Under the Bridge

chapter thirty nine-"if i could kill anyone"

THE NHS MEETING IS FULL OF SMILES, but I have no friends in this room, I have only myself and the occasional friendly, but suspicious, glance from Renee. She's taken her seat at the front with James and the other officers. Just like in student council, she is the vice president, and he is in charge. He doesn't even look my way, as if I am dirt beneath his feet. 

Everyone seems excited to see each other again, but I am just flipping through my novel and praying that this ends quickly. 

"Sorry about the emergency meeting." James gets on his feet and speaks charismatically. I almost forget that everything he says is complete and utter garbage, that's how eloquent he is. "To be frank, I have no idea what it could possibly be about. Mrs. Rose wouldn't give me any context." He laughs a little, but there's a little bit of bitterness in his eyes. 

The sponsor, Mrs. Rose, a plump woman with big glasses, stands up. "Hi everyone. So one of you who I trust very well wrote this request for the impeachment of our president." James' fake smile drops instantly. 

He opens his mouth to protest, but Renee puts a hand on his shoulder and whispers something in his ear. James eyes scan the room, and stop at me, narrowing his eyes. 

"I'm going to have to read it out loud, and next week, we'll be hosting a vote to determine if he should stay in office. Because he's been accused of bullying, among other things, loss in this election will also mean he loses his title of class president as well." 

I feel tense. Even though I'd rather stab myself with a spork than associate with James Woods, this whole "jury of your peers" thing is a bit ridiculous. 

This means that if he was best friends with all of NHS (something that is actually kind of true, by the way) he would keep his position. If he was hated, he's lose it. It wouldn't be on actual merits, but it would stay a popularity contest like the regular election. 

On top of that, a lot of people have something to gain from him staying or going. If he's impeached, Renee is defacto president. However, with a reputation as illegitimate and only half a year of school left, the odds of her getting something major in her agenda accomplished are slimmer than he if he stays in office. 

If he loses, the editor-in-chief of the paper will have a field day, and she happens to be sitting two feet to my right, innocently taking notes. This school's news has been slow recently, and they're submitting it to reward soon enough. 

There's also the fact that if he's gone, NHS will be under extra scrutiny from the school. That means we'll be less likely to receive extra funding and they'll be extra regulatory. 

Of course, high school politics aren't as brutal as that most of the time, but no teenager has a great enough sense of justice to go through a lengthy system of impeachment unless there's something in it for them. 

Everyone is going to think it was me. In fact, I've noticed a few sneaky eyes glance over to check out my expression. I feel a bit of internal panic, but if I go now, it'll look suspicious. I just have to live through the meeting. 

I see my phone light up on the edge of my backpack and I pull it out, checking it out on my lap. It's a text from Liam. He's going to pick me up after this. 

hey, do you have an estimated time as to when the meeting will end?

I look up to hear a blur of words come from the members talking amongst themselves. 

Usually 3:15, but some stuff is going down, so it might be a little bit. I respond, seeing my hands shake. 

There's the little typing bubble shows up in the corner, then goes away, before a short message is typed out. 

u ok babe? 

My fingers are quivering so much I don't know if I can adequately type. I kind of feel like I'm going to have a panic attack, the worry is shooting through me like bullets. I'm doing everything to keep from freaking out. 

Idk. 

I close my eyes a little bit, and when I peek through my lashes again, there's another message. 

turn your phone volume up. i'm going to call you. it'll be an excuse to leave the room. 

I comply, and when the generic ringtone fills the air, judgmental stares all whip over to me. "I'm sorry, this is important. May I be excused?" I ask the sponsor, doing anything and everything to keep myself from stuttering. I may be speaking slowly, but half of these people haven't even heard me open my mouth before, so for all they know, it's how I talk. 

She nods with a little smile, and I escape into the bathroom, feeling tears begin to drip down my cheeks. 

"You need to breathe baby, tell me what happened." Liam's voice is calm over the phone, feeling like the only real thing going on right now. 

I don't know if I can articulate the words. My heart feels like it's going to explode. I want to hang up, but knowing Liam, he would drive up here and check on me that way if I didn't. "J-James, is going to m-maybe get impeached." I stutter, feeling immediately embarrassed by my voice. 

"That's good, right? He's going to be gone. Asshole deserves it."

I shake my head, then realize he can't see it. It makes me feel stupid. "Everything I was the one who t-told on him." I answer. "Everyone was s-staring." I feel my breaths get heavier, and the panic comes in head on. 

"Breathe, okay? You'll be out of there in less than half an hour. I'll come pick you up and we can watch a movie or something to calm down." Liam suggests. 

"I have h-homework." I answer, I have to do that, or else I'd be completely and utterly screwed. 

"Then I'll sit with you while you do it, and then we'll watch a movie, or I'll tell you about how I think that if I could kill anyone, it would be Richie in Eleanor & Park." I sniffle a little. We picked up a few library books in the morning, mostly teen fiction that I think would be hilarious to see him reading, and now he's actually dissolved into a novel. 

I smile a little and feel the tears begin to slightly subside. 

That's when another figure walks into the bathroom. Blonde hair, perfect smile, muscular frame. It's Renee Woods, and she looks perfectly calm.

"You okay?" She asks. 

I sniffle and nod. "Liam, I have to go." I reply, ending the call and setting the device into my pocket. 

She looks at me, eyes narrowed slightly and kind glance suspicious. I'm concerned and confused as to why she's here. "The meeting is pretty much over, by the way." She says. "James thinks it was you." 

I freeze and shake my head. "It wasn't." I rasp. 

She just smiles. "I know." Is all she says, and soon, I'm left alone with my thoughts, slumping against the cold tile of the girl's bathroom.