With everything that had gone on the last few days I had totally forgotten Everleigh’s offer on joining the student council. The prestigious student council, or rather, the council which didn’t really do anything of importance, except helping teachers with daily stuff. You see, student council’s tend to get glorified as the place for only the elite students, a place for the select few. Whilst the last part admittedly was correct, I couldn’t understand why people wanted to join it. Maybe that actually was a good thing about our school—the students didn’t glorify the council. And then lunch break came, and I walked in a fast tempo, excited, towards the council’s office. The door was open when I arrived, and only one person was still in the office, the president. She sat crossed-legged on a cushioned chair and looked at me with an angry face.

"The sole presence of you here makes me shiver. Perhaps the things you are exuding are nothing but stupidness?"

"What do you mean, Ms. President?"

"Perhaps a course in linguistics would suit you well. You see, Mr. Ethan Coombe, you're nothing but a failure."

"Humph. Is that so?"

"I believe I was quite clear in my explanation, Ethan. Going anymore light-hearted would result in a speech not so far from yours."

"You sure are a meanie, Ms. Everleigh."

"Mean? I believe my choice of speech to you perfectly reflects your social status."

What does my social status have to do with this?

"Besides, the word ‘meanie’ should be taken as a compliment from the likes of you. You see, in the powerful world of vocabulary we put together simple formulas that say: If one person's IQ ranges below the average of 97. That person's insults should be taken as compliments, and vice versa."

Yeah sure.

“I’ve decided to say yes to your offer, Everleigh.”

“My offer? I don’t recall what I offered you, Ethan. It must have been something really bad, I couldn’t see me give you any good offers.”

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“That depends on what you’re going to have me do, doesn’t it?”

She stood up and walked towards the window. There she grabbed a compass which was neatly placed together with a bunch of other writing tools, like a selection of coloured pencils.

“You know,” she said and pointed the compass against me. “You will do terrifying things if you decide to join.” She walked closer with the compass in her hand, pointing the sharp tip against my face.

“And what’s ‘terrifying’ according to you? It can’t be much worse than walking up and down the stairs with a pile of computers in my hands, can it?”

She chuckled and put the compass down on the window sill again.

“If that is your biggest fear of being one of us, then may I suggest a week in rehab? If you want to join the council you’ll have to make sacrifices.”

This is exactly what I meant. This girl, Everleigh... She thought she had so much authority, it’s crazy even looking at her. What would’ve happened if I’d provoke her when she held that compass in her hand? Who knows what terrible things she could do with that compass?

“You and Lydia seem to be good friends, how did that happen? I don’t recall seeing you much together before last week.”

“And what authority do you have to ask something private like that? You’ve got an ulterior motive, haven’t you?”

“I wish I could say no. But the truth is that I need to know if you’re fit for this position after all. The way I was giving away this position to you at our earlier little chat was nothing but in pity for you.”

Do you actually have to disclose such a sad fact?

She’d taken the compass from the sill again, and was now terrifyingly close. The sharp tip was closing in on my precious left eye. The sunlight bouncing off the metal gave me goosebumps of what was about to happen.

“Say, if you would suddenly suffer in a bad accident. Perhaps, lose your sight? Would you still join the council? Even in the scenario where I was to blame. You see, my actions as council president are nothing but easy. It gives me the power to control everyone at this school, including the teachers. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, can stand against our collective driven force. If you wish to be part of that force Ethan, sacrifices have to be made. Devotion is key, it’s your helping hand, it’s in your greatest interest. Do you understand, Ethan Coombe?”

“Roger.”

“Then leave, I’ll disclose further information as you progress through this job. Also, if I deem you incompetent—there’s always a door you can leave through.”

“R-right, thank you,” I said and left the council’s office. At this school we didn’t really elect anyone other than the council president, the reason being that no one really wanted to be at the council. But I was an exception, I was joining the council.