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1431 Words
That night, as I was organizing the interview recordings in the school newspaper office, Liz burst in.
"Emma! Have you checked the school forum?" She gasped and thrust her phone in front of me.
On the screen was a post titled "Exclusive: The Secret Hobby of Football Star Carter!" Below it was a clip from my interview with Carter talking about classical literature. The post had already been shared hundreds of times.
My stomach sank. "This... I didn't post this."
"I know you didn't," Liz bit her lip. "But the recording leaked from your interview. Now the whole school is talking about how Carter Wilson is a closeted nerd."
I grabbed my backpack. "I have to find him and explain that I didn't do this."
"It's too late," Liz pointed out the window. "Look."
Through the window, I saw Carter striding across the lawn, heading straight for the school newspaper office. Even in the dim light, I could see the anger on his face.
"Emma Green!" His voice could be heard through the door. "We need to talk!"
I took a deep breath and walked towards the door. When I opened it, Carter was standing there, his chest heaving and a fire in his eyes that I'd never seen before.
"I can explain," I said immediately. "I didn't leak that recording."
"Then who did? The recording device was in your hands!" Carter demanded.
"I don't know! Maybe it was a technical glitch, or..." I suddenly remembered something. "Wait, after the interview, I sent the recording file to Editor - in - Chief Anderson for backup. Maybe..."
"Maybe what?"
I bit my lip. "Maybe he leaked it. He's always been after content that can boost the click - through rate."
Carter's anger seemed to subside a bit, but he still had a tight expression. "Do you know what this means for me? The team will tease me about this for a whole year."
"I'm really sorry," I said sincerely. "I'll issue a statement clarifying that I didn't post it, and I'll write a report condemning the invasion of privacy."
Carter stared at me for a long time, then sighed. "Forget it. It was going to come out sooner or later anyway."
"What was going to come out?" I asked curiously.
He hesitated for a moment, then pulled a book out of his backpack. It was the original ancient Greek version of The Homeric Hymns.
"I do like classical literature," he admitted. "Since junior high school. But my dad... he's a former professional player, and he wants me to focus on sports. So it's been a secret."
I looked at him in surprise. "So you're not just a..."
"Muscle - brained i***t?" Carter added with a bitter smile.
I felt a twinge of guilt. "I owe you an apology. For my prejudice and for this leak."
Carter shrugged. "I guess I owe you one too. For calling you'sweetheart' and all that."
We looked at each other and smiled, and the atmosphere suddenly wasn't so tense anymore.
Just then, my phone rang. It was a message from Editor - in - Chief Anderson: "Green, the principal wants to see you and Wilson. Now. In his office."
I looked up at Carter. "I think we're in trouble."
Carter glanced at the message on my phone and made a face. "Ready to face the storm, Miss Reporter?"
"As long as it's not another'sweetheart' storm," I shot back, and was surprised to find myself joking with him.
As we walked towards the principal's office together, I suddenly realized that Carter Wilson might not be the kind of person I'd thought he was. And this accidental recording leak might just be the start of breaking down the prejudice between us.The doorplate of the principal's office glistened in the sunlight. I stared at the gilded letters, and my stomach felt as if it were stuffed with a ball of damp cotton. Carter stood beside me, and somehow the faint scent of his citrus body wash wafted into my nose, making me even more flustered.
"Are you ready, Green?" Carter asked in a low voice. His knuckles hovered in front of the door, hesitating to knock.
I took a deep breath and stuffed the voice recorder back into my pocket. "Remember, no matter what the principal says, we insist that this is a privacy violation and demand that the school investigate."
Carter raised an eyebrow. "You're really good at this... confrontation strategy."
"This is called journalistic integrity," I corrected. "Besides, aren't you angry? Your privacy was—"
The door suddenly opened from the inside. Ms. Pierce, the principal's assistant, looked at us expressionlessly. "The principal is waiting for you."
Principal Robertson's office was incredibly spacious. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was a panoramic view of the entire football field. Editor-in-Chief Anderson was already sitting on the sofa on one side. When he saw us come in, he pushed his glasses up, and his expression was unreadable.
"Ah, Ms. Green and Mr. Wilson," the principal stood up from behind his desk. He was wearing his signature dark blue suit, and the school emblem was on his tie. "Please have a seat."
Carter and I stiffly sat on the sofa opposite Anderson. My fingers involuntarily intertwined, and Carter straightened his back like a soldier ready for inspection.
"I think you both know why I've called you here," the principal crossed his hands on the desk. "That recording has caused quite a stir on campus."
I immediately spoke up. "Mr. Principal, that recording was leaked without authorization. This is clearly a violation of—"
"Yes, yes," the principal waved his hand to interrupt me. "Privacy issues are important. But have you ever considered that this incident might also be an opportunity?"
Carter and I frowned at the same time. The principal continued with a smile. "Our school has always advocated for the all-round development of students. Carter, you are not only an excellent athlete but also interested in classical literature. This is exactly the kind of diverse role model we want to showcase."
Carter's jaw tensed. "So you're saying...?"
"The school has decided to launch a video project," the principal's gaze shifted back and forth between Carter and me. "To showcase the unknown aspects of students. And you two will be jointly responsible for this project."
My mouth dropped open. "What?"
"This is too—" Carter's words caught in his throat.
Anderson finally spoke up. "The principal believes that this 'accident' actually provides an excellent publicity opportunity. Emma, your journalistic sense and writing ability, combined with Carter's... public influence, will be a perfect combination."
"This is unreasonable!" I blurted out. "We're the school newspaper, not the public relations department!"
Carter's voice rang out almost at the same time. "My training schedule is already full!"
The principal raised one hand, and the office fell silent immediately. "This is not a request, but a decision. The project will start tomorrow. There will be two videos per week, and the content needs to be reported in advance. Ms. Pierce will arrange a studio for you."
I turned to Anderson and silently pleaded with my eyes for him to speak up for us, but he just shrugged. "Obey the arrangement, Green. The approval of the club's funding investigation depends on this."
I was stunned. This was a blatant threat.
Carter's fingers tapped on his knees, and I could feel his suppressed anger. "Does Coach Johnson know about this arrangement?"
"I've already talked to Coach Johnson," the principal smiled. "He fully supports it. After all, this can enhance the team's image."
After the meeting, Carter and I stood outside the administrative building. The sunlight was so blinding that it made us dizzy.
"So," Carter kicked a small pebble on the ground. "Are we 'creative partners' now?"
I rolled my eyes. "Not unless hell freezes over."
Carter suddenly laughed, that bright smile that made girls scream. "You know what, Green? I'm starting to think this might be fun."
"Maybe for you," I muttered. "I have real journalistic work to do."
"Oh, come on," Carter imitated my tone. " 'Real journalistic work'? You reported last week on how bad the new quinoa salad in the cafeteria was."
I looked at him in surprise. "You read my column?"
Carter's expression suddenly became awkward. "Uh... I just happened to see it. Anyway, meet me at the library after school tomorrow? We need to discuss video ideas."
When he turned to leave, I noticed that the tips of his ears were slightly red. This discovery made me feel inexplicably better.
- Writer
