"Silent Shadows: The Hidden Truth"

Part 1

"In the shadow of loyalty,
Our friendship stood strong,
A fortress against the world's storms."

Zaiden Forrest, a quite boy lives with his single mother who works in a primary school. He is introvert and a little bit shy sometimes. He hates getting alot of attention. His hobby is to write poems but without telling anyone not even his best friend, Arlo Coldwell.

Arlo Coldwell is just opposite of Zaiden and he loves to pull prank on everyone. He's famous and loves getting alot of attention. His mother is a nurse and father is on bed rest because of ... something.

Zaiden and Arlo are childhood best friends. They live in a town named "Rogers land".

                       •~~~~~~~•

Zaiden woke up and felt a body on him, he groaned and opened his eyes and saw that Arlo was lying on him. Arlo's face was in the crook of his neck and one leg on his leg. Arms wrapped around Zaiden's torso.

"Ughhh! Arlo get off of me." Zaiden said.

Arlo pulled his head up and turned red in embarrassment after seeing the position they were in. He sat up immediately and took a flight to the bathroom. Zaiden fell back to sleep.

~after a few minutes~

Arlo came back from the washroom and jump on Zaiden. Zaiden scream at the top of his lungs, a high pitch scream. Arlo laughed his head off at him falling on his knees.

"Do that again *cough*" Zaiden inquired.
"Do what?" Arlo asked looking confuse.
"Nothing.... Nevermind"
"Tell me, do what?" Arlo asked once again.
"I Said nothing. Why were u waking me up?" He asked. His ears turning a shade of pink due to embarrassment
"oh right we're late again" Arlo replied in a calm tone shoving his wrist watch in Zaiden' face.
"What? And you're telling me now" Zaiden yell.
"Well what difference does it make, after all we're almost always late" Arlo exclaimed.
Zaiden sighed "yeah you're right"

Zaiden get off of the bed and lazily step towards the cupboard of his room opened it and took out a black baggy pants, white t-shirt and sneakers.

"I don't have any clothes with me" Arlo stated.

Zaiden took out blue jeans, a black t-shirt and white Nike sneakers. He took them out and throw it at Alto who was now sitting on the bed. They both changed into them and walk downstairs. Zaiden greet his mother and sat down on the dining table.

"GOOD MORNING DEAR MOTHER!" Alto yelled enthusiasm dripping from every word.

"Good morning son!" Mrs. Forrest replied while laughing.

"Shut up you brat. Why are u yelling in the morning?" Zaiden said pointing his fork at Alto.

"Just greeting my mother, you idiot." Alto replied.

"Nevermind... What's for breakfast mum." Zaiden asked turning his voice sweet for his mother.

"It's your favourite Zaid, pancakes." she exclaim.

"Yeah, thanks alot mum. You're the best." He smile.

"Alright now hurry, both of you are getting late." She sternly said.

Zaiden and Alto dig in and within 5 minutes finished there breakfast. After eating Zaiden got excited and stood up from his seat, Alto repeated the process and both ran upstairs while bickering about who'll go first. Pushing and pulling each other they made it upstairs, luckily without falling.

Zaiden pick his bag and both again got downstairs the same way they both got up.

"Mum can I borrow your car, please." Zaiden asked with puppy dog eyes.

"No way! Remember last time when you borrowed my car you ended up crashed in Mr. Lucky's house." She said putting her hands on her hips.

"He's not that lucky, I guess." He made a disgusted face remembering the moment.

Alto was snickering. Zaiden just begged for the car but when his mother didn't gave him the keys he just went out of the house stomping his feet. Alto said Goodbye and left just behind him.

~A few seconds later~

They were walking in silence a comfortable one.

"My mother texted me a few hours before." Alto said out of nowhere.

"What did she said?" Zaiden asked.

"They're back, I mean mom and dad from the hospital." Alto stated looking a bit sad.

"Oh right. Is your dad okay? What did the doctors said?" He asked.

"Dad is diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)."

"What's that?" Zaiden asked with sympathy looking at Alto but he didn't spare him a glance.

"It is a progressive neurological disorder associates with symptoms that may include problems with thinking, understanding and communicating." Alto explained.

"Whoa that's bad. I'm sorry." Zaiden said.

"Yeah, it's okay. I'm already used to it." Alto shrugged.

"True. Wait when did you became that smart?" He asked to ease the tension between them. Alto never liked it at all when people looked at him with sad eyes and Zaiden knew better not to.

"I'm always smart but you never notice." He smirked.

~~~~~~~~
T

hey arrive in front of the school. The gates were still open and Mr. Alastor was standing there looking pissed.

"Good morning! Mr.Alastor" Zaiden smile broadly at the guard.

"You're late." Mr.Alastor dryly stated.

"We're aware." Alto dismissed.

They both walk inside the school, the school was really huge, first they went through a soccer ground on the left and a big garden on their right. Second, they walked through a basketball court and after that there was the principal office. Walking for almost 10 minutes which felt like hours they made it to the corridor of classes.

Zaiden and Alto enter the class and made their way to the last bench and sat there.

Alto was famous so most of students of other classes made their way to surround him until.......

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