Proposal Week

Prologue: Pass or Fail, 0 or 100

"Girls, you must say yes. It is imperative. There is one week for many proposals, and you must wear the ring for one week after the videoed proposal.

"Boys, you must propose to the girl you receive. We have who everyone will receive written down. If one girl gets more than one proposal, the man who proposes to the wrong girl will get a failing grade even if he ends up proposing to the right girl. If you switch, the office must know of such changes with both boys present consent.

"Girls, you will receive a list of what can get you a failing grade. While I may not speak these in front of a room of boys," he lowered his head as he scanned the crowd, looking at each and every boy, "you must follow these rules or else you will fail. While one of the two of you may pass, the other can still fail."

Everyone was in shock. No one knew what to say at this point.

"Girls, you may file out and receive your papers at the door. Boys, stay in place until I release you." Libby and I walked out, side by side, as we shoved our way through the mass of girls. I take a course on Saturdays by choice, and it's practically right after this assembly.

We each stuck a hand in between a few girls and grabbed a paper from the stack on one of the stools before running outside into the cold where a flurry of snowflakes had begun to fall.

We stopped by the fountain which was now empty from water, but the old Gregor the Griffin stood on a hind leg, the other one looking like it was jumping forward. His front paws stretched upward, talons elongated as if he were trying to fly. His wings were partially unfolded, his beak opened with a small tongue poking out.

I smiled at Gregor warmly before leaning against the side of the fountain and reading through the rules.

"This'll be fun," I commented sarcastically although I knew Libby wouldn't catch ot.

"It definitely will be!" She chirped as our other best friend, Tally Polk, came running up to us, scrunching the paper between her fingers.

"Sorry that I'm horrendously late, but my roommate forgot to wake us all up after our alarms went off, and we didn't wake up, so I was the only one who missed the meeting since I couldn't get my stupid contact in."

"It's fine, darling, but aren't you excited?" Libby chirped.

"Yes, and I know Ryla isn't."

"But you-" Libby turned to me, but I cut her off.

"Sarcasm." I placed my hand on her shoulder lightly as Tally burst into laughter, her head thrown back as she let out her cackle-like laugh.

"This is going to be a fun week." Libby gave us a small smile before we separated ways. Tally went to her work at a local theatre. Libby headed home to work on her marine biology homework, and I went to my creative writing and editing course. The course is through Tristan University, but it's not a class for the semester, but a course to do on the side. All participants go to Tristan though.

I walked into my Creative Writing and Editing class to see that almost all of the boys in the class were already there, going about their day as normal. I paused, watching as they got their things ready for class, simply conversing with the people around them. It seemed like a normal day, to the naked and unobservant eye. I had become quite observant throughout my teenage years, and I noticed the small things occurring. I could see some of them twitching or speaking with a slight stutter in their voice. Some had slight tremors while others were acting way too cool for their normal selves.

This project was already getting under their skins, and to be honest, I liked it. It was going to make the next week very interesting.

I sat down in my normal seat, right in the center of everything. I unpacked my few things and rested my pencil on my desk before my shoulder was tapped. I looked up into the eyes of Robert Smith.