In the afternoon, as the school day came to an end, I stepped out of the library just as the halls began to empty. Near the main staircase, I ran into the Freshman Council officers heading to the main entrance.
Emilia spotted me and waved, her usual cheerful smile brightening the fading light. Zoey Myers, our Class President- and my classmate- glanced at me briefly before turning back to the group.
Emilia broke away from them and jogged up to me. "Hey, heading home?" she asked, matching my pace as I started down the hallway.
We walked together through the quiet streets, the soft breeze carrying the faint afternoon warmth. On the way, she asked me again if I'd come over to her house to talk about the competition.
I faintly hesitated, and agreed to come over to her house.
I sent a quick text to my aunt, letting her know I'd be at Emilia's place and would be late for dinner, then slipped my phone back into my pocket as we turned down the street.
Emilia's house stood at the end of a peaceful road, surrounded by tall hedges and a small garden that looked beautiful. The late-afternoon sunlight fltered through the trees, casting soft patterns across the porch.
"Come on in," Emilia said, unlocking the door and stepping aside for me.
The moment I entered, I was met with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The living room was spacious filled with books, framed photographs, and leafy plants near the wide windows.
She led me to her study room and said. "Make yourself at home," she said, setting her bag by the couch. "You can sit anywhere."
I chose a chair by the table as she disappeared into the kitchen. A minute later, she returned carrying two glasses of lemonade and a plate of snacks, setting them carefully in front of me.
"Thanks," I murmured taking a sip of the cold drink.
She smiled, and sat across from me. Then she began, leaning forward slightly, "I was thinking about what we talked about yesterday- the Academic Competition."
"So," she continued, "I wanted you to hear my proposal and tell me if it needs any changes."
I looked down at my glass, uncertain. "I'm not really great at suggesting things."
Emilia tilted her head slightly. "That's okay. Just listen. Who knows- you might get intrested and start giving ideas before you even realize it."
Her voice was light but confident- like she truly believed it.
After a moment, I asked quietly. "Why are you being so persistent with me?"
She blinked, surprised by the question, then smiled gently. "Because you remind me of someone who just needs a reason to start again. And maybe this could be it."
The room felt silent. The sunlight had shifted, bathing the room in a golden glow. I took another slow sip of lemonade, thinking.
Finally, I said. "Alright, I'll try and listen to your proposal."
Emilia's face lit up instantly. "Really?"
I nodded. "Just- don't expect too much."
She grinned. "I won't. But I think you'll surprise yourself."
As she began explaining her proposal, and talking about themes and new ideas discussed at the committee meeting. I found myself easing into the moment. For the first time in a long while, being around someone didn't feel like holding back.
It felt like possibility.
Monday, September 25th
The afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows of the Freshman Council office, casting a warm glow across the long rectangular table. I sat at my seat as the committee gathered one for the final meeting before the Academic Competition announcement.
Zoey Myers, our Class President, stood at the head of the table, flipping through her notes. "Alright," she said, tapping the paper lightly. "We've gone over every proposal and received feedback from the teachers. Today, we're finalizing everything- event format, groups, and judging criteria. Once this is done, we'll be ready to announce tomorrow."
I leaned toward Jessie Robinson, to double-check the proposal I was preparing to submit to the Student Council.
The discussion flowed easilly. When the topic turned to how groups should be divided. As previously suggested by Ezra Miller following the same divisions as previous years- but the format of leaving the competion format open to change. That's when ideas flowed back and forth, laughter and arguments filling the room as notes pilied up accross the table.
At some point Zoey Myers nodded. "That's actually not a bad idea," she said thoughtfully. "It'll make the competition run more smoothly."
"Agreed," Xavier Vega added. "That format makes the groups to win simpler."
The conversation carried on. By the time the clock neared six, the whiteboard was full. As the rounds, the format, the groups, the judging panel- everything was set.
Zoey Myers looked around the room, satisfied. "Alright, everyone. That's it. Everything's finalized. We'll make the official announcement during tomorrow morning's homeroom, which will be converted into a assembly. Thank you, everyone, for all the effort these past two weeks."
A quiet round of applause followed, mixed with sighs of relief and laughter as people gathered their things.
As we stepped out into the hallway, the golden light of early evening spilled through seen the windows. A few students lingered in the corridors, their footsteps echoing softly as they made their way home.