《The Rise》The Edge
Advertisement
It was the start of lunchtime and Leon and Jessica were meeting on the roof. Jessica was going through her social media feed reading the student body's reaction to George's disqualification.
"People aren't happy." she said summing up the reactions and looking up at Leon
"He had extremely loyal voters." said Leon
Even though Jessica didn't know the true polls, Leon was well aware that the exact same amount of students voted for George after two separate polls. These were students that seemed to vote for George no matter what. They weren't going to take George's disqualification easily.
"We'll have to wait until tomorrow's presidential debate to get a new set of polls. Then we'll get a feel for how the student body will direct their votes." said Jessica
"They may choose to mass abstain as a form of protest." postulated Leon rubbing his chin
"That will only happen effectively if George himself demands it." said Jessica
"Perhaps, but they may also abstain because they're no longer interested. Like when your favorite character is a television show dies, you just stop watching." said Leon
"What are the countermeasures?" asked Jessica
"I don't know, but if the non-George votes stay the same, it means I'll win. And that doesn't seem to faze you at all, knowing that you have to win for my grandmother." said Leon
"Didn't you say that all she wanted was for Sinclair to lose?" said Jessica
"Yeah, but, I didn't expect you'd take it this easily. The girl who puts up a fight for everything." said Leon probing.
"There's three-hundred plus votes in circulation now that George is out, there are three more days and a debate. Don't get cocky Leon, this is far from over." said Jessica turning away and making her way towards the roof exit.
"Wait, Jess." said Leon stopping Jessica. "I told Veronica. About us." he continued
Jessica turns her head around and doesn't reply.
"What you said earlier, I never noticed. I promise, I never meant it to be like that." said Leon apologetically
"That's the whole point, you don't know what you really are. Raised by a family of wolves who only care about winning, I wonder if you've ever really cared about someone."
Advertisement
"I care about Veronica, I'm risking everything just to-"
"You still don't get it! You get off that kind of stuff, where everything is at stake. You don't love Veronica, you just love the thrill that comes with being with her. If you play too close to the edge, sooner or later, you'll fall off." she said ending the conversation and storming out.
Leon stared at the roof door motionless. Jessica had always told Leon what was on her mind, she never filtered, she never held back. Which is why her words affected him even more.
He rubbed his face and then left the roof making his way downstairs towards Justin and Taylor. They meet in the school hallways, and decide for the first time in the election week, to go to the cafeteria. The three mostly spent their lunches eating on the roof, but Leon finally wants to make an appearance. Upon reaching the cafeteria, there was a table saved for them by the seven boys who were helping Leon.
The three walked into the cafeteria purposefully slow, attracting all eyes to them. They looked straight ahead at their table without paying any attention to anyone around them. Leon had a strong posture with determined eyes - the eyes of someone who has everything under control. There were strong whispers as the students murmured at Leon's presence. They reached their table and sat with the boys.
"You've got this in the bag Leon" said one of the boys with brown hair smiling mischievously.
"We've made progress, and I thank you all for your help, but this isn't over yet. I may still need to call on you if you're still willing to help." said Leon
"Of course! But when you become a big shot Prime Minister one day, don't forget about us" said another boy smiling confidently
"May I ask something?" asked Leon suddenly
They all nodded.
"How did you guys know I was in my mother's house the first time we met." said Leon
"We just got lucky I guess, one of us knew where your mom's house was cause of the news, so we checked there first." said the brown haired boy.
"I see." said Leon leaving it at that
Advertisement
Justin suddenly grabs Leon's shirt and pulls him closer, then whispers into his ears.
"I forgot to tell you, but you should know, you messed up with the polls. Apparently Layla's vote was changed to you and Tasha saw it." said Justin
Leon quickly snaps his head towards Justin with his eyes wide open.
"Crap." he said distraught
He quickly remembers Justin telling him about his luck with girls and worries that there may be a link. He quickly looks around the cafeteria trying to find Layla but is unable to find her.
"What is it?" asked Taylor
"You guys stay here, I need to find Layla" he said getting up and leaving the cafeteria.
Meanwhile Layla was in the auditorium, sitting on the stage's edge with her legs hanging down. She started to reminisce last year's election during this same time of the year. She had shorter hair back then and was sitting next to George in this exact same place looking at the buzzing of students as they lined up to vote in the auditorium. There were six different stations with members of the student council at each station facilitating the voting process. Students separated at each station and lined up. They would pick a voting paper from a stash of papers and walk into a curtained booth to vote. They fold up their paper, walk out, place it in a box at the station and leave.
"I thought there would be more people here, we have more students than this." said Layla to George who's hairline was slightly more forward.
"Well since voting is after school, students who don't want to vote or abstain, just don't show up. The school will know the names of the students who didn't vote since their papers aren't in the boxes and so will count them as abstained. There's no reason for them to show up." said George
"Well it's been a long ride, but it was one the most thrilling weeks of my life. Thanks for letting me be a part of it George." said Layla
"I wouldn't be here without your help." said George smiling, but his smile seemed reserved.
Layla punches him on his shoulder as soon as she notices his reserved smile.
"Stop being so stressed out, you're gonna win this for sure." she said in a commanding tone.
"Ow..." said George as he rubs his shoulder in pain.
The two kept looking ahead at the students voting, maintaining a calming silence between them.
"This is your legacy story, George. In ten, fifteen years time, they'll talk about where it all started. This is just the beginning." she said looking at George
George smiled back and held her hand.
"No, it's our legacy story." he said
"Layla?" said Leon suddenly, breaking Layla out of her daydream.
Layla quickly turns away and rubs her tears and sniffs heavily.
"Leon? What are you doing here?" she said hiding her face.
Leon walked up towards her realizing that she was crying.
"Layla, have you heard from George? Did he talk to you? Is everything okay?" said Leon bombarding her with questions.
"George? No I haven't heard from him. He hasn't been answering my calls or replying to my messages." she said holding her frown back "And I'm sure it's because he's blaming me for what happened..." she continued.
"Why would he do that?" said Leon digging deeper
"How would I know!?" she lashed out
Leon paused giving her time to cool down.
"Layla, everything's going to be okay. I'll talk to George and see what I can do." said Leon
Layla squints her eyes and shakes her head
"And who are you to George to suddenly talk to him, trying to 'sort things out'?" she said harshly
Leon knew she was right. He and George aren't even remotely friends, why does he think he can just talk to George - especially when it comes to his relationships.
"Because... I may be the reason why he's blaming you." he said hesitantly
"What? What does that even mean? What did you do?" she said hectically.
"It doesn't matter right now, but I need you to trust me, I'll do everything I can to sort things out." said Leon ending the conversation.
"Wait!" she shouted at Leon as he left the auditorium without turning back.
Advertisement
- In Serial425 Chapters
Rise
Su Xue, a woman in her mid 20s, is struggling both in paying rent and finding her path in life. Her latest stint has her trying to become a popular League of Legends streamer, though to poor results. One day, she is interrupted in the middle of a livestream by a surprise visit from her landlady. She is informed that she will be having a new roommate. The landlady’s nephew, Lin Feng, a 18 year old boy who has just transferred over to Shanghai for his last year of high school.Though initially opposed to it, Su Xue reluctantly agrees to the arrangement. She learns that the two share a common interest—League of Legends—and that he’s really amazing at the game. Lin Feng also reveals to her he wishes to become the best professional League of Legends player in the world.The next day. Lin Feng attends his first day of school as a transfer student at High School 13. He meets Ouyang and Yang Fan, and the trio find a common passion in League of Legends. Lin Feng is then introduced to Ren Rou, the president of the esports club with a fiery personality, and Tang Bingyao, a quiet bookworm with a love for money and a surprising talent for the game.A little about Lin Feng’s past is revealed. He was a once pro player, the youngest in history and a contender for the best player in the world. Until the finals of the Season 1 World Championship. There, he lost to his arch-rival, an equally brilliant Korean youth. That was the peak of his career, and also the turning point in his life. He stepped down from his team and disappeared from competitive play altogether. Now, after a four year long hiatus, he aims to make a comebackOver the next couple of weeks, Lin Feng learns about the upcoming Shanghai 16 School Tournament, and that his school’s esports club had performed especially poorly the previous year. He agrees to coach the club’s team and help them win the first place trophy this year. And so, he starts the members of the club out on an intense training bootcamp.Meanwhile, the Season 5 League of Legends World Championship is taking place at around the same time. Tian Tian, one of Lin Feng’s former teammates and best friend, is on one of the Chinese teams playing at Worlds. After a poor showing, he is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Lin Feng witnesses everything in a viewing party with the esports club members and becomes worried.On the day of the Shanghai 16 School tournament, Lin Feng reunites with Tian Tian on the phone. He tells Tian Tian he’s going to return to the professional scene, that he’s making a new team and plans to invite him. But Tian Tian has to vow not to give up at Worlds and keep winning. Tian Tian agrees, and Lin Feng promises he’ll fight alongside him. Lin Feng then heads into his match with renewed resolve, to climb from the bottom all the way back to the top, and overcome the rival that defeated him so many years ago.
8 1138 - In Serial479 Chapters
Phoenix's Requiem
Painfully shy and conflict-averse, Yun Ruoyan is a scion to a noble house only in name, a puppet embroiled in political machinations beyond her ken. At the tender age of eighteen, poisoned and at death’s door, she finds herself thrown out into the streets. Her relatives have all been executed, betrayed by her dear husband and her cousin. With her dying breath, she curses her own weakness and swears revenge.When Yun Ruoyan awakens once more, she is thirteen, transported five years into the past by the will of the heavens. Her death-defying experience has changed her: no longer is she the malleable creature she once was. But more questions await at every corner—what is the truth behind the birthmark that disfigures her appearance? What are the circumstances surrounding her mother’s mysterious death?Will the phoenix rise from the ashes, or will she fall once more in thrall to fate?
8 648 - End489 Chapters
Poison Physician Consort
Follow Bai Luochu on a journey back to the peak as she reincarnates into the body of an orphaned daughter of the former great general of the Cloud Water Nation.With the Three Great Immortal Sects in front of her, her mortal enemies who caused her death, how would she rise to the top again?With her astounding medical skills and ability to create heaven defying poison, Bai Luochu heals the crippled meridians of her new body and attracts the attention of all three princes of the Cloud Water Nation!
8 1749 - End413 Chapters
Rebirth of a Fashionista: This Life Is Soo Last Season
Cinderella went from rags to riches, but when you are already at the top, fate is more than happy to kick you down. A car accident kicks off Sheng Jiaoyang's reverse Cinderella story by trapping her soul in the body of a poor girl, leaving her to succumb to fate and wait for her Prince Charming to come to her rescue -- obviously not!Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, Sheng Jiaoyang forges her own way back up to the upper echelons of society, clearing obstacles, taking revenges, and bagging her handsome and rich childhood friend on the way.If you are tired of reading about poor damsel in distress waiting for a man to rescue her, and wants a female lead that can carry herself to the top, Rebirth of A Fashionista is the novel for you!
8 275 - End448 Chapters
The Attack of the Wastrel
Her rebirth gave her a second chance at life. She was back with a vengeance and wanted to make those that had harmed her pay. But to those that helped her, she wanted to repay them. Her evil stepmother? She would slowly pull out her claws, one by one. Her evil stepsister? She would crush her pride. She thought that by getting her revenge for her past life, she would be happy in this life. However, she never would have thought that danger would chance upon her time and time again. The hatred from her clan and whether their bloodline would continue to exist, lay solely on her shoulders. Luckily, on this thorny path, someone had always been protecting her. "Third Prince, have you ever regretted being with me?" That person laughed lightly and peered at her with a loving yet weary look, "As long as I am together with you, I have no regrets."
8 1461 - End401 Chapters
Demoness's Art of Vengeance
Jun Xiaomo, notoriously known as “Lady Demoness”, finds herself chained and bound in a dungeon. Her hard-earned cultivation has been completely crippled, and she has no means of escape. Qin Shanshan, a lady she used to called her “close friend”, mocks Jun Xiaomo, revealing that Jun Xiaomo had been used by the people around her. Even her lover, Qin Lingyu was one of the masterminds scheming against her. Jun Xiaomo watches her life flash before her eyes and realizes that she had indeed blindly placed her trust in people. Her naivety had led to her current predicament. Jun Xiaomo wanted to end it all. However, she is determined to deliver a swan song. Over the hundreds of days tormented in that very dungeon, Jun Xiaomo had painstakingly painted a complicated formation array with her own blood. With a determined look, Jun Xiaomo burns her life force to activate the array. Her sole intent? To bring with her as many schemers to the gates of hell as she could. The bright red light from thearray intensified, and the end was nigh.…or was it? Jun Xiaomo opens her eyes and finds herself alive again; time had rewound right back to when she was sixteen years of age, albeit only at the eighth level of Qi Cultivation. Armed with the knowledge and memories of her previous lifetime, Jun Xiaomo is determined to learn from her mistakes and bring retribution to those who so deserve…
8 371

