In Lakewood, a small town with a reputation of crime, gangs, outcasts and violence, Lana Takumi is an orphan and a gang member disguised in ripped jeans of her late mother and old flannels of her late father. She feels stuck in an endless cycle of b...
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E V E R E T T
"SO OUR FIRST PRIORITY is to clean all the lockers in the school building. We're going to need plenty of utensils for that, " Lily said, putting down her pen on the open page of her notebook.
So far, the first official school meeting was going pretty well. Together, we had decided that our first official task was to remove all the vandalism from the lockers and then from around the rest of the school.
"Lana, did you put that in the budget?" Ali asked, seated across from her.
Lana, who to everyone's surprise, eventually decided to join the council, nodded while seated next to me with her eyes fixated on the laptop she was typing on. Throughout the meeting, Lana hardly spoke, kept pizza the whole time, and had some logical and meaningful one-line answers when she was questioned about something. She didn't talk much but when she did, it was like a conclusion to every argument and discussion on the table.
When someone spoke to her, she made eye contact and replied in short sentences but without any expression on her face. However, I couldn't help but notice how she tried to ignore Lily at all costs. It was almost like Lily's whole existence was bothering Lana. There was definitely some tension there.
"How are we going to make sure they don't get vandalized again?" Sonya asked, curiously.
Kevin nodded. "Yeah. It's not like this clean up we're doing is going to last for that long. It'll probably be back in a few days. Maybe even the next day."
Perplexed mumbling broke across the table as Kevin's words spread doubt through everyone's minds. However, before the wheels in my head even started spinning, Lana cut in and said, "Give and take."
Lana's words switched the bewilderment in the room with curiosity. Lana raised her eyes from her laptop screen and continued, "Give and take. The lunch served in the cafeteria is free and is loved by the whole school. If they continue vandalism, we refuse free cafeteria lunch."
I couldn't help but smile a little to myself at the word "we". She really was on board on this whole student council thing.
"Yeah, but they'll hate us if we do that. We're supposed to be on their side," Kevin argued.
"They always hate you before they start respecting you."
Everyone's eyes with the slightest of surprises stayed locked on Lana. She really was the conclusion. Thus, I cleared my throat and nodded. "Lana's right. Okay, guys. I think this is all for today. Lana, can you email the cheque to the principal so he can look over it?"
