"Timeless" - Narnian Autumn Writing Challenge - Oneshot Collection

"Don't Need You"

Word count: 1318

Prompt: Cozy blankets

Notes:

• Terrance Booker is an OC created by StorySnippets   SaharaCastine and myself.

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Why was it always him? Why couldn't they pick on anyone else? Anyone but him.

He was cold and the metal of the locker pressed against the back of him did nothing to help.

"Your daddy's dead. Accept it." Jeffrey Smith spat, his strong hands on his hips, his large figure blocking all the light opposite of him.

"You don't have any idea." Ed stuffed his hands into his pants pockets and desperately hoped to disappear from existence. Hearing the ridiculing words over and over so often— he sometimes forgot what their words were and what his thoughts were.

Ticking came from the clock on the wall, shouting that all the classes were over, how he was supposed to be heading home, and how this shouldn't have been happening. He kept hoping Peter would come inside, rush down the hallway, and scoop him up; but he didn't come.

"I don't know, huh? Two months ago, Ronald Avery's father was killed and he didn't receive the news until way later. I bet you Ronald didn't think his dad would die. But his father did."

Father was not dead.

Edmund's fists bunched in his pockets, his jaw clenched, "Shut your stupid mouth."

Sneering, Jeff blinked, his brown hair falling limply down his face, "Awww, poor baby Eddie. Shut up or what? You're too small to do anything significant."

"Shut up," Ed said darkly, cringing at the hated nickname, but feeling fury mount as he met Jeffrey's stare. His mind briefly shot to Terrance and boarding school and fear, but he shook that away and tried to stand taller.

"Or what?" Jeff challenged again, his eyes ablaze, "Are you gonna go cry on mummy?"

Edmund's shoulders stiffened and his bottom lip trembled, why did everyone say it was so bad to cry?

Two boys rushed by chattering and laughing as they went. They briefly stopped when they got to Ed and Jeffrey. And for a hopeless second, Edmund hoped they would pry Jeffrey away and help him. That they would comfort him and ask if he was alright.

Instead, they turned their faces away and fastened their paces.

No one at school cared.

Continuing his mocking, Jeffrey laughed, "Poor baby Eddie." Over and over, the ridiculing felt like a punch to a sore spot, a breath he couldn't catch. A chip at his heart.

The bigger boy chuckled and kept taunting, "No one cares about you." "No one loves you." "You're the stupidest kid in school." "Your father's dead."

Ed narrowed his eyes, "I wish you were dead. You don't know anything. Just shut up!" He was tired of listening to Jeff's teasing, he was tired of feeling so small.

He was tired of feeling helpless. If he were Peter, he could stand up and fight for himself better. But he was just Edmund.

And every time Jeffrey spoke, he looked at Ed like Terrance had; like he had no control over his actions or his emotions.

He felt cornered. Trapped.

Like he wanted to scream, but his lungs wouldn't let it out.

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