Betrayal

Title: Betrayal

By: Haripriya

Author's Note: Hello everyone! In this story, it will be full of competition and different challenges to become a student council president! Many of you might have actually experienced student council and have probably even volunteered to become any of the roles in it because I have. I hope this story will be fun and an exciting read! Have a great day!

"Hey there Jen!" called my friend Lelani.

"Hello! Sorry, but I really can't talk right now. I have to finish my English paper, and then write some pointers about what to say in this week's student council debate speech. Maybe we can talk during the bus ride home. Again, I am really sorry!" I admitted.

To say the truth, lately, I have been feeling a little apart from Lelani. I miss spending time with her and doing homework together. But the student council election has really gotten into my head. It is like every time I try to think about something, the student council comes into my mind. The only reason I wanted to volunteer for the student council was that I wanted to meet new people, and have a real working experience with others-something I lacked in elementary. I hope that 6th grade will be the perfect chance for me to open up and make new friends. I hoped that if I try something new, I can get a new experience. 

Frankly, I do feel tense about the debate speeches coming this Friday. Though I have gotten most of my points written, somewhere in the back of my throat, I feel like I got an ache. My tongue and mouth feel parched. My body temperature rises when thinking about the debate. My feet just start wiggling, like it has stopped working or something. My gut tells me that going for president isn't the best idea, but my instinct tells me that I did the right thing. My heart keeps on beating, and beads of sweat fall from my forehead. My palms start shivering, and my legs feel numb. It's like my body just switched off completely.

I try my hardest to tell my brain and convince me that I am going to do just fine, but still, in the back of my mind, all those feelings hit me. There are two portals in my brain, one is the happy and sunshine part, and the other side is the dark part. Nowadays, I think my brain has expanded the dark side portal, and shrunk the happy portal. All these feelings of debating, and getting the speeches ready while at the same time doing my homework... it is really hard, juggling all those tasks at once. 

Luckily, the only person who doesn't mention the student council election is my best friend Lelani. She said she doesn't want to run for student council because she is already the head of our art club and student leader in my class. She has enough things to worry about. Her life is busy... like mine, but she always finds time for me, and that is what makes her the best friend she already is. 

✺✺✺

Today is Thursday and everyone who is running for the student council has to meet their opponents. The thing is, no one saw who they were running up against until today. I was super thrilled to see who I was running up against. We were going to build a positive relationship. Meaning whoever will ultimately win or lose, we have to play fairly. To play fairly, we need to build a good friendship between the two competitors. I was beyond thrilled. 

"Students!! Please take a seat! Do not proceed with talking until we tell you all what to do. You will see the other opponent that you will be facing for tomorrow's speech debate. One contestant for each role. When we tell you to start, you must talk casually like how you would to a friend. Now we will start in 2 minutes. By then, students take a seat according to what you are running for." our principal announced. 

When I took a seat next to the sign 'president', I saw my contestant. 

My jaw dropped and my note cards fell from my sweaty hands from all that confusion and surprise. I was shocked to see my best friend Lelani sitting across the chair. I was not expecting her to be the person I am running against!! Also, she lied to me! She said she wasn't going to run as anything for the student election... my head was spinning from all the thoughts I had about this. I wanted to yell at her for... betraying my trust. Now when I run against her, maybe our friendship will be ruined. 

"Students, you may now start talking to your opponent!" the teacher announced.

"How could you ever do this to me? I thought you were my best friend! You didn't have to lie to me, you know. I honestly thought that you weren't going against me! You knew that I was running for president, but never even bothered to utter a word about this, am I right?" I hollered.

"Please, Jen, you don't understand. I... well my sister said that if I never told you about how I volunteered to be president, then I could win you over because you were my friend. I swear, I really didn't want to betray you or break our friendship pact. It is just that... with my sister saying this, well... I thought I could pull this off, but I didn't know we had to do this event on Thursday." Lelani spoke up.

"If you were a real friend, you would have stood up to your sister, and defended us. You don't care about me, you don't care about our friendship pact, and I was wrong to think that you were my best friend. You know what? You can be president. I wouldn't want to talk to you or face you ever again in my life. You can listen to your sister and betray me. Now I only have one obstacle that I have to face, and that is you. This is going to be the last time I ever talk to you. Goodbye Lelani, and good riddance. Now your dreams are going to come true." I stormed away after yelling at her. 

I heard Lelani mumble, "I am so sorry Jen! I would never want to betray you! Please come back!".

But it was too late now, I wasn't going to make her enter my life again. Our friendship is over.

The End