Chapter 5

Jay and May swiftly made their way to the classroom, taking their seats. May took out a notebook as the rest of the students started making their way into the classroom as well. A moment later, May handed her brother her notebook, Jay taking it gently and reading what was written down.

"How much crack do you think Emily is on for her to be that excited about everything?" Jay snickered quietly and wrote down something in response, handing it back to her.

"Too much, apparently." May read it over and covered her mouth with a smile. Their moment of peace was soon interrupted by a certain white-haired student popping in between them.

"Hey there! How did you two enjoy club day? Have you found any clubs you might be interested in joining?" Angel asked with an abnormally wide closed mouth smile. "Not really..." Jay responded while giving his own nervous smile. 

"Well, that's too bad. Hue and I were really hoping you and May would join. But, to each their own. Hm?" Angel looking down at May's notebook and laughed quietly as he read what was written down, May quickly closed it and moved the notebook into her lap, giving Angel glares.

"I wouldn't talk bad about our dearest council president. She has high power here, you know. She doesn’t really like it when students bad mouth her. Especially with what is coming up." Angel told them.

"What is about to come up?" Jay asked but Angel didn't say anything, just walking back to his seat. A few moments later, the speakers came back on.

"Good afternoon, everybody!" Emily's voice boomed over the speakers. "I hope you all are enjoying your day so far! I have a very exciting announcement to make. In celebration of the new school year, tomorrow we will be hosting our first festival of the year!" She almost yelled into the mic, making some students wince a bit while others cheered.

"For you first years who don't know, our festivals are a test of strength and speed, as well as endurance. Festivals come in many different types, ranging from the last man standing to a manhunt, and anything in between! It is completely optional, not recommended for the first years. Those who do want to participate, all you have to do is write your name on a piece of paper and if you are lucky enough to be picked, you will get to attend! After I pick out the eight who will be participating, they will be explained the rules tomorrow. You all have until Eddison walks into your classroom to decide if you want to participate or not. Another announcement will be made later. Stay tuned~!" Emily exclaimed before the speakers switched off.

Jay let out a small sigh of relief after hearing it was optional, leaning back in his seat. He looked over at his sister, who was writing in her notebook. "Alright, everyone who would like to participate, please go ahead and write your name on the paper. Those of you who don't, smart choice." Mrs. Joy told the class before sitting down at her desk. Jay took out his own notebook, doodling in it. Jay took small glances around the room, listening as the class suddenly fell silent, with only the sounds of paper and pencils being heard. He took a look at his sister, who was drawing something in her notebook. After a long wait, Eddison came walking into the classroom, a large box in hand. 

"Good afternoon, I am here to collect the papers from the students." Eddison told her before turning to the class. "Those of you who have written their name, please come forward and put your slips of paper in the box." After Eddison was finished, a few students including Angel got up and put their slips of paper in the box. After the last student sat down, Eddison left the classroom.

Jay looked back and saw Vicky folding a sheet of paper. Jay turned around in his desk a bit, smiling at her. "Hey there, Vicky. What are you doing?" He asked and she raised her head up a bit. "I'm just messing with some scrap paper that I found. Helps to keep me still." She responded before returning his smile. "Did you...um, enter in for the festival?" Jay asked and she shook her head.

"Nope! I may be interested in new things, but not even I'm that dumb to join in a killing fest. I know my worth. Did you?" She asked and he shook his head as well. "Of course not. I'd rather May and I stay alive." He said with a small laugh and Vicky looked back at her paper. "Good. I like you two, you both are very interesting." She said as she began to swing her legs under her desk.

The classroom for the next hour was filled with students chatting amongst themselves until the sound of the speakers turning on caused them all to stop. "Hello again! Alright, it's time to pick our eight students who will be joining in the first festival of the year. Student number one is...Angel Cupidon! Student number two is..." As Emily began to list off the students, Jay zoned out, thinking about the different clubs.

'Maybe we could join Eddison's club. It shouldn't be too hard to hold my breath for that long but I don't know about May...' He thought as he looked over at her, who was looking at the speaker in the corner. His thoughts were stopped by Emily yelling into the mic.

"Wow! Third-year in a row! What luck! Alright, and lastly, students number nine and ten are...Wait...Illaden, come here." Emily's tone of excitement quickly changed to a tone of confusion. "Why are they here as participants? They would not enter."

Emily was heard talking with Illaden. "They just arrived, you don't know them any more than what you were told. Maybe they just want to surprise everyone..." Illaden was heard as well. There was a moment of silence before Emily sighed. "Alright then. I apologize for the interruption. The last two students who will be joining the festival are May Williams and Jay Williams." Jay felt his heart stop as he heard Emily, looking over at his sister who had a look of confusion on her face.

"Those of you who were not selected will have a chance to be for next week's festival. The festival will begin after class tomorrow so everyone who is joining will have until then to prepare. Good luck and I will see you all tomorrow." Emily said in a less excited voice before the speakers turned off. Jay looked back a bit to see Vicky looking at him.

"I thought you said you two didn't enter." Vicky said but before Jay could say anything, she put her hand up. "I don't like being lied to. So, that's why I won’t see it as a lie!" She said happily with a large smile. "I'm going to see it as a not so pleasant surprise! I wish the both of you the best of luck!" She exclaimed before looking back at her paper. "Yes, I wish you all the best of luck as well. This concludes the class day." Mrs. Joy said before looking at her computer.

The students in the class bit by bit left until it was just Jay, May, and, Angel. Angel soon got up from his seat and went over to the two. "Hey, you guys will be fighting against me! Isn't that exciting?" He asked with a smile. Jay slowly stood up. "No. I need to talk to Emily." Jay said quietly, making Angel gasp softly. "What for?" Angel asked as he put a hand on his cheek in surprise. "I can't have May fight in that festival. And I know I’ll get creamed. I need to see if there is anything I can do. Angel, can you take us to the council room?" Jay asked as he faced him, Angel nodding.

"Of course. Just follow me." Angel said as he left the room. Jay waited for his sister to get up before following Angel around the school. They walked for a bit before stopping at a pair of large double doors. "Here it is, the council room." Angel said as he leaned against the wall next to the door. "Thanks. Can you stay out here with May? Just, make sure nothing happens to her." Jay asked and Angel nodded, Glancing over at May who was shaking her head. "I don't see why not." He said before Jay turned around, walking in. As soon as the door closed behind him, he was stopped by the sight of Emily holding her hand out.

"Stop right there. If you wish to talk with me then you must wait for Illaden to inspect you before you can step any closer." She told him with a sigh as Illaden went over to Jay, feeling his pockets, chest, and legs. As he did, Jay looked around, seeing that the council room was decorated with flowers and purple flags. There was a long table with two chairs on each side and at the front of the table was what looked like a throne, where Emily was seated and a regular chair beside her. Behind her, pressed against the wall was a large stand filled with different kinds of cakes, candy, and what looked like tea.

Illaden soon stepped away from Jay; going back to Emily and standing beside her. "What do you want?" Emily asked as she looked at Illaden. "Sweetie, can you get-" Before she could finish her sentence, Illaden went back and got her one of the cakes, setting it in front of her. "Yes, thank you." She said before starting to eat it.

"I...I think you made a mistake with the festival participants. May and I didn't write our names down." Jay told her and Emily snapped her fingers, Illaden handed her something. Emily then held up two pieces of paper, one with May's name and the other with his name. "Well, your names were in the box." Emily told him as she set the paper slips on the table.

"Clearly. But we didn't write them. We wouldn't enter in something like that." He told her. "Well, duh." Emily said with a quiet laugh. "I'm still trying to figure out how it happened. Maybe there is another set of Williams in this school. Maybe...Someone forged your signature. Or, maybe you are just a really good bullshitter." Emily said as she picked up some of the cake with her fork. "It should be rather easy for you two to win, though, seeing who your parents are. I don't really see why you're complaining. Either way, Once you're entered in, you can't exit out." She told him with a soft shrug.

"There has to be someway! Maybe someone wants to trade out with me and her." Jay said and she shook her head. "No. I'm sorry but its school rules. There's nothing I can do about it." She said with a shrug.

"God Damn it! If you got falsely entered in, you would make sure you didn't have to do anything!" Jay practically screamed at her and Illaden eyes narrowed, anger plastered on his face. He took a step forward but Emily held her hand up, stopping him.

She got up from her seat and stepped onto the table, walking down the middle of it. Jay’s face dropped a bit, backing up against the doors as she got closer. Emily hopped off the table and reached under her shirt, pulling out a handgun. Once out she pointed the barrel to his head, Jay being too scared to even breathe. 

" Not once in the time I have had this gun, had I used it to kill anyone, don’t be the first one I use it on." Once she was finished speaking, she put her handgun away and turned around. "You and your sister will more than likely die tomorrow. If either of you live, I will personally reward you. Now, get out of my council room before I shoot you." Emily said as she walked back to her chair, taking a seat before opening the laptop next to her. Jay bit his lip harshly and took a soft forward.

"Please, I-" Jay stopped when he saw Illaden begin to walk towards him. Illaden grabbed onto the collar of Jay’s jacket and open ed the council door, almost throwing him out. 

"Any luck?" Angel asked and May went over to her brother, helping him stand up. "No...We have to fight tomorrow." Jay said quietly and they began to walk, Angel following them.

"Oh, well, the festival's aren't that bad. You can always forfeit!... But I don't know if that means you'll leave alive or not." He mumbled as he followed them. They walked to their dorms before Jay stopped, looking back at him.

"Thank you." Jay said as he opened his door, allowing his sister to walk in before going in, closing the door behind him. "No problem, Williams." Angel said with a soft chuckle. "See you too tomorrow... " He mumbled before walked away.

Jay slowly walked over to his bed and took a seat. May tilted her head a bit and walked over to her brother, putting a hand on his shoulder. Jay looked at her and gave her a smile. "Hey." He said slowly. May balled her fist and slammed it into her other hand with a large smile. He let out a small sigh and shook his head a bit. "I don't think it will be that simple, May. We are going against the second and third years. And Angel." Jay said as he laid back.

For the rest of the day, the two stayed in their rooms, every now and then they would hear students walking around the floor beneath them as club day continued. Soon, the announcement for curfew sounded off and Jay sat up from bed, May looking up from the book she had been reading. 

“Is it really almost curfew? Damn, I didn’t mean to hold us up in here all day.” Jay mumbled as he got up and grabbed his nighttime clothes, going to the bathroom to change. May took this opportunity to change into her clothes as well before going to their room door and locking it. Once Jay came out of the bathroom, May turned off the lights and went to her bed before going under the blankets, turning on her side away from Jay. 

Jay got into his bed as well and looked out the small window in the room. He let out a heavy sigh before turning on his side and closing his eyes, slowly drifting away into sleep.