THIRTEEN

The Student Council gathered around for a meeting to discuss new rules. Chairs were placed in a circle. All the members sat with a notepad, ready to write down important topics. The President of the Council spoke up once everyone was seated, "Okay, we will decide what new rules should be implied and then we will make changes with the ones that already exist."

"We should take notice of bullying, especially Claire Simpson." the Vice President suggested. She knew that Claire was a troublemaker. And what she saw two days ago, was a verification of her assumption.

"I agree with Nailea. Claire is one heck of a bully." one of the students said while the others also nodded in agreement. The President thought for some time and finally opened his mouth to speak.

"So- '' unfortunately, he was interrupted by a loud bang caused due to the door being swung open. Revealing Claire. Her face showed no expression for a split second. She smiled and entered the room. Taking a chair, she placed herself in the circle as if she was a part too.

"So, continue your discussion," She said with a smile plastered on her face. Acting as if she hadn't just interrupted a meeting she wasn't welcomed in.

'What is she doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be suspended?' Nailea thought. There was an awkward silence inside the room. In an attempt to break the silence, she asked, "Do you…. need something?"

"Actually yes, I have something to deal with," Claire replied. her smile remained unchanged.

"May we know what it is? So we can help." Nailea asked again. Claire's smile disappeared and got replaced by an ice-cold glare directed towards the Vice President.

"You," she said. Claire's voice wasn't sweet anymore. It reflected anger. Nearly a growl.

Nailea was shocked. "Me? What did I do?" She was slowly growing tense. She had heard about how Claire dealt with her victims. And Nailea didn't want to provoke her.

"If I'm not mistaken, your name's Nailea."

"Yes. My name is Nailea."

"So, Nailea, answer my questions honestly. Okay?" Claire said. Nailea didn't speak, instead, she nodded and Claire continued. "The student council elections were held on Thursday. Am I right?"

"Yes."

"What were you elected as?"

"Vice president."

"Congratulations!" Claire smiled again and clapped for Nailea.

Nailea gave a small smile in return along with a 'Thank You'. Her stress level kept rising. Fear was slowly taking over her body, even though she didn't know if she was at fault for anything. Claire suddenly stopped clapping and put on a serious expression again. Claire's duality frightened everyone in the room.

"Now, after the elections were over, did you leave for home right away?"

"No."

Claire's eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head in confusion. Besides the confused and oblivious exterior she had put on, Claire knew very well, about what happened that day. The interrogation was just her way of having fun and creating mayhem inside the mind of people. "Then where'd you go?"

"To the rooftop." Nailea's posture stiffened as she now knew what Claire was going to deal with. She understood that she had stepped foot in the wrong terrain and that she had to face the consequences. With every second that passed by, Nailea embraced herself for whatever she was going to face. She thought, 'How bad can it be? Worst case scenario, she beats me up. I guess that's okay.'

Claire sat up straight, satisfied with Nailea's answer. But her eyes darkened, "Why?"

Nailea looked down at her fiddling fingers, "Someone was singing. Due to curiosity, I went up o hear the song."

"But there is a rule about the rooftop..." Claire showed as if she tried to think hard. Everyone stayed silent because they were all afraid of what she was going to do next. "What was it again?"

The vice president looked up at Claire. She hesitated but eventually answered, "No student should go to the rooftop after school hours."

"Did you report the student?"

"Yes," Nailea answered with a feeble voice because she knew that the student she reported was Claire. As the conversation proceeded, Nailea's heart pounded harder.

Claire looked at Nailea with furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, "But why only the student? You broke the rule too. Nevermind, I am the student you reported."

"I know."

"When did you join the school?" The vice president got startled by the sudden change in topic. She became even more nervous after she saw Claire's curious stare, right after she averted the conversation to another direction.

"Last year, halfway through the session," Nailea answered.

"Do you know who owns this school?"

"I don't know the person's name but I do know that the school is owned by Simpsons and Co."

Everybody else in the room mentally face-palmed themselves because they knew that Nailea was surely going to be in trouble because of what she had just said.

Claire replied, "Correction, the school is owned by the CEO of Simpsons and Co."

"Yeah, whatever," the vice president clearly didn't know what was going on. She saw everyone looking at her threateningly as if they were trying to tell her something before it was too late. She, however, didn't understand what Claire had to do with the owner.

"But, do you know who the CEO is?"

"Yes. It's Jeremy Simpson."

"Do you know my name?"

"Claire Simpson-" Just as she said that, Nailea deciphered what all those questions were about. She understood that Claire wanted her to know who the owner was, so that she could be punished.

Claire smiled.

Nailea, on the other hand, was afraid of what was about to come. She knew that Claire was a bully and that she too would be bullied by Claire. But, now that she got to know Claire's position, she feared things far worse than bullying.

Claire stood up, startling everyone as they were concerned about Nailea. "I have an announcement-" everyone looked at her, wide-eyed. "The vice president, Nailea, is forbidden from the student council for the remaining academic sessions, including the current one. I request you all to elect another student to fill in her spot."

Nailea looked at Claire's back as she turned around, ready to leave. The vice president could feel tears pooling in her eyes. Everything that she had done to get that position, went in vain. She was thrown out of the council after just two days. Her heart broke and even the lungs that constantly hugged it couldn't provide her with the solace she needed. "W- why?

"You took advantage of your authority... I am someone who can go to the rooftop or stay back whenever I want to. However, you can't. But you did and didn't own up while reporting me. I won't explain myself any further, so... see ya." Claire explained before she finally left.

The silence that remained after Claire left was heart-rending. The president dismissed the meeting to break it.

Everyone left, one by one, feeling bad about Nailea. She was devastated. The position she had just lost was all that she wanted. Claire knew it, and so, she ruined it. On purpose. Because that's just how wicked she was. She was quite a sadist to those who knew about her tricks. It was true. She did have fiendish methods of punishing people. But no one ever knew her side of the story.

•••••

"Did you see her back there? She looked so pretty!!"

"Cathy, she may be pretty but she's ugly inside."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, no matter how pretty she is, she's still a bully... How can she be good?"

Claire listened to the girls talking about her from one of the stalls. She stood quietly and waited for the right moment to come out. The lunch break was going on and Claire chose the restroom over the cafeteria. The girls were quiet for a moment, so Claire came out of the stall, walked up to those girls and eyed them sternly.

Both the girls were startled and nervous as they saw Naileasuffering because of a small mistake, a while back. Especially the girl who called Claire a bully. The girls took a step back.

"Well, well, well. How does it feel, Areum? Bad-mouthing me?" Claire took a few seconds to recall their names and voices before speaking. Areum's eyes broadened. She started imagining various outcomes of this encounter of hers with Claire.

Areum stuttered, "H- how do you..... know my name?"

Claire ignored her question and glanced at the other girl whose name was supposedly Cathy. She ordered, "Cathy, leave."

"How?" Areum asked again. Claire watched Cathy leave and faced Areum again.

She scoffed, "Forgot I own this school, huh?" She started taking slow and small steps towards Areum, eventually cornering her. Poor Areum kept stepping back, but she stopped when her back finally hit the wall.

Claire stepped back as if making room for something. Within a flash of a second, she grabbed Areum's hair in her fist and pulled it down. The sudden pull obviously hurt and Areum shrieked with pain. Claire then slapped her, hard. In fact, the hit was so hard, it left behind a mark on Areum's cheek in a shade much darker than usual. Claire pulled her hair harder and jerked it down. Areum fell on the floor and was now in tears.

"Please stop..... I'm sorry," she tried getting up on her knees.

Claire wasn't done yet, so she stepped on Areum's hand and put as much force as she could, to crush it. Areum screeched.

Claire removed her foot and knelt down to match Areum's eye level. "Don't you ever dare, bitch about me again."

She pushed Areum's head back, using her index finger and then got up to leave. After Claire left, Areum finally let out her tears and wailed, while caressing her hand. The one Claire stepped on.

Claire, on the other hand, stood right by the door and heard Areum sob in pain. She felt the guilt eating her from within. Claire cursed herself for losing her calm, again. She wanted to smash her head on the wall for hurting someone in that way. Just then, she heard the shuffle of footsteps from inside. So, she walked off.

Areum trudged out of the restroom and went straight to the cafeteria. As soon as she entered, she earned a gasp from everyone who saw her. Indistinct chatter which was hushed, echoed throughout the room. All stares on her. She slowly walked to the lunch lady, grabbed her tray and went to a vacant seat.

Her hands were trembling, especially the injured one. And her lips quivered too. Areum was so lost that she didn't even see the seat she chose.

Another round of gasps was heard. Everyone started whispering to each other. Again. The chatter that had cooled down, rose up again.

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