Chapter 8 Something’s Definitely Off
Elsa gritted her teeth and pushed through the sharp pain, dragging herself up from the floor.
No matter how many times she tried, this movement remained nearly impossible.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, lost in thought.
On the day of the election-
In the dressing room, Quinn was letting members of the dance club use her luxury makeup products.
She gestured toward the table with a smile. “My mom bought me too much of this stuff. Please, help yourselves.”
“Whoa. Quinn, you’re too generous! This is all top–shelf stuff–super expensive.”
“Right? That lipstick’s a limited edition!”
Quinn basked in their praise, her smile soft and perfectly measured.
She feigned humility. “My sister worked really hard to become president. Please, vote for her later.”
“Hmph. We don’t like her,” one member sneered.
The crowd instantly chimed in.
“Exactly. Who does she think she is, running for president? I’m not buying it.”
“Honestly, Quinn would be a much better choice.”
“She doesn’t even fit in with the club. What gives her the right?”
Listening to everyone take her side, Quinn felt elated.
Still, she kept her sweet mask on. “Oh, come on. Don’t say that. Elsa did work hard.”
Meanwhile-
Under the bright stage lights, Elsa slipped pain–relief patches into her pointe shoes.
+8 Pearls
“The performances are over. It’s time to begin anonymous voting,” Ms. Sarah said into the mic, addressing the audience in the auditorium.
Although it was an internal dance club election, the school had invited the entire student body to ensure transparency.
Votes would be cast anonymously on a digital system.
As the numbers began jumping across the screen, Quinn’s smile widened. She was certain she had it in the bag.
But then-
Elsa’s name began climbing at an alarming rate.
“No. no way!”
Quinn stared in disbelief.
She had bought so many people’s votes–how could Elsa possibly have this much support?
There had to be something shady going on!
Els watched the final tally stop.
368 votes
12:25 PM P
Chapter 8 Something’s Definitely Off
Just enough to clear the two–thirds threshold.
But her victory didn’t last long.
10
Just before the team was about to go on stage for their performance–disaster struck.
“What did you say? Is this a joke? Why are we only hearing about this now?!”
The team crowded around Elsa in a panic.
“This is how you run things as president?! We worked so hard for this chance!”
“We’ve been preparing for weeks, and now you tell us we’re disqualified?!”
“Elsa, are you enjoying our embarrassment?”
“Someone like you shouldn’t have been president in the first place. I don’t believe those votes were even real!”
“Right! No one in our club voted for you!”
Elsa stood frozen under the weight of their accusations, unable to speak.
She didn’t know what had happened either.
They had been ready to go on stage when-·
A staff member suddenly announced their disqualification.
At the same time, the main screen in the auditorium displayed the news.
Elsa stayed silent, and the club members grew angrier, convinced she was avoiding responsibility.
“I’ll talk to the organizers,” she finally said, forcing the words out.
But as she turned to leave-
A hand yanked the back of her collar.
A twisted face appeared in front of her, snarling. “Trying to run? You think you can escape this?”
+8 Pearls
Onstage, the emcee bowed deeply to the crowd. “Apologies for the delay. We received an anonymous report accusing Elsa’s team of cheating.”
“Upon review, the claim was confirmed. Elsa’s team is hereby disqualified.”
The moment he finished, chaos broke out in the audience.
Whispers buzzed through the crowd–everyone wanted to know what rule had been broken to cause such a last–minute ban.
Elsa had no idea how things had spiraled like this.
She ran to center stage and grabbed the mic from the emcee, her voice trembling.
“Tell me why we’re disqualified!”
“I demand a proper explanation!”
From the judging panel, someone scoffed. Their voice echoed from the speakers.
“You really want me to spell it out? You think we don’t know what you did?”
“I have nothing to hide! Give me a reason!”
Someone saw you giving something to the judge late at night!”
A gasp rippled through the crowd.
+8 Pearls
12:25 PM
Chapter 8 Something’s Definitely Off
Even those unsure what had happened now had a target.
The audience erupted with shouts, demanding Elsa confess and apologize.
But Elsa had never done such a thing.
Faced with a baseless accusation, she stood her ground.
She shouted back at the crowd, “I never did that! How dare you accuse me without proof!”
“Still denying it? Then let’s show the surveillance footage!”
Click-
The screen lit up with a video of Elsa handing a stack of papers to the judge, who was sitting on the ground.
The audience turned on her immediately.
“That’s so obvious! She was bribing him!”
“Risky move–but if it worked, who would’ve questioned it?”
“She nearly got away with it… if no one caught her, she could’ve actually pulled it off.”
Elsa couldn’t believe it.
The papers had been her team’s registration documents.
How had it become evidence of bribery?
“No… that’s not what happened…” she whispered. But her throat suddenly filled with the taste of blood.
She gagged, unable to speak further.
*Commence memory
trial.”
The judge’s gavel slammed down–and the courtroom screen lit up once again.
The memory began.
It was late at night.
Rain poured outside the venue.
Elsa hadn’t brought an umbrella. She figured she’d wait for the storm to pass before heading home.
To kill time, she sat curled up in the corner of the dance studio, mending her worn–out shoes,
“Venue closes at eleven!” a security guard called, waving his flashlight.
Send Gifts
20
B
