Capítulo 36: Chapter 36
The air was frigid and howling, blowing all of the papers on the table everywhere in the room. The scattered documents and folders reminded Layla of how much trouble her mind was going through at the moment, trying to process every problem one by one and hopefully think of a solution to them. Although she knew that she was just a student, that she should let the adults handle the problems she couldn't help but be concerned and paranoid about everything. She couldn't set her mind at ease.
They quickly squatted down and began picking up the papers on the floor. Their minds were all over the place. No one was there to explain what's happening. The student council officers who often stayed behind the school to discuss important matters and the plans for the school along with the adults were nowhere to be seen. They stay behind even only to do their homework and projects in their office since it was a nice environment. They were usually there but currently, it was a mess.
"Jace, where could they be?" Layla worriedly asked while glancing at Jace who's frowning and lost in his thoughts.
Alex continued grabbing the papers but listened to his friends' conversation. Jace smiled at Layla to assure her and said, "They could be in the next building where the clubs' meetings take place." That was a possibility but an unlikely one, he knew that but it was better to have an unlikely answer than none at all.
Layla, however, wasn't convinced, her frown deepened. "But why? It's not like there's an event coming up. Why do they need to go there if there's a visitor?" She continued believing that there's a visitor although no one confirmed it. She wondered that if there's a visitor on the campus, the officers will immediately notify Jace after they find out.
"Maybe they are finding you? But why are all of them gone though?"
Jace's eyes roamed around the room as the chilly wind got heavy and intense. He walked towards the windows and closed them. "I don't know for sure but maybe they are planning something? We need to find out. Do you mind if I go there and leave you two here?" He calmly asked while placing the papers on the table.
Layla's brows furrowed. "I'm coming with you."
Jace shook his head. "You need to stay here in case they are here. Alex will accompany you and make sure that you're safe."
Alex's actions halted and he froze, looking up at the couple with large eyes. "Oh, yeah! I can...definitely do that." He awkwardly looked around the room, feeling the heated tension between the two. "As long as you won't get me involved with your arguments." He muttered but they heard that and realized how they were behaving.
Jace's eyes softened and Layla's lips pressed together into a thin line, forcing the frown away. "Okay, Alex and I will stay here but if you ever find out, immediately tell us." She agreed with a faint smile and stood up, placing the papers on the table and apologetically glancing at Alex.
Jace stepped closer to her and kissed the top of her head. "I will. Just be careful not to roam around the school too much. The visitors might ask you some ridiculous questions if you ever come across them."
Layla smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Be careful, Jace."
Soon after Jace, left them alone in the room and Layla was determined to find out what's happening so she turned to face Alex and urged him to come with her but Alex instantly refused. "I don't think that we should get involved in that matter, Layla. We should let the teachers and Jace handle that. Why don't we go home?" He gave her a kind smile and placed the remaining papers on the table, securing them under a heavy book.
Layla returned his smile with a sad and concerned one while glimpsing at the door. She knew that even their history teacher had told her that but her mind was all over the place, she didn't want to leave without knowing that everything would be fine. She sighed and looked down at the table while grabbing her bag. "Fine."
Alex nodded and flashed her a warm smile while placing his arm over her shoulder. "It's going to be alright, Layla. They will figure it out. I'm sure of it."
They walked out of the room and Layla's eyes immediately roamed around the deserted hallway. Alex tried avoiding letting his eyes become curious about his surroundings. He just directed them to head out of the building. They hadn't seen any students roaming around nor teachers so they just continued walking out of the large building that was currently chilly and empty. Soon after, they both stepped out of the building and walked their way out of the campus.
Layla's paranoia became worse so she scooted closer to Alex and wrapped herself with her arms, trying to ease her mind and comfort herself. They passed some huge trees, Alex could make out a silhouette behind them but he paid no attention to it and averted his eyes away from that. Layla, however, has already seen it and while they walked away from it, she peeked behind her to look at it and her eyes widened when she saw someone who wasn't supposed to be on the grounds of the school but at the same time, the person was needed at times such as currently due to the problems that arose so suddenly.
"Alex, look." She whispered at him, nudging him by her elbow.
Alex was supposed to argue against her beliefs but instead bit his lip and decided that there's nothing wrong with looking back. His brows furrowed when he saw what Layla had seen. "What's she doing here?"
Their legs halted and they watched as their previous principal was behind the trees, holding a cigarette stick in her left hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. She deeply inhaled the smoke and shortly drank a huge sip of the champagne.
Alex was instantly alerted that they needed to go out because he had an ominous feeling about her drunken unexpected and unwanted appearance on campus.
"Let's just go. Don't look at her." Alex softly urged while tugging her away. Layla was completely aware of Alex's worry and anxiety about what was happening although he might not want to accept that. She didn't want him to become like how he was acting currently. He needed to face what was happening.
"What if we're right? The school would be ruined by the irrational and foolishness of the adults around us. Even by the students! We are ruined!" Alex started panicking while his fingers ran through his hair. "Layla, just please, come on."
Their principal's gaze fell on them and she quickly smiled while approaching them. "Oh! Hello! How have you been?" She yelled at them while tipsily walking towards them.
Alex's arm around his friend tightened while Mrs. Vivian approached them. Layla stepped up out of her usual courage but Alex's arm halted her to go any further. She looked at him and quickly whispered, "Let me handle her."
Alex knew what she's capable of but he was afraid of his friend getting so close to the intoxicated principal. Nevertheless, his arm fell onto his side and his gaze helplessly watched as Layla quickly walked away before Mrs. Vivian could be near to where Alex was standing.
Layla's demeanor was calm despite her sweaty palms and she was politely smiling. She stopped in front of her and the principal's stench of alcohol and cigarette immediately consumed Layla to the point where she could feel her paranoia becoming stronger and sharper. Mrs. Vivian chugged down the remains on the bottle and threw it away. Layla's widened eyes watched as it fell and smashed into tiny pieces of glass. She controlled the emotions and expressions she could accidentally show.
Alex stood there, on guard, ready to do anything just in case but he knew better than to rush to save the frightened girl.
Layla's smile didn't falter while her arms caught the principal. She struggled to carry her weight especially when the principal began laughing as loud as possible. Her high-pitched laughs echoed around the empty campus. An unkindness of ravens covered the clouds on the sky, coloring them with darkness and coldness, making the three of them shiver. Layla's eyes curiously followed the birds that were traveling to the south. Alex's eyes widened and he ran up to them, quickly taking off the drunken woman in Layla's arms.
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