Echoes of a Silent Beat

Chapter 17: Celebration After Celebration

The big day had arrived-today was the day we were going to defend our thesis! The nerves and excitement were palpable as early as 9 AM when we all headed to the campus. Lexie, who had her own face-to-face class that morning, joined us later. Despite her busy schedule, she was determined to be there for us.

My groupmates, Angel and Gab, spent the morning in the library, poring over our final details and preparing ourselves for the big presentation. Lexie, ever the supportive friend, showed up after her class, bringing a fresh wave of encouragement.

"Alright, everyone, we've got this!" Lexie said, her smile radiating confidence.

When the time finally came, we walked together toward the room where we'd be doing our oral validation. A minor hiccup occurred when Sir Jim noticed I was wearing rubber shoes, which was against the dress code-business attire was required. Panic set in as I realized I didn't have a quick fix.

Seeing my distress, Lexie acted swiftly. "Here, you can wear mine," she said, handing me her pair of black shoes. "I'll wear your shoes."

I was taken aback by her kindness and quick thinking. "Are you sure, Noelle?"

"Of course, I'm sure," she replied with a reassuring smile.

The swap was made in a flash. Lexie slipped into my rubber shoes with ease, and I stepped into her elegant black shoes.

We managed to pull ourselves together and walked into the room with newfound confidence. The defense went smoothly, and our hard work paid off with a successful presentation.

Afterward, we celebrated our victory with a well-deserved treat-milk tea and fries! We headed to the canteen, where we indulged in our feast. Meanwhile, Lexie, still sporting my rubber shoes, was on the side, practicing her dance moves.

"Congratulations, guys!" Lexie called out with a beaming smile as soon as she saw us. "You all did amazing!"

As Angel, Gab, and I chitchatted and ate, I kept a watchful eye on Lexie. Whenever she sat down or took a quick break, I'd trot over to her side with food or drink at hand.

"Here you go," I said, playfully holding a fry up to her mouth like I was feeding a baby. "You've got to keep your energy up."

Lexie laughed, taking the fry and munching happily. "So good!" she said, her eyes sparkling with delight.

She took a long sip from the drink I was holding, her eyes still glued to her phone as she watched and rewatched her dance recordings. She was so focused in her videos, her cheeks puffed with joy as she relished each bite and sip. Even though she nearly exhausted the entire large cup of milk tea, I didn't mind one bit. I had bought the biggest size specifically for this reason, knowing she'd need it.

"So tomorrow, let's get our certificate and then celebrate Trish's birthday?" Gab asked, confirming the plan.

"Yey, an early celebration! What's the plan?" Mina chimed in, clearly excited.

"Well, what do you guys want to do?" I asked, trying to gauge everyone's preferences.

"It's your day, you should not ask us and just do what you want!" Angel said with a burst of excitement.

"Well, if it's up to me, I'd love to just stay at the dorm. Maybe we can buy some food, hang out there, and watch a movie together. What do you guys think?" I suggested, hoping they'd be on board with a relaxed celebration.

"Sounds great!" they all agreed enthusiastically.

With the plan set, Lexie decided to head home first. She mentioned she'd go straight to the dorm after her practice. I guessed she wanted to give us some space to bond and have some uninterrupted time together. How thoughtful of her!