"Not so fast, Kennedy. I'm a slow runner if you're ever wondering," cried Neriath. She was having a hard time coping up with Kennedy's drifting speed most especially because he's holding her hand. Dan stared at her frightened look, and this made him grin. They continued running away from where they heard the school guard's whistle. The whole time, Neriath kept on complaining. Dan knew at once that she's not used in physical exercises.
"Well, we're going to have to keep on running if we still want to survive," said Kennedy, smiling as they continued moving forward. At once, they heard the fatal sound of the whistle again. This made them more afraid and it actually sped up Neriath a bit. "It's getting closer," Dan whispered. "The school guard is an adept runner. I bet he's seen us by now. We can't outrun him, but we sure can hide." Neriath looked at him as if she already knew what his plan was. "Let's hide in the shrubbery," said he, pointing at the direction not far from them.
"Let's go," Neriath said in agreement. In no time, the two friends reached the place and both of them, still not letting go of each other's hands, huddled and pushed each other in the narrow hiding space they had. Eventually, they were both able to divide the petty space they had by means of compressing each other's shoulders. They didn't feel as comfortable as expected, but they felt as safe as possible. "I lark that he couldn't see us from here," Neriath whispered. "Now that we're stuck here in danger of being caught, how are we going to reach the gate?"
"I don't really know," Kennedy whispered back. "But don't get anxious about it. Somehow, we'll find a way out of here." Kennedy sounded courageous, but deep inside, uncertainty dilutes in his heart. He couldn't possibly spend the night concealed in a shrubbery, with shoulders compressed with that of a girl whom he just met a few moments ago. I want to go home, cried Kennedy in his heart. But I'm sure dad would just scream at me when forth I reach home.
"There he is," Neriath said softly. She could see him through the little space between the leaves of the Forsythia bushes. She could see him wearing his typical blue polo jacket and his necktie with red and white stripes. His bulky belly almost popped out of his top, and his black belt with a golden center prevents it from bursting out. The hem of his brown trousers is about an inch above his socks, and that is already too short and too odd if you would come to think about it. Around his neck lies the deadliest device most students of their school can ever imagine -- the school guard's whistle. If you were a student in their school, you would have known that it's a really effective tool in driving stubborn students away.
"I know you're out there!" the school guard blurted out. He's a quite different guard if you've noticed it. Unlike other watchmen in other schools, he's a lot stricter, meaner and scarier. In their school, the school guard's whistle signifies great power and authority, and if a student gets a hold of it, he could scare off anyone he wants to just by blowing it. With both eyes locked on him, the hands of Dan and Neriath holding each other were all soaked with sweat. If the school guard turned his head 180 degrees, I bet he would have seen the two. They were both so certain not to make a single sound, because if they would, they would both be caught for sure. Round and round, the guard looked in every direction, but fortunately, he never thought about looking at the shrubbery. I lark this is an intrinsic, good hiding place, thought Neriath.
The two chaps were then able to sigh a great sigh of relief after the school guard left their sight. Neriath immediately let go of Dan's hand and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. She leaned against the wall behind her and stared at Dan. Therewith, she smiled at him. "Thank goodness he's gone," she whispered. "We're both safe at last."
"Let's not be too sure about that. We can never be too sure these days. We need to go -- now," Dan said hastily. "Let's get out of here before he comes back." Without a response from Neriath, he grabbed her hand directly and hurried out of their citadel. And again, they ran as fast and as quietly as they can to the school gates with both hands locked again. They kept on going, and it took up a lot of time, since the school library building and the shrubbery were one of the few places in the campus that is very far from the school gates. They had to pass through ridged rocks (which made Neriath trip), prickled plants and some kind of creature that Dan thought was a real, live snake (he had a traumatic experience with them in his childhood). But after all of those snares, they were able to overcome. They let out an eminent sigh of relief as the school gates stood straight up in front of them. "We are now free to go," said the two to each other. "Now, would you do the honours, please?" asked Neriath.
"I'd be very much honoured," Dan replied, imitating the accent of an English national. He isn’t bad in doing it. I lark that he would become a good English imitator, thought Neriath to herself.
You wouldn't have noticed how quickly time flew after Dan Kennedy opens the school gates, or as they like to call it, the gates of freedom. Still holding each other's hand, they ran away as speedily as they can, not turning back. The fresh air outside of the school blew on their faces. They felt free at last, as if the inside of the campus was like a place behind bars. If you have experienced escaping a prison cell, you would yet understand why they kept on racing, jumping and shouting the words "freedom." They didn't look like the usual modern teenagers who just met each other for a short while. Rather, they looked like playful children who have been best friends since birth. They didn't care whether or not the people around them laughed at them or not. Neriath felt as jolly as she could ever be, and that's not only because she's free. She also met a genuine friend, Dan Kennedy. He's at least a bit younger than her, but Neriath looks so young that you wouldn't even notice their age difference.
"Where do you live, Garza?" Kennedy asked, beaming at her. "I'll walk you home. We're friends now, aren't we?"
"Oh, of course we are," Garza replied, beaming as well. If you took a look at her, you wouldn't have known that she cried just recently. Somehow, she forgot the hurtful emotions she felt a few moments ago. Her sentiments have been succeeded by an overwhelming feel of happiness. "I live down there in Princeton Street. It's around two and a half kilometres away from here. Are you sure you want to walk with someone whom you just met for a couple of minutes?"
"Are you serious?" Kennedy said with confidence. "Of course I want to. I've never met any other person as crazy and enthusiastic as you are. I mean, I've seen you run and shout 'freedom' like no other." At this, Garza chuckled and thought to herself, this guy acts like someone whom I hadn't met a few moments ago. It's as if he and I are already really close; that's actually a good thing. "I look forward to an undisputed friendship, my dear damsel," Kennedy added, again imitating the accent of an English national. Garza chuckled at the way he talked. Kennedy took her by the hand as Garza lead him the way to her house. Unlike common acquaintances, they felt at ease with each other.
Kennedy is Neriath Garza's first friend in their school. As for Kennedy, Garza is his first friend who is a girl. He hadn't experienced the company of one, not until then. He never knew that being with someone as quiet and shy as her, is actually a fun thing. To describe Kennedy, he's one who wants to be alone most of the time. Whence forth he plays chess, he does it by himself (doing so takes a great deal of patience and fairness). Whence forth he reads novels, he reads those concerning adventures. Whence forth he does his homework, he doesn't cheat like the rest of his fellow classmates do. In order to avoid cheating and all those kind of stuffs, he does them in his own private hideout, where no one expects him to be in. The place itself also serves as a shield against anyone who wants to go after him, because of its stench. In Garza's viewpoint, she may be in the last age of her being a teenager, but still, she can't help but cry most of the time because of some provoking vigour, arousing her deep, inboard emotions of sorrow. In her life, she gets bullied because of her mysterious nature, and oftentimes gets left out because of it.
Going back to the two chaps, you would have guessed what happened to them at that very moment. As they were walking, they were talking. A few of their topics include their basic information like age, date of birth, address (that was then when they found out that Kennedy's house is just a stone's throw away from Garza's house), name of mother and father, etc. They also talked about their school life including their friends, most abhorred teacher/professor, and their grades. "There's only one thing I learned in my Chemistry subject," Kennedy declared. "Negligence can be your guide to victory, for the famous scientist Albert Einstein once said that 'A single piece of paper can never decide my future. Thus, my grade can never decide what I'm going to be whence forth I grow up." Garza then applauded and congratulated him for his discernment. Laughing, talking and enjoying each other's company -- this marked the beginning of a never-to-be-forgotten camaraderie.
