Serval and Sheep (Chapter 12)
Hafsa's expectations for Lupercalia get muddled thanks to some members of the student council.
Although Lupercalia is on Friday, festivities are already in full swing by Monday. Thanks to the student council, the campus sparkles in fabulous pinks, reds, and whites. Hearts, streamers, cupids, and ribbons proudly twinkle in every corner. Colorful posters generously gifted by the arts club foretell the candy gifts one could bestow to their special someone, as well as the main stargazing event on the 14th.
Hafsa quietly admires one of the posters, taped on the school secretary's window. Hopefully, Mrs. Cally doesn't mind the view. While preparations for the 14th aren't completely dealt with, she felt it right to stop postponing her visit to the candy gram booth. What kind of a leader would she be if she didn't send her regards to her coworkers?
The serval felt unsure of the stall's charm when she had set it up with Desmond. But now, seeing it bustling with students, she can't help but breathe a sigh of relief and pride.
Securing her place at the back of the line, her round ears overhear excited whisperings of the young animals, planning their gifts. A station to the right of the booth had been set up so customers could write messages on the heart-shaped cards before sending them out. Starting tomorrow, these would be delivered by the pink-clad stall volunteers during breaks and lunch time. The thought of how many cards had her name written on them already causes a wave of smugness to wash through her mind.
"Hi, President!" One of the booth workers, a red panda, greets, followed by a small wave from her macaw companion.
"Hi guys!" She greets back, smiling. "How's business? Everything running smoothly?"
The macaw nods. "No problems here. But we didn't expect business to be this good. Four days away and we're still getting around fifty orders a day!"
"Noah's Arc students pride themselves in being generous and loving," Hafsa winks. "And it's about time I bought some candy gram too!"
The red panda hands her a laminated menu. "I'm sure you're familiar with the stock, but just in case, here's a menu of all the candy and cards we have! Some of them have run out, so we crossed those out with markers."
"Excellent!" Hafsa takes a good look a the menu. "So, I'd like to buy a fair amount. Let's see... with the cheer squad... and Molly... and the student council... That'll be eleven cards."
"Big spender!" The red panda chuckles, writing down the order.
"So," the serval continues. "For seven of those, let's use this nice light pink card. As for the candy, let's go with the vegan butterscotch, since it's for herbies and carnies. For Molly... this yellow card will do nicely, with the coconut chocolate.
"For Brian, I'll take the baby blue card with the sunflower seed gummies. Next, I'll take this, er, red card, I-I mean the green one for Solomon, with the cat grass hard candy. Finally--"
She cuts herself off. Should she even send anything to Desmond? They are in student council together, and she'd like to believe they're on better terms with each other... but they certainly aren't friends. Sending him food seems like a weird move, considering their history. What would she even write on the card? "I'm glad I didn't eat you that one time"?
No, no. She shakes those thoughts away. It's only natural the student council president should send a courtesy gift to her vice president. If anything, sending a gift to everyone except him is weird.
She smiles sheepishly to the stall workers. "Sorry. Hehe. Let's finish that order."
"Hafsa, do you have any black nail polish on you?"
The serval peeks down from the top bunk, eyeing her roommate rummaging around the desk.
"No, sorry." She readjusts back under her comfy sheets, returning her attention to her book. "You should know by now I don't wear nail polish, anyway."
Molly slinks to the bathroom to file around the cabinet. "Why not? I feel like you'd want your claws looking cute and non-threatening."
"Claws are always threatening. We felines are blessed with the option of keeping them hidden, so we should have the courtesy of not flaunting them around in glittery polish."
"Black nail polish isn't glittery." The Pallas cat corrects.
"Whatever. My point is your claws should never be out in the first place. Gussying them up is just a waste of time if they should never be seen."
"Fine, but then you should really tie a bow around that stick up your ass."
Hafsa's ears flatten. "How would I do that if it's up my ass?"
"It's long enough to peek out." Molly shrugs coolly.
The serval decides to change the topic before she mauls her roommate. "Why are you putting on black nail polish? Don't you want a brighter color for Lupercalia?"
"Ew. I already have to put up with all the pinks and reds in the hallways, thanks to a certain student council. I have a migraine just thinking about it."
"Are you sure you're not a bat or something?" Hafsa smirks. "What a shame. I put in all that effort to decorate the campus just how you'd like it, and this is the thanks I get."
"If you're expecting me to ask you out for Lupercalia, forget it," Molly snarks, returning to the desk with her loot (a near empty bottle of black nail polish). "I already decided I'm dying alone."
Hafsa rolls her eyes. For some reason, that is the only response she ever gets when trying to pry into Molly's love life.
"Besides," the Pallas cat says, not looking up from her manicure. "Everyone knows the secretary's gonna ask you out."
Hafsa slams her book shut. "Wh-wh-what are you talking about?! Where did you hear that?!"
"Everyone thinks so. I mean, two hot felines in student council? It's inevitable."
"That's ridiculous! We've only known each other for a month!"
"They say people fall in love within 30 seconds of meeting each other." Molly offers snidely.
"Now you decide to be a romantic?!" Hafsa's incredulous glare at the back of Molly's head fades, and she gives a defeated sigh. "I guess this kind of gossip is inevitable. It's true Solomon has been very good to me..."
She sinks further in her blankets, brows furrowed in deep contemplation. "He's cool, and dignified, and very kind... And he did say all that stuff about us sticking together... He's always looking out for me... And we do spend a lot of time together, even apart from student council..."
Hafsa notices Molly, manicure abandoned, quietly studying her. The serval quickly stiffens back up and grabs the side railing of her bed with conviction.
"B-But! That's just the kind of guy he is! He does that with everyone! He's not the kind of animal to get worked up over a girl he works alongside! Ha ahaha haha! So all of you have the wrong idea! Haha ha ha!" She guffaws nervously.
Her roommate wears a serious expression, not one of her usual disinterest, but rather one of skepticism.
"If you say so, Hafsa." She spins the chair back around, facing the desk. "But don't be surprised if he tries anything on Friday."
Hafsa's ears fall. For the first time in her life, she wishes Lupercalia would never come.