The Matters of Power

Chapter 12- Fall Festival, Missing Star [3]

My head, my head hurts terribly and it isn't with all the crowding thoughts this time. Oh no, it's because of Payton and her everlasting speeches of planning and coordination that she has me going through. Not even 5 minutes into my steps inside the study room, I've learned more ideas Payton has than I would have ever learned at Pre-AP History class back in middle school! "Already in a general look at the male voting probabilities..." Gotta write this. "...girls are easily convinced with you, so their vote..." Remember that, I think. "And that's all the introduction and basic knowledge to our voting operation. Now we just got to wait when, or if, Carl will ever show up like I texted him." Hold on, that was only the introduction parts?! We haven't even gotten through the basic planning? Gollee, Carl, you better be here soon, I don't want to be here just to suffer through the unnecessary details! ...Oh, I can feel him running past the foyer towards our hallway, how convenient. "Hey Payton. I think you should check outside and see if Carl is going to come over her."

She agrees and heads over to the door to open and just in time does Carl try to grab the door handle that would've been there. "Finally, could you have made a better first impression after all this time? Get in and sit next to Marcus, we need to cover the basics and what you should be doing." He grabs the empty chair next to me and sits down, and just by looking at him I can tell he had some hurry trying to reach school early. Huh, it seems this is the first time I've ever seen him wear anything that would be any resemblance of formal: buttoned up shirt, clean jeans, even fixed his hair slightly from the usual laid-back style. This is clearly some improvement to what I see everyday to what he wears with shorts and sports shoes being the most commonly worn thing. He leans in and whispers while Payton is adjusting something from one of her binders. "Hey, uh, what the hell is going on? Are we going to trial or is all this part of her plans?" "Being here, this IS her plan. Forget about me, we at least have to get here voted for Fall Star Representative." "Yeah, yeah. But how much of thi-"

Payton lightly slams a binder on the table which surprises Carl and flinches (not me because I somehow expected this with my Movement Prediction Outline even though funnily enough I wasn't fighting her) back in proper position. "Come on, you two, get it together! The voting is this Thursday, the announcement is on Friday, while the festival is on Saturday, so we have 3 days to be able to actually prove something! Both of y'all are working with festival preparations on the same day, in Wednesday, and since today is Tuesday, we need to be able to maximize public sway in this short window. Now then, (she whacks a ruler on the whiteboard that has her paper diagrams taped to) let's begin!" I can't even bother to remind myself of what I am supposed to remember to her strategy, but it seems like Carl is trying his best to pay attention, whatever he can. How long have we been in this study room? Doesn't matter, we hear the morning warning bell ring for us to start to go to class, and I start to pack up my notes. "Hey, listen y'all." Payton calls out, "I am able to reserve this study room up until Thursday, but we need to make sure NOBODY ELSE can enter this room. All of this is between the three of us, alright?"

I instinctively nod, if not out of understanding but for the fear of Payton's lectures and nagging that will surely be upon me if I don't keep my mouth shut. Luckily, Biology is in this building area so I don't have to worry about being late. Class is quiet when I enter and sit down at my desk, but it's just because everyone seems to be whispering a lot more than what I would like. Alicia approaches me (for the 100th time maybe? I can't seem to avoid her) and tries to strike up conversation. "So... Marcus. What do you think of being nominated Fall Star Representative? Just to be clear, you have my vote, 100%! You are the best student to lead us Freshmen in this festival." I say nothing, but acknowledge her statement as it was pretty clear from yesterday she was the one who started my nomination. Everyone else thinks, especially the girls in the classroom, that I have a pretty decent shot of winning the role and seem pretty convinced to vote for me. Sounds like Payton was right on the money on her predictions, I'm starting to think that she might supernatural abilities like me. Would sh- "Hey, hey! Marcus!" I can hear Zeke interrupt my thinking. "Is that true that you are on of the competing nominators for Fall Star Representatives? That's pretty cute, but do you really think that a greenhorn like you would compete against me, an expert of public appearances?"