Coding And Corruption
Chapter 19
A Sudden Friend
it was lunchtime, on the same day. I, as usual was sitting at the popular table in the courtyard. Megami was showing us all her campaign flyers that she was going to start hanging up next week. "After all, campaigning for student council election starts next week, so I need to be on top of my game. But of course, I'm positive I'll win again. I don't even think anyone else is on the ballot, and today's the last day of entry." "Of course you will win, no one would vote for anybody but you", One of the other members of the student council said. "I know, I'm the best there is. No one can run the school quite like I can." I jammed my fork down into my potato salad angrily. But I didn't let any emotions show on my face. In all truth, I was getting a little tired of Megami's Constant arrogance. It had been getting worse as of late, too. For the last few weeks, she had been constantly riding around on her high horse. Acting like she was the queen of the school, and everyone worshiped the ground she walked on, just because her Family was the main source of funding for the school. By the way she talked, you would think the school was named Saikou Academy, or something like that.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a text alert. It was a group Conversation between a few of us, Amai, hyacinth,budo,and a few others. Excluding Megami and her student council cronies. Is it just me, or is she getting a little too, big for her britches lately? Amai said. She's certainly, confident. Budo responded. She's being a total bitch! I texted back. It was true, I needed to say what no one else would dare to, yeah, sakura's right! Someone else texted. I got a few more texts of agreement. I swear, someone should run for president against her just to show her bitchy ass that she's not all that! Hyacinth wrote, clearly annoyed at Megami. I couldn't have a greed more. I bet if someone really tried, they could run against her, and win, and really make a difference in this school. For the entire time she was president, all year long,Megami hadn't really done much to improve the school. Any changes that were made, were ones that the other members of the student council had made possible. She mainly spent all her time bragging, flonting her wealth, and being popular.
I just wanted someone to rise up against the status quo, and beat her. If I were president, I'd want to really make an improvement to the school. I'd actually listen to the students! What they wanted, with their opinions were about things going on around them. I would actually care! I would be a person that the student body could turn to for anything. I could host cool new events we had never done before, organize fundraisers, put together charity drives. It be amazing. Wait, was I really thinking what I thought I was? Did I actually think I would make a better student body president then Megami? I was out of my mind! There was no way I had any chance of beating her. No fucking way in hell! So I better not even try. After all, the last day of entry was today, and campaigning for the election started on Monday. There was no way I could get prepared enough to go up against her in time.
Just to confirm my thoughts, I texted into the group chat. Hey, what do you guys think about the possibility of me running against her? I expected people to tell me what I already knew. There was no time, I wasn't prepared, I was out of my mind insane. I expected them to just laugh at me, to play it off, like it was some sort of big joke. But I got none of that! Instead, all I got was positivity, on all sides. Really? You're not kidding are you?! That would be so awesome! You have to do it now! The positivity and support just kept going, and going, and going! Hey, Sakura. Hyacinth and I will come over to your house this weekend and help you make posters, and flyers if you want. Amai texted. That sounds awesome! I replied, excitedly. That'll be awesome! Hyacinth texted. Maybe I can even make you cookies to hand out to everyone one of these days. Amai added. So it was settled, I was going to run up against Megami Saikou, for this year's student council election.
Hours passed by, it was now the last class. Of the day. In my case, trigonometry class. Since Baldi was still not back, and we no longer had a substitute, thanks to my actions of yesterday. The principal had instructed us all to sit quietly in the cafeteria, and treat this time as a study hall. He would be looking in on us from time to time. Between classes, I had swung by the main office, and scooped up a form. This form, if I filled it out correctly, and turned it back in to the office by the end of the day. Would allow me to officially be on the ballot as a candidate for student body president. That's what I was doing at this time, sitting on one of the hard plastic benches of the cafeteria, hunched over the form, filling it out carefully. I didn't want to miss a single detail. I wanted to make sure everything was absolutely correct. After filling out the entire form, I went over it once, twice, three times, to make sure it was perfect. Finally, absolutely convinced I had done my best, I sat back with a smile on my face. Looking up to check the time, I caught someone looking at me.
She was a small girl, petite, in fact. With chocolate colored hair that ran in ripples of corkscrew curls down her back. With bright, wide spaced emerald green eyes. She was a junior, just like me. Just like everyone else who took this class. But by her size, you would. guess her to only be a sophomore, maybe even a freshman. "Are you planning on running for student council?" She asked, in a quiet, timid voice. It was bugging me, I couldn't place her name. I just knew her as the shy quiet girl who sat in the very back of the classroom with her friend. There he was now, also looking at me with questioning brown eyes. I was worried about what they would say if I told them the truth. They'd probably tell me there was no point in even running. There was no way I would ever beat Megami. "Yeah, I am", I ended up telling them, anyway. What did I have to lose? I was already going to get her highness royally pissed at me for running against her in the first place. "Good luck", was what she ended up saying.
"Someone decent deserves to be president of this school", the boy said. The girl nodded. "Wait, you guys think I'm decent? But, I'm one of them, too. I'm, one of the popular crowd." "Yes, you are, but you haven't always been popular, now have you? You used to be just like us, and even when you became popular, you never stopped being nice to us little people." "Wait, how do you know all that? How do you know so much about me? No offense, but I don't think I've talk to either of you in my life. "" we know a lot about what goes on in the school. As far as social standings and popularity are concerned. Richard and I are at the bottom of the food chain. But you, you're at the top. You're almost as popular as Megami. But you don't let it go to your head like she does. So far, you've stayed grounded, disciplined, and I bet if you really try, you could convince the people of the school, that you're better than her in every way, and overthrow her in the election.
So, the boys name was Richard? I made a mental note of that. But what did they mean, grounded, disciplined? I was neither of those things! Didn't they know I had just killed someone? No, of course they didn't, there wasn't a soul who knew, other than Ayano and myself. But I still had a hard time believing that I had gotten away with it so easily. I was convinced that there was a giant red target on my back screaming, she killed someone! She killed someone! "I'm sorry, where are my manners? I don't believe we've been properly introduced. My name is symphony, and this is Richard, my boyfriend." Oh, so they were more than friends. At least I finally knew both their names now. "It's nice to meet both of you, I'm Sakura, but I guess you already knew that, didn't you?" They both nodded, smiling at me. "This one filled out an application for vice president, but she's too shy to turn it in, because she doesn't want to face the rejection of knowing no one will vote for her. Well, no one other than myself, anyway", Richard said, gesturing to symphony. "What makes you think no one else will vote for her?" "We are social outcasts, dear", Richard said, reminding me of a father, or stern teacher lecturing a child who had just asked one of the dumbest questions in history..
"We're not very well liked, because we're too quiet, and too quirky. " "Let's face it, no one else would vote for me. Even though I have tons of ideas to make this school a better place for all of us. But I know quite a lot of people would vote for you, even over Megami." "I would vote for you", I told her. "R-really? But, why?", She asked, clearly taken aback. "Why not? It seems like you'd be running for the same reasons I'm running. You and I both just care about the school. It's not a popularity contest to us. We just want what's best for the place we're forced to spend six hours of our lives in every weekday." "Exactly", symphony said, enthusiastically. "Tell you what, school lets out in about 10 minutes. Why don't you and I go and drop off our applications together?" "Oh, are you sure you want to be seen with us? We could damage your popularity" symphony said.
"I don't mind being seen with you, you're fine, both of you. Look, symphony. If you're going to run for vice president, and potentially win, if I have anything to say about it. You've got to stop with the low confidence. Look, some friends are coming over to my house tomorrow to help me with my campaign. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if the two of you came over tomorrow to work on yours, symphony. If you come over, will try and help you boost your confidence a little. " "Really? You mean that? Why are you being so nice to us? We've never done anything for you. I mean, we were planning on voting for you in the election, but that's it. Why help me?" "It's like you said, I wasn't as popular as I appear to be now. Also, I just want to help you for the simple reason that I want to see someone succeed, that isn't a total bitch. You seem like an honest and down-to-earth person, and if by some miracle I actually do win, I'd love to have you as my vice president."
"all right, let's do it! What time should we be there tomorrow?" "Everyone should be coming around 10 AM" "here",I said, handing symphony my phone. "you guys put your numbers in my phone, and I'll text you the address." After a few more minutes, the bill rung. "Come on you guys, let's go drop off these applications, and then we can go home for the weekend." "Sounds like a plan, and, Sakura?" "Yes? ""Thank you, for everything", Symphony said, starting to get a little teary-eyed. "You're an awesome friend", she added. Of course, anytime, no trouble at all." I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a reassuring hug. "Anyone that helps out my symphony this much, is a friend of mine ", Richard said, giving me the thumbs up. "Come on U2", I said, laughing. "We need to get these turned in, before it's too late." That's exactly what we did, running to the office, we slid our applications into the box, just in time.