Chapter 134: The Chase with an Unexpected Ending.

The moment Noah started running, Yume reacted first and Luna a second later, while Iris simply sighed.

"I knew he’d do that."

Noah ran down the hallway and several students had to step aside.

"We’ll talk later!"

Noah shouted.

"Come back here!"

Yume answered.

"No."

"THAT WASN’T A QUESTION!"

Noah turned a corner.

’Alright.’

The hallway was empty, so he ran toward the stairs, but then he heard footsteps behind him, too fast, so he glanced over his shoulder.

Yume was running with Luna right behind her, but Iris was nowhere to be seen.

’Where’s Iris?’

Noah turned toward the stairs and a figure appeared in front of him.

It was Iris, so Noah skidded to a stop.

"How did you get here?"

Iris pointed at a side door.

"I took a shortcut."

"That’s cheating."

"And you’re running away."

Noah spun around immediately, but Yume was coming from behind along with Luna.

’Cornered.’

Noah looked at a nearby door, which was the emergency exit, so he opened it.

"Noah!"

He went down the outer stairs while he heard Yume behind him.

"Stop!"

"When you two calm down!"

"I AM CALM!"

"You don’t sound calm."

A burst of pink energy slammed into the wall next to Noah, making his eyes widen.

"YUME!"

"It wasn’t aimed at you."

"That doesn’t help!"

Noah went down another floor, but Luna appeared floating outside the structure, so Noah stopped.

"Luna?"

"Hand over the backpack."

"No."

"I just want to check something."

"My answer’s the same."

Luna dropped down in front of him, so Noah turned, but Yume was already coming up from below.

’How did she end up down there?’

Iris appeared on the upper platform and Noah was surrounded.

"We can talk."

Noah said, and Yume held out a hand.

"Perfect."

"But without checking my stuff."

"That’s not happening."

"Then we can’t talk."

Luna took a step, so Noah took one back, and she advanced while Noah retreated.

"This feels like a mugging."

"Hand it over."

"No!"

Noah spotted an open side window, looked down, and it was only the first floor.

’I don’t think this is...’

He looked at the three of them.

’Well.’

He decided to jump.

"NOAH!"

He landed in some bushes.

"Ow!"

He got up quickly.

"I’m fine!"

And started running.

Yume appeared seconds later using magic to descend, while Luna simply flew and Iris dropped to the ground surrounded by energy that cushioned the impact.

Noah looked back.

"That’s not fair!"

Yume shouted.

"STOP RUNNING!"

"STOP CHASING ME!"

Noah cut across the central courtyard.

He needed to reach the station, because if he managed to get on the train, he’d have a chance.

He pulled out his phone while running and checked the schedule, seeing he had three minutes.

’Perfect.’

He ran faster, but Luna appeared above him.

"Noah."

"No!"

"Just stop."

"No."

"We can settle this by talking."

"You’re chasing me like I’m a criminal!"

"Because you’re running."

"I’m running because you’re chasing me!"

Yume appeared on the right and Iris on the left.

Noah managed to slip between two groups of students and out through the main entrance.

The station was close.

"Noah!"

He didn’t look back, ran down the stairs, swiped his card, and heard Yume do the same.

Luna and Iris did the same.

’No way.’

The train was stopped and the doors were still open, so Noah sprinted.

An alarm started sounding and the doors were about to close when he jumped inside.

Yume arrived.

"Noah."

The doors closed, but Yume tried to get in, so Luna held her back.

"No."

"But he’s getting away!"

"You could hurt someone by accident."

Iris arrived a second later, but Noah was already safe, so the three of them looked at him and he slowly raised a hand.

"See you tomorrow."

Yume lightly hit the glass.

"NOAH!"

The train started moving.

Noah stepped back and watched them disappear, then let out all the air at once.

"I survived."

Several people inside the car were staring at him, so Noah lowered his voice.

"I survived."

He sat down, opened the backpack, and the folder was still there intact.

’This can’t keep going.’

Sooner or later he’d have to tell them the truth, most likely the next day, but at least he’d bought himself a few hours.

When he reached his station, he waited a few minutes before getting off, since he didn’t want to find out Luna had found some ridiculous way to get ahead of him.

Finally, he walked toward the exit and there he saw a familiar person.

"Ava."

His sister was near the entrance looking at her phone and raised her head when she heard him.

"Ah, Noah."

Ava put the device away and walked over.

"Finished late?"

"Something like that."

"You look tired."

"It was a long day."

They both started walking home together.

Noah tried to act normal, but it didn’t work too well, since every few seconds he checked behind him and Ava noticed.

"Is someone following you?"

"No, nobody."

Noah looked again.

"Then stop looking back."

"I’m just checking."

"Checking what?"

"Nothing important."

Ava narrowed her eyes.

"Noah."

"Yeah?"

"You’re acting weird."

"You always say that."

"Because you’ve been weird lately."

Noah couldn’t argue with that, so Ava watched him for a few seconds.

"Did you get into trouble?"

"No, of course not."

"Then is it some girl?"

Noah coughed.

"No."

Ava stopped and Noah did too.

She stared at him.

"You don’t know how to lie."

"I’m not lying to you."

"You’re nervous."

"I’m just tired."

"And worried."

Noah stayed quiet, so Ava crossed her arms.

"What happened?"

Noah thought about the folder, about Aria, about Ren, about his little chase, and then looked at his sister.

"Nothing’s going on."

Ava kept watching him, so Noah sighed.

"Really."

"I don’t believe you."

"Ava."

"What?"

Noah lowered his voice a little.

"Trust me."

She frowned.

"That’s exactly what people say when they’re hiding something."

"Maybe."

Noah stepped a little closer.

"But if there’s something important I need to tell you, I’ll tell you."

Ava didn’t answer, so Noah continued.

"I promise."

She studied him for a few seconds and finally relaxed her shoulders.

"Fine."

Noah smiled.

"Thanks."

"But I expect you to keep it."

"I will."

Ava started walking again and Noah followed.

’Alright.’

At least he had one less problem.

They walked home talking about simple things, nothing important, so Noah finally started to relax.

When they arrived, Ava opened the door and Noah walked in behind her.

"We’re home."

Footsteps were heard.

Emma appeared from the kitchen with a huge smile.

"Noah!"

Noah blinked.

"What?"

Sarah appeared behind her and was also smiling.

"Congratulations!"

Noah froze and Ava looked at both of them.

"Congratulations for what?"

Noah felt his body stop responding.

On the table there was food, a cake, drinks, and even some improvised decorations.

Noah looked at everything and then looked at Sarah.

’Mom.’

Sarah walked over and hugged him.

"My boy is finally engaged!"

Noah’s eyes went wide and Ava blinked.

"What?"

Noah tried to speak.

"Ava, I can..."

Sarah cut him off.

"Aria was so nice explaining everything to us!"

Noah closed his eyes.

’There’s no way I forgot about that.’

Emma clasped her hands together.

"A Celestia, I still can’t believe it."

Ava was still standing still.

"Wait."

No one listened to her while Sarah continued.

"At first I thought it was too soon, but after talking with the family and reviewing all the conditions..."

Noah started backing up and Ava slowly turned toward him.

"Noah."

He raised both hands.

"A-Ava?"

"What engagement?"

Noah opened his mouth, but Sarah answered cheerfully from behind.

"The engagement between Noah and Aria, what else?"

Complete silence.

Ava stopped moving and Noah closed his eyes.

’Thanks, Mom.’

When he opened them again, Ava was looking straight at him and smiling with a calm smile, way too calm.

Noah knew that expression and didn’t like it, so Ava tilted her head slightly.

"Noah."

"Y-Yes, Ava."

"You just told me nothing was going on."

"I can explain."

"You also told me to trust you."

"Yeah, that’s true, but..."

Ava took a step toward him and Noah took one back.

"And that if there was something important you needed to tell me..."

Another step.

"...you would tell me."

Noah kept backing up.

"Ava."

She kept the smile.

"So..."

Noah bumped into the wall, since there was no more space, and Ava stood in front of him.

"What the hell does all this mean?"

Noah looked toward Sarah, then at Emma, and neither of them seemed to understand the danger yet.

He looked back at Ava, who was still smiling, so Noah swallowed.

’I want to disappear.’