Miss Bell decided that since Jennifer was nominated first, she should also be the first to give her speech.
She moved her chair over to the front of the class room so that I could take a seat during the speech and ended up sitting next to Scarlet in Jennifer's usual seat.
As the focus of everyone's attention, Jennifer is now standing to face our classmates.
"I didn't really prepare anything special for this speech so, I'll be talking from the heart here."
She doesn't seem to have any paper so at the very least she might really be talking off the top of her head, but…
Is she underestimating me? Or does she really think her clout is enough to win?
"I guess I'll start off by saying that… Sunchester High is a great school, and my time as a part of homeroom 103, though short, has been one of the most wholesome classroom experiences I've had in my lifetime. Everyone has been so kind to me since I've enrolled. I really can't thank each and every single one of you enough for the support. Seriously, you're all great."
I gulp.
Her words are smooth.
There isn't a single inarticulate in her sentence.
Her pauses are there.
Everything is so eloquently put that it feels like I'm watching a movie.
That she's giving a speech of this level without any preparation just goes to show how ready she is.
"But I need to be frank here. Issues are eventually going to come up within our classroom. Whether it's due to class activities or student disagreements, we're all going to run into roadblocks along the way. And to get over these together, as a single group, what we'll need is a firm leader. Someone who can handle things when they get tough, someone who won't cower or run away whenever things don't go their way."
"…"
"I've never backed down from anything in my life. I'm the kind of person who faces problems head on until I think they're dealt with. If you vote for me as class president, I promise to give you the commitment and tenacity that this great classroom deserves."
"If you're looking for other, more tangible reasons to vote for me, then I'll bring up my connections. I'm reasonably close with most of you inside of this room. I think that this makes me very approachable as someone who can listen to your complaints and queries. At least, I'd hope you guys felt that way… I love talking to you all whenever I get the chance to."
Wait…
If my gut feeling is correct then isn't she just weighing her good points against my bad ones?
She's doing it so subtly that I almost didn't notice, but when you think about it…
"I've also got contacts within the student body government, so if our class has a query then it'll be quite easy to take it up with them."
It's… it's really like this, huh?
"Sorry sorry, I know it sounds like I'm bragging so I won't talk about it too much. I'll just go over my last point then talk about why I decided to run. Um… So like, if you guys vote for me, then… I'll make it so we can get our own personal projector in the classroom. I don't mind buying one for you guys so it'd be as simple as running it through Miss Bell and then setting it up on the ceiling. We could use it for presentations, while having the benefit of watching shows on Netflix during our lunch breaks."
Wait, that's the same as our idea! Also, she's only suggesting that since she knows I can't afford to do it!
"I think it'd be a fun bonding experience for our class too. We don't really get to spend much time as class together, right? That's kinda sad to me. It's sad because I like you guys a lot. That's why I think I'd like you guys to vote for me, and not someone terrible who would condone things like promiscuity and violence against women."
"…"
"If you're thinking about voting for Chase, then please reconsider. He's done so many terrible things already and Scarlet's lies during the newspaper club interview should not be trusted. He is a manipulative monster who took advantage of poor Momo and tricked her into a physical relationship with him."
What?
"You can ask her yourself. Scarlet's interview really was just a hoax. Chase set the whole thing up. The truth is, he used Momo's shyness to get her to open up to him and they ended up kissing in that room."
"…"
"In fact, he almost tricked me too. Little did I know, it was so that he could run against me and use it as part of a smear campaign, but luckily Momo told me everything. Trust me when I say that I would normally never trust rumors as exaggerated as those, but after speaking with him first hand, it's plain as day that he is an evil, manipulative human being. I don't know why he hasn't been punished for all the things he's done, but at the very least, we can't let him get hold of a seat of power in our school. Please. Vote for me."
She bows.
"Thank you."
And for some reason, after her word of thanks…
The classroom erupts into clapping.
They loved it.
Her entire speech was a subtle and not-so-subtle ploy to demean my entire campaign through lies and direct comparisons, and they all loved it.
This feels really uncomfortable.
Why am I even sitting here when everyone just wants to watch me fail?
I've been feeling this for a while, but…
The truth is, I dislike the vast majority of people in this room.
Having Scarlet talk about her issues so openly like that just struck me as invasive.
It's unfair to have to explain yourself and justify everything you do just because someone else is spreading exaggerated lies about you.
My life is my own.
If this is what being a public figure is, then I'll pass.
Ahh, screw this.
I wanna resign.
This class president election might not be worth it after all…
"…"
For some reason, my gaze turns to Scarlet.
"…"
Her eyes lock onto mine.
And…
She smiles at me.
In that smile, I don't sense a hint of unease.
No doubt, her expression tells me that she isn't the least bit nervous.
It's as if she's whispering into my ear.
"Don't worry, your speech can beat this."
"…"
Yeah, you're right.
I can't let everything we've done so far go to waste.
Screw her.
I'll beat that shitty speech.
I'm not alone here.
Scarlet gave it her all in that interview.
And Nick sacrificed everything to get me here.
That's why…
"Wow, good job Jennifer. Very nice speech. I'm impressed!"
"Thanks, Miss Bell."
She smiles, then turns to walk over to me.
Well, it makes sense that things would seem this grim.
We never planned on coming into this as the favorite.
But, yeah.
Having Scarlet, Nick and Sig stand behind me like this feels empowering.
It almost feels like I can take on the world itself.
Jennifer stops before me, still donning her smile.
"Do you get it now? You won't ever beat me in a popularity contest. Everyone here loves me, and despises you and everything you stand for. And once you lose, your reputation is going to be even worse than before."
She's right.
She's definitely right, but…
"That's only assuming I lose."
With those words, I get up from the seat with my notebook in hand.
Okay, this shouldn't be too hard.
It doesn't matter that they only want me to fail. I've practiced this speech a thousand times in front of Chloe's mirror.
I can do this.
Once I've arrived before the rest of the class, their intense gazes immediately focus onto me.
"…"
Nevermind, can I just forfeit?
Ahahaha…
"Before you begin Chase, I'm going to have to ask you to be very careful with what you say."
The warning came from Miss Bell.
It must have to do with Nick's outburst of violence earlier.
Well, I didn't plan on condoning it or anything, but…
Oh whatever.
It's just five lousy minutes of embarrassment out of my life.
Let's just get this over with.
"Ahem."
I glance over the words in my notebook, then turn my eyes back to my classmates.
If you think you're the only one who's good at being fake Jennifer, then I have news for you.
"Good morning, citizens of Gotham. The hero you all deserve is here at last."
"…"
I can see Scarlet rubbing her temple in the corner of my eye.
"Pfft…"
Behind me, however, Jennifer is giggling to herself over my ridiculous opening statement.
It's no surprise, it was partially aimed at her from the get-go after all.
She seems fond of those kinds of silly, deadpan gags.
"Um… first of all, I'd like to apologize for Nick's outburst of violence. It was in poor taste and, regardless of how he felt at the time, he was undoubtedly wrong. Jennifer is an amazing person and did not deserve to have to go through that. Uh, I sincerely hope that he's punished properly by the principal."
My ass. She totally deserved it.
"Umm, anyway. Let's get back to the campaign. Sooo… why should any of you vote for me? As far as you're all concerned, I'm some lying, cheating, womanizing scumbag from the slums. A delinquent who does not deserve to even be at this school, let alone be your class president. And to that I'd say, you're right. If we're going solely off of the rumors, I should probably have faced some form of punishment by now. And yet, I have not. In fact, the only 'punishment' I've faced was at the hands of my fellow classmates, who rigged a game of dodge ball to try and inflict harm onto me."
I feel their gazes grow colder in the crowd. Calling them out directly like this would have that kind of effect, I suppose.
"But don't worry. In your eyes, I deserved it. I'm not standing here to make you feel bad about it. I just wanted to correct the many misunderstandings you all have."
I take a deep breath.
"For one thing, Scarlet and I were never dating to begin with."
"What?!"
Murmuring erupted from the crowd of students before me, but the one who yelled out was Jennifer herself.
It's hardly surprising. All this time, she had just assumed that Scarlet had betrayed her expectations and found a man to love. Her perfect independent woman, someone who could share her feminist empire with her, had crumbled before her very eyes.
To hear that it was all a lie after all the things she's done must be a shock.
"Oh, yeah. The truth is, I was just supposed to be an accessory. She'd not only be able to claim that she did in fact have a boyfriend, but she would also have a convenient excuse to reject any guy who tried making a pass at her. It's perfect, right? And it really wasn't a big deal to me either, so naturally I went along with it."
Some things were, uh, embellished, but overall I think that got my point across.
"Now, doesn't that seem strange? Even in the event that Momoka and I DID kiss, then there'd be no reason to call it cheating, now would there? But even that is a misunderstanding. The two of us did not kiss. In fact, the reason we skipped class was because she was being harassed by a senior who had feelings for her, and she wanted to hide until the day was over. Scarlet went over this in her interview with the Newspaper Club."
"Wait."
The one who called out was Miss Bell.
"If that's the case, then Momoka could have just come to me."
Yeah, she could have. That is, if the reason she was scared that day wasn't because she basically assault him.
"I don't think Momoka wanted to get teachers involved. She's a kind person, and the senior, who I won't name, was just misunderstanding something. It was something she felt she needed to resolve, but she also needed the time to steel herself. Hence why I decided to take the time to help her out as someone who witnessed their interaction that day."
"Hmm… Okay. Continue."
Good, that should do it for the ground work.
Now onto the main course.
"Uh, I guess it's kinda hard to believe everything I'm saying. I mean, it goes against everything the rumors and Jennifer herself both have claimed so far. But I'm urging you all, please. Do not buy into these lies. There's a sophomore I met recently who went through something similar. His name is Jack Bourne, and he has a much worse reputation than I do thanks to similar rumors. He does make advances at women often, but I've recently come to realize that the rumors had put a completely different spin on it. They made it seem like he was taking advantage of these girls when he was simply having normal high school relationships with normal high school girls. Rumors like that could start up about anyone in this room. All it takes is making the wrong kind of enemy, and everyone's perception of you can change in an instant. And the worst part is, there's no 'proof' that you can offer to fix any of this. Because once the rumors start, that's that. People won't change the way they look at you anymore…"
I pause.
It's a powerful, deliberate pause.
But it's also necessary so that I can allow everything I've said so far to settle into the minds of my audience.
"Scarlet was actually the one who suggested I run for Class President. At first when she suggested it, I couldn't imagine why. The rumors had completely ruined my reputation, and yet she wanted me to embarrass myself by having me run against someone as amazing as Jennifer. You all might have thought I was an idiot for doing this, but to be honest, I actually wondered if I was suicidal at one point. I mean, you're putting me against Jennifer? Why don't you just expel me already?"
A few light chuckles bubble up from the silence of the room.
"Funny thing is, Scarlet really believed in me. She made it sound like I was this amazing human being who could make the impossible possible just by putting everything I had into it. So, I dunno… I guess I decided to not let her down. If this is all it takes to prove to everyone that I'm not such a bad person, then I'll do it. I'm sorry if this speech was a bit sappy or whatever, I just needed to get all of this out in the open so that there's no more misunderstandings. I think both Jennifer and Momoka are great people, it's just that the misunderstandings got far too out of hand and we all realized it. I'm sorry for any confusion that they may have caused. My only hope is that I do not die a villain, so that I may live long enough to see myself become a hero. Because if I don't, then high school truly is unfair."
I close the notebook.
That's about it for what I've written.
This is everything Scarlet and I went over this morning.
But…
If we leave things as is then even if they do sympathize with me, there's no real reason for any of them to actually give me their vote.
"As far as policies go, I only have one."
Scarlet's expression suddenly becomes more alert.
She realizes that I'm going off script here.
Sorry, but this is all necessary.
"Truth is, I do agree with Jennifer on something. We all need to come together and spend more time as a class. Unfortunately, due to my, uh, upbringing, I can't do anything fancy like buy a projector for us for movie time. However…"
And after uttering those words, a playful grin stretches across my face.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. I present to you, the change our classroom needs."
With a quick turn, I walk to the blackboard behind me and immediately begin writing with one of the pieces of chalk that was still resting on the hanging partition.
The sound of the chalk pressing against the board fills the room as their eyes are presumably focused on my writing with anticipation.
Once done, I set the chalk down then turn to face the class.
"Behold!"
There, bright and bold, are the words "Mixed-Gender P.E Classes" written clearly on the blackboard.
"My comrades, gym class is a time of physical and spiritual bonding. There isn't a single class that is more hands-on or intimate in comparison. So why? Why must we be segregated by gender? Isn't that just promoting a world where it's "us vs them" when it comes to guys and girls? Think about it! Guys, before last week, we always had so much fun during P.E didn't we? Wouldn't it be so much more enjoyable if the girls were also there to be a part of it?"
Imagine it, guys.
This proposition has nothing to do with gender equality or segregation.
This is about…
The girl's gym uniforms.
"Wouldn't you guys love to have Jennifer and the rest of the girls join in on all of the fun we have?!"
Jennifer in her gym uniform.
I know all of you degenerates love looking at her body with your disgusting gazes.
I know it because I too, couldn't resist it at some point.
But there's nothing wrong with that!
We're just teenage boys going through puberty!
We deserve to have these sights etched into our minds!
Jennifer Swift wearing gym shorts!
Jennifer Swift's boobs squeezed up against her gym shirt!
Use your imagination, guys!!
"I think it'd be a great time for everyone, don't you all agree?!"
An audible gulp echoes throughout the classroom.
Aha, someone took the bait.
They just imagined it.
Now, I just need to press on a little more…
"I won't deny that biologically, guys are a little better at physical activities after puberty, but that doesn't matter. P.E isn't about being the best, it's only about exerting our bodies! And if the girls can't keep up, then it's no problem. Maybe we, as guys, can help them out a little!"
A one-on-one training session with the girls in our class, while they're in their gym uniforms.
All this and more, can be yours.
And one lucky guy might even have the pleasure of getting a that alone time with Jennifer herself.
It's something that we could only dream of before today.
But if you vote for me, then this could become your reality.
"…"
They all look like they've made their decisions.
While the girls seem to be on the fence, the guys all have a relatively serious face.
Yeah.
That's right.
You're all men, so you know the real reason I'm proposing this idea, don't you?
"I truly believe that this would be the first step to creating a real bonding experience for our classroom. I know I haven't done the best job being sociable with the rest of the class, but I'd like to think that these rumors opened my eyes to the fact that I really should appreciate every one of my classmates more. I hope that I can create a homeroom 103 where fun things like these are more frequent and common. Thank you."
After completely my speech, I bow and walk back to where Jennifer is sitting.
… Hah.
Like hell I'd want to spend more time with you idiots. I hope every single one of you gets tricked into voting for me.
I'm not the kind of person who would just forgive the pitchforks you all raised over some stupid rumor.
If I get into power, I'm only going to do things that benefit the 'Fated Ones'. Apologizing is one thing, but if you all think I'd want to be friends with you after everything you've put me through, then you've got another thing coming.
"…"
I freeze in my steps.
Jennifer's glare is like Medusa's gaze.
My body can no longer move.
Is she seriously that pissed about my speech?
Ah, I guess she realized I was offering her up to the guys as a bargaining chip…
Ahahaha… can't say I don't deserve it.
Taking the time to steel myself, I walk beside her and turn back to face the classroom.
"Okay! Now that the elections are done, I'm going to be handing out slips of paper so that you all can cast your votes. Once you're done, just fold them and place them in the box in front of the classroom."
"…"
"…"
Here I am, standing next to the woman who started all of this.
Just looking on as the rest of the masses puts in their votes.
It's kinda exciting…
"Just so you know, no one believed anything you said."
She sure has a nasty tongue.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. There's some things you can't understand unless you've experienced it for yourself."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Love."
"Lo… Pfft."
"…"
"Here I was wondering what you were going to say. Love doesn't exist, Chase. It's just a cheesy concept that people sing to themselves so they can feel less lonely in the world. I know Scarlet enjoys her little Disney fantasies, but that's all they are. The original story of "The Little Mermaid" doesn't end with Ariel in the arms of her sweet prince like it did in the movie. He chooses the princess over her and she meets a tragic end alone. Real life is like that. It doesn't matter how fond you are of a man. They'll always choose the cuter, more attractive, more popular girl regardless of how much substance you might have in comparison. They're all idiots."
Jennifer's words were as cynical as ever.
Saying that if we had a choice, the guy would always pick the cute popular girl isn't that far-fetched of an idea.
However…
Despite the cynicism, I sensed pain in her words.
I don't know what that pain is, but I get the feeling that Jennifer went through something heartbreaking before she came to high school.
Something that drove her into this obsessive mission of misandry.
"You know… back in middle school I actually had a crush on one of those cute, popular girls."
She rolls her eyes.
"Whoop-di-fucking-doo. Color me surprised."
"… I think I actually had a chance with her. We were in the same friend group and we spoke pretty much every day. Eventually I decided that I'd confess to her. Tell her how I feel and all that. Not in an overly dramatic way, I'd just let it slip into the conversation naturally. See where it takes us. But… that never happened. Because sadly, people found out about my living situation, just like you did."
"…"
"I'll never forget how differently my friends; my friends started treating me. Like I was suddenly less of a human being than they were just because I was barely making ends meet. Just because I didn't have the money to live the same lifestyle that they did. That stuff really did make me feel like much less of a person than they were. Even that cute, popular girl started looking at me differently, despite us being so close before that."
"Serves you right. Men are all like that. They couldn't tell you anything about what a girl is like deep down. Not 'til they're stuck in a marriage with them and realize the terrible mistake they made. It's all about their face and their body, and how many other men want her. It's all about power for them. Bunch of apes…"
She clicks her tongue.
"… My point is, some of us grow out of that. I won't say that all men do, but a lot of us have learned to look beneath the surface. I mean, you're the cutest, most popular freshman girl at this school and that still wasn't enough for me to do anything with you on that day."
"…"
"There are things in life more important than sex, and there are a lot of men who eventually do come to that realization. So… I think it'd be wrong of you to write off an entire gender based on a few bad eggs."
"Tough talk from someone who basically sold me off as a sex object during his campaign speech."
Ahahaha, I knew she was going to say that.
"D-don't worry about that. I'm not actually gonna go through with it."
Probably, anyway.
"Oh? Maybe I should let everyone know that then."
"And you call me the sociopath…"
"Heh. I'm impressed that you two figured out I was responsible for those tweets at least."
That's the first time I've seen her smile like that.
Like she was admitting defeat on some level.
She almost doesn't look like the devil now.
"… Hey Chase."
"Huh?"
"Even if it isn't 100% certain like I thought it'd be, you're still going to lose this election. I hope you know that."
"… Probably."
"But."
"But?"
"It was fun, wasn't it?"
Fun?
…
After everything she's put me through, she's going to call this 'fun'?
Are you serious?
"Go to hell. You really are the devil."
"Ahahahaha! What a funny guy! Scarlet really does know how to pick them, doesn't she?"
Though hearing it from her pisses me off to no end, I suppose it was fun in its own way.
Overcoming all of these obstacles together with my friends to take down a common enemy…
I've become a stronger person from all of this for sure.
And…
"After all, he's the boy I fell in love with."
"…"
The warmth that filled my body when I read those words gave me a second wind.
It truly did make me feel like this life was worth living in again.
Who knew that garbage like me could make an amazing girl like Scarlet fall in love?
The world really is a big place…
"Hey, you two. Get to your desks. You need to vote too."
"Uh, right…"
We both offer a nod to Miss Bell and hurry off to our seats.
…
Ahh dammit. I wonder if it was enough…
Writing my name like this just makes this whole thing feel surreal.
Will anyone else even bother writing my name on their piece of paper?
There's no way, is there?
That just doesn't seem likely.
I feel someone patting my back.
"Sig?"
"Chase-dono… that was beautiful."
"T-thanks…"
"I'm sure… *sniff* Nick would be proud if he were here to see it…"
"Dude, he's not dead. Relax."
"But Chase-dono, he's probably going to be…"
"…"
"Let's not think about that til the elections done, Sig."
"A-ah, hai…"
Nick…
I probably wouldn't have been given the opportunity to stand there if it weren't for you.
Seriously… what kind of madman hits Jennifer Swift in the face in the middle of class?
Though, I guess Nick was never one for judging social cues.
He's all about what he believes in. People might call him a nerd, but I think he's the embodiment of living by your own rules.
It makes sense that society wouldn't appreciate someone like him, but… I can't help but respect it. It takes a lot of courage to stand up against every person and every preconceived notion just to be the man you want to be.
"…"
Enough.
I need to vote.
Let's get this out of the way.
Once I'm done writing my name, I walk over to the teacher's desk and place my ballot into the box.
And after a while, the voting had been concluded.
The votes were drawn and counted, and the winner would be decided.
Or rather, the winners.
The votes tallied up to 14-14.
It's a draw.