After reading and re-reading my speech a thousand or even dozens of times, the moment to get up on the small stage that had been set up for this occasion had finally arrived. On the stage were Rebecca, my family, and the royal family. Everyone was sitting in seats that were somehow special.
Not only them, there were probably thousands of people out there waiting for my speech, eager to see what I could offer them. Unfortunately, this was not a moment that I could take lightly.
Taking another deep breath, I looked again at the paper in my hands—the speech I had spent a whole night awake writing. At this moment, it would be what determined whether my endeavor was a success or a failure. It sounds ironic that a piece of paper holds so much power. While I was thinking about this, a voice coming from my side caught my attention, causing me to turn around.
"Are you nervous?"
Emi said as she approached me. Her face was inexpressive, as always, but strangely lately I have really found that to be one of her charms.
"Well..."
Although I tried to say yes, the words just got stuck in my mind. There's no way I wouldn't be nervous, it's the first time I've spoken in front of so many people.
(But if I said it to Emi... would she be disappointed in me?)
These thoughts kept me from expressing what I was really feeling in that situation, making me realize again that I was still, in some ways, a coward. Even though I had promised never again to make the same mistake I made in my past life, while these thoughts were going through my head, suddenly, a warm and cozy feeling enveloped both my hands.
As soon as I came back to my senses, I saw that Emi was holding my hands. Without understanding what was happening, I just managed to stay still while Emi spoke.
"It's normal to be nervous; we all get nervous or scared when we don't know something. But the important thing is to move on and trust yourself. You have already shown me that you have the strength to overcome the challenges in front of you... so... show me your cool side again, Ren"
Said Emi with a smile on her face as she looked at me. At that moment, I felt my heart stop. Emi's smile was enough to make my courage come back. At that moment, I would do everything I could to show my cool side to Emi.
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"Yes, you are right"
I said as I squeezed Emi's hand, feeling her warmth and comfort. After the great encouragement I had received from Emi, the time had finally come. Walking up the steps, I found myself on top of a small stage set up specifically for this occasion. Dozens of pairs of eyes focused on me as soon as I appeared on the stage.
Clearly, there were several people with doubts, probably wondering why a child was on stage. Well, I can't blame them for that. With that thought in mind, I held the microphone tightly in my hands as I looked at the crowd of people who gazed at me with curiosity in their eyes.
"Before we start the speech, first I will introduce myself... my name is Ren Orquídes Solaris. Besides that name, I am also known as X"
Hearing my words, several murmurs started among the people, and several looks fell on me with the most different emotions.
"Ladies and gentlemen... today is a day of celebration and innovation, and with great joy, we welcome you all to the inauguration of our first and only mall"
I said as I looked at the people, their attention was fully focused on what my next words would be.
“This place is a space that has been designed to inspire, surprise, and delight. Here, you will find a unique selection of stores, restaurants, and experiences that will spark your imagination. Our vision for this mall is to transform the concept of shopping into an innovative experience. We want you to feel involved, engaged, and excited on every visit. We offer a modern, technologically advanced environment full of possibilities”
Hearing my words, everyone sighed, not being able to contain their curiosity anymore. Seeing this caused a smile to form on my lips as it was going totally the way I was expecting.
“In addition, we are committed to supporting local talent and entrepreneurs. Our spaces are designed to house exclusive brands, artisan products, and innovative concepts that you won't find anywhere else. We are creating a destination where fashion, food, entertainment, and culture meet. We want you to be inspired to explore, experiment, and discover new passions. In this mall, innovation is in every detail, from the bold design to the interactive technologies we offer. We want your experience to be unique, remarkable, and memorable”
The people who were sitting before started to stand up one by one, waiting for my next words. They seemed not to hold out any longer to know what else was coming next. Among these several people, I noticed that there were others happy for different reasons. They were probably vendors seeing a new business opportunity.
“Today, we are inaugurating not only a mall but a new chapter in the history of our city. We invite you to be part of this journey, to join us in building an exciting future full of possibilities. Enjoy this new space, connect with brands, experience diversity, and enjoy the unique experiences we have prepared for you. Thank you for being here on this special occasion. Welcome to our... no, your mall, where innovation comes to life”
As soon as I put the microphone down, a wave of applause and shouts went up among the audience. Everyone seemed really happy about what today would mean in the future. Today, we had taken a step closer to what the future would be.
With that thought in mind, I looked at Emi, who was also applauding from the audience as she looked at me with a soft smile on her face. Seeing this made all my work worthwhile.