A hand fell roughly on his shoulder, closing around a fistful of shirtsleeve and preventing any attempt at escape. Yelping, Shawn found himself being pushed back into the wall only to be faced with the demonic, gap-toothed leer of Jimmy Nickels. "Hand it over, Spencer!"
Gus had once theorised that Jimmy Nickels was in fact a malevolent alien force inhabiting the body of an innocent, if brutishly-inclined middle schooler in order to further its agenda of terror and destruction. Personally, Shawn was of the opinion that the other boy was part-Barcelonian bull; however, when he'd suggested testing this theory through the application of a red rag, Gus had summarily forbidden him, threatening to tell their parents what had really happened to Shawn's dad's favourite fishing rod.
Jimmy Nickels' fist tightened threateningly on his shirt. Shawn decided this probably wasn't the time for experiments, and settled for the lie instead. "Gee, Jimmy, I dunno what to tell you... I already spent it."
The bully gave him a flat look of disbelief. "On what?"
"I bought a hot dog on the way to school," Shawn shrugged.
Jimmy Nickels narrowed his eyes, his chubby face contorting into that slightly pained expression he always gained whenever thinking was required. He was silent a moment as the disused cogs in his brain slowly began to turn, and then... jammed. "I don't believe you." He shot back, giving Shawn another shove. Shawn winced as his back connected with something hard protruding from the wall behind him. "Hand it over now or I'll shove a Jimmy Nickels sandwich right up your grill!" Which, he realised at once, wasn't a wall at all. "You've got five seconds. Four," In fact... "Three--"
"Okay!" He broke into the countdown, raising both hands in surrender. "Okay, Jimmy, you win. I'll give you the lunch money. I'm reaching for it right... now..." Slowly, he moved his right hand behind him, feeling for the door knob that had been pressing into his back.
Please don't be locked. Please don't be locked.
The door clicked open at the same time as realisation clicked dimly within Jimmy Nickels' head. "Hey!" He lunged forward, but Shawn had already escaped to the other side, throwing himself bodily against the door to slam it shut behind him.
A small smirk tugging at his mouth, Shawn turned to take off--