An ex-couples rivalry for the spot as student body president becomes even more convoluted when two new, unexpected candidates enter the race. Chloe and Preston team up, each vowing to get one member kicked from the competition-- but when they both e...
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The week was shaping up to be the worst of my high school career.
It was bad enough that Emily and I didn't have the chance to talk about our relationship at lunch on Monday, thanks to Mrs. Benson and a few students coming in right as we finished our argument. Our conversation ended with an awkward transition into talking about the campaign— it had been hard to focus when all I wanted to do was throw everyone out of the room and try to make sense of where Emily and I were headed.
Then Tuesday morning came, and as if Jason spilling orange juice on me at breakfast wasn't a bad enough way to start the day, Principal Fulton gave wrestling the death sentence before it was even eight AM. It felt like my stomach had dropped all the way to my feet— I was pissed off and disappointed, which is just about the worst combination of emotions I think anyone can feel.
And yet somehow, it got worse.
Because when I left second period and went down my usual route past the gym, I was faced with Finn, Chloe, and their protest. Their protest for the loss of my program, my team.
I should've thought of that. So now, in addition to being pissed off and disappointed at the world, I was also pissed off and disappointed at myself.
And then I saw Hank pumping a sign up and down in the crowd of protestors, and got pretty pissed off at him, too.
I passed by Finn and Chloe, who unfortunately were impossible to avoid since they were at the front of the crowd leading everyone in their chant of "Hey Hey! Ho ho! These budget cuts have got to go!" I was lucky they didn't see me— the last thing I needed was for them to rub salt in an already stinging wound.
I grabbed Hank's arm when I reached his spot near the edge of the crowd. It got his attention, but he didn't seem to catch onto my sour attitude— he was grinning, clearly happy to see me as he spoke over the chanting voices. "Preston! Isn't this great?"
I was somewhere between baffled and annoyed as I shook my head. "No! Hank, I thought you had my back."
His smile fell and he sighed, lowering his sign. "Preston—" His tone was filled with disapproval, and I could tell by the look on his face that he had something to say. He stepped out of the mass of people, nodding his head for me to follow.
He paused for a second to grab Jackson from the crowd and whisper something that I obviously wasn't meant to hear. Jackson nodded, joining us as we walked down the hall.
The chanting was still loud and determined, mixed with the shouts of security, who were unable to compete with so many riled up students. None of us seemed to care as the bell rang out over our heads— I was more concerned with why the two of them were looking annoyed with me when they were the ones helping out the enemy.
Hank led us into a u-shaped locker bank, stopping as soon as we were out of the hall and turning to me with another sigh. "Pres, it's time to stop playing around, okay?"
