"Okay, everyone seems to be present. Still, you guys are real excited for this election aren't you? You're never this quiet during homeroom."
Our homeroom teacher Ms. Bell is kind of a fox if you're the kind of student who has teacher fantasies.
…
Well, I guess that's all of us then, haha!
Early to mid-thirties, gorgeous smile, curvy body, and of course, Nick's favorite, a cute pair of glasses.
"This is my favorite part of the week…"
For someone who absolutely despises "thots", he becomes an animal when it comes to her.
"Okay, since you're all so pumped for this, let's just get started. I've already seen the posters so I have an idea of whose going to run, but let's not skip the formalities."
She leans back into her chair and smiles.
"So if there's anyone you'd like to nominate…"
Before she could finish her sentence, a hand goes up into the air.
"Well aren't you excited? Yes? Let's hear it then."
"I nominate Jennifer Swift for Class President."
Momoka…
You think she's such a terrible person yet here you are, nominating her for the seat.
"Aww Momo, you're so sweet!"
Jennifer sounds as if she was completely taken off-guard by the nomination. Just how good is her acting?
"Okay, sure. Jennifer, why don't you come over in front of the classroom?'
"'Kaaay."
Like always, she strolls confidently toward the front of the classroom as if it were just another day in the office for her.
That unshakeable determination is hard not to fear. This woman was made for things like this.
A monster in human flesh. It's hard to describe her as anything else.
"Okay. Anyone else?"
"Miss Bell!"
Nick immediately raises his hand.
He has a bit of a stern look on his face. He doesn't seem like the same jokester who tried to pull a whoopee cushion prank a few days ago.
"Uh, yes Nicholas?"
She seems taken aback by his sudden yell, but he stands up without letting it bother him. Or maybe he's just that dense?
"I would like to nominate someone who I believe is worthy of bearing the responsibility of overseeing this classroom."
"Uhuh, and who's that?"
"He's the hero Sunchester High deserves. The man who will save us from the dastardly feminist agenda and deliver us into a land of true equality."
Uh, dude… is that really how you're going to introduce me?
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Fear not! For he has come! Introducing… the greatest man in this classroom, Chase Masters!"
"…"
I pinch the bridge of my nose in disappointment.
"Couldn't you have just nominated me normally?"
"What are you talking about, dude? This is your grand entrance! Go up there and show them who you really are!"
Who I really am, huh?
After everything that's happened so far, I can't help but wonder who that person is.
This whole situation would have terrified me a week ago. Why on earth do I have to embarrass myself by running against the most popular freshman girl?
But…
Now that I've seen her true self, I don't think I have a choice.
My home, the SF club is in danger.
And most of all, I can't let her get away with bad-talking Scarlet like that.
I smile at Nick, and begin mouthing my response.
"You can't run for this seat."
The voice didn't come from me.
Rather, it came from the front of the classroom.
Meaning it was the opposing candidate who had spoken.
"Why not?"
The one who asked her wasn't me, but Nick.
"What, you should know better than anyone else Nicholas. Everyone who's had a class with Chase in the past week should know that he's been skipping a crazy amount recently. Do we really think that someone like that is okay as our class president? It's a joke."
Miss Bell's eyes narrow in on me.
"Chase, is this true?"
"Y-yeah…"
At my confirmation, she looks down at her desk to ponder for a moment.
"Hmm."
It's apparent that she's carefully considering Jennifer's words.
Certainly, someone with such a bad track record should not be the class president.
I don't think there's much of a debate to be had there.
And apparently, she's come to that conclusion too.
"Well, in that case then I don't think…"
"Ohh? It's a joke, is it Jennifer?"
Nick's voice sliced through Miss Bell's sentence.
It was a strong, firm question aimed to shake the entire foundation of her argument.
"What? Do you have something to say?"
"It's not about what I have to say, it's about what you and the rest of the sheep in this classroom aren't saying."
"Huh? What are you going on about now? I'm sure whatever it is has nothing to do with him skipping."
"Really? So all the phony rumors going around about him are irrelevant? The bullying he was afraid of that caused him to skip classes in the first place is irrelevant? Face it. You and everyone else in here basically cornered him into skipping class. There's no reason he should feel so unwelcomed in his own homeroom, and yet you've managed to turn the entire class against him by accusing him of being some kind of delinquent."
"Wait, what's this about bullying?"
Nick's counterpoint seems to awoken something in Miss Bell.
As a teacher, it's hard to overlook something like bullying going on in the classroom.
"No, Chase is the bully here. Or what, are you going to believe the lies he forced Scarlet to give during her interview with the Newspaper club?"
The room is immediately filled with murmurs.
"Is that true?"
"So that interview was all just a hoax?"
"Wow, poor Scarlet. I can't believe she was forced to say all of that."
…
What color is this girl's blood…?
Are you for really going to call everything Scarlet said a lie?
You're this hell bent on deceiving everyone just to get what you want?
After she put her pride aside to talk about such personal things…
"…"
Possibly sensing her advantage, Jennifer takes the opportunity to approach the still standing Nick.
"You know, I'm not quite convinced that you're not being bullied into nominating him either."
"Are you being serious right now?"
"Of course I am. I heard the two of you got into a fight last week at lunch. Isn't that because he wanted to silence you for trying to go against his plans?"
"What..? No, I… I was the one who fought him."
At his confusion, Jennifer grins.
"Really? So you started the fight and poor Chase was just defending himself?"
"… You sound unconvinced."
"Of course I am. Chase is a delinquent who lives in the slums, and he was still your friend before you even learned that. How is anyone supposed to believe that a little nerd like you would ever start a fight with…"
No one.
No one saw it coming.
The thought that something like that would happen at that time—
In the middle of a classroom—
With plenty of students and a teacher present—
It was impossible.
And yet…
Despite their preconceived notions—
Despite the unspoken rule that we as men were forced to follow—
His fist went soaring through the air.
"Ghhh!"
Thump.
And Jennifer Swift hit the ground.
After the impact, the room went quiet.
Like a silent film.
I don't blame them.
It took me a few moments to even process what I'd just seen.
Am I dreaming?
No.
This is reality.
And everyone slowly came to that realization as well.
And yet…
No one said a word.
No one dared to speak up after witnessing the scene before their eyes.
No one.
Except for Nicholas Albert.
"You must really think I'm one of your shitty fanboys, huh?
His words echoed through the classroom.
The words betrayed the unjust thing he had just done.
As if he were confident that he hadn't done anything wrong.
"Friend, foe, man, woman, delinquent, nerd. I don't give a shit about any of that."
He pulls his fist back to his side.
"My fury doesn't discriminate."
A chair drags violently in the distance.
"Nicholas Albert! Principal's office! Right this instant!"
"Tch."
Miss Bell's voice seems to put a stop to Nick's words. He puts his hands in his pocket and walks off toward the door without saying so much as another word.
He doesn't say anything else.
It seems like even he is forced to acknowledge that staying here any longer would just make a terrible situation worse.
"Jen, are you okay?!"
Two female classmates hurry to her side to check on her as she lies out flat on the floor.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
She rubs her cheek.
"Jennifer, if you're not feeling well then we can just postpone the…"
"No Miss Bell, I'm fine. I promise."
After taking a moment to find her bearings, Jennifer pulls herself up to her feet.
Getting hit in the face like that definitely surprised her. No one would be able to predict something like that.
"What a dickhead… Who hits a girl like that?"
"Yeah, totally. I hope he gets expelled."
The two girls mutter among themselves as they head back over to their assigned seats.
"Well, if that's how you feel then… will you be able to walk back to the front of the classroom?"
She nods her head and does so without any trouble.
Doesn't look like she's that shaken up about it, but it must hurt like hell.
I would know too…
Miss Bell confirms that she's walking okay, then turns to face me.
"What are you waiting for? Come on up."
"Huh? Me?"
"What? You don't want to anymore?"
"I mean I do, but…"
Before I can finish my response, something, perhaps an elbow, pokes at my side.
"Sig?"
His face doesn't seem as excited as usual.
"Don't… let Nick's sacrifice be for nothing, man…"
"His sacrifice…?"
"Why do you think he hit her, dude? He's gonna get expelled for nothing if you don't win this!"
"I, I don't…"
Wait. Did he…
Did he hit her to prove to Miss Bell how violent he is?
…
That's stupid!
That's so stupid!
And yet, it's not unlike Nick at all.
That kind of rash, straightforward way of thinking is very much a part of him.
It might have been the only way to get past her defenses.
"Please…"
He clenches his fists.
"Go, Chase-dono. Do it for our fallen nakama…"
"Sig…"
"Believe in yourself, dude… And if you can't do that, then believe in me. Believe in the "me" who believes in you."
The two of them really want me to win, huh?
No, it's not just them.
Scarlet too.
All of them have done so much for me to get this far.
I can't get cold feet now.
"Yeah, you're right…"
There's nothing left to do but win.
I rise from my seat then walk to the front of the class.
There's a lot of eyes on me.
But that doesn't matter.
It might have been crazy, but Nick sacrificed himself for me in the only way he knew how.
Once I arrive, Jennifer looks over at me with a scornful gaze.
"You would have been better off just staying seated."
"Nah, I can't let someone like you screw the school over."
"Funny, coming from the friend of a woman-beater."
"You can play that card if you want. But if you think you'll win because of it then we've already got you in checkmate."
She rolls her eyes.
Okay, now it's time for us to begin.
The speech that I worked so hard on for the past few days…
Let's see how it'll do against whatever Jennifer has in store for me.