the secrets club

chapter three

03 | assembly gone wrong
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I STARTED RUSTLING AROUND MY BED UNTIL MY PHONE STARTED RINGING. The morning sun peaked through my windows, it's light casting toward my direction making me squint. I grabbed my phone off of the nightstand beside me and checked the caller id. Swiping the call button, I put the phone beside my ear and spoke.

"Hello", I groaned.

"Mi-amma did you just wake up?" my amma questioned

"Yeah, why?" I yawned, getting up from the bed and stretching my limbs before I go to the bathroom.

"It's 7:30 am get ready quickly before school starts." The sound of rustling objects was heard in the background. "I got to go, remember to get your lunch, bye"

I rushed to get ready, doing the hygienic necessities and putting on clothes appropriate for the weather. The outfit consisting of wide legged jeans, t-shirt and my tan jean jacket.

Adjusting my backpack, I headed downstairs grabbing the lunch my mom prepared for me and a granola bar to eat in the car. I peaked at the door, and saw Aaron's car at the curb. Locking the door with my housekey, I started heading to his car.

"Can you walk any faster, Mia?" Aaron jokingly  yelled peaking through his rolled down windows.

I got in the car and buckled myself in, while closing the door. Aaron started his car and immediately drove away towards school.

"What are you in such a rush for?" I chuckled.

Aaron sighed heavily which made me notice the grey circles under his eyes.

"Ugh, Mr. Quentin asked me to come few minutes early so I could give him the video of last year for the assembly today.

"What's the assembly about?"

"Introducing our new vice principle"

The drive went by quickly, Aaron parked his car in the student section of the parking lot and we got out. We started walking until Aaron stopped and slowly turned around.

"Uhm, I need to go quickly so I'll see you at lunch, right?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah go ahead it's fine" I replied quickly.

He jogged immediately midway when I was about to finish my sentence. Shaking my head, I continued walking towards my first class Anthropology. The day went by quick until 3rd period came. Immediately when I sat in my assigned seat, the PA system had called for the seniors to come to the cafeteria for the assembly. Our class started heading to the location, and sat in our assigned row which went by alphabetical order of the teachers name. I felt a nudge in my right arm, turning to the right I saw Aaron sitting beside me.

"Looks like no one will sit here" He whispered.

The assembly started showing the montage of last year. I scrunched my face in disgust whenever I saw my face on the screen in the background.

"It is nicely edited" I complimented to Aaron.

It soon finished and the lights were turned back on, principle Mr. Smith was standing in the center of the stage.

"Good afternoon Andgrove high Seniors"

"Please give a warm welcome to our new vice principal, Mr. Mahadevan"

Mr.Mahadevan walked across the stage towards Mr. Smith who passed the mic to him.

"Good afternoon seniors! I am Mr. Mahadevan your new vice principal. It is great to see you all and I hope you're doing well." He paused and continued. " Grade 12 is a big change and an important year. College applications, getting into the prestigious program, scholarships and getting your act together in order to graduate." He started walking across the stage back and forth. "You might be feeling comfortable right now, since it is the beginning of the school year. However, senior year is one of the fastest year in your lifetime of being a high school student, that goes away with a snap of a finger. Not everyone graduates grade 12, but I do hope you all change that statistic."

People behind me started laughing, I turned to Aaron who was staring straight at the front, eyebrows scrunched. Turning back to the front, I started feeling queasy.

The projector projected a clip of a seahorse giving birth shown on the screen. Mr. Mahadevan looked back to the disturbing scene appalled. Mr. Smith came back to the stage and pointed to the tech crew trying to make a motion to cut it. I turned around to see a figure running out the back of the doors followed by an angry Mr. Smith. The curtains closed and the audience had a small commotion. Teachers started forcing their class to leave the cafeteria.

The bell soon rang, which meant it was my lunch break. I went outside to the benches near the front of the school. I sat down and grabbed my lunch consisting of a sandwich. The space in front of me creaked.

"What the hell was that", Aaron exclaimed creasing his eyebrows. His face clearly shown the expression of disgust.

"It was a seahorse giving live birth to its baby seahorse" I said stating the obvious.

"I think I lost my appetite", he grumbled.

"Eh, I seen worse."

He raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"I watch a lot of crime docs"

He shook his head and muttered makes sense.

"Uhm I have photography club after school. Do you have a ride?"

"I could walk, I need some fresh air with having that terrifying clip stuck in my brain"

He nodded and we sat in silence, I eating my sandwich and him using his phone.

"I think I am going to accept the offer of being the president of the book club," I blurted out, trying to reassure myself.

Aaron looked up from his phone towards my attention.

"You should, you will be a wonderful president" he smiled softly.

I looked at him and noticed his eye bags again.

"Uh you okay? You seem pretty tired?"

"Yeah, I'm good I just stayed up little late no biggie, don't worry grandma"

He ruffled my head making me scowl. The bell rang and we headed opposite directions to our classes.

The time felt like it went for eternity with how slow the minute went. I was anxiously waiting for the last period so I could tell Ms. Asaki my decision.

It was fifth period, few more minutes left until school finished. Soon the bell rang and I immediately leapt up ready for action.

I waited until everyone left, and I started walking towards her desk.

She looked up and smiled softly.

"What do you need Mia?" she asked.

"I actually am here to tell you that yes, I want to be president for book club."

Her eyes widened and she smiled leaping out of her chair.

"I am so happy you accepted, I really wanted you to be president Mia." She quickly side hugged me.

"Someone else actually asked me this morning for the president position."

Shit, who else wanted to run the club.

"However luckily I said to her I asked someone else to be up for the position, but I told her she could be vice president."

I let out a breath of relief.

"Thank god." I chuckled. "If I may ask, who asked you they wanted to run the club?"

"Uhm, I think it was a girl named Maddie, Madelaine, Oh Madison."

I nodded my head.

"Do you want me to help you with anything?" I asked, might as well help since I will be alone at home.

"Uhm" She paused and looked around the room to see if I could help with anything. "Actually, there is."

She smiled softly to me, and I smiled back.