I turned and shuffled back into the room. I sat on the bed while still looking toward the window. I even strained my ears, trying to hear the faint sounds outside. Disappointingly, the car stopped.

On the press conference day, Ryan arrived early to pick me up. He sensed my nerves and reassured me, “Everything is in place. Don’t worry.”

My parents wanted to accompany me, but Ryan and I insisted they stay home. Still, I couldn't shake my unease. For some reason, I felt things would not go smooth