Monday mornings always arrived too quickly.
When I woke up, the house was quiet. Mum had already left the night before for her shift at the clinic, so the only sound in the house was the faint ticking of the kitchen clock downstairs.
I rubbed my eyes and sat up. Today was the day. The presentation. Our project.
A nervous feeling settled in my stomach immediately.
I quickly got dressed, tied my hair neatly, and packed my bag. Before leaving, I scribbled a small note and left it on the kitchen table for Mum.
'Left early for school. Big presentation today. Wish me luck.'
Then I stepped outside. The morning air was cool and fresh, and the streets were quieter than usual. Most students usually left later, but I wanted to reach school early. Maybe to calm my nerves. Maybe to run through the play again in my head. I had barely walked a few minutes when I noticed someone ahead on the road. Tall. Walking steadily with a backpack slung over one shoulder. Ethan.
He turned slightly as if sensing someone behind him. Our eyes met. For a second, we both looked a little surprised.
Then he smiled.
"Morning."
"Morning."
"You're early," he said.
"So are you."
He shrugged lightly. "Big day."
I nodded.
We started walking side by side.
For a while, neither of us spoke. The quiet wasn't uncomfortable though—it felt natural.
Then Ethan broke the silence.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little," I admitted.
"Same."
We walked past a group of students standing near a bus stop. I noticed their eyes following us as we passed. Whispers. Side glances. I didn't need to hear the words to guess what they were thinking.
How can she already be this close to the new student?
I pretended not to notice. Ethan seemed to notice though.
He chuckled softly.
"People are curious."
"That's one way to put it."
"Don't worry," he said. "They'll forget by tomorrow."
I hoped he was right.
Soon we reached the school gate. Students were beginning to gather around the courtyard, chatting in small groups.
Amanda spotted us first.
Her eyes widened dramatically.
"Look who decided to arrive together!"
Chris turned immediately.
"Well, well…"
Daniel shook his head, amused.
"Good morning, guys," I said quickly.
Ethan nodded. "Morning."
Amanda crossed her arms, staring between us.
"Interesting."
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing," she said with a suspicious smile.
Chris clapped his hands.
"Alright, before Amanda starts investigating imaginary stories—how's everyone feeling?"
"Tensed," Daniel admitted.
"Same," Amanda said.
Chris pointed at me.
"You're the writer. You should be calm."
I shook my head.
"I'm more nervous than everyone."
Ethan leaned against the wall beside us.
"Well, the good news is we have extracurricular period later today."
Daniel nodded.
"Which means we can meet ten minutes before that."
Amanda snapped her fingers.
"Final rehearsal."
"Exactly," Daniel said.
Chris raised his fist dramatically.
"Today… we perform."
"Relax," Amanda said. "It's not a war."
The bell rang. Government class.
Mr. Franklin Hart was already inside when we entered. Tall, serious, and always well dressed.
He adjusted his glasses as the class settled.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, sir."
"Last week," he began, "we introduced the topic System of Government."
He wrote the words boldly on the board.
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
"Who can remind us what a system of government means?"
Several hands went up.
Mr. Hart pointed.
"Daniel."
Daniel stood.
"A system of government refers to the structure and organization through which a country is governed and how power is distributed among its institutions."
"Excellent," Mr. Hart said.
He turned back to the board.
"There are several major systems of government around the world."
He wrote three headings:
• Democracy
• Monarchy
• Dictatorship
"Let's start with democracy," he continued.
He turned to the class.
"Who can explain democracy?"
Amanda raised her hand.
"Yes, Amanda."
"It's a system where the people have the power to choose their leaders, usually through elections."
"Correct."
He nodded approvingly.
"In a democracy, authority ultimately comes from the people."
He wrote underneath:
• Rule by the people.
Then he pointed again.
"Chris. Can you name an example of a democratic country?"
Chris straightened.
"The United States."
"Good."
Mr. Hart moved to the next heading.
"Monarchy."
He looked around.
"Sharon?"
I stood.
"A monarchy is a system where a king or queen rules the country, often through hereditary succession."
"Very good."
"And can someone name a constitutional monarchy?"
Ethan raised his hand.
Mr. Hart looked slightly surprised but nodded.
"Yes… Ethan."
"The United Kingdom."
"Correct."
Some students turned to glance at him.
Mr. Hart smiled slightly.
"Interesting."
He continued the lesson.
"In modern political systems, many countries combine different elements of governance structures."
He explained how democracies operate with branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—to prevent concentration of power.
Then he asked another question.
"What is the main advantage of democracy?"
Chris muttered quietly, "Freedom."
Mr. Hart heard him.
"Exactly."
He nodded.
"Freedom of speech, participation, and accountability."
The bell rang soon after. But today, my mind wasn't fully in class. It kept drifting. To the presentation. To the play. To what might happen.
Finally, the extracurricular period approached. Our group met outside the hall.
Daniel looked at everyone.
"Alright," he said. "One last run-through."
Chris rubbed his hands together.
"Showtime practice."
We stepped into an empty corridor corner and positioned ourselves like we had done in the garage.
The lines flowed smoother now.
> Fear.
> Doubt.
> Hope.
> Courage.
> The Student's Voice.
Even the pauses felt deliberate.
When we finished, there was a moment of silence.
Amanda exhaled slowly.
"That was good."
"Really good," Daniel added.
Chris nodded.
"I think we're ready."
Just then, a teacher appeared at the hallway entrance.
"Quintet of Echoes?"
We all turned.
"Yes, ma'am," Daniel replied.
"You're next."
My heart skipped.
This was it. The five of us exchanged quick looks. Then together, we walked toward the hall.