Chapter 61: Chapter 61

"I wonder where we're going next," Ashley said with a huff and her hand went to her waist to stand akimbo.

"Me too! It's so far," I replied with the same voice.

"Bear with it. I think I have an idea of where we're going," Jake said and we both turned our head to him.

"So are we near or still far?!" I asked with a glare and he moved back a little before he gulped and pointed his hand.

"There," He said simply and I looked at where he was pointing to see the head of the Statue of Liberty with the torch in her hand.

"Woah!"

"You do know where we are going!" I yelled happily as I jangled his arm to and fro and he simply grinned with a wink.

"Dummy," Ashley muttered with a shake of her head and I grinned at them.

We walked for some more minutes before the coach asked us to stop.

True enough, we stopped in front of the Statue of Liberty.

"Dude,you have to teach me your secret!" I said hitting Jake by the arm which he pulled a scowl at.

"Right. Sorry," I muttered and he only looked forward. I bit my lips and listened to the coach who was gesturing at the huge green Statue that was on a high platform with a wall between the platform and us so we could only stretch our neck up... Well, except the tall guys in the class.

"The Statue of Liberty was sculpted by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. A french sculptor and painter. He is best known for designing Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty. The statue is a figure of Libertas, a robed Roman liberty goddess. She holds a torch above her head with her right hand, and in her left hand carries a tabula ansata inscribed JULY IV MDCCLXXVI which is July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals, the date of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. A broken shackle and chain lie at her feet as she walks forward, commemorating the recent national abolition of slavery. After its dedication, the statue became an icon of freedom and of the United States, seen as a symbol of welcome to immigrants arriving by sea."

"Bartholdi was inspired by a French law professor and politician, Édouard René de Laboulaye, who is said to have commented in 1865 that any monument raised to U.S. independence would properly be a joint project of the French and American peoples. The Franco-Prussian War delayed progress until 1875, when Laboulaye proposed that the French finance the statue and the United States provide the site and build the pedestal. Bartholdi completed the head and the torch-bearing arm before the statue was fully designed, and these pieces were exhibited for publicity at international expositions."

"The torch-bearing arm was displayed at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, and in Madison Square Park in Manhattan from 1876 to 1882. Fundraising proved difficult, especially for the Americans, and by 1885 work on the pedestal was threatened by lack of funds. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer, of the New York World, started a drive for donations to finish the project and attracted more than 120,000 contributors, most of whom gave less than a dollar which is equivalent to $30 in 2021. The statue was built in France, shipped overseas in crates, and assembled on the completed pedestal on what was then called Bedloe's Island. The statue's completion was marked by New York's first ticker-tape parade and a dedication ceremony presided over by President Grover Cleveland."

"The statue was administered by the United States Lighthouse Board until 1901 and then by the Department of War; since 1933 it has been maintained by the National Park Service as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, and is a major tourist attraction. Public access to the balcony around the torch has been barred since 1916."

"The height of copper statue to torch in her hand is 151 feet 1 inch which is 46 meters. And also from ground level to torch is 305 feet 1 inch which is 93 meters."

"Whoa! That's high!"

"I know right?"

"It's so tall."

I turned my head to the other people that were here and not our schoolmates.

"This place is famous," I leaned over to Jake.

"Yeah, no shit," He replied his eyes going over the crowd until he freezes.

"What's wrong?" I ask my eyes going over the crowd again to see if I can spot a familiar face. I spot none as I turned back to Jake to see his eyes focused on just one person.

I follow his eyes to meet with a red haired boy who was laughing with his friends. Freckles spread over his nose from under his eyes.

He threw an arm around the brunette boy and slaps the back of his head.

He's not friends with the boy... He's bullying him. I stepped forward to move closer to them when someone pulled my forearm.

I looked up to see Jake divert his eyes away from the boys and then at me. He shook his head and I look back at the guy who was visibly shaken yet he kept standing and letting his own classmates bully him.

"Forget it." He said and I looked at him in disbelief.

"I can't. The poor boy looks scared! Is he supposed to be scared of his own classmates?" I question glaring.

"They are bad news. Just leave them alone for now," He said and I glared at him more harder if that was possible. I take my hand away from him and he gasps.

"Please," He breathes out and I look at him.

"Just leave them alone. I know him. He bullied me a lot when I was in my former school. Alright, he made me like this. This is not the place to do anything even if you want to avenge the boy... But don't, definitely not here. People would blame you. You're not even from their school. All that matters to them is you're just a freaking passerby poking your nose into other people's business," He said and I paused.

I turned my head to the kids to see they had left him and his shoulders had drooped down.

He looked crestfallen.

I sighed and pinch my nose bridge.

"Just this once," I muttered and Jake was quick to shake his head agreeing with me.

"And I don't want to avenge the boy alone. I want to avenge every fucking person they have bullied... Each and every one of them... You included," I said and his eyes widened.

"What's with the surprise? You're my friend despite the fact that our first meeting was... Eventful," I said with a chuckle and he grinned.

"Of course, the least I can do after all they have done to you is at least fight for you!" I finished and he pulled my arm pulling me into a tight hug.

"We're hugging? Okay, we're hugging," I said and chuckled patting his back.

"Thanks." He mumbled and I nodded my head.

"Any time."

"You can take pictures now..." Ashley said in a sing song voice and I turned my head to her.

"Shut up," I said and Jake released me from the hug. I stepped back and offered him a smile which he replied with a genuine one.

"Okay, then... Let's get to taking some pictures!!" I yelled and the two of them whooped before Ashley being the one to take pictures first came over and immediately posed.

She stood as the statue did and her hand that was supposed to be holding a torch was rolled into a fist. Her other hand that was supposed to be holding the tabula ansata was left hanging on her waist.

She took many pictures in different poses and me being the photographer made sure the statue showed in every picture she took.

"Alright... Get over here, hot guy... You're up next," She says and walked over to us to collect the phone from me.

"Me?" Jake says pointing at himself.

I and Ashley give him the 'duh' face and he purses his lips before he walks over to the wall with an okay.

"How do I pose then?" He asked and I giggled.

"Anyhow," I said and he nodded crossing him arm.

"Now, chin up... There we go," Ashely directed and they took a picture.

"Now, turn your head just a lil bit... There we go."

I turned my head to look for Zaire and Quinnel to see them grinning at the phone in Zaire's hand.

I walked over to them the red cardigan tied around my waist hitting the back of my thigh at every move.

"Hey there," I greeted and they both looked at me in surprise as Zaire immediately kept his phone in his pocket clearing his throat and faking a cough.

I raised a brow at him telling him I knew the cough was fake and what was up and he simply grinned at me showing his dimples off.

"Good Luck." He coughed to Quinnel and like that he was gone.

"What was that?" I asked Quinnel who looked at me like I was speaking Mandarin.

"What?" He asks and I glared at him.

"You know what I mean... Now what was that about?" I ask crossing my arm.

"You know Zaire... He's weird isn't he?" He asked and I raised a brow at him.

"Hey, let's take a picture." He said pulling out his phone from the back of his pocket.

He pulled my arm and tilted the phone so it would take both our faces.

"Smile..." He drawled and I simply glared at the side of his face.

I heard the shutter sound which meant he actually took a picture. He then whistled and looked at the stupid picture he took. I looked down at his phone as well.

In the picture, he was smiling with his tongue out and I glaring lasers into the side of his face. I looked weird.

"Hey, delete that picture." I say and looked down at the phone before he clicked his tongue.

"Nah, I wanna keep it. It's cute." He replied stepping away from me.

"No no... Delete it... Come on." I said stepping towards him.

With every forward steps I took, he took a backward one.

"Make me." He replied with a wink.

"Oh,you're so dead when I catch you." I muttered to myself.

"Then, catch me if you can."

"Hold on, if I catch you... You get to delete the picture?" I asked stretching my index finger at him.

"Yes. Deal. Now catch me baby," He replied and started running.

I chuckled at him crossing my arm before I stopped with a glare.

"I'm going to kill you!" I yelled running after him with a few heads turning our way.