𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄: 𝐓𝐈𝐄-𝐈𝐍𝐒 || Four Supplementary Stories

Eustace | 2

A/N: 11k word chapter. oops.

xXx

Idiot.

The unnerving jolt of undivided attention struck him an instant too late as the lingering effect of his words reverberated down the hall of silent, staring bystanders.

Only Pole's wide, shining eyes pierced the haze of adrenaline, yanking him back to reality just as Eleanor's dumbstruck confusion shifted into a flash of rage.

And Eustace bolted.

He plunged through a cluster of gaping onlookers and ignored the yelps and curses that rippled in his wake, slipping between two streams of foot traffic toward the front hall.

What did he think he was doing?

Stupid. Rash.

Somewhere far behind him, someone shouted his name.

He skidded and wheeled down a side corridor he'd only just glimpsed out of the corner of his eye, giving up on the front doors where the gang would know to follow him, footsteps slapping and squeaking down the echoing concrete hall as his heartbeat pounded in his ears.

Had they seen him?

Were they catching up?

He glanced around desperately for an empty classroom or closet, anywhere to hide until they gave up the chase, veering sharply around another corner only to catch a flash of—daylight?

He slowed and spun, blinking spots out of his vision for an instant before he recognized the recessed door to an emergency exit, shade-dappled afternoon brilliance pouring in through the slatted window above the handle, and he burst out through it without even pausing to wonder if it was unlocked.

A crisp breeze struck his face and tossed his hair over his forehead with a rush of relief that almost pulled him up short before he ducked automatically along the edge of an alleyway he'd never seen before, sandwiched between the high concrete walls of the school and the gym with a hedge of laurels crawling up the narrow, earthy incline separating it from the main street.

The door clicked shut behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to ensure he hadn't been followed.

One minute.

Two.

He heaved a long, deep sigh, and an involuntary grin split his face as the momentary panic wore off, shoulders shuddering with an alien spasm of breathy laughter.

Eleanor's stupid, bewildered face flashed again in his mind's eye, and for a moment it almost didn't matter that he was as good as dead tomorrow morning.

A swell of muffled chatter wafted faintly from the direction of the street where students would be pouring out onto the sidewalk and dispersing in scattered groups toward their respective neighborhoods. Perhaps he only imagined his own name bouncing between them in astonished tones—perhaps he only imagined the grating squeak of Eleanor's petulant whine, but something akin to pride swelled within his ribcage all the same.

He licked his lips and suppressed another self-indulgent smirk, and he barely heard the quiet click behind him.

"Oh—"

Eustace spun sharply to find Jill Pole frozen halfway out the door clutching her bookbag tight to her chest, pale face starkly shadowed by messy, skewed bangs where the ribbon had been torn out, glassy brown eyes fixed on him as if she'd just stumbled upon a three-headed lizard mutt behind the gym instead of an uppertown boy.

He scoffed in disbelief.

Why did it always have to be her?

She wavered in place for a moment, as if the ground might drop out from beneath her if she took another step out into the open, tear tracks still plain on her cheeks, and Eustace rolled his eyes.