The Geek Revolution ✓

27 | bonfire

THE PERPETUALLY CROWDED HALLWAYS AT Carsonville High used to annoy me so much.

The student roll here is much larger than at my last school, so walking between classes or to lunch brings an unfamiliar wave of crowds, loud noises, accidental collisions and watchful eyes. I feel that there are minefields in every corner, since I hate being watched, and I love my personal space.

But after I discovered the new hashtag, I've been grateful for being jostled and ignored. I was scared that the Revolution would put me at the centre of a new scandal and make me a person to be feared. The image of Brittany wordlessly pushing people aside with only a venomous stare is seared in my mind, and there's nothing I'd rather see than people not moving aside for me. It reminds me that we aren't like the Monarchy, and no matter how closely our actions mirror theirs, we never will be.

And that makes me more relieved than anyone can imagine.

If I needed more proof of my normal social status other than the way people treat me in the hallways, it comes in the form of an invitation. There's a Halloween bonfire after school on Friday, hosted by a seaside bar on the coast. It was Callum that invited the Unofficials — telling us to spread the word far and wide — and me that invited the rest of the Geeks.

Once school lets out, I meet up with the large group of seniors who are planning to attend. The event is R-16, operating on a wristband-drinks policy. If you dress in costume, you are entitled to cheaper drinks for the evening — but the majority of us aren't planning to buy anything. Benjamin is going to drive Drew and Delaney, while the Unofficials all crowd into Ashley's truck.

Glancing across the courtyard through the windscreen, I glimpse Terrence coming out of the main door. Angela has been in class ever since that disastrous baking assessment — thankfully we've moved into craft skills in Home Ec. — so I've successfully avoided Terrence in the one class we share.

He's heading to Brittany and co. on the lawn.

"Is the Monarchy coming tonight?"

"I hope fucking not," Ashley scoffs. "But you never know. On the one hand, most of them love to prove how they can score college students. On the other hand, all Carsonville High seniors hate them—"

I nod thoughtfully. There are reputed to be a lot of seniors in attendance, but there are also students from other high schools and universities coming. Maybe the Monarchy could lose themselves in the crowd? As soon as I consider that, I realise Brittany would sooner stay home than become just a faceless, nameless person in a throng of others. That's not her style.

"—ever since the Revolution kicked off, Brittany knows we're all less tolerant of her bullshit," Ashley remarks, pulling smoothly out of the car park. "We'll just have to wait and see which is the lesser of two evils to them."

Ashley blasts the radio as we drive to the beach. Sometimes we sing, sometimes we talk. "How's everyone's college applications going?" I ask curiously.

Ashley and Quen reply with identical wry remarks, "They're going." I chuckle, settling lower into the passenger seat. That's the attitude most of the people who want to go to college have. It's Halloween, so there's no shortage of time to think about it. So everyone starts thinking about it slowly.

"Mine are not," Callum announces proudly. "I mean, I'll start thinking about it after Christmas."

I whip around in the seat, arching an eyebrow at Callum. That's cutting it fine. He raises his hands plaintively. "What? I'm a quick worker. It'll be fine. Besides, I'm only applying to instate colleges. Halston is my number one pick."