𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 (𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓞𝓷𝓮)

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓽𝔂-𝓕𝓲𝓿𝓮

This speech will be the end of me.

After the group meeting, Arty and I started talking and of course, I bombarded him with my insecurity about the speech thing. Therefore, he suggested that I try saying the speech to him first to prepare for tomorrow. 

I agreed because that's a good idea, which is why we're sitting in the library right now at the table from before. I used to do this stuff with Charlotte all the time at home, so I expected this to be simple. What I didn't expect was just how awkward it is to speak out loud in front of people. Especially about something like this where people probably won't agree with my feelings on it.

"Cathy darling, it is just me here. There is no need to be frightened to speak." He reassures me, as he's done for the past five minutes in a soft voice.

I shake my head and crumble the piece of paper in my hand, "This is so stupid. I-I'm g-gonna fail."

If I fail this speech, I might as well kiss being the top student in this Academy goodbye.

He clenches his lips together, "You are not going to fail," he pauses, "Pretend you are the only one in this room. Pretend I am just a statue."

He would be a very unique statue.

I take a deep breath and unscramble the paper in my hands. My face heats up before I clench my other shaky hand against my dress, "I- T-t-the current state of A-A-Alumbridge is h-h-honestly a p-p-pity," I shake my head and concentrate back on the paper, "T-t-the entire c-country is d-d-dirty, a-a-and people are h-homeless. M-Meanwhile the m-m-military is r-receiving a l-larger b-budget than n-n-need be. I-I s-say that we d-d-divide t-that b-b-budget into a smaller budget t-to help with this c-crisis." I pause and take another deep breath. 

Creating speeches actually isn't the problem. I actually somewhat enjoy it. It's just the actual speaking part that's the problem.

I look at Arty who's sitting at the table with his head in his hands. 

He smiles, "Is that it, darling?"

I shake my head, "T-there's more, b-but t-that's the g-gist of it."

He nods and sits up straighter in his seat, "Well, I like it. You are not bad at coming up with those."

My face heats up again and I just shrug. I put the paper on the table, and a hand on the back of my neck, "T-thank you for listening to me. I r-really appreciate it."

He smiles and puts his hands down on the table, "Of course darling, I do not mind. That is what friends are for."

I smile but look down. 

Friends.

I like being his friend. 

It kind of is one-sided though. He's helped me a lot already, and it doesn't seem like I've done anything for him.

I frown, "It- It doesn't feel like I'm b-being a good friend to you. Y-You helped me a lot, and I-I haven't really h-helped you."

He tilts his head and clenches his eyebrows together, "Cathy what? You have helped me a lot even if you do not know it. "

I raise my eyebrow at him, "W-what?"

He's quiet and just shrugs. I don't know what I could've done to help him, but I'm glad to assist.

"So," he starts, "Why did you organize that entire protest exactly?"

I take a deep breath. I think I can trust him enough to tell him about this.

"I-I just- When I read the textbook in the library that night it un-unsettled me. It's a strange feeling really," I lace my fingers together and look down.

"There is nothing to be ashamed about," I look up and he has a weird gleam in his eyes, "You have a kind heart."

I smile and my face heats up before he continues, "Why do you think you reacted like that though? Did someone do something to you?" His jaw clenches a little, and he puts his hand in a fist on the table.

I mean, he already knows that I'm poor because of Ninny so I guess explaining it won't really change much.

I take a deep breath and look at the table, "It- It probably was the tax laws. As you know... I come f-from a very... p-poor family. We never had a lot of r-riches growing up. Father was always out working from f-five in the m-morning to s-six at night. Even t-then he wouldn't make e-e-enough riches to sustain us. I-I guess seeing all of his hard work go to something like this... set me off."

His frown turns apologetic and he shakes his head, "I apologize darling, I really do. You deserve to have a much better life than that. Clearly you can hear my accent, I cannot relate to that," he pauses, "Is your father at least nice to you?"

I nod, "Y-yeah, he is actually. Since he w-works a lot we can't spend t-that much time together, b-but I can tell he cares for me."

He nods, "What about your siblings?"

I take a deep breath. I don't have to go in depth on everything, only some things. We've been friends for a while so it shouldn't be that intrusive.

I look down at my fingers, "S-Some of them are," I'm not ready to talk about real specifics, "My older brother C-Charles is, he usually helps me with... my issues. And my younger sister Charlotte, s-she just is always there to m-make me happy."

He nods again and looks down, "As I said before, I do not know my siblings very well. However, my brother is nice to me. We do not talk much, but he at least does not dislike me."

"And your s-sister?" I ask, and put a hand on my leg.

He readjusts his position and stares at me, "She is, she is a lot like my parental figure. Neither of which prefer to associate with me." 

That sounds exactly like Caroline. She's always been around Mother, and Mother has groomed her to be exactly like her.

"Come," he stands up and gestures for me to follow, "We should get out of here before Roger comes."

I nod and stand up. He lets me go ahead of him as we walk down the stairs, and out of the library.

He's quiet as we walk back up to the dormitory. His face is almost stone, just the same straight-faced expression. 

Maybe my question about his sister set something off inside of him. I probably was being too invasive.

"I-I'm sorry for o-o-offending y-y-you." I mutter as he stands by the dormitory door.

He turns to me and clenches his eyebrows. His eyes are a little... it seems like he's not fully here, "You did not offend me darling. I apologize, I was a little lost in thought." he pauses, "I wanted to thank you for pushing me to speak with these people. I know you did not tell me specifically to, but in turn of helping with this movement, you have helped me learn to communicate easier."

Oh, I mean it's great that I've helped him in some way. It's always great to help someone even without knowing.

I nod and smile at him, "Y-y-you're welcome."

He smiles at me and goes to open the door. He stops though and just stares at me with a weird gleam in his eyes, "I am more than overjoyed to assist you in any possible way that I can. I have an over abundance of knowledge about some topics regarding these issues, and it truly angers me in a way that I cannot describe. But you," he pauses and looks down, "You are truly brave for wanting to go against all of these powerful individuals. I cannot help but admire you for that."

How does that make me brave?

He opens the door to the section room leaving me with my jaw dropped in the hallway.