My friend named Z.

Chapter 9 :Catch me if you can

30th April 2011.

" They're coming, Z!" I alternated my glances between the window and the old wooden clock in my kitchen."My parents are finally coming homet!"

" Yeah, and they'll reach at what? Nightfall?" Z rolled her eyes. " Don't you have to go to school?"

" Obviously. It's a Friday." I gobbled down the rest of my breakfast.

" C'mon. Let's go. I think i'm gonna be late." 

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" And i am." I stood outside the school gate peering through the bars like a little lamb in a cage. Great. Now what do i do?"

"Pick the lock." Z grinned.

 "Right. I don't know how."

"Well, climb over the gate. It's not that high up." 

I looked at Z , then at the gate about one and a half times my height.

"No! That's like breaking in!" 

"Stop being such a baby. If you don't want to get caught again for being late, then just climb over the damn gate."  Z phased through the gate to the other side. "Come on."

I frowed my brows.This is absurd. I will never be able to climb over. There was this threatening layer of barbed wires laying hazardly at the very top of the gate. I'm not spiderman! And niether am I Z who can simply phase through walls.

"Whatever. Goodbye. I'll wait for you in class." Z turned and began to walk away.

"No! You can't leave me here!" I whined. 

Z was smirked. She was obviously toying with me.

" Fine, fine! I'll climb! If i get caught it'll be your fault." I threw my bag over and slowly made my way up.

Right hand... Left leg.. Left hand.. Right leg... I was almost over. But right at the top was those row of spikes. I looked down at Z.

" Go on." She smirked.

I breathed in. I had a very bad phobia of heights and even though the ground was less than two meters below, it seemed as if it was a million miles down. The metal bars are boiling in the summer heat and i can literally feel the blisters forming on my palms. I tested the spikes. They were not all that sharp. At least not enough to pierce through the soles of my shoes. Sweat stung my eyes. C'mon you can do this. One shot. I took in another breath , pressed my soles on the spikes and jumped off to the other side.

Everything happened so quickly.

Even the sheer drop to the ground. I was unlucky. The barbed wire tore effortlessly  through my flesh, leaving behind a wide gash on my arm. I landed on my wounded arm, the pain was unbearable. " Z, m-my a-a-arm.." I was trying very hard not to cry.  Z walked right through the gate. "No time to cry kid." She cocked her towards a teacher running towards us. " Either you sit here and whine about how you broke your arm , or you can not put your efforts to waste and run back to class."

I gritted my teeth and wiped away my tears.

"Let's go." I got up , and the race began. At my top speed , I was pretty sure my pursuer would eat my dust but the pain was drilling through my nerves like a nail into a wooden board. I started to slow down. " What's wrong with you!? Ignore the pain!" Z tried to grab my arm but her hand simply went through mine. " Natalie! Stop there!" I looked back. My pursuer was catching up. I gasped and pushed myself forward.  Ignore the pain.. Ignore the pain.. I started to hum a song in my mind as i ran. The song i would hear when i used to visit Amsterdam. " Go up that flight of stairs and turn into the toilet. Try to lose her." I nodded. Z was way ahead of me. I sped up the stairs. Climbing it never seemed so straining. I went into a toilet cubicle and slammed it shut. I panted hard.

Z put a finger to her lips and we both pressed our ears to the door to listen for the slightest sound.

"Natalie! Natalie!" I could hear her calling from right outside the toilet. I gulped. 

"Oh Ms Lera! There you are!" Z and I heard another voice.

"The whole class thought you were absent."

"I'm so sorry dear. Something cropped up." Ms Lera took one last look in the toilet.

"We better go."

I could hear the sound of her heels drifting further and further. I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank God for annoying class monitors."

"You actually remember that song." Z laughed. 

"Oh.. oh yeah.Don't you?" I hummed the melody in my head again.

"Why wouldn't I ?" 

"I-I probably should go to the sick bay." I unlocked the door and supported my injured arm with my right one.

" Don't be such a whim! There is nothing wrong with you! Your bag cushioned your fall." Z snorted.

" I-I.." I sighed. " Did anyone ever tell you are really really mean?" 

I guessed that made my hardcore friend soften up. For a split second. Just a split second , I could see the same pair of hazel eyes I saw halfway across the world. Then it was gone. 

"Whatever." Z rolled her eyes. Just like that.

"If you wanna go back to class , wait till it's ten." Z walked out of the toilet. I wanted to ask her why , but i was still hurt, inside out. And really mad at her. I sat down. "Ten... gym class is at ten. Now it's..." I though and tried to remember the lessons i'll be having. "Math class with Ms Grixel." Z finished for me. I looked up. " I am right. Aren't I?" I was trying really hard to ignore her. It really isn't all that easy. To ignore someone who can actually read your mind.

The bell rang. It sounded so much like a fire alarm.

"After you." Z held out her hand. I stormed past her. 

" Look,  just 'cause i called you a whim , doesn't mean you have the right to throw your tantrum aroun-"

" Shut up! This is all your fault. It's always your fault." I yelled. I was mad again. Tears began to well up , partly due to the pain, partly because I was mad.  Everything was happening at the same time. My tears were falling , my arm was throbbing, Z was walking away and-

" Nat, are you on the PHONE again?"

That voice. 

I should've known he would come out of nowhere. I clenched my fist and did the only thing i thought was right-- run.

Catch me if you can, Kevin.