The group of 1st years was sitting in the cafeteria discussing, "I cannot believe it has been 3 months already, but I am glad the tests are out of the way and we can enjoy our culturals tomorrow"said one 1st year student. " How many of you are going to perform for "IDOL" from BTS?" the senior with a clipboard asked and 3 groups raised their hand. "come on!!" they said to each other trying to convince the other groups to change their song, "BTS does have other good songs to dance for like " Butter" and "Dynamite" they said to each other.
While this discussion was getting heated, Ric and Vicky were working on arranging the stage, It was easy for Ric to get an entourage wherever he went, be it girls or guys he had a way of getting folks to work for him and the seniors were using this to get the stage setup quickly so that rehearsals could begin. " Man I wish we could be practicing instead of setting up the stage," said Vicky who loved to dance and sign and was doing both at the culturals tomorrow, " I am happy behind the stage," said Ric who already had enough attention without having to get on stage. " Is Anny really going to come?" asked Vicky who loved Ric's 5yr old niece more than Ric did or so he believed. " Yes she has been waiting to come to college since the day I joined so I thought this will be a good time for her to come, she is back for 3 weeks due to spring break in her kindergarten". " I have to go buy her some chocolates then," said vicky making a note on his phone " She was angry with me last time when i forgot to get her any" Vicky said shaking his head, his competitive side would not let him lose to Ric when it came to getting favor from Anny." Come on man!" said Ric punching his arm and smiling at Vicky thinking 'I am lucky to have him as my friend'.
Meanwhile Marice and Ria were painting the posters in the auditorium, " Do you want to perform a dance with me?" asked Marice looking earnestly at Ria who just shook her head no. " Come on, you love to dance right? then why not?" she asked pressing Ria, Ria just looked up at her, and Marice knew that look there was no more room for discussion anymore, Ria was always that way once she made up her mind nothing or no one can make her change it. Marice gave her best puppy-eyed look but Ria just went back to painting the posters.
The Next Day was hectic students running from room to room, groups in all sorts of costumes practicing, the stage team was finalizing the decoration, Ric had his mic on and was directing the team that was hanging up the banner " Little more to the right, hold that side up no a little down ya there you go now tie it tightly we don't want it falling down" he was saying when he felt a pull on his pants and turned around to see a sweet smiling face looking up at him, " Anny you are here where is mom?" Ric said looking around, Anny pointed to behind the right side of the stage and signed mom with a hand open and thumb tapping on her chin for the sign of mom... Anny was born unable to speak due to an issue with her tongue. " You shouldn't run around her baby," said Ric kneeling to talk to her, she gave him a bear hug ignoring his scolding. " Annyyyyyy!!!" screamed Vicky who came running over covered in sweat from head to toe from his dance practice, he kneeled down to hug Anny when she moved back pinching her nose with her hand to sign for "Stinky" Ric laughed and Vicky looked sad, " I am sorry I am stinky Anny baby I will go take a shower change into my costume and then can you hug me?" he asked Anny nodded her head yes with a big smile she loved when both her uncles dotted on her, she wanted to be their center of attention.
Ric Step sister and Anny's mom walked over smiling and trying to look angry at the same time, she was as stunning as Ric only shorter, she picked Anny up and signed " I told you not to run right, I was worried and looking for you" she signed at Anny who signed "sorry" by rubbing her fist on her chest in a circle, meanwhile leaning over for Ric to take her in his arms. "Sorry baby I have work to do I will finish and then come pick you up ok?" said Ric, " Sis you can go sit in the reserved section the program will start in an hour, I will have someone bring some drinks over," said Ric guiding his sister over to the front of the stage and waving to Anny who didn't look happy to be taken away from her uncle.
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An hour went by quickly all the dignitaries arrived and the program started, speeches were going on when Ric's sister came over looking worried, "have you seen Anny?" she asked panicked she was playing with another kid near where I was seated, and then when I turned to get food out of the bag and turned back she was gone, only the other kid was playing by himself" she said in a high pitch tone getting more worried by the minute, " Stop panicking!! I will go look for her" said Ric taking off the headphones and handing them over to Barry the second in charge " Please take over I have a personal thing to look into" he said to Barry hurriedly and pulled out his phone to call Vicky, " Have you seen Anny? " " Right, no you don't have to come, concentrate on your performance, no it's okay I will find her, yes she will be ok, I am sure," he said into the phone looking around worried, it was very crowded and everyone was looking at the stage so may not see a 5yr old running around, "Right he said and ran up to the stage, the Dean was making his speech, sorry sir I have an important announcement, he said pulling the mic out of the Deans hand who was shocked and worried himself, "The one" strikes again though the Dean.
"Hi! everyone, sorry but there is a 5yr old missing, she is wearing a pink dress and a pink bow in her hair, her name is Anny, she loves to smile", his voice catches a little as he mentioned "and she cannot talk", The whole university starts looking for Anny, forgetting the programs and dances people start looking under the stage in the classrooms, Vicky forgot all about his group and came over to look for Anny, At this point, Ric's sister was right out crying and some girls were giving her water and trying to cool her down, as the minutes passed the panic increased even the Dean was worried he didn't want a small dumb kid hurt on his campus.
Ric was running around from building to building looking behind bushes and trees as Anny loved to play hide and seek, "Anny!!!" "Anny!!!" baby where are you" screamed Ric, When he heard Maric announce on the stage mic far off, "Anny is safe we found her, and she is with her mom, everyone can get back to the program schedule" Ric almost collapsed from the relief he felt, Vicky had to support him as they made their way back to the stage, there was a large group in front of the stage and everyone was cheering, Ric pushed his way through to the center where he saw Anny dancing and laughing, His Sis and Ria were sitting next to her clapping, Ria looked up at Ric and smiled at the moment Anny finished her dance and hugged Ria, then they both started conversing in sign language it was too fast for Ric to understand what Ria said but Anny clapped happily and Ric's sister hugged Ria to thank her. The Dean came over and patted ria on her head and then asked the crowd to disperse, Vicky now had taken Anny into his arms who was straining to come over to Ric, who took her and thanked Ria, Ria smiled and Marice took her hand and then Vicky stopped them from going away."Hey!! how can we thank you, but where did you find her?" Sorry Ria is running out of time for her painting competition she has to leave I can stay and talk she said pushing Ria towards the venue, Ria left without turning back, and Ric just watched her walk away, something troubled him but before he could dwell on it Anny was signing again that she was hungry and he turned his focus on her. Meanwhile, Marice had explained how she and Ria were at the painting competition venue when they heard the announcement about the missing kid and Ria immediately ran out looking for the kid and went to the cafeteria where they found Anny who was looking for some popcorn, drawn there by the smell of freshly popped popcorn.
Ric took his sister and Anny back to their hotel room with Anny sleeping in his arms by the time they reached there, "sorry for the trouble Bro!!" said Ric's sister, "Oh! no Sis, she is a baby and she was hungry, we cannot blame her, I am just glad she is fine that's all matters." He kissed Anny on her forehead after laying her in her bed, hugged his sis, and left to go clean up after the program had ended, by the time he reached his room he was tired but a thought kept troubling him, he had to talk to her tomorrow and find out, he had not got a chance to thank her .. he can use that excuse because he had questions...he was curious.