Now, It's Your Turn

The Campaign

As lunchtime approached, Precious navigated the school corridors, her eyes catching the sight of her campaign posters plastered on the walls. "Precious Pelt for President!" proclaimed each one, bolstering her confidence as she walked. Murmurs of admiration followed her, with one voice noting, "She had the highest sales at the bazaar. She'd make a great president."

However, a mention of Jennica halted Precious in her tracks, causing the whispering students to scatter, believing they'd been overheard.

"Jennica?" Precious mused, disbelief colouring her thoughts. She hastened towards the cafeteria, only to find herself confronted by a rival campaign. Jennica's posters adorned the entrance, fueling Precious's ire with every line she read:

"Vote Jennica for President

Entrepreneur with her own lipstick line

Former school's class president

Straight-A student

Choose reliability over novelty."

In a fit of anger, Precious tore the poster from the wall, her frustration mounting as she entered the cafeteria and spotted Jennica dining with her clique. Without hesitation, Precious approached.

"Jennica!"

"What?" Jennica responded, her gaze shifting to Precious.

"Can we talk? Just a moment."

Jennica exhaled sharply but complied, stepping aside with Precious.

"Drop out of the presidential race."

"Not happening, you dimwit!"

"Fine, then I'll just spill your secret," Precious threatened.

Jennica's smirk was unflinching. "Go ahead. Think they'll believe you?" She returned to her friends, leaving Precious in stunned silence.

"I will expose it. I refuse to let her transform this school into her personal playground," Precious vowed to herself.

Back home, Precious slumped over her work desk, a new plan forming as she began to sketch. "This will get her attention," she thought, her determination renewed by the challenge. "She won't see this coming."

"Is Jennica truly the ideal candidate for class president? From personal experience, I would have to say no. Having been her classmate at my previous school was far from easy. She bullied me relentlessly, even going as far as to stick gum in my hair, which led to me having to shave my head. For months afterwards, she didn't let up, enlisting most of the school in her campaign of ridicule."

Precious shared her harrowing experiences with a sense of readiness. The following day, she replicated her sketches and set off for school, armed with her new campaign strategy.

...

"Are the lipstick boxes prepared?" she inquired of Mandy.

"Right here," Mandy replied, presenting a large bag brimming with the cosmetics.

"Could you help me insert these flyers into the boxes?" Precious requested.

"What are these?" Mandy unfolded one of the leaflets, her shock evident. "Precious, this is going too far! You're on the verge of ruining someone's life." She discarded the flyer in disgust.

Unbothered, Precious continued her task. "She initiated this conflict. I'm merely defending myself."

Mandy regarded her with disappointment. "I warned you, Precious. If you proceed with this, I'm withdrawing. I refuse to partake in this feud." She then left, distancing herself from the situation.

"Fine, leave!" Precious called after her, a complex mix of guilt and resolve brewing within. She understood the gravity of her actions and the potential harm they could cause. Yet, the thought of Jennica in a position of influence, possibly perpetuating her bullying behaviour, was unbearable. With a heavy heart, she resumed distributing the flyers among the lipstick boxes, committed to her course of action.

...

During recess, Jennica confronted Precious in the playground, her fury uncontainable.

"How could you, Precious? Spreading lies and slander about me!" she exclaimed. "Everything you're alleging is baseless and false. Why would you stoop so low?"

Precious met her anger with a cold smirk. "I warned you to withdraw your candidacy. You chose to ignore me, forcing my hand."

Meanwhile, Jennica's frustration reached its peak. "You've gone too far this time," she fumed. "Accusing me of sabotaging your lunch with worms—that was low, even for you!"

Precious couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I'll admit, that was somewhat amusing."

The amusement quickly faded when Jennica, overcome with anger, delivered a sharp slap to Precious's face. "And then you claim I have a rash? Enough is enough!"

Precious, unfazed, grabbed Jennica by the ear, eliciting a cry of pain. "Consider this payback for all those years of torment. The tables have turned," she stated coldly, releasing Jennica, who stormed off in defeat.

From a distance, Precious watched, a smirk playing on her lips. "This is just the beginning," she murmured, returning to her book with a sense of satisfaction.

...

The cafeteria was abuzz with activity when Jennica made her entrance, only to be met with a hamburger smacking into her face. "Disgusting!" she yelled, dodging another projectile.

A voice from the crowd condemned her. "I can't believe I ever considered supporting you!" This was met with a chorus of agreement.

Jennica shot back, "So you'd rather believe a coward over me?"

Mockery followed, referencing the infamous butt rash, which sent the whole cafeteria into an uproar of laughter.

In a fit of rage, Jennica grabbed a tray, aiming for Precious, but Mandy intervened. "Stop, Jennica!"

Ignoring Mandy's plea, Jennica shoved her aside and lunged at Precious, the tray connecting with her head with a sickening thud. Precious collapsed, her head striking the table before she crumpled to the floor, blood pooling around her.

Silence enveloped the cafeteria as everyone stared in horror at the motionless form of Precious. The metallic clang of the dropped tray punctuated the shock. Jennica, realizing the gravity of her actions, fled the scene in a panic.

Mandy rushed to Precious's side, desperately trying to rouse her. "Please, Precious, stay with me," she sobbed, hope fading with each passing second.

"Help! Help!!!" The distressing shouts echoed through the halls, drawing Mr. Phillips swiftly to the scene. Without hesitation, he scooped Precious into his arms and rushed her to the nurse's station while Mandy followed closely behind, her fingers trembling as she dialled for an ambulance. "Please, you have to save her," Mandy pleaded through tears, clutching Precious's hand.

"Stay with me! Please, stay with me!" Mandy's voice broke through the chaos, a plea filled with desperation.

"Mandy!" Mr. Phillips's authoritative voice cut through the turmoil. "Let the professionals handle this. Here, take these clothes so you can change," he said, extending a fresh set of school garments to replace her blood-soaked ones.

As Precious was swiftly ushered into the ambulance, Mandy stood frozen, her gaze locked on her friend. Precious's head was enveloped in bandages, with numerous tubes trailing from her, a stark testament to the severity of her condition. The ambulance doors closed, obscuring Precious from view, and as the sirens began their urgent wail, Mandy was left with the haunting image of her friend's departure. That moment, as the vehicle disappeared into the distance, marked the last sight Mandy had of Precious, leaving her with a heavy heart, her crying growing every second as the blares of the ambulance got fainter and fainter.