We ate our sandwiches in peace and quiet as we watched the schoolyard from the inside of the cozy French resto. Not really saying much to one another, just enjoying the company.
That all came to an abrupt end when my phone started vibrating on the table in front of me. From the three short buzzes it had buzzed I could tell it was a message.
I put my sandwich down and took my phone into my hand. It was a message from Pres. “Oh, it’s from Pres.” I tapped the screen on my phone to unlock it.
“Isn’t she in the middle of her tea party now?” Em asked.
“Should be.” I opened the message and read the contents out loud. “Hey Aurora, sorry to ask this of you, but could you come over to the student council room for a little bit? I need your help with something.”
“Oh? Pres needs help?” Ria put down her sandwich for a little bit too, even though she had almost completely finished it already.
“Hmm, apparently so.” I nodded. “Should I go? I want to but I don’t want to leave you two alone…”
“Of course you should go.” Em quickly replied with a smile. “We can handle ourselves on our own for a bit. Go see what’s up.”
“Yeah, you should definitely go!” Ria supported Em’s reply. “Otherwise Pres will be very disappointed in you.” She smirked.
I rolled my eyes and smiled back. “No she wouldn’t. It’s Pres we are talking about, she’s always disappointed in me.” I joked back.
Ria chuckled. “Can I have the rest of your sandwich if you head off? Or do you still want to eat it?”
“You can have it. It’s not like I can get hungry anyway. Thirsty however…” I winked.
Ria started blushing and shyly pulled the sandwich towards herself.
Please don’t get too thirsty while you are away.” Em continued.
“I’ll try.” Just to be clear about it, I had drunk my fill this morning so I wasn’t going to get thirsty any time soon.
“See you at Diplo then?”
“Or sooner, depending on what she needs me for.” I gave both of my girlfriends a kiss on the cheek. “Ciao belle signore.”
“Auro, this is the French resto.”
“Darnit.” We all chuckled but as not to delay Pres too long I took my leave shortly after that.
I messaged Pres that I was on my way to the Student Council room although it took me a little bit to remind myself where the heck that room was again. I probably should have asked Em before I left but it was too late now and turning back would only be embarrassing. In the end I remembered that the Student Council Room was in the same building where the Student Admin office was situated where I had gone to get my uniform replaced. I suppose it made sense as one of the oldest, and also fanciest, buildings on the school grounds.
When I entered the building I felt a bit out of place considering this wasn’t generally an area where students were meant to be during the breaks, at least not ‘normal students’ like I was. As I hesitated a bit before moving on through the building, I didn’t make it to the staircase before a lady called out to me from the side.
“Excuse me, you are Aurora Beaumont, aren’t you?” I didn’t immediately put a name next to the voice I was hearing, but the moment I turned around I realized it was the Director who was speaking to me. I had only seen her once before during a speech at the start of the school year, but her brown bob cut was quite recognizable. At least recognizable enough for my memory. Plus the marble statue of her ancestor stood right next to me and she kind of looked like her too, to be honest. She was wearing a navy blue one-button blazer with matching pants with black heels underneath. On the right side of her blazer she had a silver pin with the school’s crest nicely depicted on it. She looked pretty smartly dressed and the blazer also accentuated that she was quite fit too.
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I gave her a respectful bow. “Yes I am, Miss Von Schengen.”
She approached me with a gentle smile. “I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries but it seems congratulations are in order, aren’t they? I read you got adopted by a noble family.”
“I did, yes.” I nodded politely in return.
“Adoption is quite a big milestone. I hope you are processing it well. From your grades it at least seems that you are doing more than fine.” I was surprised to hear the Director knew my personal file that well.
"Definitely. My mother has been really nice to me.”
Miss Von Schengen smiled and gave me another nod. “That’s good to hear. But if something comes up and you want to talk to someone about it, don’t hesitate to talk to the school doctor, alright?”
I smiled back. “I know, but thanks anyway.”
Miss Von Schengen bowed at my thanks and gestured. “Please don’t let me keep you. I take it you are not here to visit the administrative office?”
“No, uhh, I’m here for the Student Council. Pres… uh, I mean,...” I had been calling Pres by her nickname for so long that my brain couldn’t immediately recall her actual name. “Our class president texted me that she needed help with something… The Student Council room is upstairs, right?”
Director Von Schengen looked amused at my little correction but nodded anyway. “It is, it’s the room directly overlooking the building’s entrance. Basically the first room you run into once you take the stairs.”
“Thank you.” I nodded politely once more.
“No problem. Have a nice day.” She smiled and waited for me to leave.
Which I promptly did. “You too, ma’am.”
I walked up the staircase, leaving the Director in my wake. Arriving at the landing it became obvious where I needed to head next, it was clear that even without directions from the director that I would have found it rather easily on my own as the sign above the double door clearly mentioned ‘Student Council’ in gold lettering.
I knocked on the door and waited for a couple of seconds before the door was finally opened in front of me. It was a brunette, just a little shorter than me who opened the door for me. Her hair was tied in a middle-long ponytail with braid.
“Welcome to the Student Council. Who might you be?” She smiled.
“I’m Aurora Beaumont, my class president asked for help and that’s why I’m here.”
“And what help did she need exactly?” The girl asked.
I shrugged. “I didn’t exactly ask. She needed help, I’m here. Simple as that, really. Isn’t she here?”
The girl smiled again and looked back into the room. “Milli, it looks like you were right.” She then opened the door some more to reveal a room with 5 more people, one of whom was Pres who looked a tad exasperated.
“Could you please let Aurora come in, President.” Pres sighed. “And can I have my phone back too?”
“Of course.” The girl standing in front of me walked back to Pres and gave President the phone that had been stored in the pocket of her uniform jacket.
The entire situation left me incredibly confused.
“Please do come in, Miss Aurora.” The President beckoned me over. “Do close the door though, it’s still a bit chilly outside.
I squinted a little, not really trusting the situation but I did as she asked, closing the door behind me. “Could someone explain what is going on?”
“I’m sorry, Aurora, the President wanted to play a game…” Pres rubbed her forehead.
“Game?”
“A test would be more accurate.” The actual President remarked.
“Do you remember when I said that today people could show their interest in becoming the next Student Council President?”
I nodded. “My memory isn’t that terrible.”
“Well, President Cornwallis wanted to test those who showed interest and the first test was a test of loyalty.”
“And she succeeded with flying colors thanks to you.” The President smiled.
“So you didn’t actually need me to help with something?”
Before Pres could say anything, President Cornwallis stepped in again. “Yes and no. After she declared her interest I took her phone and asked her to name a single person who I would send a vague message of help to. She named you and that’s how we got here.”
“Did she just take your phone like that, Pres?” I asked.
Pres nodded, slightly ashamed. “She is faster than she looks.”
“I see.”
“My apologies for pulling you into this weird situation.”
“Don’t worry too much about it.” I winked. “But I don’t really see how this is such a show of loyalty.
“I don’t know either but that’s just the President’s little games I guess.” Pres replied.
President Cornwallis just kept smiling at us as we were talking about her. “Now that you are here, feel free to have a little bit of cake.”
Pres leaned in and whispered. “And take some of it back with you as an apology to Corelia and Emma, okay?”
-They will very much appreciate that.-