Page 56 of The Ruthless Rivalry

“Perfect,” Aubrey whispers, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space. She fumbles with the stack of posters in her arms, nearly dropping them before I reach out to steady her.

“Thanks,” she murmurs. “Can you grab some pushpins for me?”

I reach over to the board and grab a few of the black plastic tacks, handing them to her. As Aubrey begins pinning up the first poster, I take a moment to actually look at what we’re advertising. The carnival seems to be a bigger deal than I’d realized, with promises of games, food stalls, and even a Ferris wheel.

“Hey, this actually sounds kind of cool,” I admit, surprising myself.

Aubrey beams at me. “See? I knew you would enjoy it! Altair always goes above and beyond for these special occasions,” she says. “But it’s not really surprising, given the wealthy backgrounds of most students here.”

“Yeah, must be tough being this rich,” I reply, my focus fixed on smoothing out a wrinkle in the poster.

Aubrey laughs, tossing a teasing glance my way. “Oh, totally,” she says, rolling her eyes dramatically. “It’s soexhaustinghaving access to every luxury. I can hardly keep up with the spa days and yacht parties.” She grins, nudging my arm. “But hey, you’re technically one of us now, so you must have a yacht or two stashed away, right?”

I smirk and pat down my pockets. “Let me just check… Nope, just a couple of crumpled notes and a pack of gum today.”

Aubrey’s grin fades into a more relaxed smile as she pins another corner of the poster to the board, her voice shifting to a lighter, more casual tone. “Anyway…” She glances around the room for a moment, then back to me. “What booth are you most excited about? I heard the chemistry club’s doing some kind of ‘magical potion’ demonstration.”

I raise an eyebrow skeptically. “Magical potion? Sounds like something Alfie would be into at Club Bedlam.”

Aubrey laughs, her voice echoing off the high ceilings. “It’s notrealmagic,” she says with a grin. “It’s just a bunch of science students trying to make chemicals look cool. They’ll mix things together and make some smoke and colorful reactions. Though, I did hear they’re offering a signature drink to match the ‘magical’ theme. So there’s that.”

“Will the drink they’re giving us be the same as the ones used in the experiment?”

“Not at all! The beverage is just a lure to draw people over to their booth,” Aubrey explains.

I can’t help but chuckle at the clever marketing ploy. “Well, I guess that’s one way to get people interested in chemistry.”

We continue our way down the hall, plastering posters on every available surface. As we work, I find myself growing more curious about the carnival. Maybe it won’t be as stuffy and pretentious as I initially thought.

“What about you?” I ask Aubrey. “Any particular booth you’re looking forward to?”

She pauses for a moment, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Hmm…I’m really excited about the art club’s station. They’ve got some incredibly talented members, and I heard they’re doing live portraits. I’ve always wanted to have one done. Plus, they’re showcasing some of the best pieces from the semester.”

I nod, trying to picture Aubrey sitting still for a portrait. Somehow, I can’t imagine her staying in one place for that long. Her energy seems too vibrant, too kinetic.

“That sounds fun,” I admit. It could be interesting to see how my features would be portrayed on paper. “I might have to check that out.”

She shrugs and says, “They appeared enthusiastic while presenting it to Chancellor Maxwell and the rest of the board.”

I frown, briefly remembering how Alfie had mentioned something about a board. Should I care more? Should I be more involved? But then, I remember why I chose Club Bedlam in the first place: not many people, and we only had to meet once a week. The most pressing thing Alfie’s insisted on so far? Me cleaning the bathroom in the tent. I mean, that wasdefinitelya top priority for him. I shake my head with a smirk. But honestly, it wasn’t that bad. For being so far back in the woods, that bathroom was surprisingly clean and spacious.

“What about you?” I inquire, “How does the Actors Guild Club plan to raise funds?”

“We have the best idea! We’re going to do a live improvisation booth!” Aubrey exclaims, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “The details are still kind of up in the air right now—like whether we’ll use a spinning wheel or a hat, but either way, we’ll have audience members spin it or draw from it to give us a prompt. Then, we’ll have students act out a short scene based on whatever scenario or genre comes up. It’s all about the surprise, you know?”

I can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. “That does sound entertaining.”

“It’s going to be hilarious and totally unpredictable,” she assures me. “Maybe I can even convince you to join in on a scene.”

My mouth quirks, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Oh sure, because nothing says fun like watching me make an even bigger impression on the Actors’ Guild than I already have. I think I’ll leave the acting to the people who actually know what they’re doing.”

Aubrey laughs lightly. “That was one time, and I swear everyone’salmoststopped talking about it.” She pauses, eyeing me.

I shoot her a look, scratching at my neck.

Aubrey raises her hands in mock surrender. “Well, mostly.”

After leaving the library, we make our way across the courtyard toward the dining hall. As we step inside, Ophelia suddenly exits, and we nearly bump into her. She’s wearing large sunglasses that obscure her face, despite the overcast weather outside.

---