Chapter 4: Secret Files

Classes were finally over, and I was so glad it was. I was now walking towards the cafeteria with my phone in hand since it was now allowed to use phones. The curious stares were still there, and I could feel their scrutinizing gaze as I was walking. Like one wrong step, and I’ll be dead in a minute.

I felt a wave of relief when I was finally inside the cafeteria, and there I saw the girls at their usual table. I saw Zoe waving at me, so I waved back and immediately walked towards them. I can still feel the stares the other girls are giving, and that made me almost run towards their table, but stopped myself because it would seem inappropriate to run inside the cafeteria.

When I finally sat at their table, they greeted me and I did too. I even thanked Zoe for ordering for me in advance. She was like a mother taking care of her children, making me smile at her efforts.

“Is it actually normal for the others to stare at the new girl?” I asked them, as I was busy eating the food Zoe ordered for me. I didn’t know why they kept on staring at me, I mean back at my old school we didn't stare at the new student that much, we even tried to befriend the transferee. But here? If it weren’t for these girls, I wouldn’t have any friends because nobody even approached me.

I mean, they’re not required to be friends with me, but it’s just sad that all these make me feel like an outcast. But of course, what do I expect? Most of these girls have been here ever since they were young, most of them grew up together. They have a bond that couldn’t be broken that easily, and a circle that not any person can get into.

It’s so hard, because this setup makes me miss my friends back home even more. I miss our playful banters, 2 am car drives with the window down without our parents knowing, singing at the top of our lungs as we drive to an open Starbucks to drink coffee. Coffee's the only thing that makes us high at 2 am, and it enables us to jam to some famous songs of the Beatles as we drive off back to our houses.

I was back to reality when I heard Jada speaking. Her voice screams authority, that I feel like you can’t ever ignore her when it would be her turn to speak up.

“They’re like that. I’m sorry if it bothers you, but we really can’t do anything about it. You’ll have to give it a week, and I’m sure everything will be back to normal,” Jada whispered before looking around to see if anybody heard her.

I let out a deep sigh after hearing her answer to my question. Back to normal? My “normal” is being able to go to school with my friends and going to night parties with them, although some of us are still underage. My kind of normal is seeing my parents at our house and me talking to my mum about how my day went, of course I had to leave what me and my friends do that aren’t really nice, because I don’t want any of us to get into trouble. We were like siblings, and I really treat them as my siblings because I’m an only child, so having them in my life means a lot.

Goddamnit.

I miss them so much it hurts.

I was never the type to tell my friends sweet words, instead I’m the one who would give them a tight hug after a rough day, or be their shoulder to lean on whenever they are in need of comfort. I wasn’t really that talkative when it comes to them.

But something about this girl named Amelia just makes me want to talk just to get her attention.

Amelia and the other student council officers made their way inside the cafeteria. And there’s one thing I can say about them. They are all beautiful.

They were walking towards the center table, and everybody's watching them. Admiring them, and of course I was one of those who were looking. Who wouldn’t look their way? These girls scream elegance, class and beauty. The way they carried themselves was so powerful. Their hair and uniform were still neat, despite the long day of classes.

They were really the pride of this school. They were the representatives, and Amelia being their leader just makes everything seem more perfect. But of course, nothing is perfect. Everybody has a dark side to them.

Just like every other student here in whistler High School for Girls.

“They’re like the Cullens every time they walk in, everybody would start staring and whispering at just how perfect they look,” Eun said dreamily, making Lily use her finger to flick Eun’s forehead because of what she just said.

“What? I’m just telling the truth. They’re all so pretty! And what if they can hear us talking like the ones in the twilight movie?” Eun tried to defend herself, and even before she and Lily would start a fight, Jada was already there to stop them from doing so, or else they’ll make a scene.

As they were busy trying to stop whatever their argument was, I saw how some people who work here in the cafeteria made their way towards the center table, and there they served those girls a meal far different from ours, making me scoff at the special treatment they clearly have. Or was it part of the privileges that come once you’re a student council officer?

“They’re getting served their meals? They don’t order? How lucky is that to be an officer!” I exclaimed, trying to make it sound in a joking manner, but Zoe just shrugged her shoulders.

“They made the people who work in the cafeteria serve them. It was made clear that each student has to order their own food, but they do really have their ways. Being an officer doesn’t really come with much better treatment, but they know how to spin things around and make it better for their sake,” Zoe said under her breath before finishing off her food.

I was baffled at what she said. How did those students make the people at the cafeteria work for them? Did they cast a spell on them or something? It was so weird to find such a system, especially in a well-known school like Whistler High School for Girls.

I even remembered one time how my friends tried to find much more information about this school since I’ll be practically living here. And according to their source, the girls here are just like their parents when it comes to the business world. But one thing that really caught my attention was that these girls, even if they do sick things, everybody will still worship them.

Maybe that’s why even though the cafeteria workers aren’t required to do this, they still do it because just like what the person who gave out that information said, these students are worshipped.

But what are they worshipped for? Their parents’ money? That’s actually so disgustingly ridiculous. I remember back in our school whoever used their parents’ money to get away from they did received double the amount of punishment, since it’s clearly wrong. So, I don’t know why the school allows this to happen.

“As long as they’re not doing anything bad to the workers, I’m not going to say anything,” I told Zoe before finishing my food too. I heard Zoe chuckling beside me because of my answer. It was clear that I was playing safe, but I really don’t care at this point.

I really can’t speak up about it, because back home I was one of those who would also use my parents’ power just so I can at least get what I want. But it wasn’t to an extent where I would use it to have people serve me. I might hate ordering my own food, but I would never do this.

“We all should probably get going since we still need to rest.” Lily was already fixing her stuff as she was saying that. It was funny because Eun was pouting while looking at Lily who was so eager to finally leave the cafeteria, acting as if she was deeply hurt by what Lily did a while ago.

We all fixed our stuff, and immediately went out, but of course the stares went back to me. I frowned at that because I was hoping they would stop looking at me now that the student council is finally here. And part of the reason why I don’t want them to look at me is because I wanted to look at Amelia before finally going back to our room.

There’s just something about Amelia that makes me want to look at her pretty face. It was so pleasing to the eyes. And the fact that she doesn’t seem to care about me to even look back makes it easier for me to do this. But I’m scared that when I'm looking at her, the other girls who are staring at me would find out that my eyes were set on none other than the student council president.

I told myself not to look at the center table, and believe me when I said that I really did try to fight the urge to look at her. But my body wasn’t coordinating with what my mind wanted it to do. Without much thought to it, I looked back and smiled secretly when I saw her happily enjoying her meal.

I just hope nobody noticed me, or else I’ll be dead! Imagine having someone part of this mission in hopes of teaching some student council officers a lesson that actually has a crush on the student council’s president! That would make my new-found friends shocked, angry or disappointed. I really don’t know, but what I know of is that I never want to disappoint the people I love.

So, as much as possible, I need to hide whatever this is that I am feeling for her, because I don’t want things to end up getting messy.

Walking back to the dorm building was peaceful. The sky was already dark, the crescent moon was already present and some stars were already twinkling. Being here isn’t so bad, but after realizing that this would be routine for the rest of the school year makes me want to escape, but at the same time stay.

I’m torn between wanting to stay here and getting myself kicked out in order for me to go back home.

“Check the files. Okay, lovely?” Jada told me before giving me a playful smirk, making me smile at her and nodding my head. The five of us finally parted ways, I soon learned that Lily and Eun were roommates, while Jada shared a room with Zoe. I even told them that they were lucky since they get to be in the same room with each other, because they’re all close. But I get to freaking be in the same room with no other than Amelia.

How am I even going to be able to do the job that was given to me if I’m in the same room as the student council president. I don’t have any problems with Amelia, but I know for a fact that she’s one intelligent girl.

And I’m sure she’ll be able to figure out that I might be up to something. Now, all I need to do in order not to get caught is to act dumb as much as possible.

Maybe in that way, she wouldn’t suspect that I know a lot of things.