OUR adviser told us that before we ended this school year, we need to select our student council committee. Now that we are already sophomores, we could finally joined in the election and even participate in the campaign... If ever that we wanted to join.
“Nat, would you like to join in the student council?” I asked to Nathan, while laying down on his bed.
We are now in his room, just came home from school. Nathan is playing some video games on his computer, while I’m currently laying down on his bed doing apparently nothing at all.
He looked at me after he heard my statement, before chuckling like what I’ve just told him is a crazy idea.
“What?” I asked, confusedly.
“Are you insane? Why would I like to join in the student council? I mean, being a member means having a huge responsibility...”
“Not when you have someone to help you,” I stated, flashing a devilish grin over his direction.
“And what exactly are you proposing? Do you want to be a part of our student council?”
I gulped, before looking up, thinking for a moment. I mean, being a part of the student council in Jackson High wasn’t so bad at all, I guess. And if ever that I’ve been elected as a member, I will propose a project that could lessen the bullies in our school... In that way, no other students like me will have to stick to their manual... Or any rules at all.
“Maybe... I’m not sure, yet. And I wouldn’t win even if I did try it. I just wanted to experience it, Nat.”
“Then why don’t you try and run for the position of president?”
“I don’t want to be a president!” I exclaimed. “I just wanted to be a member, not a leader. The only problem was, no party list will ever get me...”
I sighed. If Nathan doesn’t want to participate, I couldn’t too. Because I know that no party list will ever include me in their candidates. And besides, I’ve heard that Freeda will run as the president of our school so I wasn’t planning on running against her for that chosen position.
“Then let us build our own party list... No one wants to fight Freeda, so I guess we will have to try,” Nathan stated, making my eyes widen.
“Really?! Thank you, Nat! I love you so much!”
I run over him to give him a tight hug. I felt him stiffened, so I looked up, badly wanted to know what is his reaction. He’s currently blushing, and I don’t know why. And then I realized something. Maybe because of the fact that I told him those forbidden phrase... Even I got instantly blushed after realizing what I just did. I moved away, smiling at him sheepishly.
“Sorry...” I stated.
He avoided my eyes before he averted it back to his computer. He continued the paused game before yawning, and I grabbed that as an excuse that I need to go home right now.
“Hey, I think you’re already tired. I’m gonna head home right now,” I stated.
He turned his gaze upon me, looking like he doesn’t want me to go yet. But I knew he couldn’t say anything right after those weird moments happened earlier.
“S-Sure,” he muttered under his breath, sounding disappointed. “Do you want me to walk you home?” he offered.
“No, no. I’m fine. Just go and get some sleep. You look tired, Nat. I’ll just see at you at school tomorrow, okay?”
“Alright, then. About the election... Never mind. Let’s talk about that tomorrow.”
“Sure...”
I smiled at him and gladly, he returned the favor. He walked me towards the exit of his room before giving me an awkward hug as a sign of farewell. I waved, before walking away towards the stairs. As I climbed down, I saw Aunt Jessica, and she gratefully greeted me with a wide smile plastered upon her face.
“Hi, Nat. You’re here. Going home too early? Do you want to have a dinner with us?”
“Thanks, Aunt Jessica. But no, thank you. Mom doesn’t have some company in the house. Maybe next time,” I explained.
“Sure! Take care then, sweetie.”
She gave me a forehead kiss before letting me go outside. I smiled to myself, thinking how lucky I am for Mom have the best friend she could ever had with Aunt Jessica by her side.
As I went home, I helped my Mom prepared dinner before we ate, then sleep as usual. It became a habit of us to go straight onto our beds right after dinner without watching any television shows or anything. That was pretty much our evening routine.
The next day, as always, I walked straight to the school Cafeteria for that is where Scott and Nathan probably stay during the mornings. That part of our school became our meeting place, actually. In the morning, in the lunch, and sometimes even after our afternoon classes.
“Oh, here’s Natalia,” Scott stated, patting the seat next to him.
I was about to sit down right there when Nathan pulled my hands to make me sit beside him instead. Scott chuckled, and I just smiled to myself.
“Too possessive, eh?” Scott teased, and Nathan glared at him.
“So, back to where I was talking about five seconds ago... Natalia wanted to participate in the student council of Jackson High,” Nathan said, ignoring the past few moments earlier.
“Really? I didn’t know that you have a leader side, Nat...” It was Scott, taking a sip from his drink.
“Nope, that’s not what it is. You know, I just wanted to try,” I briefly explained.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking in becoming a vice president... Though nobody wants me to be their right hand so I guess I just have to keep it to myself then.”
“Really, Scott? I mean, that was amazing... I wanted to be the secretary, I guess...”
“Then why wouldn’t we build our own party list?” he exclaimed, making me clapped my hands in delight.
“That’s great!”
“Hey, did Scott just stole my idea?” It was Nathan, looking at us confusedly as Scott and I do a high five.
“What? Of course not. Natalia and I thought about that just now. And even so...” Scott looked back at my direction. “We couldn’t do it if we don’t have a president...”
Scott and I looked at each other before we averted our eyes towards Nathan, who’s brows were almost touching right now because of annoyance. Probably Scott and I are both thinking about the same thing at this moment. Nathan still looked so pissed, though when he realized why are we looking at his direction, his eyes widen before reacting pretty badly.
“What? No, no, no, no. I mean, we could make our own party list but I’m not saying that I should run for the presidency...”
“Oh come on, Nathan. It’s for Natalia and my dream... Do you want to let us down just like that? You are our last and only hope...”
Scott pouted his lips towards Nathan while doing a puppy eyes. I giggled, seeing the way how he convince Nathan.
“Please?” Scott pleaded.
“No. You wouldn’t get my approval by just doing that disgusting thing,” Nathan stated, almost laughing.
Now it’s my time to shine. I reached out for his hands, squeezing it gently before doing Scott’s strategy. I fluttered my eyelashes and pouted my lips. Nathan groaned, seeing what I’m doing.
“Please, Nat? Please...” I pleaded.
“Hey, that wasn’t fair!” he complained.
“Please...” I pleaded once more.
“Fine!” Again, he groaned.
Scott and I laughed once again before doing another high five. Nathan shook his head, before the bell rings. He stood up, walking away. I followed him for we have the same classes together. But before that, I waved to Scott, and he saluted as a sign of a response.
“Hey, Nat! Wait for me!”
I ran after him, and that is how we spent our morning. When lunch came by, Scott, Nathan, and I meet up at the Cafeteria again to talk about the student council... And how to build our own party list. We decided to sign up our candidacy form later after classes before we went home.
Hours passed by so fast and just before I knew it, we are already in front of the student council’s office, listing our party list name and what position do we want to sign up to.
“I’m done,” I stated, right after signing up mine.
Scott raised his form too, showing his signature at the top of his name. After passing our forms, we went to Nathan’s seat, watching him fill up his own while still looking hesitant about this.
“Come on, Nat. Please sign it up.”
“Fine, fine.”
As his pen wrote on that white sheet of paper, Scott and I jumped up and down out of excitement. Nathan just shook his head while smiling to himself, maybe wondering why is he even friends with crazy people like Scott and I.
After passing his form, Scott thanked Nathan by giving him one of those half hugs. He then started to walked away, leaving the both of us behind. When I made sure that he wasn’t looking anymore, I tiptoed to reach Nathan’s face before giving him a quick but gentle kiss on his cheeks.
“Thank you so much, Nat,” I stated, looking up at his blushing face.
I started to follow Scott’s pathway, before I felt something weird in my stomach. The butterflies, I guess. I just smiled to myself, thinking what more I made Nathan feels exactly five seconds ago. I guess we are now an official candidates for the members of Jackson High’s student council next year.