James looked between Isaac and I, trying to gauge our reactions and time when to continue. "I want to help you with something you've been desperately wanting to do for a few weeks now," he proposed. I was incredibly relieved. Despite not being the type of person to accept any help, especially not from strangers, I could definitely use some right now. Evelyn's student of honour... but how did he know? It doesn't matter really. How should we persuade people to vote for her? I'm sure James could pull some social strings in her favour. Is this what divine intervention feels like? Is he an angel?

"I want to help you take down Ivy Pearle." What? What about helping Evelyn? I was speechless, he had taken my breath from me and used it to form insane sentences, he must be truly nuts. "Sorry, what?" I spat not watching my manners enough for a proper English boy like himself. I heard him loud and clear, that was the problem, that was why I needed to hear it again.

"You heard me," he said, a smirk crawling up his face. I was overreacting, why was I so breathless? This was just a random kid named James scheming for his social agenda. And Ivy did nothing bad to us that we would want revenge for. Isaac covered for my lack of breath, "Ivy is our friend, you should leave." The boy took a scrunched piece of paper from his pocket and put it on the table, I knew what it was and so did Isaac. That was the cause of the argument between Ivy and I in the first place, and James seemed to have gotten his clammy mitts on the limited edition poster before it had been confiscated.

"We've seen that," I said, "and I've already had the fight about it. Stop trying to stir up trouble and stay out of business that isn't yours." I wasn't used to being so aggressive but James clearly wanted to start another fight between Ivy and I.

"I know that it's old news," James said, brushing off my hostile tone. "There's more to what she's done, this was the coverup..." There couldn't be anything else. And how could I trust James who I've only known for a few hours, over Ivy, my friend for years?

Before James could continue, Felix casually strolled over hoping to 'accidentally' discover more gossip. I was surprisingly thankful for Felix's interruption because I had a feeling that I wouldn't want to hear what James would've said. When Felix saw the scrunched up piece of paper on the table, his breathing rate quickened, but he tried to keep calm. When James realised, he immediately went to snatch the piece of paper for his pocket but Felix was too fast. Isaac and I watched with pity as Felix clasped the paper. Felix knew all too well what it was so he didn't open it. He calmly put it in his pocket and gave James a fake smile, "Thanks for that, these days, those posters go for a lot; they're limited edition," Felix said. 

James returned the fake smile with wide eyes and pat Felix on the arm in a buddy-kind-of way, "Any time pal," he said sarcastically. I felt the tension but Felix held himself back. Felix dropped a quick curse and returned back to the grounds; it was Felix himself on the poster...

James tugged at his jacket cuff and prepared to speak again-

"Guys! Help!," a voice said in the doorway. We immediately looked over. It was Ivy. The day got more and more confusing... 

"I need authentic grounds' help because it's party time!" A few people wooed and Ivy glided into the centre of the group. James leapt up and ran over there. I turned to Isaac and said, "I've had enough of being out of the loop."

"Come on," he replied and we ran over to the group in search of... I don't know. Ivy was discussing details but too many people were around her buzzing with chatter to hear what she was saying.

James appeared behind us, "Do you know?" he asked. Why did he have to be so cryptic? 

"No..." I shamefully replied. I spotted a glimmer of satisfaction in James' eye. "She's throwing a surprise birthday-"

"Hardly suitable gossip," I impatiently spat. "Typical for the grounds, making something out of fuck all." I didn't know how I had become so irritable but I could see James starting to feel fed up with me. "Sorry," I blurted.

"It's a birthday party... for Evelyn." My heart panged, hearing Evelyn gave me butterflies. Then I comprehended the rest of the sentence, Ivy and Evelyn? They were barely close... and Evelyn didn't like parties, she didn't like unnecessary fuss. It had to be a twisted rumour. But it did come straight from the source, why would Ivy lie? I tried to calm myself down, it's just a birthday party that Ivy was planning. I had to ask Evelyn. But Evelyn had set rules: no talking to each other in public. I respected Evelyn's rules and boundaries as she wasn't out yet, or maybe she didn't want a public relationship but it truly sucked sometimes. Not sometimes, always. 

I would've dropped her a message but phones weren't allowed, ever.  There was only one landline to call family on, if you had any. As new students arrived, phones were permanently taken, until the end of four years I suppose, I wouldn't know as I didn't bring one. They said we should be more focused on education and in-person interactions. Some rich kids managed to smuggle in a phone or two, or get suspended. But phones weren't worthwhile, not enough people had them. As an example, texting Evelyn would be impossible, she would never handle illegal contraband.

And then I realised that I couldn't ask Evelyn about a surprise birthday party. A conundrum. Ivy, you sneaky snake.

Then the bell rang. I was not in the mood for any more lessons but did I really have a choice? Luckily there were only two more to go. Today was a four lesson day which was the maximum amount of lessons a day permitted in summer school.

James said "I'd love to talk after school with you, Isaac and Felix, okay?" Once again, I nodded out of habit, why did James always put me on the spot when I was in a rush? Then I realised what James had actually said and replied, "Wait, when?" It then became apparent that I was talking to a door frame and James was in the distance walking off with some of the grounds group. Isaac laughed at me. "Shut up," I said, lengthening my 'up' out of embarrassment. It wasn't funny, me talking to myself, I swear. Isaac didn't shut up, he kept laughing until I laughed with him.

Everything had become so fast moving that I forgot how many questions I had. What was James going to tell me about Ivy? Will he tell me after school? Why did James bring the poster up again? Why did James want to talk to Felix as well as us? How do people in the grounds actually know James? Why is Ivy planning Evelyn a surprise birthday party? This was exhausting. Did James know all the answers like he seemed to?

On my way to class, I spotted a poster on the noticeboard that was new. I stared. 

No way. 

Isaac was beside me, and wasn't so affected. Evelyn was on the poster and Isaac barely even knew her, unlike me. "Ha, another one of these posters?" he snickered. Then he saw who the poster was by, "Ivy's so screwed," he said and laughed again. I had no breath, I kept staring at the poster in shock. "You like what you see?" Isaac joked and winked. I snapped my head away from the poster, that must have looked really creepy. This can't be happening though. Would Ivy really do this? Who would? Evelyn has never hurt a fly... and how could anyone get their hands on a photo of Evelyn... naked.

It was time to talk about the posters, and student of honour. Student of honour has been an elite tradition for centuries at this boarding school; half of the nomination comes from the teachers and the other half is student vote. Receiving the title is supposed to be the best moment of your life, and it gets you to practically wherever you want to go in life after you've received it and-

"Harriet!" a deep voice said. Mr. Mer was addressing me. Reality flooded in. I was Harriet, standing alone, staring at a wall outside of my English class looking like a right idiot. Mr. Mer was calling me in. "You're late, why?" he asked in a sweat-shedding voice. "Sorry, I was-"

"Talking to me," a feminine voice sounded from behind me. I glimpsed backwards to see the headmistress.

"Ah..." he paused, "I see, sorry about this," Mr. Mer said to her. 

"We're going to need a little more time thank you Sir," she said from behind me. Mr. Mer returned to his class and I pivoted to face the headmistress. So now the headmistress is covering for me being late to English? What is wrong with this day? Don't answer that one.

"Harriet, we need to speak," she paused, "about the posters." She let out a disappointed sigh and started heading towards her office. I followed her. I'd never been to her office or even spoken to her before. I felt a cold sweat come over my trembling frame.

Outside her office, sat Evelyn, Felix, Ivy,  and Isaac. "Can you fetch James please Isaac?" The headmistress asked and Isaac left for the north corridor. How did Isaac know where James took his classes? And did James really play a part in this? How did the headmistress know so much?

The head led me inside as I desperately tried to reach out to Evelyn with my eyes, but she avoided my gaze. Right, Evelyn doesn't know who I am: the rules.

I shut the door behind me and sat opposite the head. She pulled a device out of her drawer and said, "You aren't in trouble, I just want to ask you some questions. However, I am going to have to record our conversation, is that okay?" she asked. I responded with my classic Harriet trait: a habitual nod. I rubbed my clammy hands together nervously as she began the interrogation.

"Can you please tell me about what you and Ivy Peale had a dispute about a few weeks ago?"

Deep breaths. Here we go...