Unmasking the Enemy: A Battle for Loyalty and Power in High School Politics

After my big Christmas with the family and a quiet and intimate New Year celebration I’m back at school for a week when the notice comes down for a student assembly and pep rally in the gym after the first full week of school. That is a good thing except for the fact that Mrs. Jackson wants me to speak and get people out of the back to school blues. I have days to prepare for it as I tap Hideo and his A/V people for a little assistance and I get some wonderful ideas as things they can put together and a big damn screen to show it on in front of everyone. I let him handle the details and go over what I’m going to say. When Friday rolls around and its assembly time I am up hiding among a bunch of younger classmates. They don’t realize it’s me, I find it funny as I’m kind of blending in keeping to myself. I know the girls are looking for me in the usual spots and the only person who knows where I’m at is Hideo’s tech people who know exactly where I’m at as Mrs. Jackson is going on about taking classes seriously and promoting the study groups that Jun and I established.

“And now for something that most of you look forward to at these assemblies, a few words from our Class President Guy Donnelly,” Mrs. Jackson says stepping away from the podium.

I watch as two students surprise Mrs. Jackson by rushing out and moving the podium out of the way before the lights go dark, it’s not pitch black mind you but people are murmuring when everyone hears a some music kick on, it’s a hard and basic guitar riff with drums in the back and people are getting into it when I stand up and the spot light hits me. As always I have my coat on and my hood up as I start to make my way down the aisle and I’m touching hands as I go. I make it to the gym floor and everyone is cheering as one of the A/V boys rushes me a microphone and I hold it up as the lights brighten so that I can see my fellow students.

“New Year, resolutions, promises and blah blah blah. God doesn’t it make you feel old sometimes, these are supposed to be the beginning of the rest of our lives and we get dragged down by talk,” I tell everyone as they look on, some confused,” We don’t need talk, we have the people around us. Our friends, our boyfriends and girlfriends, lifelong buddies and home girls. I want everyone to pay attention because we’re learning a little before we enjoy our weekend.”

The lights dim and the pictures and video start on the giant patch work of white behind me and I am watching a little as we see students studying. Punks chasing off a guy from another school harassing a girl, the football team and Lou’s sportsmanship to the quarterback last game of the year, generally a lot of heartwarming and bonding pictures which make me smile a little before the music cuts out. This isn’t what I planned on when the word believe pops up in black letters. I watch some of the letters fade till the word ‘LIE’ is left. Then I hear a voice pick up over the audio, it’s muffled but you can understand it.

“Guy Donnelly is a coward; he hides behind his army only choosing to fight when he can’t get someone to do it for him. He uses fear and intimidation to make factions work together so that his order will be maintained. He has five women that he rampantly abuses for his personal pleasure,” as all this is happening there are pictures coming up on the screen, one of them being myself and Katy in a mad embrace with me holding her by the hair and her gasping in pleasure,” This is not a leader, this is a dictator who abuses his power and will make whatever he wants his by force. You’re girlfriends are not safe, nothing is sacred, you believe the lie. Guy Donnelly is the lie.”

I am a little stunned but it’s dark and I can hear everyone starting to question. It’s a seed of insecurity and I have dozen ideas pop into my head as to how to handle it. The lights start to come on and I turn to my people and pull the microphone up to my face.

“Mad dictator talking here,” I joke and a couple people laugh,” I’m abusive, I will take your women, I will hurt you and make you conform to my will. Really?! Problem is there is a lie that goes on about me that everyone believes.”

I can hear people go from listening to on the edge of their seats waiting as I sit cross legged on the floor and pull my hood back.

“I’m afraid. I’m scared of a lot of things because the outcome may hurt me and others. I don’t like being a force that won’t compromise but sometimes I have to be harsh so that all can benefit and not a select few. I’m afraid of losing this good life and this good environment we have built here. One where everyone can be around everyone else and nobody cares about a group because we’re all the same group,” my words ring out and people are listening and nodding again.

I can see Kori and Matty in the stands with the rest of my crew. They’re all looking down and while most don’t catch my expression I know Kori saw it as I lower my head and go for the big push. I stand up and start pacing while speaking loudly and firmly.

“While I may be afraid that doesn’t change what I do, what we do! We stand up, we face the fear, we take the pain and we endure the witless and the weak because we chose to stand up. They may not know us and they may not like us, guess what? People like that we don’t need in our lives,” I bark as people start to cheer me on,” The change has already started; it’s been going for almost a year now. And the fist is change and the fist will come down. If you look down on me you will see a demon there to drag you through the fire, if you look up to me you will see a hand there to pull you out of the darkness. And if you look me in the eye you’ll see a man. Scared, flawed but standing up and we will not stop! This is our time, this is our year!”

I drop the microphone with an unceremonious thud and march my ass up the bleachers to Kori and Matty who wrap me up in a combo girl hug. It’s loud and people are cheering but inside I’m seething as to who fucked with my assembly. I turned it but this shit is getting old fast. We’re dismissed and calmly we head out with the rest of the students talking and I’m shaking hands with more than a few as I bypass heading to the parking lot and go right for the A/V room. My whole crew is behind me along with some added football support. I get in the A/V room and can hear Hideo going off on everyone of his people as to what the fuck happened. I calmly open the door and step inside with Matty and Kori in tow.

“Guy I’m really sorry we don’t know what happened but I’m damn sure going to find out,” Hideo tells me agitated.

“I’ll handle this brother. Everyone empty your pockets and show me your wallets and cell phones,” I tell the five guys in the room.

Quietly all of them do what I’ve asked and I’m looking through the contents when another Asian boy catches my attention. He’s got two cell phones, a nice one and a junk one along with a hundred dollars in twenties. I dismiss everyone including Hideo from the room save for my girls and the Asian kid. He’s quiet and scared as I have my hood on and my girls are staring a hole through him.

“What’s your name,” I ask quietly.

“Edgar,” he responds a little scared.

“Okay Edgar, I’m going to ask you a few questions and make some statements, tell me if I’m right and don’t lie to me. If you lie I will leave this room and so will my girls, when you come back to school Monday people won’t speak with you, the A/V club won’t let you in, study groups won’t work with you in any capacity, and even at lunch nobody will acknowledge you. I will make you the weak sheep in the flock and you will be all alone,” I tell him finally meeting his gaze,” Do you understand me Edgar?”

“Yes sir, I’m really sorry Guy I just don’t….,” Edgar starts in but I stop him.

“Edgar we’re not on that yet so I need you to focus. Now I’m going to guess that somehow that phone came into your possession by an anonymous or unknown person. Did you see who that person was,” I ask and he shakes his head,” When you got your first call was it a male or a female?”

“It was a male voice; he knew things that we were doing here. He knew what we were doing for you and he wanted to ‘contribute’,” Edgar starts explaining but stops when he sees my expression,” Sorry sir.”

“Edgar you’re excited and you’re afraid right now, just listen and answer when I ask a question. He told you that he needed you to do something for him, how did you come to get money from him,” I ask and Edgar almost drops his contents.

“I told him no, I said I didn’t want to help but he said it would be harmless and offered me money hand off the final project so he could alter it. I wasn’t to look at it since I’m the final editor and when it was back in my possession the money was with it,” He tells me very scared now.

“Easy Edgar, you’re doing well. So you dropped this off anonymously, there was nobody you saw that took the thumb drive with the project and nobody who was there to deliver it with the money,” I ask getting a nod confirming what I asked,” And has this person contacted you since?”

“No, he did say I should run from you today. I couldn’t but I’m scared of tomorrow,” He tells me shaking.

I reach across the distance between us leaning forward and rest a hand on his shoulder. He flinches at first but I’m calm and in a mood for information gathering. He didn’t want to harm me, he just had a weak moment and someone took advantage of him. I stand him up and he’s scared as I look into his face.

“I forgive you Edgar, you were weak but you didn’t run. You stayed fearing I would find you and now I have. Nobody is going to hurt you because of this; nobody is going to treat you differently. We will help you be better,” I tell him as he nods and finally starts to relax,” Keep the money Edgar, use it but the phone is mine now.”

I take the junk burner phone and hand it to Kori before slowly walking Edgar out of the room and into a waiting pack of my people who are ready to destroy him at my command.

“Edgar made a mistake, someone saw that he was vulnerable and caught him alone. They took advantage of him and while he didn’t hurt me he let someone try. Edgar doesn’t need a punishment or a beating, he needs people to help him be stronger and that’s what we do right,” I ask as

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THE END