The Popularity Project (Originally on Quotev)

Chapter Fifteeen

My heart thumped as I speed walked down the hall to my English class, careful to stop my legs from picking up the pace and running. My science teacher had kept me behind to talk about how well I was catching up to the other students. I've always sucked at science so it probably came off as if I was still a bit unfamiliar with the change in curricular. I stepped inside the class just as the alarm to signal the start of class went off. I slunk over to my seat and plunked my backpack down, scanning the class discreetly.
 
 It was sort of like déjà vu. This scene sent me back a few weeks ago when Miss Rosemary first made the announcement. The day that basically changed my life. Everything was exactly the same, well except me of course. Was it only a month? It seems like decades have past by.
 
"Okay class, settle down." Miss Rosemary was earlier than usual today and was already sat down which gave away the fact she didn't hurry to the staff room to get a coffee before this period. There was a gleam in her eye, excitement perhaps. I wouldn't be surprised if this is her favorite part of the year. "As you know, today is the due date for your essays. I will not be receiving anymore after the final bell this afternoon rings so if you happen to have forgotten it I recommend calling someone to bring it for you. All the  incomplete or missing assignments will be given a zero which would affect your grade dramatically." She let that sink in for a few seconds and you could sense the panicked faces throughout the room of those who didn't do or finish it. "Does anyone want to share?"
 
A chair scraped back and I turned to see who it was. Grant sent a huge smile, "I will."
 
"Very well. The class is yours, Mr. Miller." Miss Rosemary returned to her desk and gestured to the empty space before the rows of desks began.
 
Grant coughed, hitting a fist to his chest. He shook out his single piece of paper and took one last sweeping glance of his peers, "Right. The topic I have chosen to write about is my girlfriend, Amber Chance. As all of you know she is the captain of the cheerleading team and is the most popular girl in the school." He paused, almost as if expecting cheers or claps on her behalf, "She regularly participates in school activities and is running for prom queen tomorrow night so make sure to vote for her. Oh and she's really hot which is cool because I would never go out with an ugly girl. Well that's about it." Grant stared at Miss Rosemary waiting for some clue of what to do now.
 
"Thank you, Grant." His buddies start to clap for him and a slight fraction of the female portion of the class come out of their dreamy state to twirl their hair and send Grant flirty looks as he made his way back to his seat. "May I remind everyone that this was meant to be something you feel strongly. Maybe I should have set a minimum limit of words."  She shook her head as if trying to rid the terribly written essay from her mind. I have no doubt that Amber wrote that for Grant and forced him to read it so she could do once last small push of promotion for her prom campaign.
 
I heard someone clear their throat near me as they offered to go next. The rest of the essays were pretty dull (global warming, world hunger, family) but you could really tell when someone cared about it, their eyes would gleam and they would kind of slip into their own world as they talked. I, of course, didn't go up there and present because I was going to release the news tomorrow at prom. Spilling it out early would just completely blow my cover and wreck everything. I still wasn't sure how it was going to go down but I'd figure it out.
 
Eventually the bell sounded and those who had done the project were putting their papers down on Miss Rosemary's desk. I was last in the line as it took me a little longer than usual to pack away my supplies. I took my essay from my binder and handed it to Miss Rosemary, "Three pages, facts and opinions, thesis and concluding paragraph. It's all there."
 
"Honey, you keep it and give it to me tomorrow at the dance. They were running low on chaperones and so I volunteered. I figure I should be there to watch your enouncement." She waved my paper away and stood up to give me a hug, "Remember that you did this on a good conscience. You didn't want to hurt anyone, you just merely wanted to prove a point. Try to explain it as gently as possible and let those who you made friends with along the way know that you weren't entirely acting with them."
 
I wrapped my arms around her frail body and murmured, "Okay."
 
She pulled back and gave me a heart warming smile then nodded towards the door where you could see Kyle waiting for me, same as everyday, "Now go on to lunch dear. Wouldn't want to keep that handsome boy waiting." I shuffled towards the door but halted when she added, "If he really likes you, he'll understand and won't be extremely bothered that you're not a popular girl who spends hours on her hair." I nodded, laughing slightly at her attempt at a joke to be polite at the advice and continued to where Kyle stood.
 
"Hey beautiful, how are you?" He leaned down to kiss me then took my hand and led me towards the cafeteria.
 
I pushed down the lump of guilt that was swelling in my throat and sent a sweet, Abigail Taylor smile up at him, "Peachy. They're not serving that gross meat again today are they?"
 
We laughed together and conversed until the doors to the lunch room were facing us. It feels like one of those groundhog day kind of movies. Besides the fact that it's happening with different people. Kyle opened the door for me like a true gentleman then connected our hands again. There were glares and awes spread across the room as we made our way to buy our lunch. It was much easier to face the walk when you had someone else to do it with.
 
 I put a few things on my tray and pondered the thought, this would be our last day in the cafeteria. There was the weekend involving the prom and play then finals week which was only three half days of testing. I would never have to do that walk again. The idea of it filled my head with relief and dread. School would be over very, very soon and then I'd have to go off to college and try to make a living. I just know I'm going to be blubbering at graduation, especially without my dad there.
 
Kyle nudged me softly, causing me to come back to reality. All that stuff was in the future, I had to focus on what was happening now. I had to start planning for tomorrow and all the possible ways it could end up. We paid for our lunches and joined the others at our normal table in the center of the lunch room. Amber was munching on a baby carrot stick with not much else on her tray, "Oh hey, Abby! I was meaning to tell you, you're one of the nominees for prom queen. Congratulations."
 
 It was the look she gave me as she said it though, the piercing, cold look that signaled we were no longer 'friends'. It was war between us now. I've had my fair share of Amber's battles towards people and it was certainly not a pretty thing. Prom queen, the idea sounded foreign to me but in a good way. It all snapped into place, just as the whole plan for my essay did that day when I was lying on the ground with a red cheek.
 
Prom queens get to make speeches.