THE THIRD P3RSON

•Chapter 35•

THE THIRD PERSON sees everything you've missed.

My Spanish class gathered in the auditorium the next day.

The rest of the graduating class were filling in the seats and my nerves were getting the best of me. I had told Ryan it would've made me feel better if I could've seen his presentation. We didn't share it to each other the entire time we worked on it and it made me uneasy. He promised to leave certain things out but he assured me "you'd still like it." I pouted. He kissed me. I gave in. Right when I was going to ask him again (he could easily unlock his phone and show me his notes), a guy from the front of the class asks Mrs. Diaz why the other seniors were here.

A friend of his, who I'm guessing was his partner in the project, punched him to keep him from talking. "Presentations, my boy. The scholarship opportunity? Where you been? It ain't just our class!"

"Yeah, thanks for the reminder," I muttered from my spot in the back.

Ryan gave me a look like he was expecting more from me. Squeezing my hand, he brought my attention to his face. Ugh. I looked away while trying to hide a smile.

"You can do it. We've practiced and I promise I won't let anyone laugh at you because they won't."Ryan bumps his head on my shoulder. "You'll be fine, Julie."

"Julie?" I scrunched my nose in response. "I liked Robot better, Ryder."

Ryan is about to tell me what he thinks of me calling him names that aren't his when he makes eye contact with Jesus Maxwell from across the auditorium. Maxwell's eyes slide to mine and I tense. I flash a small smile and give Ryan a side glance. Unlike the friendly smile he usually gives people, he nods in acknowledgment while being stone-faced. I try to relax in my seat. Ryan kisses my knuckles. I lean back into my chair and close my eyes to try to calm my nerves.

"No death glare?"

"I'm trying to be nice."

I smile, eyes still closed. I hear a tapping like someone was testing the microphone.

"We start." Our Spanish teacher's voices booms around us in a horrible echo only public schools can have. I felt my nerves skyrocket again.

I can do this. Breathe, Julianna.

"We have Georgina and Derrick." At the sound of their names, two students got out of their seats with flashcards and headed to the stage.

Ms. Diaz motioned to the computer on the podium that was linked to the screen. The lights turned off and the white screen dropped down. It was blue before it showed a picture of a young boy who looked like Derrick with a little girl.

Ryan taps me on the shoulder. He leans in to whisper to me while the two set up on stage. "I'm glad you're here."

I kiss his knuckles this time.

Derrick speaks into the mic, the way we've been practicing. I notice part of his hair was purple. The rest of his hair was hard to see with the lights. "My name, for those who don't know, is Derrick Thompson." Derrick introduces himself and continues to explain our project as if we don't know. "This project was given to us in order for us to learn the struggles of our classmates. A project that gets close and personal if you ask me."

"We didn't bother to ask each other math and Bio grades." Georgina interrupts her best friend. "Cuz that's one of the struggles."

The students laugh. Ryan chuckles. I do too and I'm grateful for them going first. It eased some of my nerves. While I think Georgina going to crack another joke, she goes behind the computer and starts typing. I glance at Ryan and see him watching everyone's reactions around us. She pulls up her video of Derrick and I realized how much this project benefits everyone. It shows the life of an everyday person that you've been passing in the hallways for four years.