House Captain election

Preeti Ma'am walked into class with her signature "I'd rather be anywhere but here" face. She clapped twice and looked around like she was ready to yell—but didn't (yet).

"Listen up. We're holding elections for House Captain and Assistant House Captain. If you want to participate, register your name, roll number, and logo with the class monitor by today."

Nick sat up, eyes wide. "Wait, we're doing elections now? For real?"

He turned to the imaginary camera like he was in a reality show confessional.

"Quick context for those watching from home: Our school's divided into four houses—Carnation, Tulip, Daffodil, and Zinnia. I'm in Carnation. Zaid's in Carnation. K's in Daffodil. And also—well. We'll talk about that later."

K looked sideways. "Who are you even talking to?"

Nick: "Don't worry about it. Fourth wall stuff."

Zaid leaned over. "You thinking of running?"

Nick crossed his arms like a dramatic movie hero. "Yes. I will rise. Like Maggi in two minutes."

K raised an eyebrow. "You know it never takes just two minutes, right?"

Nick ignored him. "Will you two campaign for me?"

Zaid and K looked at each other.

K: "Sure, I mean, if it means I don't have to run."

Zaid: "Why not? Let's support our future… something."

Nick stood up like he just got knighted. "That's what I'm talking about. Let's make Carnation chaotically elegant."

He strutted to the front like he was entering Shark Tank.

Class Monitor looked up. "Name?"

"Nick."

"Roll number?"

"26."

"Logo?"

Nick grinned. "Infinity Stone."

Class Monitor squinted. "What's that?"

Nick blinked. "You… don't know? It's a magical glowing rock with powers. Very classy. Controls time and space. Also kind of purple sometimes."

The monitor stared. "So… like a magic gem?"

"Yes. But stylish."

The monitor shrugged. "Fine. I'm not here to argue with Marvel. Next."

Nick spun around dramatically and walked back to his desk like he just dropped a Grammy acceptance speech.

Zaid whispered, "Infinity Stone? Really?"

Nick: "It represents power. And mystery. And purple."

K: "You literally chose it because you watched Endgame again last night."

Nick: "Inspiration can strike anywhere, okay?"

K opened his notebook. "So what now? You have a campaign strategy?"

Nick grinned. "Absolutely. Step one: look cool. Step two: say inspiring stuff. Step three: don't trip in front of Pearl—"

Zaid: "You mean the voters?"

Nick: "Yes. The voters. That's what I said. Obviously."

The three of them huddled together, drawing up wild campaign ideas like "Free Period Friday" and "Ban Surprise Tests Forever."

Meanwhile, somewhere behind them… Pearl quietly filled in her own nomination form.

Same house. Same battlefield.

But Nick had no idea.

Yet.

Preeti Ma'am clapped her hands before lunch.

"Everyone who registered for House Captain or Assistant House Captain—prepare a campaign chart for tomorrow's assembly. Include your name, roll number, house, and your logo."

⸻

3:30 PM | Outside School Gate

Nick's mom pulled up and honked. He jumped into the backseat.

"Ma, I'm running for Assistant House Captain!" he announced.

His mom glanced at him. "You? Voluntarily? Miracles do happen."

At the stationery shop, Nick bought a large white chart and a pack of sketch pens. He also slipped the shopkeeper a flash drive to print his confidential logo.

Back home, he wrote in big letters across the top:

NICK — Roll No. 26 — Carnation House

Vote for me for better vibes and fewer surprise tests!

He doodled a few lightning bolts for flair, left a corner blank for the logo sticker, and surveyed his work.

"It's perfect," he declared.

His mom sipped chai. "Just don't trip over it tomorrow."

⸻

Next Morning | 7:45 AM | School Assembly Ground

Rows of students stood under the rising sun. One by one, candidates stepped forward, charts raised high.

When Nick's name was called, he marched up and held his chart proudly. His classmates murmured approval—or was it amusement? He couldn't tell.

Then a sudden gust of wind caught the bottom edge of his chart. It flapped wildly, nearly smacking a first‑year in the back.

Thwack!

Silence fell. Nick froze, chart trembling in his hands.

His face was the exact shade of a ripe tomato.

She began her speech, voice clear over the mic:

"Good morning, Carnation House! I'm Pearl, roll number 12, and I'd like to be your Assistant House Captain because I believe in teamwork, fairness, and—most importantly—celebrating everyone's strengths. Let's make our house shine!"

A round of applause broke out. Pearl smiled, stepped down, and the monitor called the next name.

Nick swallowed, stepped up, and grabbed the microphone.

"Hi—hi, my name is Nick, roll number 26. I am standing for the position of Assistant House Captain for Carnation House, and my logo is… the Red T‑Rex."

There was a beat of stunned silence, then a ripple of laughter.

From the back, K muttered under his breath, "What the fuck."

Zaid beamed. "He went and did it."

Nick cleared his throat, raising the mic a little higher. "The Red T‑Rex stands for strength, confidence, and—uh—big roars in the face of challenge. Vote T‑Rex, and we'll stomp out boring days forever!"

A cheer went up. Even a few teachers cracked smiles. Then genuine applause filled the hall.

Pearl caught Nick's eye and called out with a grin, "I like your confidence!"

Nick's cheeks warmed. He nodded and said into the mic, a little more firmly this time, "Thank you."l

After the chaos of Day 1, Nick, K, and Zaid regrouped near the canteen — the Holy Trinity of Chaos, Stress, and Mild Regret.

Nick dramatically slumped over the table. "Guys… Pearl liked my confidence yesterday."

"You looked like a malfunctioning robot while saying your speech," K replied. "Confidence or confusion, hard to tell."

Zaid nodded, munching chips. "Bro, your voice cracked so hard, even my chips felt secondhand embarrassment."

"But she smiled!" Nick defended. "That means something, right?"

"Yeah," K said. "It means she's polite."

Nick groaned. "I'm losing it. What if my T-Rex isn't enough?"

K stared. "You… just said that sentence with full sincerity."

Zaid threw a chip into his mouth. "You still have tomorrow, bhai. Pull yourself together. You're not running for president. Just assistant captain of House Carnation. A position with absolutely zero real power."

Nick squinted. "Then why am I risking my social life for this?"

Both K and Zaid, in perfect unison:

"Because Pearl is in Carnation."

Nick: "…Fair."

—

Next Morning – 8:12 AM – School Assembly

The monitor walked in with the kind of seriousness usually reserved for surprise tests.

"Okay, students participating in the election," she announced, holding a sheet of paper like it was a scroll from Hogwarts, "you are allowed to visit other classes today to ask for votes."

Excited murmurs broke out.

Nick's eyes widened. "Oh god. This is real. We're door-to-door salesmen now."

Zaid grinned. "You better sell that dinosaur hard, bhai."

K slapped a sticker onto Nick's back. It read:

"VOTE FOR DINO DUDE"

Nick looked at it upside down. "What is this font? This looks like a cereal box for toddlers."

Zaid: "Exactly. It's nostalgic."

Nick sighed, adjusted his campaign sheet, and mumbled, "Let the cringe tour begin."

Nick leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and eyes shining with a devious sort of brilliance. "Okay, hear me out," he said. "What if I tell everyone it's my birthday… and hand out chocolates?"

K raised an eyebrow. "For what purpose exactly?"

Nick grinned. "To spread happiness, obviously. Unite the school. Bring joy to my beloved Terna family."

Zaid stared at him. "You mean… bribe them so they vote for you."

Nick gasped dramatically, like someone had just insulted his great-grandfather. "Bribe?! How dare you! I would never stoop to such cheap tactics."

K blinked. "You literally just said you'd lie about your birthday to hand out sweets and get votes."

Nick pointed a finger at him, like a lawyer in a courtroom. "It's not a lie. It's a… delayed celebration. Maybe it's not my birthday today, but spiritually? It could be."

Zaid shook his head, half amused, half horrified. "Bhai, you're about to do political fraud with Dairy Milk."

Nick held up a jumbo pack of chocolates like it was a holy offering. "It's called strategic generosity. Gandhi would be proud."

K groaned. "Gandhi didn't win independence with KitKats."

Nick shrugged. "Well, maybe he should've. Imagine if he marched to Dandi handing out Five Stars. British Empire would've surrendered from happiness overdose."

Zaid laughed. "I'm not gonna lie, if someone came to my class giving Perks and saying 'vote for me,' I'd probably do it."

Nick nodded like a wise guru. "Exactly. I'm not buying votes. I'm investing in the future."

K looked unconvinced. "This is the worst TED Talk I've ever heard."

Nick started pulling out individual chocolates and sliding them into his bag. "Okay so here's the plan. I'll walk into each class, big smile, big energy, 'Hi friends, happy birthday to me, have a chocolate, vote for Nick, peace and love.' Simple."

Zaid raised his hand. "Save one for me. I'll pretend to be an undecided voter."

Nick pointed dramatically. "You, sir, are what we call a swing state."

K sighed. "This school is not real. I'm in a simulation."

Nick smirked. "And I'm the main character of it."

Zaid clapped him on the back. "Main clown, more like."

Nick held up a red KitKat like a trophy. "Say what you want. But this clown is about to run the circus."