"Hi, Terry! Are you ready for the club meeting?" asked Deirdre's smiling face thru the vid screen.

"Yea, I think so, Dee. You are gonna nominate me for Club President, right? asked Cadet Terry Sauter, who was running for the presidency of the Starfleet Cadets Sports Club, Region 6. The Starfleet Sonics was a small club--only 24 members-- but it was one of the finest clubs at Starfleet Academy. They organized different kinds of exhibition sports games all across the solar system.

Terry had never tried out for a leadership position before and she was a little nervous. Her friends had encouraged her to run, especially since Lissa was also running. Lissa's idea of club leadership was more militaristic than Terry's. She intended to be very strict in her organization while Terry preferred a more social atmosphere for the club--one with less rules and regulations--with more input from all members instead of just the elected few.

"Yes, Terry, I will and that will be especially good if T'Lir gets Vice President," replied Deirdre.

"Great Dee, I'll see you there!" Terry turned off the viewer and turned to her roommate, Shelly.

"Do you really think I have a chance, Shell? You know how Lissa is. She is very determined to get this position."

Shelly had been Terry's roommate for their two years at the academy. She was a good friend, though she tended to be shy and quiet. Terry thought that must be natural for a Betazoid.

"Terry, I didn't want to mention this, but I couldn't help overhearing certain thoughts from some of the club members I think you should know about."

"What is it, Shelly?" asked Terry as she moved to sit beside her friend. Terry knew that Shelly tried never to 'read' others', but sometimes thoughts were very strong and she would pick them up without meaning to on a conscious level.

"A few of the members have been promised positions on the board if Lissa wins," offered Shelly.

"Really?" Terry was surprised at this news. This was not something she had ever considered. Terry was a very honest person and as such believed others to be as honest as she was. "That may be true, Shelly, but my friends wouldn't go for that. They'll support me."

"I hope you're right, Terry. But ever since I left Betazed, I've discovered that what people say and what they mean, are sometimes two different things. It was quite a shock for me to realize just how many people do this. Betazed is such an open, honest society that it took some getting used to for me to understand such duplicity. I still don't understand it--not really."

"Well, come on, we'd better get going if we want to make the meeting on time."

Shelly and Terry walked out of their dorm building and across the beautiful green landscaped grounds of Starfleet Academy to the large complex of buildings where all clubs held their meetings. There were many clubs at the academy--sports, political, religious, and some for just meeting others in a social situation. Terry belonged to many of them. Although the Sonics was the first club she had tried out for a leadership position. Usually she was content to let others take the lead, but this was one club which she knew she could add something positive to in a leadership capacity.

When they entered the meeting room, they noticed most everyone was already seated around the long conference table. Terry and Shelly took seats beside each other and directly across the table from Deirdre and T'Lir. Deirdre smiled at them and gave a little wave.

Brekka sat at the head of the table as she was the current president. Lissa sat to her right, smiling as usual. Terry always thought Lissa smiled too much. Even though Terry wasn't an empath, she suddenly had a bad feeling about how things would turn out.

"I call this meeting of the Starfleet Sonics to order," stated Brekka. As the other offices were filled, they finally came to the two top positions--Vice President and President. Each vote was cast in secret by using a padd in front of each person which was shielded from the view of others by a small barrier which surrounded each padd. The results were instantaneous as each padd was directly connected to a terminal which rested in front of the president.

"T'Lir did not get vice president, but instead the position went to Ken, a close friend of Lissa's.

"I will now take the nominations for President," stated Brekka.

"I nominate Lissa," called Ran.

Terry looked across the table at Deirdre, waiting for her to make her nomination. Deirdre avoided looking at Terry and said nothing.

After a few moments of silence, Shelly spoke up, "I nominate Terry." It was seconded by T'Lir and the voting took place. The whole time this was taking place, Terry kept her eyes on Deirdre and noticed that not one time did Deirdre look at her.

Terry lost by only three votes. When this was announced, Terry again looked at Deirdre and found her looking down at the table, or to one side or the other--anywhere but at her.

"Now, Lissa will choose her board members," announced Brekka.

"I choose Nell, Ran and Deirdre as my board members," said Lissa.

Terry's jaw dropped open. She couldn't believe it! Now she understood why Deirdre hadn't nominated her. She had sold her out for a position on Lissa's board! Still, Deirdre avoided looking at Terry.

As everyone began to leave, Deirdre came up to Terry, "Why are Shelly and T'Lir mad at me?" she asked innocently.

"Terry took her arm and pulled her outside. "You can't be serious, Deirdre! You know why! You said you would nominate me for president and you didn't, that's why!"

"No, Terry," she began meekly, "you misunderstood me. I said if T'Lir got the vice presidency, then I would nominate you. I thought you understood that I wouldn't nominate you otherwise."

Terry stared at Deirdre's face for a few moments thinking that maybe she had misunderstood her friend. After all, this was the friend she hung out with the most. The one she went to holomovies with, to sports events, most everywhere. She wanted to believe that her friend wouldn't lie to her. She wanted to believe that she had misunderstood her intentions. Then she thought about how Deirdre avoided looking at her throughout the voting and she knew she hadn't misunderstood her at all. Deirdre must have been a little ashamed or felt guilty at what she had done to avoid looking at her like that.

"No, Deirdre, I understood exactly what you meant. You sold me out for an office! An office that doesn't even mean anything! Terry turned and walked away.

"Terry," called Deirdre, "you will still come to my birthday party on Friday, won't you?"

Terry stopped, took a deep breath to control her anger and turned to face Deirdre again. "Deirdre, you don't' understand something. You were my friend. I trusted you. I enjoyed being with you. But today you betrayed that trust. I will never be able to trust you again. And I won't have a friend that I can't trust."

"Really, Terry, I think you are blowing this all out of proportion. It was just a nomination, that's all."

"No, Deirdre, it was not just a nomination. It was about honesty and trust. Friends are won by many acts and lost by only one. Remember that saying Deirdre. Maybe you won't lose too many other friends in the future. And one more thing. If you think Lissa is your friend, think again. She was only using you. Today, you probably just lost the best friend you'll ever have. Goodbye," said Terry as she turned and walked away leaving Deirdre to stare after her.