章 37: Chapter 37
After the ravens flew in the dark sky, which felt like eyes were watching them, they immediately heard heavy footsteps echoing as they seemed to walk nearer and nearer to where they were standing. Layla hurriedly helped Alex to drag the sleeping principal out of the clear and huddled together behind the large oak trees. They peered underneath the branches, watching as a guard stopped in the middle of the pavement while looking around with a flashlight in his right hand.
They sighed in relief when the guard walked away and turned their attention towards the scandalous principal who was settled on the grass with her back resting on the thick trunk that looked like it was deprived of sunlight and water.
It was not like they're protecting the principal, if it was under any other circumstances, they would call for the guard to take the woman out of the campus but they wanted to know what she was doing there. She couldn't be there without a reason, enough to go back to the place where she's been shamed. Perhaps it was the alcohol that gave her the courage to return to the campus. But she couldn't be there without a reason. They wanted to know what's the reason. Why was she hiding behind the trees?
"She couldn't be the visitor, right?" Alex humorously whispered, eyes watching as the woman stirred and groaned.
Layla quietly chuckled at that idea. "She could be."
The principal suddenly shifted her position and laid on the floor. Alex took a step back to give her space but Layla on the other hand, quickly caught Mrs. Vivian's head before it fell down then she sat down beside her head and placed it on her lap. Alex's eyes gleamed in amazement and happiness as he saw Layla's kindness through her actions. He felt a bit ashamed that he was not as nice as the girl but his mind quickly reminded him of her outrageous behavior so the feeling vanished before he could pity the woman.
"Why are you so nice to her?" He questioned while his eyes glanced at the empty pavement when he thought he saw something moving.
Layla's gaze remained on the woman while she answered his question. "She might be an improper woman but I cannot treat her as if she's the most wicked woman I've ever seen." Layla smiled at Alex. "She's also been the school's principal ever since I was a little kid."
Alex's head slowly nodded, trying to understand her words. "Why do you think she's here though? How long will we be here? Until it's dark?"
Layla's eyes widened and she quickly stood up, accidentally making the principal's head fall on the dry grass. Alex's brows furrowed. "Why? What's wrong?"
"I-I need to go." Layla timidly said while looking at her arms. She couldn't feel nor see any signs that her skin was turning to its original form since it was only 4 in the afternoon but it was already dark. Too dark to even be considered as dusk. She needed to go. She must go or else her true form would be seen by her friend.
"Are you okay?" Alex worriedly asked her while his eyes scanned her petite frame for any unusual signs.
"Yeah. I just remembered that I have to work later in the cinema. I must go and freshen up." She tried smiling at him but she couldn't help but keep on glancing at her skin in case something happens.
Alex frowned at her but nodded. "Okay, uh...what will I do about her though?" He pointed at the sleeping principal.
"We need to wake her up." Layla mindlessly said while checking her skin.
Alex watched her in curiosity, wondering why she kept on checking her skin. "I don't think she will wake up. Trust me, I've seen what alcohol does to people."
Layla forced herself not to look at her arms anymore and kept her attention to them. "You're right, I'm sorry. Let's bring her inside the school but we need to be careful."
"Where though? What if someone sees us?"
"There's a storage room that no one uses. We can let her rest there. I'm sure by the time she wakes up tomorrow, we will already be there to check her." Then a thought clicked into her mind. "We can get her out of here." She confidently said.
Alex patiently waited for her to explain so she did. "If she entered the campus with a bottle of champagne and cigarettes, someone must have let her in. Someone allowed her on the campus with those prohibited things. I'm sure we can get her out. We just have to figure out who allowed her inside and what gate did she come in." Layla explained while looking over at the pavement, lost in thoughts.
Alex looked at the principal then back to Layla. "Y-you mean..?"
Layla nodded while glancing at the principal, her lips frowned. "It's possible." She confirmed his thoughts.
Alex also frowned at the principal. Layla immediately smiled, assuring her friend. "I can figure it out. Why don't you stay here while I take a look around? I know most of the guards here and I'm sure they will recognize me as well."
She reached out her hand and placed it on his right shoulder. "Just don't overthink. She might be involved with the unexpected news but while it remains an assumption, do not worry too much about it."
Alex sighed and nodded, smiling at her. "Just be careful. It's already dark."
Layla swallowed but her smile remained. "Yeah. I'm just going to take a quick look around the campus. I'll come back." Her arm fell on her side and she turned around, quickly, her smile faltered and a knot appeared in between her eyebrows.
She already knew the principal was involved in the situation. It was clear. She wouldn't be inside the campus if she wasn't. She didn't know about her exact involvement in the issue and what she has done but Layla hoped that it was a mild one. Or at least it was for the better. If she was the one to call on a visitor then Layla was hoping that her intentions were all good. But as of currently, from what she had seen, it's almost as if she chose to be intoxicated because the guilt was eating her alive. She didn't seem like the type of person to come back and face the problems she has caused with a clear mind. She was exactly the type of person she was being currently. She couldn't face her problems but she needed to so she go drunk to get rid of the shame and guilt.
She walked towards the first gate which was small, she approached the guard who stood there with drowsy eyes. The man was old and Layla felt bad about disturbing him but at the same time, she knew that she needed to wake him up and talk to him. The guard was the oldest among all therefore he's mostly in charge of the security on the campus, he was a grumpy old man. Layla knew him, many students disliked him for his attitude. Layla along with her other classmates found it funny, however. It was quite entertaining talking to the grumpy guard.
"Excuse me?" Layla respectfully approached him with a kind smile.
The man jumped and glared at Layla. "I'm not sleeping. I'm just resting my eyes." He defensively said while folding his arms across his chest. Then he suspiciously eyed her. "What are you still doing here? The students have gone home."
"I was with Sir Kingsley, the new teacher? We were having a discussion about the subject he's teaching. I asked for an extra class." She smoothly lied although she wished she had said something different because it was likely that the guard would contact Sir Kingsley to confirm that.
He looked at her for a long time before he was convinced and he brightly smiled at Layla, finally recognizing her. "Oh! Layla! It's you! You've always been dedicated to your studies but I never knew that you would become so obsessed with it."
Layla was used to his words. He always spoke harshly and bitterly.
Layla chuckled but before she could answer the guard asked her, "So, are you going home already?"
Layla nodded. "Yes but I remember that I forgot my book near the fountain. I need to get it."
The guard nodded, his drowsiness completely vanished. "Tsk, tsk tsk. You seem to need more rest than I do, kiddo. Take it easy."
Layla bid goodbye to him and she calmly walked away. It was not him, it was impossible. The guard was the strictest guard that was working there.
She headed to the next gate and saw a couple of guards there, one was inside the guardhouse, the other one was outside, his eyes were roaming around the campus. She turned away and began heading to the next gate which was the sneakiest gate one could sneak in. It was hidden by bushes but that was where the guards guard the most because of the same reason. Usually there,'s only one guard, it's where the council officers go out and on the campus. It's also what the visitors use especially when they're famous and not wanting to cause a commotion.
Mrs. Vivian might have snuck into that gate.
The guard there was sitting on a chair while reading a book that looked like a textbook. Layla smiled, finding the scene before her eyes adorable and heartwarming. Layla accidentally stepped on a tree branch so the guard's head whipped up instantly. Layla and the guard's eyes widened once they saw each other. Layla was frozen in her spot the moment she looked at the person in front of her. The guard's cheeks flushed in embarrassment and he quickly looked away from Layla. Layla's mouth opened and closed, trying to find words to say to the person in front of her.
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