The class was a whirlwind of chatter as students exchanged stories from their weekends, tossed snack wrappers into the air, and debated over missed assignments. The noise seemed to have no end. Rita sat quietly at her desk, watching the chaos unfold with a tight-lipped expression. As the social prefect, she understood her role wasn't limited to planning parties or events. It was about fostering order and helping guide the school's social structure—something that was becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
She stood up from her desk, her chair scraping the floor as she made her way to Anne, who was seated under the shade of a tree outside, her headphones in place, humming softly as she read a novel.
Rita had noticed Anne's tendency to retreat into her books and music whenever things felt like they were too much—especially when Anne didn't agree with something. But Rita couldn't let it slide. She had to talk to her, make her understand the importance of what was happening. It was her duty. As the social prefect, she couldn't just ignore the disorganization she was seeing in the school.
"Anne," Rita said, tapping gently on the desk, trying her best to keep her tone calm. "I've been thinking. I believe we should hold a prefects' meeting. Just like our seniors did. There's too much disorganization right now. We need to plan ahead—social calendar, responsibilities, how we'll all work together…"
Anne removed her earpiece slowly and stared at Rita, her face unreadable. "A meeting? For what?" she asked sharply, not bothering to hide the irritation in her voice. "What exactly do we need to plan?"
Rita hesitated, her thoughts racing as she tried to word it carefully. "To plan. Things are getting scattered, Anne, and we need to take charge of it—how we'll divide responsibilities, work together, get organized..."
Anne's face tightened as she took a slow breath. "See, Rita, don't get carried away just because your name came out first last term. You're the social prefect, not the head girl." She gave Rita a cold, measured look. "Don't try to take over everything."
Rita's mouth parted slightly, a sting of disbelief rushing over her. "I know. I'm just trying to do what's right. You're the head girl, Anne. We're all supposed to work together, right?"
Anne scoffed, standing up sharply from where she was sitting. Her arms crossed, and she looked at Rita with a hard, almost dismissive gaze. "Look, just be careful. I've been tolerating you, okay? Since this whole 'first position' thing started, you've been acting like you run the whole school."
The words hit Rita like a slap, her chest tightening with a mix of hurt and confusion. "Tolerating me?" she repeated softly, almost as if she couldn't believe it.
"Yes," Anne said, her tone biting, "so don't push it."
Rita felt her throat tighten, a lump rising as she forced herself to speak through the emotion. "Okay," she said quietly, her shoulders sagging. "Message received."
Before Anne could respond, a voice from behind interrupted the moment. It was Christiana, the girl who often sided with Anne. "If you're planning a meeting, what exactly are we supposed to talk about?" Christiana said with a sneer, the sarcasm thick in her voice.
Rita's heart sank as Christiana added, "You better leave her alone, though. She's one of those 'I-know-it-all' types who thinks she's in charge of everything." Her tone was sharp, and there was no mistaking the venom behind it.
Rita stared after Anne, who walked away without even sparing a glance in her direction. Christiana followed, not bothering to look back either. Rita stood still for a moment, watching them go. The class around her buzzed on, oblivious to the weight of the conversation that had just unfolded. The tension, however, felt like it was pressing down on her chest.
It wasn't just about being the social prefect anymore. The real issue was deeper. It was about a friendship slipping away piece by piece, and Rita wasn't sure what she could do to fix it.
She slowly made her way back to her seat, her hands trembling slightly. Leaning against the locker, she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to clear her mind.
Just then, another girl came up to her, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. "So, there's a meeting?" the girl asked, confusion in her voice.
"Do you mean the prefects' meeting?" she continued. "Or is this some other meeting we're supposed to be at?"
Rita offered a faint, strained smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, I guess so," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
It wasn't just a meeting. It was a rift that had formed, one that seemed like it couldn't be easily mended. Rita wasn't sure where to go from here.