After an intensive one week training with Lakshmi, Mia was finally ready for the speed debate. It was very good for Mia since she needed to enhance her communication skill and she needed to learn how to talk faster.
Somehow, Lakshmi was able to use beats to make Mia talk faster, she taught Mia how to follow the beats to talk faster.
“I think I’m rapping” Mia looked at Lakshmi who was in front of her.
“Maybe, just get out there and make me proud” Lakshmi tried to motivate Mia who clearly didn’t need motivation.
“Okay” she shrugged and sat down with other debaters and when two had already spoken it was Alyssa’s turn, for some reason Alyssa the deaf girl decided to join the contest. Mia could hardly breathe when she passed by her.
So far, Alyssa had been the best speaker since she said a total of 1000 words in under 5 minutes and Mia didn’t even think that was humanly possible.
“With all protocols duly observed my name is Mia and I am here to..” Mia was staying before she suddenly went dumb, she completely lost her voice.
“We are waiting for you Mia, please hurry up, we are timing you remember” a female member of the panel of judges who happened to be Mia’s biology teacher urged Mia to continue, thinking that Mia was having stage fright.
Lakshmi sat amongst the spectators signaling for Mia to speak but Mia remained silent she just looked at everyone.
Alyssa stood up from her seat and came closer to Mia.
“Speak Mia, you don’t have to be scared of anyone” Alyssa also urged her as the judges found her act of kindness very applaudable.
Mia looked at Lakshmi who also urged her through her gestures and then she looked at the judges who were patiently waiting for her to say something but she didn’t.
She looked into Alyssa’s eyes and she could see the happiness Alyssa was hiding inside her heart. Her hands began to shake, they were turning pale as well as her face.
Her temperature suddenly rised and she could no longer take it as she ran away from the stage with Lakshmi running after her as well, she felt there was no need of staying to watch the rest of the competition, it wasn’t such a big event like her dance competition and anyways it was clear that Alyssa had already won.
She found it pathetic that her best friend who had been training all week was beaten by a deaf girl.
Mia could finally breath properly as she was no longer close to Alyssa, her discomfort left her as well.
Mia was disappointed but she got over it very quickly, her friend Lakshmi on the other hand, not so much. “Mia, talk to me. I know you can talk” Lakshmi kept on shaking Mia, making her very uncomfortable. Mia started to feel dizzy and was about to pass out when Caleb had caught her just in time.
“Are you okay?” Caleb still held her in his arms while Lakshmi rushed to go get a bottle of water and began to sprinkle it on Mia’s face.
Mia wanted to thank him but she couldn’t talk. Once she was on her feet again, she brought out a piece of paper and a pen to write “THANK YOU” before she attempted to walk away, but Caleb wasn’t just going to let her go just like that.
Caleb’s POV
I had no idea what had come over me and why I wasn’t acting like this towards Mia, so far to the extent that I had started dreaming about her. There must have been more to our meeting, and I wasn’t just going to let her go.
“Lakshmi, I’m sorry but can I please talk to Mia alone. Like in private please” I requested and Lakshmi quickly gave us some space.
“Come with me?” I tried to convince Mia to follow me but she wasn’t budging, she kept resisting and finally she was able to free herself from my grip.
“Stop!” She yelled at me.
“Mia? You can talk now? I overheard Lakshmi saying you had lost your voice” I was marveled at the fact that she had gotten her voice so quickly.
“I’m sorry if I frightened you but I mean no harm. I just want to talk to you please” I apologized for my rude behavior towards her.
It just wasn’t the right thing to do.
“It’s okay but if there is something you want to tell me. I would appreciate it if you tell me here and now because I still have to get to class” Mia was very slow in the way she talked, normally that would irritate me but I found it very cute.
“Okay, Mia. The thing is I find you very attractive and I would like you to be my girlfriend” I took a bold step. I didn’t even know when those words just flew out of my mouth.
“We are too young for a relationship and if you would excuse me I have to go now ” she left me in the hallway looking dumbfounded. I couldn’t understand myself or what was going on, it felt like the whole world had come to a halt.
Lakshmi’s POV
“So tell me Mia what did he tell you? I am so eager to know so you have to tell me quickly” I kept on persuading Mia who sat close to me in class.
“Shh, you have to be quiet Lakshmi if not the teacher might send us out of the class” Mia was warning me and at the same time stating the obvious fact that we were in the middle of a class and I was being a bit too loud.
“Hmmn, I am not happy” I folded my hands and rested them on my chest as I squeezed my face trying to let Mia be aware of my unhappiness.
“You still haven’t told me what Caleb spoke to you about. I really don’t like this kind of suspense you know” I kept on persuading Mia as we waited for the driver to come pick us up.
“He asked me to be his girlfriend and ..” Mia was talking but I was too impatient to let her finish her statement.
“And you accepted, right?” I was so delighted.
“No, I declined. We are too young to be in a relationship, it might affect my studies and my mental health” Mia was firm in her decision.
I really wish there was something that I could do to make her change her mind. I was very disappointed that she turned down the captain of the school football team just like that, no girl would even think of doing that.
“Mia you are someone I still don’t understand” I looked at her immensely, wondering what could be going on in her mind.
“We can never fully understand someone” Mia was being too logical even for me.
“Yes ma’am” I saluted her and laughed, but she just stared at me. I don’t think she understood what I did.
“Let’s go, the driver is here now” I pointed towards the car that had just arrived as we made our way to the car.