I’ve never seen her this antsy before. It’s kind ofadorable.
We finish setting up and I take a look at all our materials. In addition to the posters, we’ve got diagrams to illustrate our advertising strategies and charts to track projected consumer outreach. The digital presentation we’ll be using the projector for showcases our blog and social media accounts, and we’ve also got Christina’s laptop on display to gives the reps a chance to interact directly with theaccounts.
“Okay, I think we should both go suit up and then start running through thepresentation.”
I nod my agreement and we head to the bathrooms down the hall to change into our businessclothes.
I brought a white dress shirt that I roll up to my elbows and a pair of dark blue pants, along with the dress shoes I rarely get to wear. I tug my beanie off and run a hand through my hair before stepping back into the hall to wait forChristina.
She walks out of the bathroom and the nervous girl who’s spent all morning biting her nails and fidgeting over last minute details is gone. In front of me is a woman who looks like she could bend steel with just the power of her mind. Her shoulders are thrown back, her head held high, and every gesture she makes seems to hold a mesmerizing kind of power. In a close-cut black suit, slate grey pinstriped blouse, and dark heels, she’s the definition of a modern businesswoman. Anyone who didn’t look at her and think ‘CEO material’ would have to beblind.
“Wow,” is all I canmanage.
“Wow yourself. I didn’t even know the top half of your head existed.” She lifts her eyes to where my beanie usuallysits.
“It does,” I answer with a smile, unable to resist throwing in a brash comeback. “It’s just that seeing my whole head at once is kind of overwhelming for people, since it’s so beautiful, so I usually keep part of itcovered.”
She flips me off and heads back into thehall.
Almost all of the teams have arrived now. We’re presenting alongside the top groups from our class, as well as a few other digital media related courses. The noise of everyone setting up echoes around the room and we almost have to shout as we go over ourpresentation.
When it’s finally time for the showcase to start, there’s a speech given by the program heads as the visiting company reps are ushered into the room. I tune out the words about how honoured we are to have them here and scan over the new arrivals. Their ages vary from around sixty to people who look like they can’t be much older than me. I catch the recitation of which firms are here today, and even though my advertising mania is nowhere near as devoted as Christina’s, I still feel a thrill when I hear the names being called. It’s an impressiveturnout.
The reps scatter around the room soon after. A man and a woman in their forties wearing almost identical square-framed glasses approachus.
“Diane Galbraith, Summit Strategies,” says the woman, extending a hand for us toshake.
“Peter Depoe, also from Summit,” offers the man. “So, what have you got for ustoday?”
Christina launches into our introduction, and I can tell they’re hooked after the first few sentences she speaks. There’s conviction behind all of her ideas, an infectious certainty that has me hanging on her every word, even though we’ve practiced so many times I have her parts memorized as well as myown.
I feel her elbow jab into my side when she’s finished the introduction and it’s my turn tospeak.
“Right. As Christina mentioned, a focal point of the campaign is the hashtag we’vecreated.”
I start clicking between different pages on the projector screen, and we make our way through the rest of the presentation. It goes off smoothly, and while I wouldn’t admit it to her, I’m glad Christina made us practice so many times I could do this in mysleep
After we’ve delivered our conclusion, the Summit reps spend a few minutes taking a look at the sites we have open on the laptop, then turn to each other and share a look I can’tread.
“We’re very impressed,” says the woman, her eyes darting between Christina and I. “The hashtag strategy has been done before, but you’ve put it to good use, and I admire the feminist take on theproduct.”
“It’s very topical,” adds theman.
“No to mention admirable.” The woman’s mouth twists up into a guarded smile. “Do you two have businesscards?”
We all trade contact information and the standard promise to look each other up on LinkedIn. When the two of them walk away, I feel Christina’s hand close around my wrist and squeeze before lettinggo.
“They liked it,” she whispers, as if she’s scared someone will catch her being anything other than professional. “They actually likedit!”
“Of course they liked it,” I whisper back. “It waskickass.”
“They didn’t even comment on me being the model.” She soundsrelieved.
“They were too in awe of your brains to even notice yourboobs.”
She looks like she’s about to smack me, but a trio of grey-haired men in suits approach our table and save me from one of her hazardous armpunches.
“Jim Sanders,” one of the men greets, his eyes glued to Christina. “I’m on the board of directors at Palmer & Turquot, and these are some of myassociates.”
