UNDERGROUND: Deck of Cards

DOC 04

|DOC 04: FIELD|

|AQUA LAVERDA|

"I'm fine. Don't worry,"

Sometimes I am asking myself if I made the right choice to compete for the position of Student Council President. It's sometimes tiring, to be honest. 

That's what I am feeling right now. I have been answering all their questions, "How are you, Ms. President?", for three hours straight since I've crossed the gate inside of the school until I entered our classroom. 

"You're too famous, Ms. President!" Sarcasm is evident in Clove's voice when she takes a seat beside me.

"You're just invisible," I nonchalantly say while her eyes widen with it. 

"You're learning, huh? Where did you learn that kind of attitude, Ms. Aqua the oh-so-called Classy President?" I shot her a glare and she just laughs at me. 

Sometimes, I just want to stitch her mouth so that she can't talk anymore. I can't with her mouth. I really can't get used to her. 

I shake my head as I face my notes on the table. After our subject this morning, I'll be in my office later. Yea, I only have morning classes, and the rest of the day, I'll be their Council President. Not their classmate. 

Perks of being born from an influential family. The Laverdas. Laverda Group of Companies has too many branches all around the World. They're not on top but at least, they manage to get in the 7th spot of the Most Influential Family. Of course, at the top of the list is the Morozov Clan. 

That's where my crush came from. Is it too high for my standard? Well, I just got interested in him that I didn't know I was crushing on him. 

Is that a bad thing? 

Clove clears her throat, trying to get my attention and she succeeds. 

"What?" I ask her as I face her with my left brow raising. 

She wiggles her eyebrows while taking a glance at the notebook that I am holding since I took my seat. 

"Hmm? I didn't know you're INTO that guy, huh? Can't stop thinking about him that you're already writing his name? What next? Stalk him?" My mouth slowly opens when I realize what she's talking about. 

I look at my notes and from that moment, I wished I'll evaporate into thin air. 

How embarrassing! 

'Von Alastair Morozov' with a heart was written on it. 

Freaking what the hell?! 

I am not a cursing person but maybe I can too, right? I'm also a person who couldn't stop it from coming out from my mouth, yea? 

"That's nothing. Maybe you're mistaken," I deny it to her even though the evidence is so freaking strong. 

"Eh? What's wrong with that? That's normal!" My cheeks are so hot, I can feel my sweat slowly dripping from the back of my neck. I bet my ears are also red! 

"Shut up," I utter while I slide my notes inside my bag and put my arms on the table, hiding my face from it. 

She continues to laugh as if she finds me a great entertainment in her life. How could she? She's just so- I can't even say it. 

What a friend, yea? 

_____

I take a seat on my office swivel chair and lean my back on it and move it around. 

"Why does it has to be today?" I utter to myself when I feel my abdomen twitches in pain.

Red days are truly torturing, to be honest.

I continue to play with the chair to notice the pain in my abdomen. I play it like a bored kid. I turn it around using my feet as my arms are resting on its armrest.

I'll choose dizziness over the pain I'm feeling right now. That way, I'll be able to sleep. But who am I kidding?

"It hurts like hell," I wince in pain when the pain intensifies that all I can do is put pressure on it. 

Tears are forming in my eyes. I bet I look like a kid now who didn't get ice cream from their Moms. I really hate this day.

"Oh, sheet of paper!" I exclaim when I get startled by a knock on the office door as the pain reaches my back. It's too painful. 

Thinking that it's Clove, I glare at the door.

"What do you need?" I ask my voice laced with annoyance. 

But then I realize, Clo has never knocked on my door whenever she'll come here. She'll just barge in without saying anything and bothers me while doing some paper works.

"Who the hell?" I whisper to myself. My heart starts to pound loudly as I watch the door slowly open.

"Ms. President?" I compose myself when I recognize her voice. It's not Clove's. I'm sure of it. It's quite familiar yet I can't remember who owns that voice.

It's a kind of cold and serious type of voice.

"Come in," I nearly break my voice because I still can feel how my abdomen continues to give me pain. It's twitching every second that I am already sweating. Especially on my back.

I try to plaster a gentle smile when the person behind the door appears in my sight. As soon as her face registers in my mind, I nearly twitch my lips. I'm glad I control myself and look presentable in front of a Queen member.

"Ms. Haven Thorne. What can I help you?" I ask and try to stand up but she sways her hand, stopping me from doing it so I stay on my seat.

"No need. I'll just give you these papers if ever you decided to agree with Naraka's suggestion," I watch her walk towards me as she hands me the papers.

I blink my eyes and unconsciously look at her dark blue pair of eyes. I didn't know I am staring at her too much when I notice the side of her lips moves. She doesn't smile, that's a fact. She's too serious to even lift her lips for one so I am kind of perplexed in my seat.

"I'm sorry. Is that all?" I ask after composing myself back to normal.

"Ah, can I ask why are you still here?"

"Pardon me?" I ask. She glances at the glass wall on my left side so I also did. What is she talking about? Is there something I don't know?

"Students are needed in the field at exactly two in the afternoon. Aren't you informed?" She asks while still staring at the vast space outside of the glass wall. I abruptly check my wristwatch to see the time.

01:47 PM. Oh, it's almost time. 

"No one informed me, Ms. Thorne. Is there some announcement?" I ask her while organizing the files on my table. I suddenly can't feel the pain in my abdomen. I'm the student Council President yet I didn't know there was a gathering in the field. How disappointing.

"Then we'll go together, shall we?" That's when I lift my head, pair of dark blue-green orbs straightly look at my pair of green eyes. 

The time seems to freeze the moment I lock my eyes on his. 

Freaking sheet of paper!

"Ms. President?"

"A-Ah, yes?" I bit my lower lip because of embarrassment. I just stutter and lose my composure in from of a Queen Member! How many times do I need to face embarrassment today? It seems like they love to make me their victim!

"We're running late. Let's go," I watch them vanish in my sight. 

If only I was not rushing to go to the field, I'll drown myself in the pool area of the school. I feel like I get too many embarrassing moments every time I will meet him.

Von Alastair Morozov is freaking leaning on my office door and I didn't even notice?! And... why so hot?!

I mindlessly slap both of my cheeks to stop thinking unnecessary things. 

I'm getting worst. What's happening?

"May I call on Ms. President Laverda on stage, please?" I blink my eyes and look at the mini-stage in front of the field. Maybe they set up all the things around the field earlier that's why it looks like an auditorium without large benches.

Students are all standing, lining up according to their years and classes. They also have huge curtain-likes for our cover from the scorching heat of the sun. 

They all look at me and all I can do is smile at them calmly even though I feel like there's a storm inside me. I feel conscious, knowing the person who occupies my mind all the time is just anywhere, probably watching me.

"What's all this, HeadMistress Vera?" I ask her as soon as I settle myself beside her.

"Here," she lends me a piece of paper. I look at her before reading the paper. Why am I feeling nervous all of a sudden?

My forehead creases in confusion when I read what is it.

"A three-day break? All of a sudden?" I didn't know HeadMistress heard what I whispered because I just heard her laugh before greeting the student.

"Good Afternoon, students!"

"Good Afternoon, HeadMistress Vera!"

"I gathered you all here to announce that you'll be having a three-day off starting tomorrow. As you all know, our School Foundation is getting near and I just had a meeting conference with the board of directors yesterday. We've decided to give you three days' break from your academics as well as from other school activities. All boards of directors will be visiting the school starting tomorrow that's why the remaining time before your time off, will be your time to organize the school grounds. No exemptions. All of you, my dear students. That's all you may go," 

Different voices fill the whole field as some of them are curious why would all boards of directors visit the school. But as I remember, they've been doing that for the past years before the school foundation. The only difference is, we were not given a break from school. Not to mention, they give us three days. 

"Ms. President?" 

"HeadMistress Vera," I smile at her even though I am as curious as the students are. She puts her hands over my shoulders and gives me a warm smile.

"You know what to do. Guide them, hmm?" As always, I'll be leading the whole student body because it's my responsibility as their Council President.

"Don't worry Ms. Vera. I'll do my job,"

"Great! I have to go, Ms. President," I watch her walk towards her secretary, MS. Rose as they proceed to go their way out of the field.

I sigh and tilt my head. Even if there's a cover all over the place, I can still feel the heat from the sun. I feel sticky because of my sweats. I can also feel the pain in my abdomen again which causes me to wince in pain.

"Aqua!" I raise my head and look at Clove who's running towards me.

Because of the sunlight, I squint my eyes to look at her clearly. She seems to be panicking as if there's someone who's running after her.

"Clo, why are you running?" I ask her as soon as stops just right in front of me. I can hear the students gasps ove r something I don't know.

What is it? Why am I feeling the same atmosphere when the incident in the cafeteria happened?

"Aqua, you need to get out of here!"