The Apartment
Chapter 12: The Decision
“Guys…ple…pleaase…” Becky had both her arms raised, “Mary…. Esther … calm down!”
They were standing before the panel of seniors.
Mary ignored her with a wave of the hand, “It is clearly Esther’s fault! I insisted that we exclude
the physical samples but she trashed my input, went ahead and screwed us all”
“Mary!” Becky interjected her eyes wide as were her parted lips.
Esther breathed hard her fists clenched, “I know I bit more than I could chew…. but I felt it was for the best of the group…”
Mary rolled her eyes, “Oh please! There you go again with the self-righteous attitude. You are just an attention hog.”
There were six panelists. The Club chairlady was seated at the far right looking slightly amused. The vice chair beside her was not. She had her fingers inter-twined, palms down on the table. her forehead chiseled with frown lines.
“Are you mocking us?” she asked her eyes narrowed at the two conflicting girls.
“I’m sorry about our groups behavior. Please give us a moment to sort our differences…” Becky pleaded. The chairlady and two other panelists nodded.
Mary could hear the conversation but was too angry at Esther, to care.
“G…guys…” Anna started. They ignored her.
“Why are you always on my case Mary?” Esther asked her eyes tearing up. Her lips trembled slightly.
“You are the reason we are in this situation…so I don’t get why you’re even asking?”
Anna and Becky as well as the panelists looked on in silence.
“I asked you for help Mary. Remember…. you refused to help me…” Esther said her voice trailing off.
Mary parted her lips but no words came out. B***H!
“Is that true?” the vice chair asked her low pitched voice clear and cold.
Mary started… then looked at the other three anxiously. Her heart thundered inside her.
Becky stepped forward, “May I speak honestly …”
****
“Oh God!” cried Mary, sinking to the ground in despair and breaking down.
“Congratulations Becky. You deserve it”, Esther’s voice rang in her ears.
“I agree…” Anna added.
“I’M the ONE WHO DESERVED IT…” Mary wailed aloud attracting the attention of the remaining members.
“Come on Mary, you’re being childish…” Esther said sadly.
Mary was hurting too. Her heart felt as though a knife was wedged in it.
“As the Chair lady explained, you lost because you tried to throw the blame at others and refused to help a team member… “Anna whispered in a squeaky voice.
Mary turned her tear stained face at her, “You support …th…them!”
Mary was pointing a shaky finger at Esther and Becky. Anna looked down and shrunk behind Esther.
“Unlike you…Becky was willing to take the fall for the group.” Esther retorted.
Becky left to join the other enlisted students as the remaining nine members prepared to go before the panelists one last time.
****
The chairlady stood tall in her short frame her eyes fell on one girl after the other.
“We have listened to all of you, assessed your field assessors reports and had lengthy deliberations. Finally, we have identified the final the three students who will join the club…” she waved a piece of paper in the air.
The vice chair stood beside her looking stern.
Mary’s heart skipped a beat. there was hope. She wiped her tears and stood up.
I definitely got this. I showed them how much I love this club. I showed them how much I know.
“Patricia class 2A..” The chairlady read from the paper then looked up to see who it was. A girl in the center of the club did a small joyful jump. Her friends hugged and congratulated her.
Mary’s heart fluttered.
“Andriel class 2D..”
“YES!” Screamed a girl just next to the chairlady, before falling to her knees in tears.
ME! Please be me. It’s got to be me! Mary willed, her fingers crossed.
“And finally,” the room was silent. The chairlady looked around her lips curled into a smile, “This was a tough one!”
The vice chair who was standing next to the chairlady nodded her arms crossed over her ample bosom.
“It’s very difficult to choose between a passion and talent…” muttered one of the panelists standing by the door. She stared blankly into space.
Mary was already stepping forward.
“Esther 2A”
Becky and Ana Cheered! Mary stopped, Flabbergasted!!
In all her life, she had never felt as confused and dejected as she did at that moment. Her heart wrung so hard, that she was breathless. Her body was awash with heat and then grew suddenly weak and weightless.
I hate you…Esther she thought before everything went dark. but not before she glimpsed Esther’s tears of joy and her own clutched fist.
****
“I DON’T UNDERSTAND!” Mary wailed in her school mothers embrace.
“I’m so sorry Mary…” she started.
“Its …its..not fair. It should have been my …name on the notice board…” Mary shook as she sobbed and sniffed her voice breaking.
“Why…” she pulled out of her school mother’s embrace tilting her head up to look straight into her brown eyes, “You were there. I’m sure you know. Why did I lose to Her??”
Her house mum looked away and rubbed her creased forehead with her left hand, “You know I can’t tell you that.” she backed away from Mary, a little and sneaked a peek at the door.
Mary could feel her flood gates open again. She bit her lip, “You’re just like all of them… all of you… Anna… Becky…”.
“Mary….” Her house mum said reaching out to touch Mary’s shoulder. Mary shrugged her off…
“I HATE ALL OF YOU!!!” she yelled and dashed out of her school mother’s cubicle.
I have no friends. I want no friends.