the hidden menace [Ranboo Boarding School AU]

chapter 9

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Ranboo wouldn't have thought he could have fallen asleep there in the woods, in danger, boiling mad.

But somehow he found himself waking up some time later, stiff and sore and confused. The birds were still singing, a mild breeze ruffled his hair—before he remembered everything, Ranboo actually smiled.
What a pleasant dream.

But why'd he feel so unhappy?

Then he sat up and opened his eyes and everything came back to him. The note he'd believed in so fervently was worthless dust now—no matter how hard he peered off into the underbrush, he couldn't see a single sign of it.

He was out in the woods, violating who knew how many rules of L'manburg Boarding School. And he had no idea how long he'd been gone—squinting at the sun, Ranboo guessed that it was at least mid-afternoon.

They must have noticed him missing by now.

He should be thinking up his excuse now. He should sneak back so at least they wouldn't find him out here. It wouldn't look so bad. Maybe he'd accidentally teleported—a real enderman would have done that, supposedly—then repented and turned around.

But that story depended on him going back now.

Ranboo didn't move.

He didn't want to go back to school. Not now, not ever. There wasn't anything there for him. He knew that now.

No friends, no helpful teachers, no good choices. He was just like some windup toy there, marching mindlessly from class to class, meal to meal, trying not to be watched.

Just the thought of school made his stomach churn.

"You can't make me go back," Ranboo muttered, though he wasn't sure who he thought he was defying.

That was settled. So where else could he go?

Home?

Ranboo was overcome with a stronger longing than he'd ever felt before. To see Mother again, to see Dad...This was how miserable Ranboo felt: He even missed his brothers.

He watched a chipmunk in across the ground. The chipmunk's feet barely seemed to touch. It could be just that easy for Ranboo, going home. All he ha Sri do was start walking.

But.

He didn't know how to get there. Even if he had a map, he wouldn't be able to find his parents' home in the end.
He also wasn't exactly fully accepted in the community.

Ranboo tried to pretend those weren't obstacles. He still couldn't picture a perfect homecoming.

Even if he managed to find his family, he'd just be bringing danger to them. Every second he'd lived with his parents, he'd put their lives in jeopardy. If he'd disappeared now, someone would have to come look for him. And when they inevitably find him, cowering in his families attic, they'd be sure to find out that he never belonged in the first place. Just like Dream did.

Ranboo picked up a pebble and threw it far into the woods. It wasn't fair. His only choices were to be miserable at school or a virtual murderer at home.

He threw another pebble, and another. Not fair, not fair, not fair. He ran out of pebbles and switched to bark chips, peeled off the log beside him. Some of the pebbles and bark chips hit tree trunks with a satisfying thud.

Ranboo began aiming.

"Take that!" he yelled, forgetting himself.

Then, terrified, he clapped his hand over his mouth.

How could he be so stupid?

He froze, listening so hard, his ears began to buzz. But there was no sound of anyone tramping trough the woods looking for him. There was no sound from the school at all.

Peering around at the ferns and the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches, Ranboo could practically convince himself the school didn't exist at all.

It was a shame he couldn't just stay here.

Ranboo had a moment of hope—he could live on nuts and berries. He could hide in the trees whenever they came looking for him.

But that was a childish plan. He dismissed it immediately. If he stayed in the woods, he's be caught or starve.

He glanced around agin, this time regretfully. The trees looked friendlier than any of the boys or teachers at school.

Just being outside was a joy. And no matter how much he risked, running out here, it was wonderful to be alone, not packed in and watched at every turn.

Ranboo dug the toe of his fancy school issued shoe into the dirt and stood up.

Without realizing it he'd come to a decision.

He had to go back to school.

He owed it to his family and Dream.

But nothing could stop him from visiting the woods again.