Cerise's incredible, marvellous facts you'd never know about me:
1. I prefer ice-cream over flowers any day.
2. I'll admit it. Sometimes I may stretch the truth to make things sound better.
3. But WHOOSH moments will always be truth. Always.
4. I'm pretty skilled at wrestling.
Not many people know this, but I have a super, amazing memory. I do. Yes, I know it's hard to fathom such a feat, but I really do. That's what helped me become student council president this year. No, I did not get any help from my bald father (Sarah rigging the votes does not count). It was the fact that everyone was so impressed that I could recite the opening text for every Star Wars movie word for word. Useless? Maybe. Impressive? Definitely.
As I was sitting in class, ignoring the lulling drone of Mr Reynolds talk about his constant frustration with his passive aggressive neighbour, my super amazing memory went WHOOSH. And when it goes WHOOSH, it means I get punched in the face. By my memory, I mean.
My memory took me back to yesterday's meeting. Gross.
Okay, I will admit it. Perhaps I did skim over some important information from yesterdays' meeting. Time for a WHOOSH moment.
"And so, as the principals of the schools, we truly value your opinions as students," the bald Principal said, as he paced around the room.
I groaned, resting my face in my hands. I absolutely hated this. The meeting between the two Student Councils was only for the principals to inform us of our impending doom.
"We would like to know if there are any concerns, questions, or even suggestions on this matter. I'm aware this is a significant change, however, we intend to keep and combine the current members of the Student Council."
I surveyed the student council room. My precious student council room. It was only last week when we – the student council members – redecorated room. We repainted the walls a nice shade of canary yellow, hung more artworks (much to Mr Reynolds delight), added more sofas and bean bags, and placed an indoor pot plant on the kitchen bench (courtesy from Mr Higgs).
Today, the room's bright yellow walls were dulled by the noticeably abundant shameless motivational posters. Our sofa and bean bag arrangement had been repositioned—instead, we sat around a large long desk, facing the whiteboard. Our sofa and bean bags were hushed in the corner of the room, next to Larry, our indoor pot plant.
Last week we were planning for the school fete. But today, we were planning our own demise. I caught Nikko frowning and glaring at me. Miller whispered to me that Nikko figured out my identity and gotten into some deep shit at school because of me.
Hah. What a loser.
I smiled in return, fluttering my eyelashes. Nikko huffed and turned away. Serves you right. At that moment, I noticed the bald principle was frowning at Nikko and me. Before we could make eye contact, I quickly looked away. Suddenly, my attention was on Kyles, who was speaking.
"...I agree with this proposition," Kyles was saying. I didn't like him using the word 'proposition'. It sounded like our schools were getting married. Ew. "Indeed, it's a huge change, however it will be extremely beneficial for both schools, educationally, socially and financially – "
I raised a hand and spoke up. "I don't necessarily agree with you on that one, Chlamydia."
His dark brows furrowed at me. "Chlamydia? It's Kyles, remember?"
"Sorry, my mistake Gonorrhoea. Anyway, as I was saying – "
"I don't see what there is not to get," that jerk Nikko interrupted me. He turned around and looked at me. "Syphilis pointed out a legitimate and sensible reason."
"It's Kyles, Nikko, Kyles. I know you know my name."
Miller nodded. "I agree with Herpes. I mean, it's a win-win situation, right?"
"Wrong." Yasmin glared at Miller. "I disagree with you. I agree with," she made a face, "Cerise. Since The Clap's views are... well, just useless. Have you considered others aspects? What will the parents think? What about the students? Do they get any say in this? Isn't this a bit of a late notice? The year has already started—it's what? The second, third week now? This change may seem a bit abrupt."
Raising both hands in the air, the bald Principal cleared his throat. "Thank you all for your input. It's great to see that everyone is taking interest in this and it is important to consider all these aspects. However, to answer your question, Yasmin, parents of both schools were fully informed in this matter. A finalised letter was sent last week. In fact, most have accepted such circumstance—"
"What?!" Yasmin and I cried in unison.
"When?" I quickly glanced at Yasmin. It felt weird having her agree with me. She bit her lip. We were losing this one.
The bald principal frowned. "I'm sorry, but the verdict was decided last year. It's only this year we finally get to implement change."
"Why do you ask for our opinions if you don't want to listen to them in the first place?" Yasmin sighed as she folded her arms.
"This isn't a democracy, this is tyranny!"
"Cerise." The bald man turned to me and frowned. I immediately closed my mouth and looked away.
Really, what was the point of this? I hated this. What's going to happen this year? All that we've planned is going to go to waste! Why do the boys have to come now? Why do they have to ruin everything? Damn it! I really should've listened during Sarah and Avani's gossip sessions.
Feeling distraught, I surveyed the room. Miller was grinning like a fool and offered an epic high-five to Nikko – which he declined – I chuckled. I always found it funny when somebody was rejected a high-five. Mainly because the rejected would always try to subtly pull off the awkwardness. Miller tried doing that by pretending to extend his hand to comb his hair. Although I was laughing, my laugh sounded hollow.
Glancing at Julia, I noticed she remained silent during the whole meeting. She was looking down at her lap, her eyes shadowed, hidden by her lush tightly woven ringlets. I felt bad that I couldn't do anything to stop this uniting of the two schools. Yasmin was going off at the bald principal in private. I appreciated her efforts, but I knew too well that once the bald principal made his decision, he stuck by it. I knew it was impossible because he was more stubborn than his bald head fighting against Rogaine.
I groaned in frustration as I cupped my face. I began to chant to myself 'there's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home' in vain efforts to wake up from this horrible nightmare. It never works. I massaged my temples. In the background I could hear Kyles annoying voice complain, "Why the hell do you all think I'm an STD?! How rude! I'm a person! I hate you all."
Okay, maybe I did skim over some important information from yesterdays' meeting.
BBC bad news:
• Brookfield students will be moving to our campus.
• Not only are we going to share campus, no we have to split the dorms! (Boy dorms at west, Girl dorms at east)
• They are moving here in less than a week.
In less than a week. I sighed and started banging my head on my desk. Maybe if I bang it hard enough, I could travel back in time and prevent this all from happening in the first place!
"Cerise, what are you doing?" asked a worried voice.
"Trying to time travel."
Mr Reynolds frowned at me. He must've finished his monologue early and instructed us to start our tasks. I was in no mood to write about Vincent Van Gogh's problems. I had enough of my own, thank-you.
"Having a concussion won't lead you back to the past, only unconsciousness."
Ugh. I stopped banging my head and looked up and stared at him. Mr. Reynolds could be handsome I thought, then shuddered, If I rolled that way. What is wrong with me? Obviously, banging my head was not the key to time travel, but brain damage.
"Today sucks," I whined. "Can't it just go away?"
"Beige," Mr Reynolds tutted at me before walking away.
I felt my mouth drop as I watched him walk off. Hey! What's his problem? Usually he's the VIP guest to my pity-party! One should be honoured to hold such a title! Wasn't he supposed to be my old and wise confidant? My pity mentor? I shook my head at him. I'm losing faith in him.
Oh. But what he just did made him my official favourite teacher.
He told off Yasmin. Hah. I smirked at her. But to my surprise, she didn't retort or even glare at me, like how she usually would. Instead, she just sighed, her brown eyes sorrowful. And that was when I was punched in the face by another WHOOSH.
When I asked the bald principal for a dorm room, someone else had. And that someone had to be Yasmin. Yasmin, my childhood rival and arch nemesis. I groaned and slapped my forehead in frustration. That brought another WHOOSH: luckily, Lee-Min was sharing dorms with us. My dorm-mates were Lee-Min and Yasmin.
I hadn't informed my family I was going to live in the dorms. Knowing my brothers, I knew they wouldn't take the news lightly.
"Guess what!"
A sharp jab pierced my side. I scowled and whirled, glaring at the villain. Sara giggled, twirling a strand of auburn hair.
"What?"
"Ugh, you're supposed to guess, but whatever." Sarah shrugged as she sat next to me. "I've come to spread more good news! At least, for me. The letters were sent. Mum showed this morning. It's official—we're going to be co-ed next week!"
I continued to bang my head onto my desk. Getting brain damage doesn't sound too bad now.
"Wait, aren't you excited?"
WOO. A much shorter chapter now! Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think.
Does anyone have a posting schedule? I aim to upload once a week, but end up posting every 3/4 days (I can't help myself lol). Would once a week be better?