How to be Visible

Chapter 25

"Good morning seniors of Griddle high." Principal Meyers greeted us.

"Good morning principal Meyers." We chorused our reply.

It was Monday morning and during the first period, an emergency bell called us out and we were instructed to sit in the assembly hall.

"You were all gathered here to be informed about an important part of your school year. Its is time for the annual student mentor conference held in St Landia. As you are all very aware, we have always attended every year and we have always won the award for best project and term paper. Hopefully, this year will be no exception. We have chosen our best four students based on certain criteria which will be explained as I go on." She paused and brought out another set of papers.

Murmurs rang out in the hall. Immediately she began to speak again, we were silent.

"The students in question will come to my office after the announcement for further information. They will take off tomorrow as the conference begins on Wednesday." Principal Meyers announced.

Murmurs broke out through the hall once again. Every one was talking at once.

This was my dream come true.

Only the best of the best were selected as delegates from all around the world to attend this conference. From all the years that I have lived in St Landia, I always noticed that these delegates slept in the best hotels, shopped at the best malls, took free tours of our beautiful state, learnt from the worlds greatest minds and most of all, interacted with students within their age brackets from diverse backgrounds. It was the basic foundation for future greatness and valid connections.

Anyone who was anyone was going to be there, coaching the selected delegates on various matters. I was looking forward to this event since my freshman year because it was only held for seniors. Which is why I read and studied extremely hard so that I could be considered delegate worthy.

Due to the recent drama in my life, senior year has not been as easy as I thought it would. I only hoped that if I was selected, Jess came with me and that if I was not, she also stayed with me. Call me a terrible person but a girl needs her bestie. We definitely needed to be together right now. The principal continued her address again and I stopped thinking and started listening to her.

"The management board have worked hard to select our best four this year and it has not been easy at all. So we decided to use the grades from the just concluded mid term exams. We finally picked the four students. If you hear your name, meet me in my office for more information. Shane Striker for the maths department, Chase Dwayne for the sciences, Brittney Jacobs for the language department and Rita Jones for arts. The four of you are required to meet me in my office immediately. You wouldn't be staying for classes today. Immediately after the meeting in my office, you'll go home with my parents and start packing. The rest of you are dismissed."

Everyone parted their separate ways. I quickly waved Jess over.

"I can't believe you get to go." She pouted.

"Me too. I really wish you were coming with me." I pouted back.

"You'll be fine. Call me when you get home okay?" She waved me goodbye and hurried to her class.

I would say it was a dream come true but was it? This opportunity that I'd been looking forward to had finally come but I was forced to attend with my boyfriend, arch nemesis that might probably kill me in my sleep and a boy that was not on talking basis with me right now. Just great. I felt bad that Jess wasn't coming but I couldn't do anything about it.