The Presentation

Lucy's hands started to shake as she grasped her laptop and notes. There were only two presentations until hers, and she was getting nervous. She had never liked presenting, she had always found some way to get out of it, some way to avoid standing up there, with the whole class looking, staring up at her, waiting to be impressed. She had no problem participating in class, that was different. She was comforted by the fact that she could stay sat down, wherever she was, concealed in the rows. She also didn't need to worry about prompts- the teacher would always ask the question that needed to be answered, if not a fellow classmate. But presenting up there was different, in so many ways. What if it was silent once she'd finished? What if no one asked a question, or worse yet, someone was to ask a question she could not answer? What if she tripped and fell on her way up? What if she-
Her train of thought was shattered by the sound of Mr Carson announcing her name. Oh no! It was her time already.

She shook slightly on her way up, but managed to not collapse and fall to the ground in some kind of unconscious haze- that at least would've got her out of showing her presentation. Once she was up there, she got a reassuring nod from the teacher as she plugged her laptop into the projector. Her hand was trembling so much, it took her a few tries before she got it in. She gulped and turned to the waiting class. Something was different. There was someone in the front she recognised, but she didn't know from where. She couldn't even place the face in the dark of the room, she could only sense it.

Being up there slightly reminded her of rock climbing with her dad- the feeling of hanging onto something, anything to keep from falling down to the rocks below. Do something wrong, and it'll really cost you, she thought to herself as she began her introduction. She couldn't help the feeling that something was off, not quite right. It has to be that person there, the darker figure to the far left. He or she, or whatever they were didn't belong there.
Before long, her presentation was over, but Lucy barely noticed. This thing she had been dreading for the last month was not nearly as terrifying as not knowing what it was that lingered there in the room- the extra seat with the extra person.
Again she was awakened from her thoughts by the loud clapping of the class, signifying that she had done okay and it was all finished. "Thank you, Lucy. That was excellent." Mr Carson said, half-prompting her to return to her seat. Lucy, however, did not budge. She was still trying to figure out what it was that was there...