You'd think after all that's happened on day one, I'd have had enough of school… and you're right.
I woke up this morning with absolutely no desire to go to school. I DUN WANNA!
You'd think with all that Alpha blood, I would have just roared angrily and stayed in my room. Actually, that had never even occurred to me. So here I was, in school, feeling rather unfortunate for myself.
But since I'm here, I might as well pour tea on the daily school news. We had just finished homeroom and there was already news:
ELENA IS STILL HERE
Elena was in class before me. I only remembered when I saw her that she had meant to transfer to that girls' school I can't remember the name of.
She didn't look happy to be here, but hey, it's school. I didn't want to be here either. If you remember, I DUN WANNA. But here we were.
"What happened to the school transfer?" I asked against my better judgment.
"My mum couldn't get me a place," she answered.
"Oh well," I said. "Guess you're stuck here with me."
Elena didn't look comforted. In fact, I'm quite sure she despised me. Which, yes, was a strong feeling — that's why I noticed.
Was it because I wrote my name in capital letters too?
Even though she didn't transfer schools, our friendship didn't last more than a day. Oh well.
LIAM IS OFFICIALLY THE MOST POPULAR BOY IN CLASS
It was now official.
Today at homeroom, after giving us a whole first day to get to know everyone, our form teacher, Mrs. Henderson, decided we were ready to choose our own class chairman.
She gave a short speech about how this would be the person to represent and lead our class, and how we should choose wisely. We should ask ourselves if he was responsible, trustworthy… and a host of other questions a single day in a shared classroom could never have shed light upon.
Then she explained the election process.
Basically, anyone could nominate someone for the position. And if another person could "second" the nomination, the nominee would be eligible for election, which would be a class-wide voting process…anyway, it sounded like a long process when she explained it.
Once the explanations were done though, everything happened very quickly.
Jasmine raised her hand and recommended, "Liam!"
Mrs. Henderson got Liam to stand up. She asked if anyone would second Jasmine's recommendation.
All the boys in the class raised their hands and yelled in triumph.
Apparently, Liam hadn't just posed like a statue all of yesterday. I'm no pageant expert, but this kind of popularity took more than good looks.
Mrs. Henderson sensibly decided to skip the voting process for Liam. I think it's obvious that most of the guys in the class thought that's how the election worked anyway.
Liam stepped up to the front of the class.
"Now we need a vice chair to help Liam," Mrs. Henderson continued.
"Samantha," Liam said from the front of the class.
What?
He gave me a lazy smile, but I didn't return it.
"Samantha, please stand up. Is there anyone who'd like to second Samantha as vice chair?" Mrs. Henderson asked.
I stood up. The class went quiet.
Then Jasmine raised her hand and said softly, "I'll second it."
"No," I protested. I didn't want to do all this homework collection and class-management crap. "I nominate Marcus." (Sorry, Marcus.)
"The vice has to be a girl," Jasmine informed me.
What?
Mrs. Henderson nodded in agreement, and I heard Marcus release a relieved sigh.
I wanted to flip the desk behind me onto his lap, but of course I didn't — but only because I had self-control.
This was sexist and stupid. But I didn't have time to rant. I needed to think on my feet and get myself out of this predicament pronto.
I considered Maria and imagined her using mind control to get all the homework collected efficiently.
"I nominate Jasmine." Maria's clear, glassy voice cut the silence.
Jasmine stood up without being told. Some girls I didn't recognize in the classroom seconded that.
Considering I hadn't spoken to anyone in my class other than four wolves, a vampire, and a human who despised me, I felt sure this would be Jasmine's win.
Jasmine looked at me apologetically.
I felt bad that she would have to be stuck with the extra trouble.
And then Elena raised her hand and nominated Arlene.
Arlene stood up and smiled. It was a beautiful smile.
The boys raised their hands and yelled their votes.
Okay. I sat down. I didn't hide my relief.
Marcus was chuckling behind me, but I was too glad to feel like causing him any pain for it.
Jasmine sat down in front of me. I couldn't help but notice her shoulders dropping as she looked down at her desk.
Liam was still standing there, posed like a magazine ad for jeans, his usual half-smile in place. I was beginning to recognize Liam's social mask now.
Arlene walked up to stand next to him. When he winked at her, she smiled and fluttered her lashes before shuffling a little closer.
Mrs. Henderson announced our class chair and vice chair. It sounded like she was expecting cheers or more triumphant yelling, at least from the boys. But it didn't happen. Some of the students clapped politely.
Most of the boys, now seeing the beautiful human of their dreams leaning next to Liam—aka Prince of Popularity—had just realized they had sabotaged their own chances with Arlene. I suppose it was vice versa for the girls, but they hid their emotions better.
I was just relieved I escaped it. Jasmine was very still and quiet in front of me. I looked away because I didn't want to intrude.
Mrs. Henderson sent Liam and Arlene back to their seats.
Since the election process ended early (I mean, we did skip the main part of it — thank goddess for the yelling idiots in our class), we got a free study period. Mrs. Henderson didn't stick around. Tasking Liam and Arlene to keep the class in order, she conveniently left to finish some marking work in the staff room.
I heard Henry mutter his relief: "This will do."
I realized the election would have been unsettling for him, since he couldn't control the results. An Alpha's need for control was funny like that.
He sounded pleased when he spoke to Liam. "Good work, Liam. I'll leave the class to you."
Liam nodded in understanding and sat down.
It didn't take a genius to get it. Liam's job now was to keep the teachers and students out of Henry's hair. Hahaha. Oh, the price of popularity!
The class got rowdy, and the boys were yelling again, "Liam, let's go play some football!"
Naturally, Liam went with them. The class was now emptier but noisier too.
This suited Henry just fine. He left the class with Marcus.
Jasmine went over to talk with the group of girls who seconded her. They were unhappy that Arlene was vice.
Elena was standing next to Arlene's desk. Arlene looked bashful, surrounded by a small circle of admirers. Elena was just hovering next to her with an expression I couldn't place.
I felt like Elena wanted something, but what she could possibly get from where she stood, I couldn't tell. Perhaps it was a human thing.
Maria left the classroom, pausing to look at me at the door. I ignored her.
I felt her try to mindlink me. I shut her out and took out a book to read. She gave up and left.
I sensed her presence moving away from the class from behind the wall. It seems like I'm getting good at tracking vampires. I could even sense them through a brick wall now.
When she was truly gone, I looked back at my book. I had brought it for the long train ride and was in the middle of something exciting when I had to alight at Winderhill.
I was happy because now I got a full half hour of uninterrupted reading. How did Henry put it again? This will do.