Blue is the warmest color

Chapter Fourteen

I swallowed as I look around frantically. I looked at some of my opponents, those girls that did nothing but spread school gossips like wildfire, the guys at the football team, and Mrs. Ford who's not so fond of me. I looked at all of them as if they'd swallow me whole and with that in mind, it makes me scared even more. 

I held Luke's hand tight as I look down on my shaky knees. Only when I feel his hand on mine, does my worries disappear. I wanted to win this election, I wanted to make my parents proud. After all, they snuck this day in between their busy schedules and I couldn't let them down. 

"Stop looking so terrified" Luke whispers. I licked my lips as I gathered myself and smiled until finally, the ceremony begins. 

It started with an opening speech of our school principal, Mr. Taylor Mavis and the head of the student government, Miss Ariana Smith. After they graced the ceremony, our names were called starting from the class representatives to the president of each party and then the interviewer who would ask the questions was introduced. 

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as I watch Sherina ramp her way around the stage. I hope she stumbles in that five-inch heels; even Hillary Clinton wouldn't be seen on that. She had always competed neck-to-neck with me. It's like she also wants what I got but unfortunately for her, I tend to always get it first and I will be vice-president no matter what. 

During the course of the event, all four partylist gets to introduce their members and party mission and vision but only the vice-president and president of each party gets to participate in an interview as it is two of the highest and powerful position. 

Each candidate are given a twenty-minute time to answer all the interview questions and vast topics are often shortened and should be explained in short detail to fit the time. This is my first time to run as vice-president and the first time I will speak in front of a large crowd about myself as an officer and as a person. 

During the first two interviews their wasn't much noise going on among the crowd, only fake claps as an act of courtesy when the candidate leaves the stage. I guess Weber, Klauss, including myself are unpopular and nothing to the charisma Sherina Jackson has that makes her likeable. Still, it shouldn't concern me now. 

Sherina goes last since she's the most powerful candidate among us four and the principals knows better on how to not let the crowd leave is to put the best for last. I don't even understand why people like Sherina, all she does is bitch around and bully weaker students but people still thinks she's cool. I guess being tall and gorgeous has its perks. 

My mom smiled so widely and clapped her hands excitedly as my name gets called. I took a deep breath as I got on the stage and shook hands with the interviewer, Laura Hayes. She is the school's publication secretary and based on the questions she prepared on the first two candidates, she's quiet ruthless. I wonder if Sherina's braincells could handle it. 

The bright lights on the stage are blinding me but at least I could see where my family is at. I am nervous about speaking in front of everybody like this but I didn't work so hard the past few weeks just to fail this interview. I need to ace it at least. 

"Last year, you were elected as the secretary of our student government. It was a close fight between you and Sherina Jackson, who is also running for the same position as you. If it were to be a close fight once again, can you tell us why we should vote for you instead of the others?" Laura asked. Damn. Now that I'm on stage, the question sound quiet hard. 

In this situation, I can't badmouth anyone or sound too self-absorbed. So why exactly should the students be voting for me? hmm. 

"When I was secretary, I worked on two projects that I deem as important. The Anti-bullying Campaign and the SSG Cares Campaign. Back in my days, the school didn't have a solid implementation of student penalties when it comes to bullying and I used this aspect to work on the campaign because bullying is a threat to the peace and harmony in the school campus. It creates an unpleasant environment for a student to undergo such stress which leads me to work on another campaign called the SSG Cares where we do a monthly survey about the student's mental health and this also helps us determine if bullying still persists based on their answers. I want to be able to continue this campaign and implement a better and fun environment so everyone can enjoy fully their high school life. Thank you" I answered. 

I spoke really fast. I wonder if everybody got my point or if I answered it well. I heard the crowd clap after a few seconds and even my parents got a proud smile on their faces and Luke... he was smiling at me. It made my heart skip a beat. 

Laura asked me a lot of questions about the campaigns after that. It's implications and how the results have brought an impact to the school's current environment. I couldn't say it in front of a crowd but I must say Sherina Jackson has a lot of faults on why the campaign barely get excellent results and It's because she's not afraid of anyone, not even the law. 

I left the stage with the crowd cheering for me after I aced all the questions but it was a different story when Sherina came up. All her fanboys and girls cheered like mad people and that only shows the gap of popularity among us four. If it is based on fame, Sherina is on top lead. 

"That girl..." Luke uttered, "I think I met her before" he added. 

"Huh? You met Sherina Jackson before?" I asked. 

"Yes" 

"When?"

Luke looks at me sternly, I felt nervous just how icy his eyes looks like; "About one and a half years ago at the place I used to work at" he said. 

Mom said that Luke used to be a high-end escort and if he meant that place he used to work at, what would Sherina do in such place? 

"What would she do in there?" I asked. 

Luke just sighed as he looks at Sherina who was on the stage and crosses his arm, "I'll tell you later" he declared. 

I sneered at him as I was just about to get excited. Now he leaves me to sit beside him and drown myself in curiosity about what he just said. 

Sherina did ace some of the questions but I'm pretty sure it was all prepared for since she and Laura are very close friends. Sherina had always been the type of person who would befriend anyone she thinks she can benefit from and someone who is as popular as her. In my case, she sees me as a rival like a threat to her mere existence. 

She can't befriend me anyways because I'm not a fool she can enslave. While Laura and the rest of her friends diligently obey her; I'll never allow anyone to control me and that her distaste of me only started when I refused to do a hard assignment for her. 

It made her mad. 

After the interview, I get to enjoy a full bucket of vanilla ice cream which mom bought for me. All the critical thinking I had to do on that stage got me all worn out but I'm thankful I get to surpass it especially that it was in front of the person I like the most in the world. 

Luke. 

I can only imagine how his handsome face stands out among the crowd that even everyone around him gets mesmerized but what made me feel so conscious were his eyes. 

They were fixated only on me. 

"So you like vanilla" Luke said and I almost dropped my spoon in fright. 

Hearing his voice was like getting pulled out of the best daydream I have and having my daydreams interrupted felt like a cliffhanger in movies. It's the worst. 

Why does he like to enter my room without notice? Was the door always this silent that I didn't hear him come? 

I swallowed my ice cream as I looked at him and nodded. He then sits on the bed and grabs the tip of my long hair hanging on my shoulder and puts it to his nose. 

"i missed your smell" he stated, sniffing gently on my hair. 

"We were together the whole time" I reminded and then he scoots closer to me and lays his head on my shoulder. 

"It's just because I can't touch you like this when we are outside" he said. 

My heart began to flutter but it didn't race this time. It just beats at a slow rhythm like a blooming flower watered down by his sweet words. 

"Would you tell me about Sherina Jackson now?" I asked, reminded of what he told me during the interviews. 

"Oh that" he uttered and then he looks at me; the coldness in his eyes once again revealed itself.

"She was a customer" he disclosed. 

~fin