I See Dead People. . . [ BNHA × OC ]

☙ Chapter Four

For the first time since I had started my semester at UA, things looked like they were actually going well. I had made a friend who shared a lot of the same interests as me; I faced my ruthless classmates and survived the annoying torment; on top of it all, I was about to make it through my last morning class feeling pretty good.

Professor Q was nearing the end of his story about how he became on a first-name basis with the fire department (a story that started about lab safety before derailing). He sat on his desk with his legs crossed and his arms out to emphasize the explosion in his story. It wasn't until he was halfway through his sentence when the school bell cut him off. Our teacher looked up at the speaker and sighed. "Another story I'll have to save for a rainy day," he said, hopping off his desk.

The rest of us got out of our seats and began to pack up when Professor Q stopped us to make a last-minute announcement. "I almost forgot, children: there is still the matter of assigning a class representative and vice representative." I looked around to see nothing but uninterested expressions amongst my class.

"Come on, we can do this quickly," Q said and waved his hands to pull us together. "Let's start with nominations. Does anyone have any ideas on who to elect?" As Q patiently waited for someone to come forward, he was sorely let down to see his class be held in a still silence. The only thing that could make it more clear that no one had any suggestions would be comedic cricket chirps.

Like always, though, Q didn't give up after one attempt. He looked over all of us then gave it another try. "How about any volunteers?" Unlike the first try, this question received reactions from a couple of students, one being a hyper maniac from the desk next to me.

"Oh, I know!" Hatsume stood on her chair with her hands up and the crazy grin that gave her our attention. "You should pick me for the class rep!" While no one immediately shut her down, the class varied in different ways to say no: some shaking their heads, others phrasing it nicely, and one kid in the back yelling "wacko" over everyone.

As Mei sat down with a disappointed frown, Siri Remata stood up from her desk. "With all due respect to some of you, I can't see a more qualified candidate other than myself for-"

"Sit down." I watched Remata get cut off by her deskmate as he spoke on behalf of the class that was already tired of her. Remata reluctantly took her seat with folded arms, leaving the floor open to other suggestions.

From my left, I saw Double raise his hand. "If we're taking suggestions, I wouldn't-wouldn't mind being considered." He didn't get far into what I guessed was his campaign speech when Siri interrupted him with her two cents.

"You can't expect us to represent our class with some kid who can't-can't-can't even speak?" She mocked him with a fake stutter and exaggerated hand gestures. I know I shouldn't have been so stunned that she had the nerve to say something like that, considering she wasn't one to be sensitive about anything. My tics were even startled as my eyes blinked and flinched at her insults.

Double didn't seem so offended though. He just stared blankly at her, only giving the one response. "Well, nobody likes you." Remata's mouth gaped open in offense while the rest of the class broke out into arguments.

From every side of me, I saw a different person try to make their case until getting rudely shut down by someone else who believed differently. I didn't feel it was my place to step in and do something, mostly because I could only focus on one person at a time. I really didn't see why anyone would be this worked up over a class representative in the first place. My eyes looked up to Q who put it on himself to try and regain order in his class.

He stood in front of his desk and raised his hands while talking over the chatter. "Everyone quiet your faces, and watch my hands moving to and fro," he said, trying to gain their attention. Eventually, I noticed the mouths of the students stop spilling out arguments to listen in.