Play The Queen: Act One

Chapter 30: Just As Planned!

A/N: HAPPY MONTHSARY SA PTQ! One month nang nonstop ang updates sa inyong late afternoon/early evening habit! Thank you so much for your support!

We're now at the end of the third story arc.  Again, story arc, not the story. We still have 20 more chapters before Act One/Book One ends.

CASTIEL

ALL WAS well that ended well. Even if the plot went haywire, even if the characters acted off the script, and even if some unforeseen elements intervened, this short story came to a beautiful conclusion. As long as the audience was satisfied in the end, the show could be considered a success.

The siege on Fabienne's image had finally stopped, thanks to the truth that came out the next day. Gaya ng sinabi ni Reynard, naglabas ang Herald ng article tungkol sa denial ng dating director sa tsismis. May mga kasama pa 'yong retrato kung saan ipinakita ang score card ni Fabienne at ng iba pang nag-audition para sa role ng Mulan. Available din sa kanilang website ang buong interview video, maging ang ilang audition clips.

Posting everything about the issue was a good strategy. If some students still refused to believe that Fabienne deserved the role, they could watch the videos and judge for themselves. Even I was amazed at her performance. No other candidate could hold a candle to her. Tanga na lamang ang ayaw maniwalang siya ang pinaka-perfect para sa role na 'yon.

Of course, the University Student Council also had to do its part. We could not let The Herald emerge as the lone hero in this tale. Nagpatawag kami ng emergency press briefing nitong umaga. Imbes na si Rowan ang humarap sa campus journalists, si Priam na mismo ang tumayo sa lectern at nagsalita mula roon.

The cameras were rolling. The student body was watching and listening. The spotlight was his.

"We are greatly alarmed by the rumor posted on the What's The Tea account that targeted Theater Arts student Fabienne Lucero," Priam began, staring straight right at the cameras. Mabagal siyang nagsalita, tila pinananamnam sa mga nanonood at nakikinig ang kanyang mensahe. "What alarms us more is the amount of vitriol that some students threw at her despite the rumor not being confirmed. What's more disappointing is that some of you chose to spread the controversy for your personal satisfaction and desire for conflict."

Tell them, Priam. Tell them how stupid they all are.

"We condemn in the strongest terms possible the act of spreading inappropriate and unfounded information on the CampuSite," he added, his hands clutching the lectern's edges. "The person behind the rumor and the people who believed and shared it must be ashamed of themselves for the amount of distress that they have caused one of our fellow Elysians. They are nothing but an embarrassment to this institution and to the core values that our university proudly promotes."

Patango-tango ako habang nakikinig sa gilid. My eyes roamed the room. Every campus journalist was listening intently to him. May mga nagugulat pa nga sa mga salitang ginamit niya. Valeria wanted to tone down his speech, but I urged him to use the harshest words possible. The verbal reprimand must not only be a slap on the wrist but a smack in their faces. Priam had to look and sound strong in his speech. The USC, as the highest governing student organization, must not appear weak and indecisive.