The Halo Effect

47 | zero-sum pt. ii

Macallan sat between Kelsey and me on one of the couches in the common room of Roosevelt Hall, holding our hands.

"What time is it?" Macallan's level voice cut through the quiet chatter of the room.

"7:58," Jameson said from where he stood behind the couch. "Alright, everyone please quiet down. When you receive the email from Headmistress Harvey, please don't shout out the results. Thank you."

"Aye-aye, Mr. President!" Delaney called out, then turned her attention to Macallan. "We're already so proud of you, Mac."

Macallan smiled graciously and squeezed my hand as she exhaled deeply. "Two minutes. I can do this."

I squeezed her hand back. "You can."

"I'll refresh your email, then hand it to you," Kelsey said.

Macallan nodded. "Thank you."

While I expected nothing less than remarkable poise and grace from my best friend, a wave of pride washed over me.

If I was awaiting news regarding whether I would become Cannondale's next student body president, I wouldn't want to be in a room full of people. I would want to be in my room with two, maybe three people. That way, if I lost, only the people I trusted with my life would be around to see me lick my wounds.

But that wasn't Macallan.

She knew the election was a zero-sum game, but she was in her element. She liked people. She liked being around people, and didn't mind the attention that naturally accompanied something like running for student body president.

But what I admired the most was that the hardships she'd faced these last few months could have eclipsed her sunlight, and it hadn't. It could've drenched her in darkness, but instead, she learned to shine even brighter.

Not everyone was capable of that.

"It's 9:00," Jameson announced.

Nodding, Macallan released my hand to pick up her phone from the coffee and handed it to Kelsey.

"Refresh it please," she said, delicately folding her hands in her lap.

As I held my breath, my heartbeat seemed to seize my entire body.

I felt it everywhere and swore I felt time itself beating as I thought about everything the three of us had endured as friends during the second half of our junior year at Cannondale. It'd brought us to this moment, to this cusp of uncertain triumph.

As I waited, my gaze swept the common room in what felt like slow motion. It was just crowded enough that I couldn't see everyone, but a sinking feeling settled into my bones, and I just knew. I knew that Trip wouldn't burst through the door with that clever half-smile of his. He wasn't going to be here in time.

"Here it is," Kelsey said, the corners of her eyes smiling as she gave Macllan her phone.

The silence gripping the room had a sound and weight of its own. It swelled and lingered with a heaviness that pressed in from all angles.

"It's me," Macallan breathed out. She looked between Kelsey and I, her blue eyes bright and full of astonishment. "It's me. I won."

She hadn't raised her voice, but the quiet made it seem like she'd used a megaphone.

The celebration commenced instantaneously. Cheers erupted from every corner of the room, and Macallan had just enough time to pass me her phone before Jameson leaned down to hug her.

Grinning, I looked down at the email on Macallan's phone.

To: mblake@cannondale.edu

From: mharvey@cannondale.edu