Cyanide | Loss

»nineteen«

"You sure about this Cisco?" Felicity asked feeling skeptical of the marketing techniques.

"As much as I can't stand it the fact is that HR has the best marketing." Cisco said, and I could agree he was right.

"He's right." I said, speaking up for the first time in a while. "If you want those sponsors and partners you're gonna need the pity points."

Felicity sighed in defeat and finally nodded.

"Okay. If you guys are ready we can run down there, meet some people at the door with Barry."

"Yeah, I'm ready." I said standing from the swivel chair I had been sitting in for the last forty five minutes. Cisco and Felicity also stood and we headed down to the conference room.

I never really realized how huge the Palmer Tech building was until I was inside, navigating throughout its numerous floors. I had just gotten used to the sky high buildings that covered the city.

"Melissa!" Barry smiled and hugged me.

"Hey Barry." I smiled. "How's life?" I asked standing next to him as he shook hands with incoming press and possible sponsors. Felicity took her place just outside the second line smiling and greeting people.

"Pretty good." Barry replied. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I sighed. "I love public speaking, but I'm terrible at it."

"You'll be fine." Barry said patting my shoulder. "Did you know we have press from Time here?" I nodded.

"I kinda invited them." I replied dismissing it as no big deal. "A fluff writer wanted to interview me, but then I got struck by lightning so I rescheduled for later today." I paused about to ask Barry about Chris before I was interrupted.

"Hey, excuse me." A young tall blonde twenty something guy said. "Melissa right?" He asked as I noticed the fading blue dye throughout his hair. Hipster? Youtuber? Emo? I thought trying to figure him out.

"Yeah, and you are?" I asked.

"Mike Nash, I do YouTube stuff." He handed me a business card. My first intention was right. "I look forward to hearing your story." He smiled and walked on through the next entrance.

"How many people are attending?" I asked Barry who was dressed sharply with a nice dark blue tie. HR Randolf had color coordinated our outfits representative of our companies, S.T.A.R. Labs had navy blue, Palmer Tech was teal blue and Knight Research was emerald green. I really did enjoy my emerald dress Oliver had gotten me specifically for the three stop conference, he would be in the audience watching us.

"A little less than a hundred." Barry replied. "Your mom knows the exact number." He paused. "You call Felicity mom, right?"

I smiled. "She's all I've got." I said shaking hands with an incoming business woman. "How's Chris?" I asked. "He's still coming to the Central conferences."

"Yeah, as far as I know. He's good as far as I can tell, it's not like I'm his guidance counselor or anything but he's happy made friends with the other young guide, Eliza, although some days aren't great. But yeah, he's good."

"I'm glad." I replied. The crowds had begun to thin and just a few people remained as Felicity Barry and I headed up to the room designed for meetings just like this.

"You ready?" Felicity asked smiling.

"As I'll ever be." I replied simply. I tended to psych myself out in situations like this, imagining the worst situation.

Oliver snapped me out of my anxiety driven panic.

"Hey guys." He said after giving Felicity a quick kiss. "Just wanted to wish you all the best on the presentation." Oliver walked over to me where I was brushing out my hair for the millionth time. "You're gonna be fine." He told me before heading back out to where the crowds were finding seats.