09 | knight in neverland-3

Shaking my head at Greg's generic reply, I hoisted myself over the counter and climbed over, ignoring my Mom's calls to 'go round the counter, Darcy'. I didn't have to look back to know that she was glaring at me disapprovingly. She said that to Ean and me about ten times a day, but going through the side gate just seemed so boring. After telling my Mom that I was going to go on my break, I grabbed Ean and hauled him along with me. Ean came willingly. He didn't have to ask to know that there was yet another round of initiation but unlike a lot of the other people, he was less than enthusiastic. Ever since that day we found Miles in the bathroom, Ean had been outwardly voiced his disapproval of this whole thing. "It's stupid," he said, when I told him about the Hell Weeks and my plan to help Miles get into Corvus. "Which part of it is?" "This whole damn thing," he returned, unfazed when I raised my eyebrow at his selection of words. "To go to this extent just for a stupid pledging. Those guys at Corvus place way too much importance on the initiation. And Miles is trying way too hard to get in." Ean was never one to mince his words. And even though I didn't say anything, I couldn't help but agree wholeheartedly with him. Was Ean the only one with enough common sense to see how futile this whole thing was? Even I had gotten swept away in my efforts to help Miles - his goal and become mine, and I was utterly fixated on helping him achieve it. So when Ean and I joined the crowd of avid watchers near the lifeguard post, where the initiation was beginning, and we heard the boisterous cheers of people all round, I wasn't surprised when Ean shot me a look that simply spelt 'I told you so'. Yes, he had told me so, and he was right - the Hell Weeks had a way of rallying people together in the worst ways possible. I stared at the set up. There was a long table, on which rows and rows of tequila were stacked. While drinking games weren't that much of a surprise to me, I was rather appalled to see the number of bottles that had been prepared. Pulling Ean down to my level, I whispered in his ear, "Help me find Miles." He nodded and began to scan the crowd. Ean had far sharper eyes than I had, so it didn't take him long. Within seconds, he was pulling me through the crowd so I could get a better glimpse of Miles. Miles was standing with the other initiators. He had a thin grey pullover on, sleeves pushed up at his elbows, as well as the classic pair of yellow polka-dotted shorts. And when he spotted me, a huge smile spread across his face, one that I couldn't help but respond to. Ean snorted out a laugh from beside me and I shoved him, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "Shut up." "I didn't say anything." "You were going to." Ean opened his mouth to retort, a teasing glint in his eye, but he was cut off when Hank, the head of Corvus, began to speak to Miles and the other boys. His voice rang loud and clear, heard distinctly amidst the chatter of curious passers-by. "Seventh round of initiation is what we like to call Seven Minutes in Hell," Hank drawled, a lazy smile playing on his face. "Basically you drink all the alcohol you can within seven minutes. The second you throw up or can't stand on your feet, you're out." The shell-shocked expression on the boys' faces all mirrored each other's. My own heart was racing. This wasn't Svedka or Budweiser, which Miles could handle, this was tequila and we were now treading uncharted waters. My fingers immediately found Ean's arm, and I gripped him tightly. I felt Ean flinch as my fingernails dug into his skin, but he kept silent. At times like these, I found my brother a brilliant pillar of emotional support. After pausing briefly for the information to sink in, Hank continued, "But there's a catch. You see, we've got a free flow of alcohol here and only five of you. The initiation will start in ten minutes, and within these ten minutes, you'll have to find people who will be willing to help you drink. Of course, the more the better." Across the crowd, Miles's eyes immediately met mine and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face. Liam had done it again. Told me to get as many people as I could down to the beach. Pulled out all the stops just so Miles could get through. Even if I hated the fact that Liam could be a douche, Miles wouldn't have come this far without his help, and I owed it all to him. Miles's eyebrows furrowed as he saw the smile on my face but came over all the same. The other boys had already scattered themselves round the beach, beginning to rope as many people into their team as possible. "Come on," I said, latching my fingers around Miles's wrist as soon as he came up. "We've got lots of people on our side." The words had just slipped out of my lips when I realised the implications of my statement. And as Ean and I led Miles over to where Greg and the others were, I mulled over my words and couldn't stop the wave of anxiety rising up inside me. We've got lots of people on our side. Our side. Our. This had stopped being an individual battle the second I offered to help Miles. But the more I involved myself in the Hell Weeks and his initiation, the more I seemed to lose myself in the process. And I didn't want that. That person who abandoned the boy in the bathroom a few days ago, even though she saw him gagged and bound, even though she saw the devastation in his eyes. That was me a few days ago and I didn't want to be her. So caught up was I in my thoughts that I failed to hear Ean calling me. It wasn't until Miles pulled me to a complete halt when I realised that Ean had something to say. Gazing up at the two of them, I forced a bright smile on my face. "What's up?" "I was saying," Ean repeated, impatiently, "do you think Greg's brought enough people?"