TEAM NOAH

Chapter 12

Noah was making me understand the layout of the campaign while driving us to school. We've done this before when Noah ran for class president last year. But this time, it was senior president. So, it was a very big deal. According to Noah senior president looked good in college applications. he had his eyes on Yale for a long time. he had successfully convinced me that Yale is good for me and I should apply. I am going to, no doubt.

The candidates aren't final yet. Cecil is running for sure. She'd been running for class president for as long as I knew her. She always won until Noah beat her last year. He pulled up in the school's parking lot and we got out.

"Remind me again why we have to have a limerick for your campaign?" I asked Noah while I slung my backpack over my shoulder.

"First, OUR campaign. You're gonna be vice-president, remember?" he jiggled his head like a clown. "Second, limerick gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out. You think about it before sleep. When you wake up in the next morning. Boom! Let's vote Noah." he grinned like he was pretty satisfied with this idea.

"That's like a mind controlling device used to make all kids give their lollipops to you."

"It's just a fun step. this is not how I am going to win the campaign." he snapped his fingers.

Just then Luke appeared out of nowhere. He came straight to Noah and fist bumped him. No comment to me. He had somehow hurt his face and there was a band aid on his left cheek, near the jaw line. He told Noah, "Hey man, sorry I can't help with your campaign."

"What?" I exhaled. Luke was like the brand ambassador of our campaign. He was popular, supportive and very convincing. he ignored me completely but answered when Noah asked why.

"Something came up," he thought for a while. When he was sure he was done he said ,"See ya." and left.

Luke wasn't all psyched about this sort of stuff anyways. But he always helped Noah in campaign or social work or volunteer. Something his something came up seemed fishy to me.

We were all gathered up in the gym for the initiation of the campaign. Principal hay had his usual gym meeting speaker on his hand.

"Welcome, students of Evergreen High. As you know, today we are here for the selection of the candidates for our senior class president. The interested students are requested to right down their names in a piece of white paper and put it in this bowl. A student will be considered ineligible if he had committed any offence," he gave a pause. "Any known offence." Noah and I snickered because that part was definitely meant for Noah. "A student will also be deemed ineligible if he or she received detention more than five times this year." He turned off the mic and looked at us for dropping names in the bowl.

As always Cecil went up first to put his name in the bowl. Then Noah went to put his. he came back to the seat next to me and said, "It's gonna be me and Cecil again I guess."

I waited for anyone else to drop his name. If there are only one competition, Cecil's going to have lots of time to sabotage us. But last year Anne was in the game too. So when Cecil targeted her first, we got enough time to build our campaign and throw Cecil out of the game.

Just when principal Hay was going to declare the dropping time over, The students started cheering. When I looked behind at the direction, I saw Alex moving towards the bowl with a piece of paper. This can't happen. He isn't the presidential type. I gasped as I saw him put his name in the bowl.

"Alex's running against you?'"

"Here goes all the ladies' votes," Noah cupped his cheeks and put his elbow on his knees.

"Here, we have Cecilia Monroe, Noah Flickermen and Alex Cove. All of them are eligible for the election as they have no record of previous crimes. I would allow each candidates with one assistant who would be later vice president if deemed eligible. The members of the campaign are requested to come front."

Noah and I went to the front at first. Cecil had Naomi as her campaign manager. Naomi caught my eye and winked. I smiled at her.

When Alex came to the front, I thought about some hot girl as his manager. But what i saw next was not anything I thought I could imagine.

Lucas McFrey.

So, this was the something that came up. How could he run against Noah. I would never forgive myself if it was about that argument we had at Café Dine. He couldn't possibly abandon Noah on a silly argument we had.

"So, these three are our candidates. The campaign managers could take part in direct helping in gaining votes. Other students may also help them, but they will not carry out any actions against the other teams. From this moment, you are to work hard to gain the students favor and get elected as senior president. Have a great day everyone," principal Hay turned the speaker off and went out of the gym.

I didn't waste a single moment and stomped straight to Luke. His 6 foot figure looming over me.

"What the hell was that?" I screamed at him.

"What?" he gave me a skeptical look.

"Why are you running against Noah?"

"I'm not running against Noah."

"No. But you're campaign manager of someone who is running against Noah."

"I thought we were not friends." He raised his eyebrows at me.

"You know it's not like that. besides, if it is about the argument we had the other day, that's no reason for you to go against Noah," I wasn't looking in his eyes.

"I thought you would be happy I was helping your crush."

"He is not my crush."

"Well, people think otherwise." With that he left without even a glance back.

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"Aren't you mad at him? He ditched you!" I tell Noah and put some fries in my mouth.

"Nah," he took some fries from my plate and ate them. "Alex is new. He needed someone to help him with the campaign. I'm glad Luke offered to help."

"Shouldn't he have told you earlier?"

"Maybe," he put some more fries in his mouth. 'Maybe, Alex wanted to surprise everyone. Or, if he told earlier, lots of girls would've wanted to be his manager and he didn't want that."

Well that made sense. But I was still mad at Luke for ditching us. Who's gonna convince people that Team Noah is the best? But the way Noah is putting it, it's hard to say it wasn't right for Luke to do that.

"So, what's our plan? Three days until election."

"Dude it's lunch. We're allocated two free periods everyday to discuss strategy."

"I think we should start early. Plus the other teams will be there too. There's a chance of overhearing." Also I'm not sure I can work properly with Alex there. Every time he winks at me or smiles at me, my brain needs some time to reboot. But I keep that thought to myself.

"Okay then, let's hear what you got campaign manager."

"I was thinking about a bake sale. Those always work. We're not allowed to give out free stuffs, because that would be bribery. So, we can sell them."

"Why would they pay you and vote for you?"

"Because, we're gonna pass notes with the baked cupcakes too."

'Wait. What notes? When did we decide it's gonna be cupcakes?"

I explain my idea to Noah bit by bit. We were going to bake cute cupcakes with Susannah's help. Three colors of frosting. Violate for rage, pink for love, blue for gratitude or apology. people can buy a cupcake of their choice, tie a note with it and we'll send it to the desired person. Noah's eyes became wise as I explained each phase.

He raised his cup and said, "To Team Noah."

I raised my cup too and repeated, "Team Noah."

I was about to play a very dangerous game. These cupcakes will surely help the campaign. Also, these are gonna prove that I can be fun and casual. I'm gonna send a pink cupcake to Alex.

"You're planning about crushing Luke, aren't you?" Noah was now leaning on the table opposite to me. He was eyeing the fries I had left. he ate his whole plate and half of mine. But I had better things in mind than fries. So, I push the plate to him.

"Yeah," I say. That too.