(DISCONTINUED) PHS: Wasp For President

Cricket 1

School was almost out for the day. A couple more hours and Cricket would ride the bus back home. Normal enough.

Cricket was walking down the hallway, holding tightly the strap of her canvas bag. As she passed the water fountain, she noticed a small crowd of people around the wall. In a break in the mass of backpacks and shoulders, Cricket saw they were all looking at a poster.

Sign Up for Student President!

Cricket was going to walk past without another thought, but than she recognized the voice of someone talking loudly to the rest of the crowd. She whirled around and walked up to get a closer look. She tried standing on her tip toes to see over the heads and the person talking.  

The person talking was a tall girl a couple years older than Cricket. She had freakishly straight black hair that almost reached past her hips. Her eyes were dark and her nose sharp. Her clothes were intimidatingly preppy and always in shades of black and grey. The only speck of colour on the girl (which must have been an accident on the universe's part) was a reddish birthmark on her neck like a smear of blood. 

Cricket's expression fell naturally into annoyance. Of course Wasp would be interested in student presidentship. 

"I can't imagine anyone else better for the role." A girl near the front of the crowd gushed. Wasp's expression didn't change much beyond a slight widening of the eyes before returning to it's natural bored stare. 

"No one else would be interested." Wasp said flatly. "Not anyone qualified at least."

"Being Student President will be a big deal." Another kid Cricket couldn't see said almost in awe. "That's a pretty good position of control."

"I'm sure it is." Wasp said coolly. "But nothing I haven't handled before."

No one else seemed to notice the manipulative comment. Cricket scowled and trudged away. She hadn't always despised Wasp like this. But she couldn't help feeling that everything the tall girl did was calculated in her favour with no consideration for the people around her besides how they could benefit her.

All manipulative and cruel. And worst of all, no one else seemed to notice! She hadn't talked to anyone about it, but everywhere she looked, people were jumping hoops for Wasp's approval or attention. Again, manipulative as shi-

Blue interrupted her internal rant by walking up to her with a concerned look on his face. "Are you ok?"

Cricket looked up at him and tried to make her face more cheerful. "Yeah. Just saw Wasp though. She was talking to everyone about how great a president she'd be."

Blue's face grew more concerned. "Oh. That wouldn't be great."

"No kidding!" Cricket half laughed. "She's already brainwashed half the school, who knows what she'd do as president." 

"Well, it's out of our control, right? No need stressing about it. And Monarch wouldn't give her that much control, right? She won't be the only person in charge."

Cricket tried to believe him, but she couldn't let the thought of Wasp controlling the school escape her mind. But maybe Blue was right? He often was. Like when he talked about other people and naturally understood their desires and wishes. She wished she could be that understanding. Or encouraging. Cricket laughed to herself when she remembered how Blue had thought she'd make a good president.

So it was safe to believe that he was also right now.

"Alright." Cricket sighed. School was almost over for the day and she could worry about it later. 

The day went by normally after that. Cricket and Blue sat together on the bus and Cricket waved as he got off at his stop. When she was dropped off, she walked down the street to her house and unlocked her door. She dismissed the babysitter reading in the living room, climbed the stairs to her bedroom and flopped on her bed. Katydid wouldn't be home until late, she had texted her later that day explaining that plans had changed, and Bumblebee wouldn't be awake from her nap for about an hour. So Cricket needed to make dinner.

But first she let herself lie on the bed for a minute, hair sprawled across a pillow. She had narrowly missed a book laying next to her and she picked it up, looking at the cover. She had been reading it everyday for about a week now and her yellow bookmark was a little more than halfway through the pages. 

But she didn't open the book. If she did, she would lose track of time and dinner would be forgotten and Bumblebee would get fussy and Katydid would come home, take one look around the house and give Cricket her "Not Again" face.

So Cricket dropped the book back onto the bed hopped up, heading down the stairs into the kitchen. She poked through the pantry until she found a box of macaroni. She put a pot of water on to boil and stared at it while thinking aimlessly about school. Homework. Friends. Rivals. Wasp. Ugh.

Cricket knew Blue was right. There's no point in worrying over something you don't have control of. Well clearly no one else was worrying so maybe Cricket had to. Obviously. That logic definitely checks out. 

Cricket added the macaroni to the bubbling water and started stirring. She frowned, thinking about what might change if Wasp became president. Surely there was something she could do?

Cricket gasped and nearly dropped the fork she was stirring with into the pot. Of course there was something she could do! Blue and Sundew's words came flying back to her. 

You should run for president!

I don't know anyone else better for the job than you.

You'd be great at it!

If she couldn't stop Wasp from running for president, maybe she could stop her from winning. 

Cricket put a lid on the pot of pasta and immediately ran for her phone. She started texting Blue.

Cricket: I'm going to run for president!

The response came quickly.

Blue: Really? I thought you said it was too much responsibility?

Cricket: Yeah, well. Someone has to prevent Wasp from taking over PHS.

Blue: Still caught up on that? Well, you'll be an amazing president, no matter what.

Cricket smiled before replying. She would always love Blue for his support.

Cricket: Thank you <3 

Blue: You're welcome. I need to go. Luna's calling me.

Cricket: See you tomorrow :)

Blue: See you tomorrow.

Cricket turned her phone off and turned back to the pot. She felt both encouraged and daunted at the idea of running for president. But knowing Blue supported her helped fight her nervous energy. 

Whatever happened, she knew she knew she would never lose the support of those who loved her. And that helped more than anything else.