Purple purse in one hand, phone in another, I knocked for the umpteenth time on the Isnaul's metal door. Either the door was only loud when you're outside or the family has a hereditary hard-of-hearing problem. I wanted to see King quite alright, but I had not thought of what would happen if Kimberly were at home too. King had already acknowledged my text and was expecting me, and I couldn't turn that down.

Finally, I heard the door unlock, and out came King with a huge smile on his face that slowly faded as he noticed I wasn't returning it. "You knew I was coming and yet you didn't bother to pay attention to anyone knocking on your door?" I asked.

"Oh, sorry," he said. "It's just that we're used to listening for a doorbell." He pointed to a switch just beside the door.

Embarrassed, I gripped my purse and walked into the familiar luxurious living room. And there, on the golden armchairs, were Sandra and Kimberly talking and laughing about whatnot. Same Kimberly who told me to avoid Sandra. Same Sandra who was supposed to be mad at King and, by large, his family. In my opinion, being a cheerleader just made you a lot less smart than your peers. I felt terribly bad for Kimberly though, thinking that pom-poms and short skirts were a way of life.

I wondered if I should say hello. I knew Kimberly was mad at me, yes, but it didn't hurt as much as it had originally. I didn't owe her any apology. It wasn't my fault she was King's sister. I hadn't meant to hurt her and no matter what I said anyway, Kimberly would still jump to conclusions. I was glad she was getting so much better, truly. If she had heard me out in the first instance, many things would not have happened. We wouldn't have fought and I wouldn't have... hurt her. There wouldn't have been any need to come over to return any textbooks, and King would not have taken advantage of that opportunity to finally ask me out. No, it wasn't important if we were on good terms at all.

After all, I was finally getting some school recognition. Soon, the debate would come up and the election would happen right after. Sandra ought to have been preparing, but, no, chatting away sounded much wiser. Honestly, I had no doubts that I would be president. And to think that Ms Smith suggested that Sandra be my co-president? Ha! I could consider King though.

"What is she doing here, Kingsley?" Kimberly asked, her hazel eyes pointing daggers at King.

"Emery and I are going to practice. For the election, I mean. Did you come with your drafts?"

"Yeah," I replied, getting the white papers out of my purse and showing it to him. "Do you have yours?"

"They're in my room. Let's go."

"Emery Scother is not going anywhere past this living room," stated Kimberly, standing up and facing her brother. She turned like I wasn't there, like she couldn't see me. Sandra pretended to be unaffected, pulling out her phone and doing whatever on it. "On the contrary, she is turning to the door and leaving."

"And who are you to decide that? She's come to see me not you," King insisted.

"Kingsley, we don't let murderers in our house."

A huge sigh escaped my lips. Kimberly would never give me a second chance in her life. She was always concluding things, never bothering to ask questions. She was the reason I hurt her, her attitude and all. "I'm not a murderer, Kimberly. Don't ever call me that."

Kimberly neither turned nor acknowledged that she heard me. Rather, she continued to her brother, "Take her out of our house. If you need someone to practice with, your friend, Sandra, your real friend, is literally right here."

"Emery, you coming?" King gestured to me as he helped me with my purse. Holding my hand, he started to lead me toward the stairs.

"If you go upstairs with her, don't ever bother talking to me ever again. Or to Sandra."

I thought he would let go. I mean, I would do anything to get Rowan to talk to me. Rowan had never been open with me and if Rowan could make a promise to be open with me for even ten minutes, on the condition that I not talk to King in his presence, I would listen to him. I could always talk to King in school. So, I thought he would let go (like the day he'd held my hand in his and just immediately, we'd arrived at the school bus and he had to let go). Like how he had said that day "Well, I'll see you some other time, Emery", I thought he would just rearrange another date.

But King didn't let go. He didn't turn to Kimberly. He didn't even stop to consider the deal. He just held me tighter and guided me up the stairs, toward his room.

"You sure your papers are in your room?" I joked, remembering how he'd lied to me about Kimberly the other time.

"Yeah." A smile formed on his face. He opened the door and we stepped into his room. "I apologize if you think I asked you out in the most awful way."

"It wasn't awful. It was just. . .weird." I slumped to his bed. "Oh my, your bed is just so soft. I didn't realise how tired I was until now."

I heard him chuckle, then proceed to take off my sandals. His hands lingered on my legs for much longer. "You know, Emery, words can't express how happy I am that we are finally together. I've always admired you."

"What about me besides my physical appearance?" I dared.

King sighed and then came to lie beside me. "Your intelligence. Your strength. Your smell."

"That's physical."

He chuckled. "Not necessarily," he said, plastering his eyes on my lips. He cupped my face and planted a kiss on my forehead. "I just feel comfortable around you, honestly. I can't breathe when you're not near."

"Wow, where did you get that line from?" I let out a good hearty laugh as I sat up, gathering my crumpled papers from the bed and straightening them. "We should get started, King."

"We should." He grabbed a textbook from one of the vertical shelves affixed beside his bed. Turning to a particular page where a bunch of papers were between two pages, he brought those papers out and held them with a paper clip. "What's your opening line?"

I stared at mine. "Eh, I do feel it sounds dramatic though."

"Come on, I'm sure it's not bad."

I cleared my throat. "As a means to solving school problems and promoting the spirit of the Rose-Gold community, my objective is to provide an accessible platform for students' expressions in school affairs and communities, and my vision is to further develop the school government body such that it acts as a model for other schools to follow. Dramatic, much?"

"Wow!" King muttered, dragging the 'w'. "You know what, now I feel embarrassed to say mine. Emery, you're a natural."

"Really? Thank you. I'd always wanted to be president you know. Always wanted to be involved in student affairs and things like that. And with the bullying, I thought if I was president, I could fix that. That is, until. . ." I breathed out, unable to continue.

King sat beside me. "Rumours said you fought like a ninja. That you were a natural," he chuckled. "You really put Josh in his place. Except, I did not expect that from you. It's just, why didn't you ever tell me Josh and George always did that to you? We could have had it fixed way earlier."

"I didn't think you'd believe me. I didn't think you'd care." I stared at my legs instead, playing with the hem of my dress. "When I told my mum, she didn't believe me. And, I didn't even know how to tell Sandra. The first time I'd reported to Mr McMahon, he said that except I had proof that Josh and George did pick on me and that it wasn't as a result of something I must have done, then I couldn't just lay allegations against his students. The Watsons and Mr McMahon are old friends, so I guess I should have expected that reply. The thing is, with the way everyone was always not paying attention to me and Josh and George telling me that no one would help me, that I was a loser, I just gave up and..."

King turned my face to his and kissed me. I shut my eyes instantly and placed my one hand in his free hand and my other around his neck. Breaking away, he fluttered more kisses on my cheeks. "You're the strongest girl I've ever met, Emery."

"By the way, King, I wanted to formally apologize for what I did to Kimberly."

"Formally?"

I shrugged. "I'd wanted to talk to her. But now I don't think she'll even give me breathing space."

"I'll talk to her."

"You didn't hear what she said earlier?"

"Kimberly is always like that. Honestly, I'll talk to her. And Sandra."

"Don't bother Sandra."

"Why not?"

"Why should you? She shouldn't even have been here. I thought. . .I thought she'd never want to see your face again, after what happened."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"I don't know. She'd be mad at you."

"For what?"

"For, for being my boyfriend."

"Why would she be mad at me for having a girlfriend?"

"She's mad at me."

"More like you're mad at her."

"King, I literally kissed you in front of all the cheerleaders and basketballers."

"It would mean nothing to her. Sandra and I are just good friends."

"Yeah, you and I were just good friends too."

"What?"

"Nothing. How can you say...? Never mind."

"That day you'd told me to go date Sandra..." I blinked. "In the coffee shop. Mister Pat's, is it?" I nodded. "Yeah, why did you say that? Why would you insinuate that Sandra and I had a thing going? Sandra and I are really just good friends, honestly. Pretty much how the both of you are."

"Were."

"Look, Emery..."

"Can we not talk about this? Listen, you don't have to talk to anyone for me. Let's just keep practising, King. I want to make the most of this time, you know." I heaved and pressed my lips, attempting a smile, "Come on, read out your opening line?"

I could see from his expression that he was still bothered. Honestly, how could he deny not knowing he and Sandra were seen as this perfect couple? Why was I even bothered? I had him now, didn't I? This was what I wanted, wasn't it?

King did not have a study desk. Just two beam bags facing a large TV. I sighed as I got up from the bed, seeking some sense of space. "You're not reading it?"

"What are your major goals?" He asked. "I want to compare how realistic mine is to yours."

"I'm sure your ideas are great." Well, I was glad he was doing a good job of avoiding the topic. "But, for starters, bullying is a major topic, even if it's for presentation's sake. Ms Smith said I should expect to be thrown questions concerning what went on between Josh and I."

"Oh. As long as you give solid excuses, I'm sure they wouldn't try to use that to your disadvantage."

"Come on," I smiled. "Your opening line?"

"Yeah, um." He cleared his throat dramatically and straightened out one of his papers. Then in some theatrical deep accent, he began, "When I say 'Rose-Gold', you say 'high'. Rose-Gold..." And then he beckoned to me.

"What?" I erupted into laughter. "You're serious?"

"Yeah. Is it bad?"

"No, no. Sorry, start over." I encouraged, trying to hold in my laugh.

"Ridiculous."

"It's not, really. Since you're a basketballer, I'm sure the school will find it really captivating and all. Enthusiasm, that's what they want. Really. Start over."

He huffed. "When I say 'Rose-Gold' you say 'high', Rose-Gold..."

"High." I put my hands up in the hair.

"Rose-Gold..."

"High!"

"When I hear Rose-Gold High, I envision a school where students feel privileged to be in. Where there's an activity for everyone. A space for everyone. And where our interests converge into a common goal. A spirit of camaraderie, a forum to learn, interact and goal, a centre of personal, social and academic excellence, a citadel for intellectual development..."

My God.

"And," he continued. "Rose-Gold is all of these, and my dream is to uphold the efforts of our founding fathers, and, because there's room for development, to make Rose-Gold a better learning community. " And then he quit the accent, "Good?"

"Good? I didn't take you for a political speaker?"

"It sounded political?"

"No!" I jumped into his arms. "Yours is amazing. Spectacular."

"Thanks, Emery."

"You're so perfect, King."

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Mr Perfect — do they exist?

Calm before the storm, people. Calm before the storm. Let's all cherish these beautiful moments while they last. . .

"I can't breathe when you're not near" - Queen Charlotte: A Bridgeton Story? Maybe🤭

honestly, what's with me and all these excerpts lol.

Vote, vote, vote!