Riley's Box

Part 15

As Whit and I walked out of the library, I turned to speak to him again. 

"So, I'm curious. Why do you work so hard?" I asked him. 

"I have very high standards for my work," Whit explained, with a slightly serious expression. "And high expectations for myself, too." 

"So your parents aren't slamming your face down into a textbook at every available opportunity?" I asked him. 

At that question, Whit gave a shake of his head. 

"No, they are indeed not," he said. "I'm the one who makes my own choices." 

There wasn't any other way that it should be, I believed. 

While the two of us stood outside of the library, April wandered past and Whit's gaze became warmer- affectionate, almost. 

Well, he wasn't going to have any problem moving on from Eric if he had someone in his sights already! 

He soon turned back to me, though, and seemed to realise where he was. 

"Speaking of those standards, I should probably go and get some studying done. It's been...nice hanging out with you, Riley," he said. 

"Yeah. Nice," I agreed, with a pleasant smile. 

He then rotated and started to walk in the other direction, but soon turned back to me again. 

"Before I forget, I have a debate tonight. It would mean a lot to me if you could be there, Riley," he said. 

Why exactly was that? 

I tried to keep that question out of my expression. 

"Sure! I'll be there!" I said kindly. 

Oh, I would be there, alright, I thought to myself. I was going to take part in the debate, even if it happened to be on cupcakes, for all I cared! 

"Alright. Well, have to go study and then lead a meeting," he said. "You're expected to attend it, of course. Newbie," he added. 

Of course, I was. I supposed I should have expected as much. 

"We seem to be running out of pens in the council room, unfortunately. I'm really going to have to sort that out..." he started to think to himself, out-loud. When he realised what he had been doing, his eyes grew a fraction larger in surprise. "Anyway, I'll see you at the meeting later. Be there or be square." 

"Because I'm not around?" I replied, feeling my lips curl up. 

It didn't mean anything. It was just something silly my dad said. 

"Huh?" he asked, as though he hadn't understood, though his eyes flickered with humour. "I'll see you later, Riley," he said again and then headed off down the hall sooner than I could say carrot-cake. 

I watched over Whit for a couple of moments and then turned to make my way to my next class. 

Trying to keep my thoughts balanced and not on the whole student council thing, I managed to get most of the mathematics questions completed. 

I was a person that had many hopes and dreams. Although I wasn't completely sure of what I wanted to do with my future yet, I knew that I wanted to go to university. I would only be able to do that if I worked hard and concentrated in my classes. 

Besides, if I wasn't going to be head girl then I was going to have a lot more time to focus on my studies. 

The only thing that sucked about that little matter, though, was that I was not head girl! 

How was it possible for something like this to have even happened, anyway?

In the twenty minutes that I had to prepare that speech, I had worked hard! 

Regardless, Susie had ended up getting the role instead of me. 

It didn't matter, though. 

At least, I was going to continue to try to convince myself that it didn't, in fact, matter. 

As a sigh escaped my lips, the bell rang. 

My eyes glanced up towards the clock to find that the mathematics lesson was over. 

It had gone by far more quickly than the average class did, but after that I decided I was going to get on with some independent study. 

A few students passed by my table and congratulated on my new place on the student council. I gave them a friendly smile, as they passed by me. 

Writing in my notebook, I managed to get on with a few minutes of studying before I was interrupted. 

I glanced up to see who had said, "Hello," to see that Eric Reos was stood in front of me. 

"The meeting is now, Ruby," he said. 

I exhaled slowly, as I began to put my notebook away in my bag. 

"It is?" I asked him, my eyes flickering down to my watch. "By the way, it's Riley. Ruby is just my surname." 

Oh. It would seem that it was time for the meeting. 

He didn't respond, clearly annoyed by my lack of timekeeping. 

"And you came here to tell me that because...?" I trailed off. 

A crease formed in his forehead, then. 

Honestly, it didn't seem to take much for him to be annoyed. 

"Due to your approachable personality, of course," he said. 

Why was he saying that sarcastically? I would give him approachable! 

Not now, though. I had a meeting to get to. 

I stood up from my chair and met him with my sweetest smile. 

"Well, then, we should probably get to that meeting," I said. 

He gave a curt nod. 

The two of us then made our way to the student council office. 

"You know, this meeting better be important because I was busy studying and-" I cut off. 

"And you have a role to fulfil on the student council, unless you want to be dismissed," he said. 

He made it sound as though it was a professional job! 

Although I cared about my post, it really wasn't that important that I attended this meeting, was it? 

"I'm hungry. How long is this going to take?" I asked then, as the two of us wandered into the office and sat down. 

Eric threw a chocolate bar at my head. Rude. 

"About an hour. Welcome to the student council, Ruby," he said, with a smile that wasn't quite so sincere.