It’s always been there, somewhere in her head. At what point in her life did this “presence” begin to exist, she cannot say. At what point did this desire become a “presence”, a voice constantly speaking to her, invisible hands pushing her over the edge, she cannot remember. Here she is, the “presence” is stronger than it has ever been, it’s “make or break” season and the spectators have gathered to watch.
Ada sits in the changing room while she’s being attended to by the make-up artists. She hates having so many hands on her face but if it’s for the sake of beauty, then certain inconveniences have to be entertained. It’s her crowning day and she has to look her best for her coronation. Ada hears the announcement from the stage and she begins to practice her entrance walk in her head.
“We’re all done, ma. You look stunning!” Ada admires herself in the mirror and gives off that proud look of satisfaction. She has that “I’m sexy and I know it” look. That’s probably why she struggled to get into a relationship in the university. With her goddess-like stature and extremely high self-esteem, she intimidated the ones that came around her with genuine intentions. Money never moved her and pick-up lines sounded cringe, nobody seemed to tick her boxes. Perhaps, there was only room for an extra being in her personal space, the “presence”. Ada blows a kiss to her reflection in the mirror and proceeds to stand up. It’s time for the show.
“…with a round of applause, let’s welcome the beautiful, the stunning, the majestic Adaaaaa!!!!” And just like she practiced in her head countless times, Ada makes her way to the stage majestically, hips swaying from side to side. She’s now comfortably seated and the host goes straight to the point, in an oddly unprofessional manner.
“Hi Ada, you were the recipient of the highly coveted Times Award for Spoken Word Poetry, how does it feel for you to receive such recognition for your debut project?”
It was really immense for Ada, considering how she set out on this journey. An Engineering student that longed for the beauty of literature, she felt like an anomaly most times. This wasn’t a shallow likeness for “storybooks” or rhymes, this was a “presence” that always told her that she would find happiness and fulfilment only when she set out on the path of literature. She decided that she wanted to create mind-blowing inventions, not the ones that consist of nuts and bolts, the ones that consist of words and emotion. She wanted to tell stories that would live on, even after she’s gone from this world. When she looks back at how she started, a small TikTok account with less than a thousand views per post, she’s grateful she paid attention to that “presence”.
The interview goes by quickly and she uses this opportunity to announce her next project. The “presence” still pushes her and this time, she’s ready to take the world by storm, or rather, by voice.
