After the exams finished, students were requested to put their votes on the school ground. The candidates were requested to give out a speech before the vote started. Airi went up to the ground, but Rena was absent. Although the ruckus happened before the exam, Airi thought maybe she would come here to talk about how she was framed and all. After waiting for a while, Airi gave out her speech and got down from the stage. When the voting began, Scarlett came to her to inform her that the principal had called her to show up in his office.
When she went to the principal's office, she saw a lot of people were already in there. There was Rena, Maria, Lloyd, and also Carter. Airi glanced at Carter for a bit, but he didn't return the gaze, as if Airi wasn't there, to begin with. Airi decided not to get bothered by it anymore. "That won't help me in any way, either," she thought to herself.
"There is the girl. Come in, Airi," the principal spoke up as soon as he noticed Airi. "I heard about all the fuss that happened before the exam. And I sure am aware of the mail everyone got, even the school too. And I heard that it was you who was behind recording the video?" Principal asked Airi, raising his brows.
Airi very well knew how much influence Rena's parents have in this school. So she was sure that the principal might make things difficult for her, for acting against the daughter of the biggest donator. But there was no way of denying all those now. So she admitted. "Yes, I did. Meeting her was purely coincidence, but out of curiosity, I tailed her and the rest everyone knows."
The principal nodded his head lightly and turned towards Rena, "Rena Sinclair, do you have anything to say against it? Do you have anything to prove your innocence?" Strangely she kept silent, on the contrary to panicking.
"Then there remains nothing for discussion. The conduct of Miss Rena sure is immoral, and this can't be possibly tolerated in our school. Normally, I would've decided to rusticate her, but being her father a huge donator for us, and a great help to the welfare and development of this school, I would like to go easy on her. Rena Sinclair, from now on, you would be excused from the school until the entrance examination. We won't remove your enrollment here, so you would be able to sit on entrance and finals, but as for the other semesters, you are not allowed to attend anymore."
"And as for Miss Airi, I would like to congratulate you for your deed. I hope you will always remain true to your morals and ethics. That's all for you two. You may be excused."
Airi bowed a little and went out of the office, without saying anything. She wanted to know what happened to Carter inside the office, but there was no way she could stay there. "Guess I need to ask someone else about him later."
------
A week later. It was the day when Airi was about to get her results.
Results for her semester exams.
And also, results for the election.
Rena was also excused as a candidate for the election. And soon, news about her being partially expelled spread through the entire school like storm air. People were talking both positively and negatively about her, but surprisingly, no one blamed Airi for any of this. Even those who always followed Rena around, gathered around Airi, complaining how overbearing Rena had been with them. Except for Lloyd, everyone immediately sided with Airi. and as for Carter, he was reprimanded for fighting in the school hallway, but apart from that, nothing happened. He still wasn't talking to her, not even coming to meet her once. Even if Airi tried to go to his class, he refused to talk. Eventually, Airi gave up on another beautiful friendship she made.
Clara came into the classroom as soon as the bell rang. "So, people, a hectic busy time passed by. You had elections, exams, assignments, and whatnot. And with all that concluding, finally, we are done with the first semester. You all did really well, and I congratulate everyone for that." She took some papers she brought with her in her hands. "Now then, let's start with the exam results. For this semester, there are two students who got the highest marks, which is 98% on average. And I am glad to announce that, both of them are from my class, and both of them are girls." with that, the entire class bustled with claps. Girls were brimming with joy, hearing that it was two girls from their class to get the highest score. "So now, Miss Hazel Frank, and Airi Arne, please come up to the dais to take your report cards," by the sudden mention of their names, both of them jumped from their seats, being surprised. The questions were tricky, and Airi was too busy to prepare to her fullest. Yet, she got the highest mark, and undoubtedly that made her happy. But the fact that made her the happiest was she got to share the highest score together with Hazel. It was probably the same for Hazel too, because when both of them went up to the dais, they excitedly jumped at each other, hugging back. But soon, they both got reminded about the rift that got created between them, and they awkwardly freed themselves from the embrace.
"Seems like they are way too happy. Trust me, you two are making me proud. Getting two toppers from my class, I am on cloud nine today." Clara handed them their report cards. "Thank you for your excellent work. Keep up the good work."
Both of them bowed and went to their own seats. After that, Clara gave out others their report too. And when she was done with giving out reports, she had only one remaining in her hands. "Now, the only report I have here is Maria's. And I am sorry to say, Maria, you need to bring your parents to take your report card."
Maria sprung up from her seat, startling everyone in her class. "Wait, why do I need to bring my parents just to get a report card?"
"Because you have some red marks in yours," Clara answered back with the same tone.
"And why I got those? I remember I have given my papers perfectly."
"Sure you did. It's just, you have continuously missed out on the assignments and P.E. Classes, so there is no way you would get marks on those," Clara stated while looking at her report card. "So better bring any of your parents the next day. I would like to have a talk with them."
Maria was seething in anger, but if she ends up making chaos here, that wouldn't turn out well. So she reluctantly kept quiet.
"No use in getting angry here," Maria looked beside her to find Airi talking about her. "You brought it upon yourself. If you think everything is going to go the way you want, that's a delusion you need to snap out of it. Even Rena wasn't excused despite being an excellent student council president."
The way Airi stated those with a smirk made Maria more furious, but she was more or less getting benefitted from her, so there is no way she could talk back. One word from Airi, and her parents and Rena could kill her in an instant for the things she did. Just because Airi took up the blame, she was rescued.
Clara tidied up the papers of report cards she brought with her. Then she looked up towards the students in front of her as she added, "Now, the result you guys were anticipating the most. The student council president election. As you all know, what happened with your previous president. Honestly, I was disappointed hearing about it. However, after that, the school committee decided to expel Rena partially, and accordingly, her application as a candidate was withdrawn. So, that basically kept Airi as the only candidate. Yet, we went along with the process just to get the result justifiably. And even then, we got a huge vote on our Airi's side."
Airi was surprised to hear that. They had other candidates too. Even Lloyd was one of the candidates being the class representative of sophomores. Yet, she was the one who got the most votes.
"So, that makes it clear. Be it her work, or her approach, we got this year's president, Airi Arne. let's give a small applause to her." Clara started clapping her hands, and following her, everyone in the class gave her applause. Airi found that everyone was clapping for her. Especially, the girls beside her, who were precisely Maria's friends, had a wide smile plastered on their faces.
Airi felt a feeling of accomplishment with the result of her winning the small battle. But yet, the happiness and the contentment she was expecting to get was nowhere in her heart. She didn't feel that much happy, rather there was an emptiness in her heart.
Emptiness caused by making her simple life complicated.
Emptiness caused by the cost of losing some wonderful people as friends.
Emptiness caused by missing out on a nice feeling of someone beside her.
And the hollowness followed by it was wrapping her mind entirely into a never-ending darkness.