CHAPTER 34

"I don't care." Nicole told me bitterly as we neared room 203. "The cold sucks. It hurts my face to go outside. You're defending a thing that hurts my face."

I grinned at her. "Now you're just thinking up my reasons for me to love winter!"

She punched me playfully in the arm as we took our seats, joining the rest of Student Council. Shortly after, Phil entered the room and cleared his throat.

"Great, everyone's here!" He commented happily. "Alright guys, listen up…"

That was my cue to stop listening until my name was called. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed being part of student council, but weirdly, the meetings, which was 95% of being in student council, were the most boring and insufferable part. Before long, my eyes wandered, looking at everything yet nothing in particular, until something responded.

That something was Megan, waving cheerfully as soon as she noticed that I was looking at her.

"Hey!" she cheerfully whispered, trying not to alert Phil.

"Hi." I responded, admittedly less warmly. "How was your weekend?"

She shrugged. "Y'know… I didn't do anything. It was kind of lonely."

I never quite knew if Megan, ever since she confessed she liked me, was trying to guilt-trip me, or if she legitimately was a sad person who happened to like me. "Oh," was the only thing I could think to respond.

"Yeah." she said awkwardly, before waiting a few seconds then asking, "How was yours?"

Oh, just fine. My crush is going out with my best male friend, my best friend's brother died via an overdose, and she responded to me finding that out by freaking out my dad then screwing me. "The usual," I told her flatly.

"Adam." Phil barked. "Do you have anything you'd like to say to add?"

I whirled around to face him. Well, crap. I felt like an ass, and debated either sinking back in my chair or trying to look like I was paying attention. My eyes fluttered in a panic from person to person until they settled on Nicole, my god damn savior.

She looked me straight in the eyes, and mouthed 'Spirit days – up the ante.'

I have no clue how I did, but I caught her drift immediately. I turned back to Phil. "I dunno, honestly." I started. "I feel like everyone does that already. If we want people to really show school spirit, I feel like it should be bigger."

The nerdy guy behind Phil spoke up. "The dude ain't wrong." he said in a jock-y fashion that completely contrasted his look. "I mean, wearing stripes to support the school is cool 'n all, but people do that anyway. We wanna find things that people don't normally do."

"Sorry, but what even is the point of wearing stuff to show support?" Nicole piped up. "Like, shouldn't we be finding things to do that can ACTUALLY support the school? I get the whole morale thing, but we should find reasons to get students to like the school to begin with, instead of telling students to show that they like this school? We should let them show their own ways to support the school, instead of just telling them."

Her actually good point aside, I saw what Nicole was doing. She was stirring the pot, diverting the topic away from me not paying attention. Naturally, it worked like clockwork – before long most of the council was debating ways to get students to like the school to begin with. Amidst the chaos, Nicole turned to me and winked.

I wasn't the only one that noticed the wink. Megan noticed Nicole winking at me and her face fell instantly. She turned to me and asked, with some sort of desperation in her voice, "Why is she winking at you?"

Thinking fast, I replied, "I gave her that very idea a few days ago, about the whole let students find their own reason thing." A complete lie, but whatever.

"Oh." her face didn't brighten up. "So you two talk a lot, huh?"

I sighed internally. I pitied Megan, I really did. "Yeah." I replied. "She's really cool, actually."

Megan looked distraught at this point, so as much as I really didn't want to, I continued. "She and Phil are really close too. They danced together at the Halloween dance."

Just as I suspected, her face brightened somewhat, even though she was trying to hide it. "Do you think she likes him?"

I put on my best politician smile for her and added, "I hope they end up together."

Megan smiled back. Internally, I was putting my face in my hands. I really hoped that I wouldn't have to put up with this all year.

***

The council was over before long, even though it felt like it went on forever. Eventually, everyone was filing out, leaving just Nicole and myself in the room.

"Thanks for saving me." I said to her as she filled her backpack.

"Don't mention it, squirt." she replied as she took her camera off from around her neck. I never noticed it before, but May was right – unless we were in her room, Nicole took that camera with her EVERYWHERE.

"Besides…" she added slyly, walking up to me, "How could I resist saving an ass as cute as yours?" She ran up to me and looped her arms around me, squeezing my ass.

"Woah there!" I said, backing up. "First off, uncharted territory."

Nicole giggled.

"Secondly, we're in the school building right now."

"Oh, come on." Nicole protested. "Everyone else left. I don't expect you to bone me, but you've gotta admit, doing something in the council room would be hot, doncha think?"

Oh my god, she was serious. "You can't wait for the car?!" I protested.

Nicole pretended to think for a second. "Hmm… Nope!" she concluded. She pressed herself up to me again, locking lips with mine, wasting no time. Her tongue licked away at my lips before I could even register what was happening, and was inside my mouth without me even being aware I allowed her access.

I broke the kiss. "The… the door…" I managed, pointing to the wide-open door.