"Conscientious Objector"

It is now a new day in school, it is Thursday, another cold winter morning. It is sunny again today, I hate the sun. I am now making my way to my first period, homeroom was boring, the teacher just let us do homework and talk. That's usually how homeroom goes. As I walk down the hallways of the F-Building heading toward my English class which is in the A-Building, I witness for the first time Venustiano's senate.

Venustiano, leading the group, is just as menacing as I imagined him to be. His face and body proportions are smaller than I imagined, however they look just like I would guess. He had similar hair to me, short to medium in length, the same shade of black to my own. He wore a villainous grin and walked with pure malice. His eyebrows pointed sharply downward and his eyes looked slotted. After further inspection I notice a scar on the lower right side of his face, it must have been a clean gash with out long it purely is.

As they walk by, I overhear their trivial conversation. Each of the boys follow in formation behind Venustiano and I have a glimpse of how the members talk.

I assumed Emilio was the one right next to Venustiano up front, he was wearing very dark shaded sunglasses and had skin that was notably dark compared to Venustiano's fairness. I witnessed him take a step backward to speak to Siephus, who I already knew.

"Venustiano wants you to find a successor for your position on the council and senate." Emilio says to Siephus.

Soon Alfonzo Aguinaldo chimes in to the conversation as well, "Yeah, since you're graduating this year, I recommend you hand power over to an ambitious heir. Maybe even another intellectual underclassmen as yourself." He adds.

"I have been looking for a replacement, however nobody has taken my interest as of late." Siephus speaks with a specific personality. He speaks like he is of a higher status than everyone around him. However, there is a strange undertone of humbleness within his self-assuring voice. He speaks like a dictator who cares about his people.

After they pass me by, I begin to consider the words I just heard. Siephus is looking for a replacement, what if this is a chance to join them. Although, I'm not fully in agreement with such a strong political force in the school, the benefits and privileges could be worth the borderline immoral actions. I won't have to eat the shitty school lunches, I could be respected by everyone, and I also hear that the members of the 'senate' get paid by other people to 'protect' them.

I could form my own protectorates, have a higher standing with my teachers, and I could breeze through high school with these benefits. I have heard stories though of violence acted by senators around the school. That was a sacrifice I might be able to make. I could even grant my friends power, create my own senate. There are so many outcomes.

How would I even go about this though?

Josef Camache, another sophomore that I share my music theory class with. I know him because he was the one who was giving me a lot of information on the important members of the student council and Venustiano's 'senate.' He warned me not to get involved with them, he told me that he was completely against Venustiano's power and was the one that wanted to stop him at all costs. Maybe if I stop Josef from trying to stop Venustiano, whatever he may have planned, that could get me noticed by Venustiano.

Siephus is a talented but terrifying individual, if I plan to take his place, I have to fill in the large shoes that he has left behind. Siephus was the least violent out of all the members, but Josef told me that he's beating a kid with a lunch tray before, I don't know the reason but that seems rather extreme. However, I must remember the privileges being in his position could bring me. I am also curious just to how exactly Venustiano's system works.

I am sitting in my geometry class now doing the regular handouts that the teacher assigns during class, and then all of a sudden, Siephus enters my classroom. He walks up to the teacher and whispers into the teacher's ear. He then looks at the kid who sits to the right of me, Gerardo Guilla. Gerardo is a sophomore who shares just my geometry class with me, he has always been quiet and I never heard much about him.

After a few minutes, I see Gerardo come back into the classroom without Siephus, Gerardo has a look of worry on his face. He seems rather tense. Knowing that he personally talks to Siephus, now is my chance to get some information.

I was nearly completed with my worksheet, so I lean over to Gerardo and softly say, "Hey."

Gerardo then looks at me, "Me?" He points to himself.

I give him a confirming nod, "Yeah you," I begin, "what were you talking about with Siephus a minute ago?" I ask him.

"I don't think I should be telling you this." He says with reservation.

"I'm not going to rat you out or anything, I'm actually taking interest in joining the Government Club so I want to know what's happening." I give him a white lie, I am interesting in finding out about Venustiano in the moment, I don't know if I will decide to join him yet.

"Well," he leans in closer and softens his voice, "Siephus wants me to get a group of people to jump a guy named Josef." He tells me.

I am caught by surprise at first, but realizing who these people are, I'm not that shocked that this is what Siephus would request, "Can I join you?" I place my offering.

Now, do I really want to jump a kid? I don't know. My mind is not concerning myself with whether or not hurting another person is wrong, I just am very curious about Venustiano and I heavily desire the privileges of working for him. My mind is forgoing the fact another person could be hurt. I'm losing sight of morality in search of an adventure within this school. However, I would be willing to do anything to make my life here the evermore advantageous.

Gerardo gives me an unexpected glare, "Are you sure about such a thing?" He asks with worry.

"Yeah I'm sure, it's not like we are killing a kid." I give a little nervous chuckle with my response. I hope we don't ever kill anymore.

Gerardo relaxes a slight bit, "I'm sure we'll never kill anybody, this isn't the first time a kid's been jumped before." Gerardo faces in front of him, "I'm the enforcer for the Government Club, I work directly under Siephus and I help him out." Gerardo explains.

Gerardo seems to be a nervous person, I'm surprised he has been the enforcer for Siephus himself, there is something about this kid that I don't know.

I then start to think to myself, I never really have acted violently before, not that I can remember at least. I begin to contemplate how my involvement might bring negative consequences to myself. As I get lost in thought, I see Luciana walk toward the seat to my left as it is vacant for the day. The random kid that sits there is absent I believe.

Luciana then taps my shoulder, "Hey Johnny," she starts, "Can you help me with problem number nine?" She asks me.

I conclude my conversation with Gerardo, "Listen man, I'm down to join your group, we'll talk later." Gerardo and I face away from each other and I face Luciana, "Yeah sure thing, let me look at the problem." I respond in a rushed tone.

For the rest of my geometry class, I helped Luciana with some problems that she was struggling with. I was so focused on Venustiano, I didn't realize that I was actually explaining my thought process well to Luciana. She wasn't in my mind until now, and now is lunchtime.

I sit at the usually table that you can always find me during this time of day. It's not as cold as it was in the morning but it's still uncomfortably cold for most. I'm sarcastically tuning out of the uneducated banter that is surrounding me at this table.

"I personally think the world record for amount of times masturbated in one day cannot be broken." Nathan states to Miles.

"I'm sure it can, I bet you that within the next couple of years, someone will be able to do twice as much as the current record." Miles gives a passionate reply while pointing his finger vigorously.

There is no way that you can jerk it eighty times a day, you're overestimating the capabilities of the human body." Nathan explains his counter.

By this time, the talk about masturbation in the background has reduced itself to becoming a white noise. I raise my head to point my eyes at the ceiling of the covered eating area. The sunlight coming from the little cutouts in the roof can be a bother to the dark and damp atmosphere of the covered eating area. I don't know why everything in this school has to be conducted outside.

I lower my head after a moment of thought, as I lower my head I witness a group of two students walking toward my direction. I change my relaxed seating position as I sit up in curiosity and tension. I believe they are here for me.

They are here for me.

"Alright Johnny it's time." Gerardo tells me. Gerardo then looks at the boy next to him and looks at me, "Oh right, this is Andrew Kalaua, he's going to be joining us." Before me stands a tall islander looking boy. He's slim but towers most of the people here.

"Are you ready?" Andrew asks me, he has a powerful voice which resonates deeper in comparison to Gerardo's nervous voice.

I stand up from my seat, my friend group looks at me, "I'm ready." I shake Andrew's hand.

"Woah what the fuck is going on here?" Miles asks me with a dirty look.

"I'll be back." I address the table, "Don't worry about it."

The three of us then walk off into the hallway of the C-Building which was the nearest to the covered eating area. We continue down the hallway heading toward the D-Building, that was where many of the ninth and tenth grade mixed classes were. I don't know where Josef is, but I do know that the D-Building isn't usually supervised by Venustiano and his staff.

As we exit the C-Building corridor, we reach the outside portion of the hallway where Gerardo suddenly halts. He then turns around to face us and he has the face of as if he's having a mental breakdown.

He looks at the two of us and then looks away, "Man I can't fucking do this!" Gerardo cries out.

"What do you mean you can't do this?" Andrew questions, "You brought this group together!"

"I'm calling it off! I will deal with Siephus!" Gerardo is speaking irrationally and nervously. If he's been Siephus' enforcer for so long, how come he is reacting this way right now?

"No." Andrew puts his foot down, "Siephus is going to kill us! Unless you want to be knocked out by a lunch tray, I suggest we go through with this." Andrew speaks with a stern expression, and I am left standing there caught in the fray.

I start to realize that maybe my hunger for power was too much. I don't know if I want to hurt another kid, maybe I want Gerardo to call everything off. I saw this as an opportunity to learn more and gain privileges, for a moment I felt nothing about hurting another person. However now I feel regret.