The Crossroads

Girl With All The Plans

NATHALIA

"It's not even that serious," Charlotte said as we left second period, "the meeting will just be from three thirty to four." I chewed at the inside of my lip only half listening, she lost me when she mentioned a new student had been invited to the Student Council meeting without my consent. As student body president I was required to attend all meetings involving the principal, it was my business to have an understanding of the details of said meetings but now the game had changed. I was going in blind and with a student who the principal thought would make a good 'Second Vice Pres.' From my understanding Theodore Parker was president of Cove Dale back home. It all seemed risky to me.

Let someone into my house.

On my court...didn't make sense especially since he knew nothing about Crossroads?

"So you're okay with this?" Charlotte looked up at me from chewing her nail.

"It's just a meeting."

"Charlotte for all you know he could be replacing you!"

Scoffing, "I think we need all the help we can get, Nathali-- we've got people marching around outside our school for the last week! Then there are new students all over the place with no one to show them around, the principal has his hands tied with all the protests and stuff. I think it'll help us."

She was right. Our school was spiraling out of control and its only been two weeks in. I cleared my throat, adjusting the collar of my blazer before turning to my locker, opened it and smacked my finger to the calendar stuck on the door. "We have about two weeks until re-elections and I would like to continue my two year streak, it's my senior year and I don't want to be replaced by a dumb jock all because he went to school in a bigger city."

"Ugh," Charlotte rolled her eyes shoving her bag into the small space in my locker, "like you said, you've been pres for two years no one is going to break your streak, girl."

______________________________________________

AJAH

"Please not today," I prayed to Betty, my mother's 2006 Volkswagen Beetle, "I seriously just want a break from all this." My hands ran over the steering wheel as I looked out into the sea of faceless terrorist before reaching into the back seat to retrieve my notebooks for class.

I checked my phone one final time for a message, a call from anyone but I already knew I did't have one back in freshmen year I had Kai and Jacki  and Julian but now I had no one at all. It was my fault. I mean Jacki and I were still close but I never wanted to see Julian again and I most definitely couldn't talk to Kai in this state. I did him wrong so I guess I couldn't expect him to come running to me about my problems. I looked up at the angry woman sporting a bright pink sign, RAPIST SHOULDN'T BE AT CROSSROADS! He had his own problems. Yet at that moment I found myself wondering who was in the worst situation.

I'd take angry parents any day over all the torture, sighing I flung the car open and out into the masses I went.

I found Nathalia and Charlotte waiting at my locker waving as I approached, "goodmorning, Ajah how are you?" she said her usual down to business smile on her face, she surely wasn't here to see what was up with me. Charlotte smiled at me standing a bit straighter behind Nathalia but looking as bored as ever. "Do you have a second?"

Shrugging, "Yeah, I guess."

I turned the lock on my locker and began flattening out the papers from my binder that some kid thought was a great idea to toss around the courtyard. "So I know you've got a lot on your plate, however, I was wondering if you'd be interested in this," she poked me in the side with a pastel green flyer, smile still ever present. 

You've got to be kidding me.

"Girl, have you lost your mind?" my eyes scanned over the bold lettering, "homecoming queen?" I stared at the colorless stock image of a happy couple sporting huge smiles and even bigger crowns.

"Yes well I thought you might be interested in Homecoming this year, you did come in second place last year and since Stacy transferred you should be a great candidate for this year. Not only that Charlotte and I will back you one hundred and ten percent--how I see it if you go for homecoming with your current situation you'll gain plenty of votes and support from people like myself who believe in your cause." I rolled my eyes. Predictable. If it weren't for the fact that I knew her father was a surgeon I'd think that he was a politician, this girl always has sometime of benefit from everything.

"Whats in it for you?"

"You're a popular girl, everyone knows that and with elections I'd like a few more people in my court."

"So you need someone who can appeal to the audience?"

"I need someone I know will help me win."

"But I don't even like you."

Nathalia raised her eyebrows, "you don't have to like someone to receive help from them."