"This is not a disaster," I said.

"It’s a disaster," Theodore said. "But it’s our disaster."

Cass clicked through the slides. "It’s a formatting issue. I can fix it. Give me 20 minutes."

"20 minutes?" I said. "We present in 2 hours!"

"We have time," Theodore said. "Breathe, Reyes."

"I am breathing," I said.

"You’re breathing like you ran a marathon," he said. "Here."

He handed me water. "Drink."

I drank.

"Better?" he asked.

"Better," I admitted.

Sera sat next to me. "You’ve got this. You always do."

"I know," I said. "But what if the tech fails again?"

"Then we wing it," Theodore said. "We know our stuff."

"We practiced once," I said.

"Once is enough," he said. "We’re smart. And hot."

"Hot?" I asked.

"Hot stuff," he corrected quickly. "We’re hot stuff at research."

"Liar," I said.

"Maybe," he grinned.

---

10 AM. Room 204.

The room was full. Professor Celes at the front. Laptop connected to the projector.

"Reyes and Alistair," Professor Celes called. "You’re up."

I stood. My legs felt like jelly.

Theodore stood too. "Ready, partner?"

"Ready," I said.

We walked to the front.

The first slide loaded. Title.

*"Research on You: Coping Mechanisms and Healing in Young Adults"*

"Good morning," I started. Voice steady. "We are Anastasia Reyes and Theodore Alistair."

Click. Next slide. Data.

It was working.

I did the introduction. Theodore did the methodology.

We were 10 minutes in. Everything was fine.

Then slide 18.

The screen went black.

A loading wheel appeared.

"No," I whispered.

"Technical difficulties," Professor Celes said. "Take your time."

I looked at Theodore. Panic in my eyes.

He looked at me. Calm.

"Okay," he said, turning to the class. "So. While IT figures out why our PowerPoint hates us, let’s talk."

He stepped in front of the screen.

"Our research is about how people cope," he said. "And right now, we’re coping with a broken laptop. So this is perfect."

The class laughed.

I stared at him.

"As Ana was saying," he continued, "78 percent of students said social support helps the most. And right now, I’m using social support. Specifically, my partner’s brain."

He looked at me. "Reyes. What was on slide 18?"

I blinked. "Uh. Challenges. Stigma."

"Right," he said. "Challenges. Specifically, stigma. People don’t talk about grief because they think it makes them look weak."

He explained it. Without the slides. From memory. With examples. With jokes.

The class was listening.

I joined in. "And 62 percent said routine helps. Like having a schedule. Like practicing your presentation even when your partner says ‘we don’t need to.’"

"Hey," Theodore said. "I never said that."

"You did," I said.

"Okay, I did," he admitted. "But look. We’re fine."

He bumped my shoulder.

15 minutes later, IT fixed the projector.

"Do you want to restart?" Professor Celes asked.

Theodore looked at me. "Your call."

I shook my head. "No. We’re good."

We finished without slides. Just talking.

When we were done, the room clapped.

"Excellent work," Professor Celes said. "Especially the recovery. That’s real research. Adapting."

"Thank you, ma'am," we said.

We walked back to our seats.

The moment we sat, Sera grabbed my arm. "YOU WERE AMAZING"

"You saved it," Cass said to Theodore.

"I had help," Theodore said, looking at me.

Eli was showing me his camera. Photos of me panicking. Photos of Theodore talking. Photos of us bumping shoulders.

"Delete," I said.

"Never," Eli said. "This is the thesis."

---

After class, we went to Rel’s Cafe.

"On the house," Rel said. "For surviving."

"We didn’t just survive," Theodore said. "We thrived."

"You did," Rel said. "Both of you."

Sera, Cass, and Eli joined us.

"So," Sera said. "That was hot."

"What was hot?" I asked.

"The way he covered for you," Sera said. "And the way you jumped in. Teamwork."

"We’re partners," I said.

"Research spouses," Theodore added.

"Right," Sera said. "That."

We ate. We laughed. Theodore reenacted the whole presentation.

"And then I said, ‘Our PowerPoint is shy,’" he said. "And the class laughed."

"You did not say that," I said.

"I did," he said. "I’m charming under pressure."

"You’re something," I said.

"I’m your something," he said.

I kicked him under the table. He kicked me back.

---

That night, I got an email.

From: Professor Celestia Dela Vega

Subject: Presentation Feedback

Reyes, Alistair,

Best presentation so far. Data is solid. Delivery was strong.

But what impressed me most was how you handled the tech failure.

That is what research is. Problem solving. Together.

A.

P.S. Alistair, less jokes next time.

P.P.S. Reyes, more confidence. You know your stuff.

I forwarded it to Theodore.

Me: We got an A.

Theo: I know. I saw.

Theo: We make a good team.

Me: We do.

Theo: Come to the library tonight?

Me: Why?

Theo: To celebrate. With coffee. And no PowerPoint.

Me: Fine. 9 PM.

Theo: See you, research spouse.

---

9 PM. Library.

He was there. Two coffees. No laptop.

"What’s this?" I asked.

"Celebration," he said. "No work. Just... talking."

We sat by the window.

"You were really good today," he said.

"You were better," I said.

"We were good," he said. "Together."

We talked for an hour. About nothing. About everything.

At 10:15 PM, he said, "Can I tell you something?"

"What?"

"When the slides crashed, I wasn’t scared," he said. "Because I knew you had my back."

"I did," I said.

"And I have yours," he said. "Always."

The word hung between us.

"Always is a long time," I said quietly.

"I know," he said. "I’m good at long term."

He reached over and took my hand.

Just for a second.

Then let go.

"Come on," he said. "I’ll walk you home."

The campus was quiet.

At the gate, he stopped.

"Good job today," he said.

"Good job to you too," I said.

He smiled. "See you Friday?"

"Friday," I said.

He walked away.

---

Back in my room, I opened my notebook.

Pink: Introduction.

Blue: Literature Review.

Yellow: Methodology.

Green: Results.

Purple: Unexpected.

Under purple:

PowerPoint died.

He didn’t.

Hand hold. 2 seconds.

"Always."

Best presentation ever.

My phone buzzed.

Theo: Hey.

Me: Hey.

Theo: You okay?

Me: I’m good.

Theo: Good. Because you were really good today.

Theo: Proud of you.

Me: Proud of you too.

Theo: Sleep well, Reyes.

Me: You too, Theo.

I didn’t sleep for a while.

---

Friday. Progress meeting.

Professor Celes looked at us. "You two are doing excellent work."

"Thank you," we said.

After, Theodore walked me to class.

"So," he said. "Next Saturday?"

"What about it?"

"Dinner," he said. "The one we said wasn’t a date."

"It’s still not a date," I said.

"It’s not," he agreed. "It’s dinner. With a friend. Who’s also my research spouse."

"Fine," I said. "Dinner."

"Great," he said. "Pick you up at 6?"

"6," I said.

He bumped my shoulder. "See you later."

As he walked away, Sera appeared next to me.

"Did he just ask you out?" she asked.

"No," I said. "It’s dinner."

"For research," Sera said.

"For research," I agreed.

Sera grinned. "Sure it is."

---

That weekend, Eli posted the photos.

The one of Theodore talking without slides.

The one of me looking at him like he hung the moon.

The one of our hands almost touching.

Caption: When the tech fails but the team doesn’t. #ResearchOnYou

Comments:

seraphina.s: I'M CRYING

cass.v: Proud

theo.a: stop

eli.t: never

I saved the photo.

END OF CHAPTER 7