Before the onlookers dared approach, I picked a less crowded path and ran forward without looking back.
Running into the alley, I quickly rummaged for my backup, and a spare card that I hadn't used in a long time.
Insert the card, turn it on.
My whole hand was shaking.
I was relieved to see that the spare card was still able to read the signal, and flew through a flurry of operations on my cell phone
When I was done, I turned my cell phone back off and put it away in my backpack.
This was no place to stay for long, so I put on my hood and headed out the door while thinking about where I could go to hide.
I didn't get very far when a locomotive suddenly stopped in front of me.
"Where to, pretty lady? Taking a car?"
The familiar voice sent a chill down my back.
My eyes widened unexpectedly and I kicked at the locomotive.
The locomotive took the man with it to the ground, and before he could react, I twisted my head around again and ran wildly.
The man got up from the ground, took a few steps after me, then turned back and rode his motorcycle over to chase me.
Seeing this, I turned my head and ran for the area with the steps.
The man got out of the car, cursing and chasing me as he made the call.
I burrowed into the crowd and eventually ducked into the mall.
Standing on the second floor of the mall, looking around the first floor looking for me, my heart sank.
It seems that escaping was much more difficult than I thought it would be!
At night, I crouch at the mouth of an alleyway disguised as a smoking punk and hear passersby talking.
"I heard the whole city was out looking for that schoolgirl. The car accident was done by that schoolgirl, I heard she grabbed the driver's steering wheel."
"Some kids nowadays seem to have a problem with their brains, wanting to die themselves and still harming others."
"Who says it isn't, and even her parents say they're locked up."
I frowned and tugged my hood down, turning toward the alley.
I had just turned around when I ran head-on into someone familiar - the girl who had been sitting next to me and had been keeping a low profile.
She seemed startled by me as well, her shoulders scrunched up in a ball.
The slightest hint of excited glee returned to his eyes when he saw it was me.
"That, Eleanor Whitmore, your name is Eleanor Whitmore, right?"
My brow furrowed, "How do you know my name?"
She sniffled, "We're in the same school... your name, it's always on the list of the top three students."
I didn't realize she went to the same school as me, and I sighed.
"Why are you here? Didn't that whoever it was get someone to call the police?"
The girl pushed up her square-framed glasses in embarrassment and spoke in a soft voice.
"I-I wasn't with them. I had a hunch you were right, so I hesitated for a moment and ran in your direction."
"It's just that I'm too clumsy on my feet to catch up with you, and I got lost in the alley."
I glanced at her in surprise, not realizing that this seemingly timid girl would run after her based on intuition alone.
Should this...... call her timid or praise her boldness?
"What's your name?"
"Olivia Parker."
I repeat her name and my face sinks a few notches.
"Olivia, do you want to follow me or go on your own?"
She didn't even think about it, like she was afraid I'd kick her out, and rushed back, "I'll follow you."
"I... I really don't know where to go on my own."
I nodded, "It's fine if you want to follow me, but you have to do as you're told and don't ask anything, can you do that?"
She was busy nodding, hard.
I was at a loss for words at her silly look and pulled a loaf of bread out of my bag and handed it to her.
She ate it unguarded and then looked up at me.
