Chapter 13 - Class 3-B: The Battleground

Omniscient POV

Senior year had begun for the two complicated, secretly-bound lovers: Trish Carpenter and Joseph Roland.

All of Mthland High’s students were gathered in the main hall for the traditional Hall of Fame walk and celebratory program, a ritual held before the final-year students ever sat at their desks as official seniors.

The tall, slim, blonde-haired Principal, Mrs. Dante, stood at the podium. "Dear students of Mthland," she spoke, her voice ringing with pride and gravity. "These are our most respected seniors. Every year, we come together—teachers and students, to give our respect to those who will soon depart. Because after a short while, we won't see them anymore." She paused, letting the weight of her proclamation settle over the hushed hall.

Mrs. Dante always had that personality; no matter how playful the atmosphere, her entrance demanded dead seriousness. Having taught at Mthland for so long, she had seen countless students come and go, a philosophical reality that fueled her decision to celebrate the seniors on their very first day.

"We hold this brief program to urge you students to use your time wisely.” She continued. “We have only twenty-four hours in a day, and you all are the already-become. We hope to see you in better halls someday, living a life of integrity, and not what we adults—who are also parents—fear.” She paused glaring towards the final years who were sitted quite far away from the rest of the other years.

“And so to our final years,” she spoke again. “Congratulations! But it's only just begun. Now is that moment, that dream, that resolve, and that tenacity that you need to walk your days, because it's not easy here on out.”

She gave a weak smirk, catching a delightful response she intended to cause on students, knowing they'd only be a few.

“I know my words may seem so overly cliché. But at least, looking at some people in the crowd, and some fierce persons raging and staring at me from the final year corner, I know that Mrs. Dante has definitely been heard today. So congratulations again to our final year, and thank you all for joining us today.”

Silent laughters erupted from the final year corner as Mrs. Dante finished her speech. The students completely uninterested in her pep talk, were already throwing shades at their principal.

“Ughhh. The horny principal is at it again, Dammit! I swear I've heard this since I was a fresher.” A senior year guy exclaimed, sending silent waves of laughter across the final year corner.

“Damn how old is the b!tch principal anyway! I heard she's almost in her 60s now. How the hell does she still look so fucking hot!.” Another boy muttered, clearly seizing the opportunity to make his peers laugh harder.

Mrs. Dante was about to step down from the podium, when she remembered a very "disturbing matter" that students treated as a joke.

"Before I leave you all to your classes, I’d like to say this.” Her demeanor instantly changed, as she cleared her throat, waiting for utter decorum to be restored. ”Our school is not pervy, and has never been." She searched for words, looking to a young female colleague who whispered the offensive phrase.

"Pervy Mthland," the colleague mouthed.

Mrs. Dante frowned, finding it hard to even pronounce the slander against her prestigious home. "Yess! Ugh. Pervy... Pervy Mthland."

The whole school erupted into quiet, uncontrolled giggles, sending even some teachers into stifled laughter. But Mrs. Dante regained her composure, barking like the tigress she was nicknamed for.

"Hey! Hey! Quiet, everyone! It’s funny now, but I swear to you, anyone who is caught saying 'Pervy Mthland' ever again," she spat the word ‘pervy’ out, "whether first-year or senior, I assure you that student will be expelled."

"Our school is never pervy! You do not give people the wrong image about us. If you want to call our school pervy, then you do not belong at Mthland High. Mthland High is the most prestigious school in Mthland City! Have I made myself clear?!" she roared in fury.

"Yes! Yes! Principal!" the students replied in unified obedience.

"Now go on to your classes, everyone! This program is over. Go on now, go!" Mrs. Dante commanded, storming off to her office.

The hallway immediately became a busy, echoing place again after the long summer.

Joseph and Trish ran into each other, unable to hide their bright, newly-confessed smiles as they stared across the crowd.

“W-why are we even smiling?" Trish muttered to herself as she walked toward the school’s King.

"Well, how's your first senior day going?" Trish spoke brightly.

"Well, we opened the day with Mrs. Dante yelling and ranting at everyone again, so... I guess it’s awful," Joseph replied with a grin.

A brief, comfortable silence fell between them. Clearly, they had nothing left to discuss at school that they hadn't covered under Miss Britney's roof.

As Trish was about to break the long, warming stare, a loud voice stormed through the hall.

"Hello, everyone! Announcement!" a teacher yelled. "Everyone, please kindly go over to the notice board to check your classes and where you’ll be placed."

"There are Classes A, B, and C for the younger grades, but this year, our seniors have only two classes: Class 3-A and Class 3-B." The teacher walked toward the notice board. "The names of all students have already been recorded. Your classes are already assigned."

‘What if, wh—’ Trish’s mind rambled, as her heart leaped. She had secretly wished, prayed, to end up in Joseph's class. They had barely known each other during their freshman and sophomore years, but now, ending up in the same class for their final year felt like destiny pulling them together. The reduction to just two classes was perfect for her to stand a better chance to be close to him.

She looked around and saw almost the whole hallway staring at her as they rushed to check their classes. Even in the urgency, the students, even the newly admitted first-years—looked to see the charming young man the whole school talked about.

"Come on, Trish, let’s go see the class and possibly the classmates we ended up with. Ah, I just hope it’s not that ugly looking ass, Christian!" Joseph called out, the very name of his bitter rival giving him nausea.

They both headed toward the notice board. “Hey, Joseph,” Trish said, looking at him with concern. “Why do you hate Christian so much? I heard you two almost got into a fight last semester?”

“It's nothing, and we definitely won't be in the same class after what happened,” he assured her, though his tone held a definite edge of worry.

They reached the board as students were loudly discussing their placements. Trish's eyes scanned the lists, searching hard for a certain name next to her own. She quickly found her name in Class 3-B, then searched for Joseph's name.

Her joy exploded.

"Hey, Joseph, we’re in the same class! Yay!" She sprang toward him, clutching his hand, expecting a matching triumphant look.

Instead, she saw sheer terror in his eyes.

"No way! I ended up with that freak? I ended up with Christian?!" he sputtered, his voice cracking with disbelief.

Trish froze. Her joy immediately vanished. She had ended up with Joseph, that was the win. But the terror in his voice made her pause.

Why does he hate Christian so much? He seems like a good guy, she thought, suddenly realizing her proximity to Joseph had just complicated every single aspect of her senior year.