Democracy is Dead

Chapter Five

"Athena Mills," she told the other girl, even though her own name and rating would be appearing on Sephy's glasses in soft pink font. This morning, Athena's rating was at 89, which was nothing to be embarrassed by. But 9... How could Sephy have let her rating get so low? "I don't think I've seen you before," she added when the other girl didn't say anything further.

Sephy shrugged. "I didn't make it to many of my lectures last term," she added with a sly smile.

"So you're starting fresh this term?"

"Something like that. And I've been looking forward to this module - I prefer the history of politics to the theory behind the modern day variety."

Athena blinked. It was as though Cress had a polar opposite twin and she'd decided to sit beside her; the two couldn't have been more different.

Athena ran her hands through her bobbed brown hair. She was about to ask the other girl where she was staying when another figure caught her eye: Cress had entered the lecture hall, her nose as pink as her coat and her glasses fogged with the sudden warmth of the room. She glanced in Athena's direction but, seeing that the seat next to her was taken, sat at the back of the room.

So much for saving me that seat. Athena could picture the eye-roll that was no doubt accompanying this message. Never mind, I'll fill you in on my gossip after this snore-fest. Ciao, Athy. Cress

"So where are you living?" Athena asked Sephy. She could worry about Cress and her attempts to guilt trip her later.

"Technically in the first year student halls on Downing Street."

"Me too! I'm on the fourth floor - I don't think I've seen you there before though."

"That's where the technically part comes into it. I spend a lot of time elsewhere, staying with other friends and my boyfriend. I didn't like the feel of the halls."

Athena wasn't sure how to respond to that. The energy and enthusiasm of the student voters permeated the walls of the halls. There was always something going on and Cress was usually pulling Athena to the centre of it. There was nowhere else she'd rather be.

Sephy waggled her feet, which were encased in heavy looking black boots. "It's okay, you don't have to agree with me. I can tell that you're one of those. It's a pity, I was hoping to find someone in the class who wasn't pop-vote obsessed."

Athena's eyes widened. Sure, she liked the pop-votes, but obsessed? She wasn't any more involved in them that anyone else she'd met in New London. She was saved from needing to answer by the arrival of the lecturer.

Ajax Macleod, rating 265. Pink font. Plain text. Perfectly respectable. Athena was relieved. Ajax was in his late twenties, his glasses balanced on the top of his head. He was wearing well-worn jeans and a light pink jumper. Sephy giggled, then glanced in Athena's direction, her eyebrows rising as she took in Athena's own pink sweater.

"Have you noticed that it's only the people like her who actually look good in pink," she jerked her head behind her. Athena followed her gesture and discovered that she was indicating to Cress, who did indeed look a lot better in her pale pink blouse and rose coloured jeans than Athena did in any of her new outfits.

"I hope that it's purple next month," Athena confessed to her neighbour in hushed tones.

Sephy smirked at that. "And who exactly is stopping you from wearing purple now?"

"Because pink won the vote... The majority chose-" Pop-votes on clothing colours had been a relatively recent trend, aimed at minimising differences, and helping narrow down consumer choice. They were designed to make life simpler. Athena may not always have liked the colour choice, but she believed in the system that chose them. Arrive at a lecture in the wrong colour and she may as well have arrived in nothing at all. She didn't know how Sephy could stand all the sideways glances and wrinkled noses her appearance was attracting.