Malik For Student Body President {Ziam Student/Teacher}

XI

“The voting is simple. Everyone needs to line up and go into one of the booths. One person at a time in each booth. Write one name on your slip and turn it into the box. One slip, and one slip only. Afterwards, take one of the voting stickers and have a good day,” Mr. Fletcher announced to all of us as we sat in the cafeteria. Kids immediately started to line up in front of the booths and my heart started to pound.

            “Good luck to you, Zayn,” Harry breathed from beside of me.

            “You too,” I smiled.  

            “It’ll be okay, yeah? Whatever happens, we’ll still be friends, for Louis’s sake, right?” Harry asked.

            I nodded, “Of course,”

            And then I stepped towards one of the booths.

            “Zayn!”

            I turned around, just in enough time to see Louis’s fist connect to the side of my face. The hit was hard for such a geeky lad like him, and I fell to the ground, crawling away from him and holding my jaw as I looked at him in shock. Louis and I barely ever fought, much less physically hurt each other. I wanted to cry.

            “L-Louis?” I stuttered.

            “You didn’t tell me that Mr. Payne was the one counting the votes,” Louis growled, looking more angry than I have ever seen him before. Confusion flooded me.

            “What?”

            “Mr. Payne is counting the fucking votes, and all he has to do is say that you win and you do! This is bias!” Louis yelled, kicking my knee while I was done. Suddenly, strong hands pulled me up to my feet.

            “Louis Tomlinson, I hope you can explain this,” Liam breathed in my ear. He then took a side step away from me—we were in school settings, yet it still felt good that he came to my rescue. “Why did I just see you punch Zayn?”

            Louis didn’t answer. He only gave me a twisted look of hurt mixed with anger before he stormed off to be by Harry’s side, in line for the voting booth. I felt the tears threaten to spill over my eyes, but I was done crying at everything. I needed to toughen up. I wiped my face and turned around to look at Liam.

            “You are counting the votes?” I said, accusation in my voice. Liam’s face softened and he gave me a curt nod. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

            Mr. Payne bit his lip, shaking his head and running his hands through his hair, “Zayn, I didn’t want to cause problems,”

            “Well it’s too late,” I breathed, looking over to Louis and Harry, “Louis thinks that you are going to make me win no matter what,”

            “Zayn, I would never do that,”

            “Really? Why did you want me to run in the first place?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

            “Because you have potential!” Liam yelled.

            By this time we were attracted attention, and that’s something we were never supposed to do. So I turned on my heel and went to find Mr. Fletcher. When I found him, he was sitting by front door of the cafeteria.

            “Sir, I would like someone other than Mr. Payne to count the votes,” I breathed, anger still boiling in my stomach and sadness hanging in my heart.