*Panting sounds*

 

"Where do I hide? Where do I hide?" I kept asking myself as I ran along the empty hallway. Deeply panicking inside, I swung my head side to side desperate to find a place secured and away from their pursuit.

 

Sweat soaked my clothes and bruises of multitude hues had just been painfully painted on my fragile body. Despite the need to stop and breath, I forced my shaking legs to fasten its speed for my life was at risk.

 

I just hope deep inside that they won't be able to catch up.

 

---

 

"Do you see her?" A guy who was handsome in appearance asked the group.

 

His angelic face is the total opposite of his horrible personality. People would think that he wouldn't even hurt a fly when in fact, he would even kill it.

 

"No signs of her. I think 'the thing' managed to escape." A girl replied as she furiously kicked a trash bin near her.

 

"I'm sure she hasn't left the campus. Call the others and tell them to find her." He commanded the girl as he swung his bat towards the wall.

 

The impact of the hit echoed throughout the empty hallway, and left a crack on the cemented barricade. He can't help but smirk because that's how he's gonna hit her as soon as she's found.

 

The others flinched but continued on their way, desperately finding 'the thing' whose name is Dara. They wouldn't want their leader mad for they,too would be like that cracked wall if that happens.

 

---

 

My lungs are burning and my whole body is aching. But despite that, I continued to run towards the safety of my secret hide out.

 

It's a good thing that I was able to escape from them. If I was unfortunately found, I would surely be given to that scary guy and he would again paint me with horrible bruises of different colors.

 

If you're thinking that if the school finds out, they would surely take action and expell those devils but they won't and never will. They choose to keep a close eye and deafened ear towards my situation since that bastard's father is the top money provider in the campus.

 

My heart is thudding rapidly in my chest that it feels like, sooner or later, it would rip out of my rib cage. But I felt it slow down when I have finally landed my feet on the place's beautiful bermuda grass.

 

Feeling the fatigue conquering all of me, I layed down the greenery, feeling the rough yet comforting texture, and took in deep breaths. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and smiled bitterly as I looked at the scenery before me.

 

The gemstone-blue river sparkled in the sun, the water's surface was glittering brightly, as if millions of sparkling stars have fallen from the heavens. Either that or Edward from Twilight drowned here.(Just a harmless joke Twilight fans)

 

It was seeping and dribbling through the trees. It even jumped for joy over the timeworn rocks. I heard once that rivers are the arteries of what-was-that-again, completely out of topic. The fluttering butterflies drifted over it lazily, each with its own unique color.

 

I felt my mouth dry from dehydration so I bent my head to drink from it to quench my thirst. Don't worry, I've tried it a gazillion of times and so far, I'm not a dead bull. 

 

I then plucked a few wild berries and tossed it in my mouth. And to my expectations, they were lush and fruity to the tongue.

 

I felt myself calming down now. This secret paradise of mine has never failed to comfort me. This is the place where my father frequently took me when I was a chibi(child).

 

---

 

"Dara, if someone hurts you. Don't be afraid in telling me. I'll make sure to kick their buttocks. Got that?" Dara's father said as he glanced at his little girl who was cutely sitting on his lap while hugging her favorite plushie.

 

"Of course daddy." She replied as he looked at her father through her big round chibi eyes.

 

"Dad please help me." Dara said with watery eyes as she looked up at thousand of rhinestones glistening only for her open eyes(sky).

 

"I hope you know that I've never believed, not even once, that you were a thief." She said as tears started to pour out from her eyes.

 

"But I just can't understand why they need to do this to me. If you were really a thief, it doesn't mean that I am one too, right?" She continued to ask her father from above hoping that he was listening to her right now.

 

Then as she started to tell her father the torture she experienced this day, a flood of tears started to gush down her pale cheeks as great pain welled up inside her.

 

"Dad take me with you, please! I don't care if maybe you're in hell right now. I just can't take all this anymore."  She pleaded like a fool hoping for a miracle to happen.

 

She felt thankful that she was all alone in this lonely paradise for she can never stand the thought of someone knowing her vulnerable side.

 

As if the entire world is coming to an end, great drops fell from her eyes; the heavy rainclouds in her mind let loose their turbulent nature.

 

---

 

I continued to cry a river, with ragged currents flowing down my cheeks and onto the collar of my uniform. Then suddenly I heard a panda sing.

 

"♫ Don't cry out loud, Just keep it inside, Learn how to hide your feelings. Fly high and proud....♫"

Oh my gee, what's up with this tone-deaf voice? Why can't it just leave me alone and let me emote??

 

"Shut up, will you? Or else I'll really shoot this rock into your mouth." I roared as I looked at the source of the voice. 

 

In front of me I saw a boy with dark brown hair that was shaped like a coconut shell,his bright almond brown eyes, protected by thick and long eyelashes, looked at me with pure amazement and curiosity.

 

At first, I thought his eyes would move past me but he surprised me by lifting one side of his mouth up into a smirk. 

 

"What are you looking at?" I asked him as I smacked his head. Great Dara, just great. What a nice first impression.

 

"What's with that? I was just trying to comfort you, you meannie!" He pouted and soothed his aching head.

 

I can't help but cringe at his expression. What does this guy think he is, a four year old? I bet that he's 13 years old like me, yet he still pouts.

 

"Thank you so much for comforting me!" I said sarcastically as I emphasized the word 'so much'.

 

"I did comfort you. See, you're not crying anymore." He said proudly.

 

Yeah, he did make me stop crying but can he just walk away now? He's making my mood even sour. It's like his happiness and glee makes me fuming mad.

 

"Shut up you panda!" I told him through gritted teeth but I'm pretty sure he heard it well because he reacted with a gasp.

 

"Me? A panda? Then you-- you're face is a ugly as this river." He said as he pointed at the river.

 

I can't help but just laugh, the river is beautiful. With it's crystal clear water, it's magical.

 

"Ouch that really hurts!" I pretended to hold my heart like it was visciously stabbed by his insult. He, in response, laughed at me feeling victorious.

 

I stiffled a laugh as I pretended to cover my face with my hands and cry. Any person would know that I was faking it but to my amusement, he was unfortunately an idiot.

 

He began to panick as I let out loud FAKE sobs. I couldn't help but grin without him seeing.

 

"Sorry! I'm really sorry!" He apologized completely clueless about my trick. He spoke like a broken record, continuing to apologize when...

 

"BOO!" I said with a loud voice. I can't help but laugh at his surprised expression. But my laughter stopped when I noticed him turning pale.

 

He coughed hard and breathed heavily as he clutched his chest. He tried biting his lips but it remained pale, as in albino-pale.

 

"Oh my gee, are you okay?" I asked him.

 

So I was panicking deep inside. I mean like, is he having a heart attack or is he asthmatic? Well holy unicorns, I'm not a doctor so I have no clue.

 

Seeing my terribly worried face, I noticed the side of his mouth twitching until it finally formed into a grin.

 

"Joke!" He said as he let out a peace sign.

 

My plan backfired and now all I want to do is suddenly let out a machine gun from thin air and shoot his happy face. I mean, why can't he stop smiling? His happiness tortures me!

 

And so we spent the whole time arguing with each other. Well, more like it was only me that was only arguing. He seemed like he was always joking and just making fun of me which irritates me even more.

 

---

 

"Well I'll miss teasing you but I got to go." He said as he glanced at his pikachu-designed watch.

 

Inside, I felt happiness that this annoying panda will finally disappear but I also felt a tinge of dissapointment because like it or not, he did comfort me.

 

"Fine then. That's good news." I said as I crossed my arms.

 

What am I feeling dissapointed for? Maybe we can just meet here another time.

 

"Before I go let me just tell you something. Life isn't about how to survive the storm, it's about learning to dance in the rain." He said as he looked at me with such cute panda eyes.

 

Wait? Did I just say cute?? To him? Pffft, hell no.

 

"Huh, how did you-- Wait, were you eavesdropping on me?" I asked him as I stood up from the ground and raised my brows.

 

I could hear him let out a sheepish laugh as he slowly backed away from me. Then I pretended to get something from my pocket like, my grenade maybe.

 

"I don't know what you're talking abo~~~ut!" He prolonged the word 'about' as he sang with his tone-deaf voice. He then began to run away from me with the speed of Flash.

 

"Yah! Come back here, you--" I shouted at his figure that was rapidly dissapearing in my line of vision.

 

Then I realized something, I didn't even get to ask his name. Well, who care about his name, right?

 

I just let out a sigh and layed myself on the grass again. I couldn't help but remember his words.

 

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

 

I know what he means but it just seemed impossible for a girl like me. Would I be able to dance in the rain? That's something I don't know but it wouldn't hurt to try, right?

 

---

 

Then I started to live through that quote. I tried to enjoy and embrace everything that life has given me and it seemed very effective.

 

I'm not gonna deny it. I've been waiting a lot of times for panda guy in the secret place but I never saw him again.

 

I endlessly did it everyday. Then sometimes, I'd skip a day, then sometimes a week, until without me realizing, I stopped waiting for him.

 

What's the point of waiting when he's never coming back? I bet he had forgotten about me now.

 

I don't if I'll never forget his face but I'll surely never forget his words of wisdom... His WOW in short.

 

Just because of that small quote of his, I changed my life into a better and stronger one. I don't even know if he was serious when he said that.

 

All I know is that one day, if I'm mature enough I'll find him again and thank him with my whole heart.

 

But seriously where the heck are you Mr. WOW Guy?

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

So how was my first chappie? Was it too long? I'm sorry for the ones who don't like long chapters(TT__TT).

I'm a complete novice at this so if youu find that I need to correct a grammatical error, or that I need to improve something in my story then please comment it down. 

I'll accept it whole heartedly and would even thank you.

Do you hopefully like my first chappie?

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