The day of the festival finally arrived.
The school's long-awaited event. It was a day to celebrate the beginning of autumn. A day that was yearly long awaited. Not the season itself, but the festival. The school was busy during the festival period that ran over the weekdays and weekends.
To everyone's joy, the classes were paused at this time. This was the happiness of the event that all students looked forward to.
Azrael was walking across the halls as he was busy planning for the event as one of the main members of the committee. He needed to be first in everything as well as the representatives for the second years he needed to aid them in case of any issues. He was very busy during this time.
He met Alexander talking with Ophelia in the hallways. Naturally, he joined in and inquired what they were so serious about. Of course, they went into a topic about the different activities they would participate in. Something they spoke of to no end.
Alexander, for example, would do the theater activity on making a play that suited the theme of the event. A play from the famously told story of the past that was long lost in history. One of a boy adventured into the forbidden woods and finally met a secret that was meant to be hidden forever. Finally, pushing through the conspiracy and lies and making it out. The boy was committed to making it better. Thus had a tragic ending which did make an impact. It was a simple story but it needed precise execution to achieve the desired effect. This was the play Alexander was supervising or rather organizing.
Ophelia on the other hand was busy with her cooking activities. She was helping make a few snacks for the events. Not that she was any good at it. She liked doing something opposite to her image. Challenging her limits and capabilities. She loved doing it all to impress just one person. But she would never speak of it.
It was a collaboration of different clubs to make the café plan possible. She was there to raise the spirits of the rest. Make sure that there was no slacking and finally and foremost be the taster of the snacks. This was something Ophelia was most excited about.
"So you are going to be busy the whole day. Isn't that too much?" asked Ophelia, almost raising her voice. She was not happy with the news. Azrael wasn't able to attend any of the events due to his other duties.
"It can't be helped. We are short on volunteer members to do these things."
"So unfair. I looked forward to it." She softly stomped her feet and pouted in pure dissatisfaction.
"You gotta understand Ophelia, that Azrael has duties he has to fulfill. Similar to us. You have your activity to run and I have mine to supervise. Don't blame him too much." Alexander intervene.
Ophelia breathed in and out in the hope to calm down. She said, "But...I get it. I just wished he was free today."
"I will be free one of the days. Don't worry. I'll come then." said Azrael, making Ophelia's' eyes widen with exhilaration. She was excited about the news.
"Okay. I will personally escort you." Her voice rose a few notes higher as she hopped on her toes. Her hair bounced with each hop. She was strangely cute. She smiled with joy as she felt satisfied completely vanishing the discontent of earlier from her mind.
"Anyways. I have to go. See you soon." Azrael said and walked off. He was happy to see his friends have fun for the day. However, that could not be much said on his part.
He kept walking in the hallways until he arrived at a vast auditorium. The front stage has wee fixed and the audience areas were organized. Sweats were ser in uniform rows and columns. Space in between each chair. It wasn't too decorated but more subtle and neat form. He walked from the back entrance his eyes fixed on the front.
Another student was standing even busier than he was. He was giving commands in order one after the other. He seemed proficient in what he was doing. He looked up to see Azrael and smiled.
"Azrael you are finally here. I'm happy to see you."
"Not much-appreciated president."
The person he was referring to was the student council president. The one standing on the stage. He wore a full black uniform with a purple sash over his left shoulder to his right waist. His dark brown pushed-back hair with black glasses on. He was neatly dressed. His name was Riley.
Riley, thou was his name, nobody ever seemed to remember. He had the title of 'president' thus that became the way to address him. His name soon became forgotten except for the very few close acquaintances. In his case, not friends.
Riley was very responsible and very good at socializing. In this way, he became the most liked committee member on the board of leaders. He kept order in the school in his way which the professors appreciated him for. He was well respected and looked up to for being a perfect student, With a clean moral record and perfect scores if not the best every time. He had all the qualities of a leader.
"Oohhh. Come on. You are the best assistant I could ask for during these times when my actual assistant is nowhere to be found." Riley spoke sarcastically with a bit of humor.
He often tried to be close to Azrael however Azrael wasn't close to many. So this became a fit he had yet to accomplish. He held a handful of papers, which he pushed to Azrael.
"Very funny. Where do I start." Asked Azrael. He looked at the small bundle of papers. They contained content about the festival. Azrael didn't pay them much attention.
"Help me organize them. Make sure that all the copies are submitted to their rightful places and make sure you come back with a signed copy of them. I will need it before lunch." Riley spoke with a calm yet serious voice. He could play the role he was given without much difficulty when needed.
"Okay. Anything else" asked Azrael. He looked bored and already tired knowing the work was just the start.
"Could you help with the rounds later when you are done? I think they will need a hand." Riley responded his eyes on what was happening around the auditorium.
"I could." Azrael nodded.
"There. See. As I said. You are the perfect assistance I could wish for."
"Thank you. I will go now, president."
"Sure."
Azrael walked away as he came. He went to the council room and sorted out the papers in order.
He soon heard a bell. He knew the purpose of the bell on a free day. He walked to the auditorium where a multitude of students had gathered. He simply stood at the back. His eyes moved across the students and realized his friends weren't there.
'Where could they have gone?' He wondered.
His thoughts were cut with the first person walking to the far front of the stage. It was the school principal. A very well-known professor who was very good at teaching. However just as strict. Her lessons were nicknamed the 'misers score'. The demands to take the subjects she taught were hard to meet. The course itself was even harder as the topics were no walk in the park. She was good at teaching, but getting a good grade took effort. There was intolerance of half-doing your work.
She started with a calm but powerful voice. One that demanded attention. She spoke fluently as she gave a short speech. She ended it by saying that she didn't want to bore everyone. A common joke she made, but true to say the least.
The speech was just acknowledgments to several others and a list of main events during the festival period. Lastly, she narrated a few rules the students had to strictly follow during the event.
There were a few others who gave a few words and lastly, the council president, Riley, sent off the students.
Azrael walked back to the office where he sat a short while before standing again. He took the papers with him. This was to give everyone time to get to their event places. He did his job efficiently following a planned path that went through all the clubs linearly. Not needing to turn or run back and forth.
When he was done he walked to the council meeting room again, where he found Riley with a mountain of papers. For a short while he felt sorry for the guy. He walked over and placed the documents on the table.
"Oh. You are done already." Riley looked up only realizing there was someone else in the room. He had dark circles under his eyes. His posture was slightly saggy as he forced a smile on his face.
Maybe the morning demeanor was a lie? He looked more human now. Not the shell that was perfect with no flaw he portrayed to be.
"Yes, president. I will get going now." Azrael was about to walk out when he was called by Riley.
"Wait...Azrael. Could you take this to the principles office on your way? Just help me this once." Riley's voice sounded like a plead. A bit low and weak.
Riley looked very exhausted compared to his bright energetic look in the morning. He was like a ghost of himself. Azrael was about to refuse. They weren't close after all. However, it wasn't anything too much and it was probably important. So with logic, it seemed that this situation was avoidable. He picked up the papers quietly and walked off. He wasn't a person of many words.
Riley stared at him helplessly wondering what he ever did to the guy to be ignored like that. That lasted just a second. As soon as Azrael walked out he got back to sorting the documents on his desk. Riley was probably the one who didn't appreciate the festival. It was the busiest and most exhausting period for him after all. He never got the chance to enjoy it either.
Azrael arrived outside the principles office. It was the top-most floor but the climb was made easy with the elevator. He stopped outside the door with name tags hanging which read 'Principal's office. Kathrine McHugh.'
Without much thought, he knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Author's note:// Freya's name shall be Ophelia now. I think it suits her more.
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