Elsie arrived at the campus early in the morning like she was going to a funeral. Her chewing gum made her plump lips pinkish. She was wearing a headphone and listening to classical music.
When she opened her locker, there was a white box inside it. She read the little sticky note on top of it.
Hi. Congratulations in advance. I know you can make it. This is a gift. Wear it on your last performance. - Archer
Elsie rubbed her finger on his name.
He's such a cutie.
Inside the box was a pair of black Versace safety-pin leather pumps. It had 5 inches heels. Elsie's eyes beamed with excitement. Its glass-like texture shimmered through the sunlight and it suited her perfectly. Her exhilaration vanished when a group of girls bumped into her.
Elsie dropped the box she was holding, and the shoes were thrown away. Ember picked a single shoe. She was in her cheerleader attire.
"Is this yours?" Ember asked.
"You're so predictable," Elsie said as she picked up the other pair.
Ember studied the shoe. "Versace? Do you know how much this cost? It's around 1,104 dollars. I doubt you can afford it. Where did you steal it?"
"I didn't steal it," Elsie replied while attempting to get the shoe from her.
"Then who is the rich guy who sent you this?" Ember's eyes landed on the box on the floor. She picked it up and read the letter on it.
Ember leered. "Archer. Is he your sugar daddy?" The girls laughed.
"Give it back," Elsie said in an indifferent tone. A warning sign.
"Oh, sweetie. You are not just a freak. You are also a gold digger. Aren't you proud of your titles?"
"At least I am not known as Miss Obsess With Luke Harris. You're so obvious and desperate. Clearly, Luke doesn't like you. He never will."
Ember hissed as she threw the shoe to the wall. Elsie hurried to check it out. Fortunately, the heels were intact. It only got a minor scratch. She didn't want Stan to be disappointed. It was the first-ever gift she received from a friend. She had never had friends before except for Lily.
"Luke likes me. He is just shy. So, don't spread such lame comments. Don't act jealous," Ember said.
"Me? Jealous?" Elsie smirked. She pointed to the heel of the shoe. "Do you see this?"
It shocked Ember when Elsie placed the heel of the shoe on her abdomen.
Elsie whispered into her ear, "A freak? I can even turn into a murderer if you provoke me."
Ember pushed her away. Elsie put the shoes back in the box inside her locker.
"You're crazy! I will report you to the guidance counselor for threatening me!" Ember exclaimed.
Elsie didn't respond. Instead, she spat her gum into her hair. Ember freaked out as she tried to take it off.
"Take it off! Take it off!" she ordered her friends.
Elsie smiled while everyone watched her struggle.
"Bitch!" Ember yelled.
Elsie raised her middle finger at her while getting into the elevator. The elevator was about to close when a huge hand appeared to stop it. Her face brightened when she saw Stan. He picked up the plastic bag filled with big notebooks on the floor with his right hand after letting go of the elevator.
"Hey," she said.
"Hi."
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
The west wing where the Sophomores were located was close to the Juniors.
Stan looked down at her. "Doing some errands," he replied while slightly lifting the plastic bag.
"Oh. Why are you doing that when your hand is still injured?"
"Like what I said, I'm not a lefty."
Elsie became quiet. She brushed her fingers through her hair, wondering what to say. She roamed her eyes around the elevator. It was only the two of them inside.
"Hm. Hey. Thanks for the shoes. It's gorgeous," she said in an awkward tone.
"I'm glad you like it."
"I do. Especially the color. But it's too early for a celebration."
Stan put down the plastic bag and messed up her hair a little.
"I believe in you. You should believe in yourself, too."
The elevator stopped, and it opened. They checked the bulletin board for the announcements. They also posted the result of the audition there. Stan traced his finger on the note.
"Found you," he uttered.
"Are you sure?" Elsie pointed her feet to see the post clearly. Her mouth opened when she saw her name.
"Oh my God... I got the role!"
"I told you."
She giggled as she smiled from ear to ear. Stan chuckled at the sight of her.
Just then, there was an announcement that was heard all over the entire campus. "Paging Mr. Stan Carline, please proceed to the SSC office right now. Again, paging Mr. Stan Carline, please proceed to the SSC office right now. Thank you."
"That's me," Stan uttered.
"Are you a campus officer?" she asked.
"No. I'm the class representative."
"What's the difference between a class president and a class representative?"
"The president manages the entire class. He disciplines them and leads them. He also organizes student activities and resolves problems within the class. On the other hand, the class representative represents the section at Program Councils, Class Rep meetings, and serves as a bridge between academic leaders and the Student Association. He keeps the class well informed and also shares his opinions and ideas in every meeting," Stan explained.
"Wow. That's a lot of information to take."
"Anyway, I got to go. Once again, congratulations."
***
The lights were dim in the dance studio where Elsie was practicing her role. Some actors occupied the theatre and she wanted to practice alone at full concentration. So she stayed in the dance studio, which was significantly smaller than the theatre.
"I do not want to lose more lives. There is no need to sacrifice. We must find ways to unite our families."
"Then perhaps we can put an end to this war, not this love."
"Do not say that, my lord. If to love you is to agonize, I can bear it forever."
"My lord..."
Elsie was practicing her lines when she heard a phone ringing. She checked her phone inside her pocket, but it was turned off. For a moment, she was afraid there might be ghosts in the studio. Not until he heard a familiar voice.
"It's me," Stan said.
Elsie burst a sigh of relief. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
Stan came down and sat in the front row.
"How many minutes have you been watching me?" she asked, feeling embarrassed.
"For a while. Ten minutes."
Elsie took a break and drank a bottle of water. "Are you not going home? It's 5:00 pm already."
"I have nothing to do tonight. I finished all our homework during lunch," Stan replied.
"What? It's called homework because you have to do it at home. You're too hardworking."
"Why do it at home when I have some time to do it in school?"
"Don't you have any friends to play with?"
"I have one. He's addicted to VR games as of the moment. And I like to study when I'm not reading fiction."
Elsie tied her hair.
"So, how did your Class Rep meeting go?" she asked.
"It's chaotic. We talked about school policies and some ideas about whether or not to modify them."
"Speaking of school policies, what's your opinion about the anti-bullying campaign?"
Stan pushed the bridge of his nose.
"It is pure hypocrisy," he said.
Elsie sniggered. "How could you say that?"
"Take Luke, for example. One can be an advocate of goodwill while being the devil. Anyone can pretend to be someone they're not just to give society what they want. When the people are fully convinced, that's when shady things happened behind our backs."
"What can you do about that?"
"Well, fight the devil with evilness. Good versus evil is overrated, and in some cases, the good does not always win. So to defeat the dark, you must be darker."
Elsie's brows furrowed. "Can you give a specific example?"
"If I were to expose Luke, I would be invisible. So invisible that he won't figure out my next move. He won't even know that I am his enemy. In that way, I could study the way he thinks and I could gather some valid evidence without appearing to be against him."
"I can't totally comprehend all those words, but they sound strategic." Elsie wiped her forehead with a handkerchief.
"It's so hard to practice without a partner," she blurted. "I can't express the right emotion. I want to look at my partner's eyes and feel genuine pain between the lines."
"Why don't you try me? I'll read the lines of the male protagonist," Stan suggested.
"Really? That would be great!"
Stan held the script, and they walked up to the center stage.
"Our love started a feud between two great kingdoms. Are you willing to sacrifice the life of your people to save ours?" Stan said in a voice suited for a real prince.
"I do not want to lose more lives. There is no need to sacrifice. We must find ways to unite our families," she replied with deep sadness.
"There is no way we could do that. Our kingdoms are long been enemies since the beginning of time. Admit it. This love is destructive."
She looked at him with eagerness. "Then perhaps we can put an end to this war, not this love."
Stan held her hand as stated in the script. Something she did not expect. "I love you, my lady. I cannot see you suffer. The king is not treating you well because of me. I'm sorry."
"Do not say that, my lord. If to love you is to agonize, I can bear it forever."
"But I cannot! How could I... How could I stay calm knowing that my love is in deep pain? You don't deserve such a kind of love."
"My lord..."
Stan held her cheek. "You deserve a flower that never withers. A crown that shines brighter than the sun. A ring that could keep promises. And a kiss that would make you live forever..."
After this line, the main characters were supposed to kiss. So Stan drifted his face closer to her. Elsie closed her eyes. Everything seemed so fast, and she didn't see it coming. She pressed her lips together in panic.
Instead of kissing her for real, Stan whispered, "Why is there a kissing scene in a high school drama? It's inappropriate. Someone must revise the script. Or maybe you like kissing an actor."
Elsie recovered from the shock and slapped his shoulder. "There's no way!"
"You know what I think? You should run as the campus president!" she said.
"What? Where did that idea come from?"
"You know... As I looked at you, I realized you have the potential."
Stan sat in the seat.
"I get your point, but I'm not into immense responsibilities. I can help the president plan for a better future. But it's not my type to lead an entire school. I'd rather focus on a smaller scale where changes are possible and visible. Small things can make a vast difference, and that's what I like about being beneath. No one watches you. So you can do your job without pressure."
Elsie crossed her arms. "If you listen to yourself right now, you already sound like a president. Come on, Stan! We need you!"
Stan shook his head. "It will take a while to persuade me."
"Then the game is on!"