Tiana adjusted the microphone.
"…You all need to stop recognizing me," she said.
The crowd laughed.
Good.
That helped.
A little.
She glanced around.
More people than last time.
More attention.
"…This is already worse," she muttered.
"Say something!" someone shouted.
"Give us part two!"
"…There was no part one," she replied.
Laughter again.
Okay.
Still under control.
She exhaled.
"…I didn't plan to be here again," she started.
"Of course you didn't!" someone yelled.
"Exactly," she nodded.
That part was easy.
Then—
She paused.
Her mind went blank.
Completely blank.
"…Okay."
She blinked.
"…I had something."
A few chuckles from the crowd.
"…Give me a second," she added.
More laughter.
But this time—
It didn't feel the same.
The pause stretched.
Too long.
Too noticeable.
"…Yeah, I lost it," she admitted.
A few people laughed.
But not everyone.
Some just watched.
Waiting.
That—
Was worse.
Tiana shifted slightly.
"…This is why I said no," she added.
A voice from the crowd—
"Just talk!"
"…I am trying."
Another voice—
"You were better yesterday!"
That one—
Landed.
Tiana paused.
Just for a second.
"…That's a lot of pressure for something I didn't sign up for," she replied.
A few laughs.
But it didn't fully recover.
The rhythm was gone.
She knew it.
They knew it.
"…Okay," she said, stepping back slightly.
"I think I've done enough damage for today."
Scattered laughter.
Some claps.
Not bad.
But not good either.
Tiana handed the microphone back.
"…Thank you," she added quickly.
And stepped off.
The girl from the dance class met her halfway.
"That wasn't bad," she said.
Tiana looked at her.
"…You're lying."
"I'm being supportive."
"That's not helpful."
They both smiled slightly.
"…You just lost your flow," the girl added.
"I didn't have a flow."
"You did yesterday."
"…Yesterday was a mistake."
"Then make another one," the girl shrugged.
Tiana exhaled.
"…I think I've reached my limit."
"Fair."
Later—
Tiana walked away from the crowd.
Faster this time.
Not running.
But not slow either.
"…That was unnecessary," she muttered.
Her phone buzzed.
She already knew.
Jeffery.
She answered.
"…Hello?"
"So you went again."
Straight to the point.
Tiana blinked.
"…That was fast."
"It's online."
"…Of course it is."
A short pause.
"…How bad was it?" she asked.
Silence.
Then—
"Not your best," he said.
Tiana nodded slightly.
"…That's fair."
Another pause.
"…Why did you go back?" he asked.
She frowned a little.
"I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
Silence again.
Then—
"You don't usually do things without a reason."
Tiana exhaled softly.
"…Maybe I'm trying something."
"Like what?"
She paused.
"…I don't know yet."
That hung there.
Jeffery didn't respond immediately.
"…You looked uncomfortable," he said.
"I was."
"Then why stay?"
Tiana frowned slightly.
"…I didn't stay long."
"That's not what I asked."
That tone—
Different.
Not joking.
Not light.
Tiana noticed.
"…It wasn't a big deal," she said.
"It looked like one."
Silence.
Not the easy kind.
"…It's just a video," she added.
"It's not just that."
Tiana's expression shifted slightly.
"…Then what is it?"
Jeffery paused.
Longer this time.
"…Nothing," he said finally.
Tiana didn't respond.
Because that—
Was clearly not true.
"…Okay," she said.
Simple.
Flat.
A few seconds passed.
"…I'll talk to you later," Jeffery added.
"Yeah."
The call ended.
Tiana lowered her phone slowly.
"…That was weird."
She slipped her phone into her bag.
And kept walking.
The noise from the event fading behind her.