Her speech was gone?


    When word spread, the students started murmuring.


    "Didn''t she check before going on stage? Dropping the ball at a critical moment!"


    "All the deans and bigwigs are up there, and the cameras are rolling live. This dead air is so awkward!"


    "The university took this opening ceremony very seriously. If this turns into a joke, Juniper will have to take the me!"


    "Can she speak or not? If not, she should just get off the stage and not waste everyone''s time!"


    The students were all baking under the hot sun, their patience wearing thin. They wanted nothing more than for this to be over so they could go back to their dorms


    and sleep.


    "Hattie, weren''t you holding Juniper''s speech?” L asked, confused. "We even saw the pages inside. We''re sure she brought it, so how can it not be in the folder?"


    "I know!" Hattie was on the verge of tears, her voice trembling. "I was holding it the whole time and never even opened it, I swear."


    "It''s okay, it''s okay." Cynthia and L quicklyforted her. "We believe you. Something must have happened along the way."


    "I''m just so worried I''ve ruined things for Juniper..." Hattie looked at the seemingly helpless girl on stage, her eyes red with guilt.


    Seeing this, a smug smile spread across Ynda''s face. "So you stole the


    ''freshman representative'' spot that was rightfully mine? Thought you could steal the show? Well, this is quite a show, isn''t it?"


    She reveled in Juniper''s apparent predicament.


    "This..." Lionel hadn''t anticipated such a mishap and worried that the important figures beside him were growing impatient.


    “Mr. Landon—” Just as he was about to have an aide usher Juniper off the stage or find another solution, Shanley''s low, deep voice cut in.


    "Mr. Schwartz!" Lionel immediately turned, a respectful smile on his face.


    "Let her improvise," Shanley said, his gaze fixed on Juniper, a faint curve on his lips. This little problem was nothing she couldn''t handle.


    "...Yes." Lionel didn''t dare object and could only instruct the professor to get another copy of the speech for her immediately.


    "Right away." Just as the notified professor was about to act, Juniper''s voice rang out.


    "Next, I would like to share some of my personal thoughts."


    Personal thoughts? The deans, professors, reporters, and students all turned their attention back to her. They watched as Juniper closed the empty folder and set it on the table. She then lifted her head, her eyes looking straight ahead.


    Everyone wore aplex expression. Without a script, what could she possibly say? Was she going to wing it? Surely she couldn''t have memorized the entire speech?!


    Amid their doubts, Juniper''s calm and steady voice began to fill the silence.


    The professor, who had been frantic just moments before, instantly calmed down as he listened to her speak. Good heavens. It was the content of the speech. Had Juniper actually memorized it?


    The reporters quickly readjusted


    their cameras, focusing on the poised and confident Juniper. The entire incident, from crisis to resolution, hadsted no more


    her to leave the stage in disgrace, but instead, she was delivering the speech from memory! As expected of the top schr-truly impressive!


    ee minutes They haw dist


    "I think she memorized the whole thing..." Hattie and her friends exchanged looks of


    disbelief, finally letting out a collective sigh of relief.


    At first, they had been worried she would stumble or forget her words. But now ten minutes in-she was not only speaking eloquently but also in using her words with emotion, her tone rising and falling with perfect cadence. She waspletely at ease, handling the situation wlessly.


    The students in the audience stared at Juniper, their mouths slightly agape,pletely captivated.


    "Damn. Could we borrow a piece of that brain? Is there anything she can''t do?"