The Best Kind of Betrayal

Chapter 21

There's a club meeting after classes, to no one's surprise, and Johnny's using it to evaluate the cleaning event. He's drumming his fingers on his desk and looks rather upbeat. Apparently, the cleaning event was a big success, something I definitely cannot verify. Johnny tells us all about the amount of students that joined, "thirteen percent more than last year", and the praise of several teachers he got so far.

"Mrs. Gordon told me we really outdid ourselves this year," Johnny says and adds modestly, "She also said my leadership qualities are superb."

Plus, Mrs. Bergmann wrote us a certificate stating the cleaning event for next year is all set and ready, since the response was good, no freshmen felt excluded and no students injured themselves.

"All in all, this was great work by everyone," Johnny concludes his speech and nods, "I hope Christmas prom works out just as well. We will start planning at the next meeting, so today, do whatever you want – no sounds on at your games, Duncan."

There's clapping, and Duncan and Carlos whistle loudly. "You go, Johnny," Carlos hollers.

Johnny makes a face and turns around for a very important whisper-whisper conversation with the VPs. Vivian purses her lips, Logan scratches his tummy.

I roll around on my chair, so quickly my head is spinning, and wonder what to do with the free time we apparently got. Kaia is already all busy scrolling through her personal calendar, and I watch the arts crew doodling something. Matthew catches my eyes and winks. I hide my face behind my science book, which reminds me again just how close the presentation is. My stomach lurches weirdly whenever I think about it.

"Christmas prom is going to be a huge thing, don't you think?" Kaia looks up from her calendar and pokes my arm, "I'm super excited. But I really hope we won't have to organize the whole time, but also get to enjoy ourselves. Oh my god, June, now that I think of it – can I even go with a guy if I'm part of the council and have to do organizing? I already promised Jason Bradman and Alexander Douglas I'll go with them."

"There's no way you'll attend prom with two boys anyway," I point out and scan through my books, "Also, I think your problem solves itself if you just ask someone from the council instead."

Kaia blinks and goes "What are you talking about?" and I decide to let her figure it out on her own.

Duncan and Carlos are playing games with sounds on, and Johnny goes to complain but ends up listening to Duncan ranting about how two hours of joint gaming would be the best team bonding event ever. Johnny looks mildly intrigued and agrees to let Duncan explain the game to him.

Liling is working on her math homework and looks very frustrated. Agatha is still drawing on her notebook. Matthew watches her blankly, and there's an open science book in his lap. I consider walking over and to go over our presentation once again, but then again I don't really want the whole club listening. The presentation is already stressful enough.

I take a blank sheet from my notebook and scribble a note on it, before folding it to a poor excuse of a paper plane and throwing it in Matthew's direction. It hits the back of Agatha's head and I go into hiding with burning red cheeks.

"Duncan, was that you?" Agatha asks confused and stares at my paper plane.

"What? No I – wait Johnny, what are you doing? You're running in the complete wrong direction, can't you read the map?!"

Agatha raises an eyebrow and unfolds the paper plane. She takes a look on my note and her lips twitch. Okay, so I may have signed the note with "Your beloved girlfriend, June". As a joke. My blush deepens.

Agatha nudges Matthew's side and hands him my note. He laughs quietly and he sends me a quick thumbs-up to where I'm not so secretly hiding behind my science book.