The Salt Files (MLB)

The Room Where It Happens

Lila wants to be in the decision room for Marinette's expulsion

Ah, Mister Secretary
Mister Burr, sir
Didja hear the news about good old General Mercer?
No
You know Clermont Street?
Yeah
They renamed it after him. The Mercer legacy is secure
Sure
And all he had to do was die
That's a lot less work
We oughta give it a try
Ha
Now how're you gonna get your debt plan through?
I guess I'm gonna fin'ly have to listen to you
Really?
"Talk less. Smile more."
Ha
Do whatever it takes to get my plan on the Congress floor
Now, Madison and Jefferson are merciless.
Well, hate the sin, love the sinner
Hamilton!
I'm sorry Burr, I've gotta go
But-
Decisions are happening over dinner

Lila prides herself on the fact that she smart, or at least smarter than most of her classmates. She's been doing this for a long time, and the fact that she has never gotten caught in her schemes and lies speaks for her.

Now, before you ask, she wasn't always like this. The devious energy that emerged from her started in middle school (6-8th grade for clarification cuz idk what middle school would interpret to around the world😅), after she encountered her first round of bullies. To be more clear, everything started on the first day of 6th grade.

It was the first day, and people wanted to ask each other about their families or something that would help them get to know each other. Lila's seatmate, Angela, asked her what her family was like. It was rather odd, since everyone asked each other about favorite colors, animals, or food. Lila just assumed that she just wanted to know more than others, and that they would be close friends!

She was wrong.

Turns out Angela only wanted to question her so she could find material to use against her. She openly made fun of Lila's family situation, like how her  father was always out working so she made it seem like he abandoned him. Or that Lila's mother was always busy and never seen so she called her an orphan.

Lila felt betrayed, and she felt angry emotions emerge. The moment she said Lila's name as she walked into the class, she swung at her.

Needless to say, Angela was more messed up than Lila was. Her mother scolded her about fighting, but she understood the situation. But Lila had a new perspective on things.

If you tell people the truth, they just shit on you for it. If you tell them a lie, they will never know you're lying if you never let them know.

From that moment on, Lila would lie about every detail people would ask about her.

And if she was able to get a group to jump Angela by claiming she bullied her, well that's no one's business but her own.

Two Virginians and an immigrant walk into a room
Diametric'ly opposed, foes
They emerge with a compromise, having opened doors that were
Previously closed
Bros
The immigrant emerges with unprecedented financial power
A system he can shape however he wants
The Virginians emerge with the nation's capital
And here's the pièce de résistance:
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one really knows how the game is played
The art of the trade
How the sausage gets made
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens.

Now Lila was starting a new school in a new environment. As she got older, she got smarter and quicker with her lies. Middle school was practice, and now it was performance time.