Page 3 of The TV Show Rival
Images of her voice cracking, her mind going blank, the entire class erupting in laughter, flashed before her eyes. Her gaze darted around the room, seeking an escape route or a hidden corner where she could melt into invisibility before Ms. Cole, the new teacher, called.
“Jamie Nguyen, are you ready to wow us with your presentation?”
A loud snort cut through the air. “Great, is Scaredy-Cat Jamie really going to wow us today?” Marty sneered but cowered at Ms. Cole’s stern look.
Shame burned through Jamie. She wasn’t just “Scaredy-Cat” to Marty, the class bully; the nickname had become a chorus whispered behind her back since kindergarten.
“Jamie, take a deep breath. You’ve worked hard on this project.”
Standing up felt like climbing Mount Everest. Her legs, shaky and uncoordinated, seemed determined to betray her. Reaching the front of the class, the room dissolved into a blur. All she could hear was the deafening roar of her own heartbeat.
“H-hello,” she stammered. The carefully practiced words lodged themselves in her throat, refusing to come out. Then, her body began to tremble.
“Looks like someone’s gonna throw up pretty soon,” Marty snickered, eliciting laughter from his classmates.
“Marty! That’s not how you treat your classmates. Shame on you,” Ms. Cole scolded.
A choked sob escaped Jamie’s lips. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the already indistinct faces before her.
The teacher rushed to her side. “It’s alright. Why don’t you take a seat? We can try again another day.”
As Jamie sank back into her chair, defeated and humiliated, tears continued to trace a path down her cheek.
The final school bell rang through the halls, and the students ran off with their schoolbags.
With her head hung low, Jamie shuffled towards the exit, still feeling embarrassed from the failed presentation and Marty’s taunts.
Just as she walked through the hallway, a gentle hand touched her arm. Looking up, she met Ms. Cole’s concerned gaze. Unlike the other adults who dismissed her anxieties as shyness, she saw the raw fear that engulfed the poor girl.
“Jamie, are you alright?”
She managed a watery nod.
“I wanted to talk to you about your presentation.”
She flinched, bracing herself for a round of criticism. But Ms. Cole surprised her.
“You know, you have a brilliant mind. Your project on the water cycle was truly impressive.”
Surprise sparked in Jamie’s tear-filled eyes. No one had ever called her brilliant before. Except her parents probably.
“But it seems like you get very nervous when you have to present in front of the class.”
Jamie nodded mutely, unable to voice the fear that choked her every time she faced a crowd.
Just then a familiar figure emerged, a woman with a striking resemblance to Jamie. It was Mrs. Nguyen.
“There you are, Jamie. What took you so long?”
“Hello, Mrs. Nguyen. I’m Kathy Cole, the new head teacher.” She extends a handshake.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Cole.” Mrs. Nguyen shakes her hand.
“I wanted to talk to you about Jamie’s performance in class. She is a truly bright girl, but she seems to struggle, especially in classroom settings.”
Mrs. Nguyen’s expression softened. “It’s not just presentations, Ms. Cole. Jamie has battled anxiety ever since she was little. She’s very reserved and gets nervous in social situations.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”