Page 137 - EarthAngelsMatos

NICHOLAS BOOTHMAN
As he placed his cue cards and water bottle on the
podium, his hands trembled slightly. The audience,
comprised of local students, business owners, city
workers, truck drivers, and members of the police
department, watched with anticipation. The majority
of the crowd was female, and their supportive gaze
seemed to steady Benny's nerves.
Behind the scenes, Kayleigh Chen, clad in sleek
black attire, expertly managed the technical aspects.
She controlled the sound system and timing, using a
giant red and black gym timer to keep the speeches on
track. As Benny tapped the microphone, Kayleigh
jumped, adjusting the volume in her headphones
before starting the timer and angling it toward the
podium.
Eric winced. Oh no. He knew what was coming
next. Sure enough the water bottle rolled off the
sloping top of the podium and on to the floor at Ben’
s
feet.
Ben thought for a second, then disappeared and
reappeared holding the bottle among muffled giggles
and sneers. Kayleigh restarted the timer.
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