The rest of the day I spent mulling over how to approach the princess.
Since I first saw her I'd been avoiding her.
For obvious reasons.
Anyway after lunch, I visited the student council room in the central tower. I was greeted by two large wooden doors and a silver plaque.
The plaque read, "Student Council." Which, I guess, was pretty self-explanatory. Anyway, I knocked on the door and stepped back,
I heard the sounds of footsteps click on the other side of the door. Slowly one of the doors creaked open and a head peeked out.
It was a kid in a green and gold uniform. "Can I help you?" He asked curiously.
"I'm looking to get my club approved. If that's possible." I slid my hands in my pockets.
The student council member looked slightly bewildered. "Already? Usually, people take their time to really consider things. Perhaps you should too?"
I shook my head.
"No, it's fine. My club isn't really complicated, so can I register now? Get it over with?"
The student council member nodded and stepped back. The door was pushed open wider and I stepped inside.
The room was large with a long table that dominated its center. At the head of that table was Melissa behind a stack of papers.
Behind her was a large circular window.
The walls were covered with shelves stacked with thick books and trinkets. Other members of the council sat at other smaller desks with their own stacks of paper.
The smell of ink was thick here.
Melissa set down her large fountain pen and raised her head with a curious smile. "Well, this is interesting."
She chuckled softly as she rested her elbow on the table. "I thought you were avoiding me."
I stood still.
"I was. Not really looking to share another moment of misunderstanding with you."
"Is that what our kiss was? A misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
Melissa studied me for a long moment. Then she reclined in her seat and beckoned me forward with a finger. "Come here, take a seat."
She gestured at the plush wooden chair beside her. I took my seat and scooted myself closer towards the table.
She turned to me. "You're here to create a club, right?"
I nodded.
She turned to a member of the council and extended a hand. "Please, retrieve a submission form will you?"
The council member bowed. "Yes, your highness." She turned on her heel and went to retrieve a form. The member returned a moment later and placed it in Melissa's hand.
Melissa took the form and handed it to me.
"Fill this out, and I'll review your submission right here." She handed me her fountain pen.
I scanned the form first.
It was simple enough.
Name of founder.
Name of club.
Purpose of the club.
Estimated membership.
Number of meetings a week.
Requested resources such as housing or funding, and so on.
I took Melissa's pen and quickly filled out the page. It wasn't really complicated since I was a one-man operation.
Melissa watched me patiently. It wasn't long before I finally finished and set the pen down. I then returned the form and she briefly looked it over.
She lowered the form and smiled. "The Independent study committee. Membership, one. Club activities, Staring into nothingness, and questioning your life choices."
"It's very low maintenance." I deadpanned. "No reason not to approve it, so don't make this any more complicated than it needs to be."
Melissa set the form down and leaned back in her seat.
"But I believe that is where you fall short-sighted. See, a club of one is very taxing on the system. It's unrealised potential, you understand?"
I frowned.
"No, I don't."
Melissa sighed not with frustration but rather amusement. Like this was some kind of game to her.
She continued.
"I know of your schedule, Lord Lafayette. You have three consecutive independent studies already. A fourth one in the form of your club almost guarantees you falling behind your peers."
She crossed her legs with her hands in her lap. "I cannot in good conscience leave you to that fate. It is against everything this academic institution stands for. And so, your request is denied."
Melissa raised a finger before I could respond.
"However," she placed a hand on the form and slid it back to me. "If you were to double your estimated membership, I could be convinced to approve this club of yours."
The room had gone quiet as I stared at Melissa. Everyone else found something else to look at. My gaze dropped to the form.
Double my estimated membership?
I only had two options. Lance and Reinhardt. Reinhardt was joining a different club and Lance? Well, I had no idea what Lance was involved with.
I looked back up at Melissa. She had a soft and composed look to her. That same look she had since I first walked in.
She knew how this would end the moment I entered. Damn her. This is exactly why I tried to keep my distance.
She was a snake that found new ways to slide in every crack. I wanted so badly to just flip the table and be done with it.
But I'll be damned if I join some other club. "Fine," I grumbled as I snatched up the pen and changed the one into a two. "Happy?"
I slide the paper back across the table.
Melissa reexamined the paper and nodded in approval. "Application approved, Lord Lafayette." She handed the page over to someone and it was quickly filled away.
Melissa turned to me with a hand resting under her chin. "I'll be ready for our meeting after the school day. Stop by to pick me up then, okay?"
I frowned. "Don't think you've won anything. I'm still in charge here."
"Of course. I may be a princess but as long as we're on these grounds I am your peer first. Unless there is something else you need from me?"
I exhaled through my nose as I stood to my feet. "You're a pain. I hope you know that."
Melissa watched me exit the room. "So I've been told. I'll see you later this afternoon, Lord Lafayette."
I closed the door and walked away.
This is just great, first Jashen and now Melissa. This is just a problem asking to happen.
Even if I manage to keep things between Melissa and me professional… just the sight of us spending so much time together, alone, could lead to gossip.
And if Jashen hears anything about it, I could be in trouble.
If only Melissa weren't the princess. Then I could ignore her like everyone else in this damn tower.
— — —
After I left the student council building I decided to return home instead of meeting Jashen at the café.
I don't know why I did this exactly.
But I really didn't want to see Jashen yet.
I unlocked the front door and stepped inside. Most of our furniture had been assembled and arranged by now. Mostly because of me and my water clones.
Anyway, I entered the kitchen to make a sandwich when I was suddenly greeted by a figure at my table.
It was zenith.
She looked up with a bored expression.
"Finally, you're home."
I wanted to rip my hair out. "Can I go five seconds without running into a woman with an agenda? How did you even get in here?!"
Zenith blinked. "What's gotten into you?"
I walked over toward the table and plopped down with a groan. "Life. Life has gotten into me." I ran a hand down my face. "But you still didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"
Zenith crossed her arms. "In case you've forgotten, we have a conversation you promised me about Lilith. I'm here to collect."