Amethyst's Treasure

Chapter 1: Whose voice?

Six Years Ago...

It was a gloomy afternoon at the end of October, and the rain had been pouring relentlessly all day. The rhythmic patter of raindrops drowned out the usual laughter and chatter of the school, creating a somber atmosphere.

After lunch, I made my way to the school council room. The president of the student council had asked for my help, and I was eager to see what he needed. As I entered, I found only one person inside: Rio, a boy with spiky brunette hair, who was tapping absentmindedly on his tablet.

"Where is everyone else, Rio?" I inquired, glancing around the empty room.

"They're not coming yet," Rio replied, his eyes still glued to the screen.

"Okay," I said, settling into a chair across from him. The room felt strangely quiet, the sound of rain outside amplifying our solitude.

As we waited, I couldn't help but wonder what the meeting was about. The anticipation hung in the air, thick as the clouds outside. Would we be discussing upcoming events, or was there something more urgent on the agenda? I leaned forward, ready to dive into whatever was to come.

I sat down across from Rio. He had been my vice president when I was President of the Student Council a year ago, and today, he was here to help once again. We were both in the same year, just in different classes. Rio was popular—a star of the basketball team, admired by many, and, if I'm being honest, I was one of them. I'd admired him for a year now, but never had the courage to confess.

My heart raced as we sat alone in the room together. I couldn't even bring myself to look directly at him.

"Why are they taking so long?" Rio grumbled, tapping away on his phone.

"They're probably still at lunch," I replied, my voice quieter than I intended.

In my bag was a love letter I'd written for Rio, but I had no idea when, or if, I'd find the nerve to give it to him.

"Umm, Rio... umm..." My hands fidgeted in my lap as I fought to keep my voice steady.

"Yeah?" he said, glancing up from his phone.

"I... I have something for you. Here..." I slid the pink envelope across the table towards him, my heart pounding in my chest.

He picked it up, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "The former president is giving her vice president a love letter?"

I knew Rio had received countless love letters from other girls before, but I hoped—no, I wished—this one would be different. I hoped he'd understand how I felt.

I forced an awkward smile. "I know it might seem silly, but... could you read it when you're alone? Please?" I paused, then gathered every ounce of courage I had left.

I could feel my face burning as the words left my lips. Desperate to escape, I stood up abruptly. "I... I should go check on the others," I stammered, backing toward the door.

As soon as I stepped outside, I could hardly breathe. What have I done?

I leaned against the wall, embarrassed beyond belief. Rio and I had never been close—he always saw me as his rival. But over time, things had changed, and he'd begun to treat me differently. Kindly, even. But now... what would he think? Would he laugh at me? Dismiss me?

I took a deep breath and summoned the current Student Council President, then returned to the room—only to find Rio had already left.

I was in the student council room, helping the president clean up. The place was a mess after a long day of meetings, and I was more than happy to lend a hand. As I swept, two students entered to help us.