Moment to moment,
riend to friend
souls are bound til times end.
Chapter 2. Breakfast and bullies
The next morning Kendrix came through the breakfast line and scanned the dining hall for a place to sit. Most of the times were already filled and the ones that were not were 2 one with Bailey and his friends and one with the girls from her own cabin, the Same ones that glued 2 of the pages of her book on ancient architecture together last night. Sighing she headed for table. It was probably the lesser of 2 evils. She was merely to the table when she came by the one where the bullies sat. She just kept her eyes right ahead of her and so never saw the foot until she tripped over it.
The trey flew out of her hand as she went down the clattered to the floor even as she landed hard on her stomach, or rather on Bailey's foot.
"Gees worm can't you even walk?" He asked and his friends snorted with laughter.
Kendrix just closed her eyes and against the tears of pain and humiliation back. She was not going to let them see her cry. Her belly ached and so slowly she pushed herself off of the boy's foot. Her eyes fell on the shambles of her breakfast, the cereal lay in a puddle across the floor the plastic utensils ' their packet a ways from there and the milk still in its carton, yet in another direction. Sighing she began to clean it up. When a second pair of hands began to mop up the oatmeal with a dishrag Kendrix was somehow unsurprised to find it was Leo.
"I can do it." She said but he just went right on helping until it was all cleaned up. Then he got to his feat and took her arm.
"Leo what are you doing?"
"It's breakfast time." He said and she found herself pulled over to where he'd been sitting.
"Leo are you crazy? They'll all say your nuts." The like girl argued. Leo shrugged.
"Let them." With that he sat, scooted over and said. "Have a seat. She hesitated then when she realized the other boys at the table were watching she sat. She was more dismayed when he shoved his trey in front of her.
"Leo I can't eat your food."
"Why not? It's just like yours." He indicated the hot cereal in the bowl."
"Because it's yours and you'll be hungry." She explained.
"Ok." So he got up marched up to the line which had finally emptied out and knocked on the counter.
"You had your food Corbett!" The cook called.
"Yeah well my friend didn't."
"Everyone has." But Leo was pointing at the place where Kendrix had been sitting. He frowned when he saw she was gone. The cook however understood. He nodded.
"Wait here."
"Right." He disappeared a mute then came back with a little bag. "Give this to her." He said and Leo grinned at him.
"Thanks Hank."
"Right, you just make sure little Drixy is alright." He said and the boy nodded. Leo left then to go find her.
He found her in her cabin. He knew he was not aloud in a girls cabin but right now he didn't care, his new friend was more important than dumb old rules. Besides, rules, in Leo's opinion were made to be broken.
"You leaving?" Kendrix jumped at the sound of the voice and looked up to see Leo standing there. She hadn't even heard him come in, that just showed how much of a spaz she was.
"Home." She said quietly.
"You shouldn't let those creeps get to you."
"Leo, I never really did, they've been doing that for as long as I can remember."
"So do you always run away from them?" He asked perching on one of the other beds.
"Look, it doesn't matter; I just think it will be better."
"Why?"
"Why do you think, think about it Leo, not only are they picking on me but there going to really give you a hard time." She said the last packing one of her books away.
"I don't let them get to me." He said with a shrug, you shouldn't either."
"They already started?" At that he shrugged once again. "See my point, if you didn't try and be nice to me that never would've happen."
"You know I have this brother Mike, he's in military school and." Just then they heard the sound of children's voices and her eyes widened in alarm.
"You have to get out of here."
"Or what they'll." His tone had gone belligerent even as she was dragging him towards the little bathroom in the back of the cabin. She managed to slam the door just in time. Then to Leo's surprise Kendrix was dragging the screen from the window. He saw what she was doing and went out the opening dropping on to the ground behind the cabin. He was even further surprised when she followed, landing almost on top of him. Then she was pulling him off into the woods.
"Woe, your not all book stuff after all." He grinned at her once she'd finally stopped walking.
"I had to think of something, if you would have been caught they'd have thrown you out of camp."
"By the way I brought you something.' He said and held out the bag the camp cook had given him.
"What is it?" Kendrix asked frowning ash she reached into the bag. There were two egg sandwiches, with sausage and cheese. Kendrix was just looking at them.
"You gotta eat don't you?" He asked as understanding dawn in those eyes.
"You are a very nice person Leo Corbet." Kendrix smiled a real smile. It made Leo do a double take. She was not nerdy or dull in appearance and he had a sudden flash of a slender young woman with this girl's face standing in the afternoon sunlight, her blond curls blowing in the breeze. She looked worried but very, very pretty in a gentle kind of way. He sat beside her and slowly they began to talk.
"You know why you can't leave?" Leo asked as they finished the food.
"Why?"
"Well, the way I see it is if you do they'll win."
"They always win." Kendrix said dusting the crumbs from her hands.
"Because you never fight back."
"Fight back? Leo I'm not like you, I wouldn't be able to get away with anything."
"Like me?"
"Leo you're a doer, you aren't afraid of anything." She said and he wondered how she could be so smart but so dumb.
"You know just last night I was thinking about how much I wanted to go home, to protect my brother."
"Your brother?"
"Yeah, his name's Mike and." Leo blushed.
"Leo what is it?" Her voice was soft as she asked the question.
"It's dumb." He said getting up.
"What and me running home isn't?"
See Mike, My brother, he's all gung-ho into the whole military thing. He always has been, the thing is he kind of forgets about other things, you know having fun and being careful about girls."
"So? He likes the military, there's nothing wrong with that. I like books." She said and he nodded.
"He is kind of like you I guess, I mean he eats sleeps and breathes his likes and there's nothing else." Leo said and Kendrix reached out a hand, resting it on the boy's arm.
"You love him very much."
Leo looked over at her, her voice had sounded soft, and a little say, just as her eyes seemed. It hit him that she was probably an only child. She'd probably never had to protect anyone in her life. Maybe that's why he had been drawn to her; she was so much like Mike. The difference3 was that Mike did have him and their parents.
"Can you keep a secret?" He asked slowly even though he knew the truth. This girl that he'd known for less than a day was not a liar and had a heart, he'd seen that in her eyes just now. Her solemn nod was only further evidence of that. "See, Mike and I don't exactly come from the best side of town."
"You're poor?" She asked surprised, his smile had her blushing at her reaction. "Sorry that was um."
"No prob, thing is that if anyone here knew." He let his words trail off not even really sure why he told her that except that he had a point to make.
"They'd never let you just be." She said with a knowing nod.
"Yeah, well anyway see our parents taught us three things." Leo started and rose walking over to a tall tree. It was only then that she noticed how he moved, kind of like a big cat on the move. She frowned, where had that thought come from? He was not an animal; he was a boy, and a friend. Sighing she shook her head.
"The first thing was that family is the strongest bond you have, it's there when you're born and it will be here when we're gone." He went on gazing off into the distance. "The second is never hit a girl." This was said as he turned back to look at her.
"That's why you intervened yesterday." She said nodding in understanding his reasons now completely.
Leo nodded. Maybe this wasn't so bad, talking. Usually he'd only really done it to his mom. Nora Corbett was kind, understanding and insightful. It was one reason he had done this whole thing in the first place.
"The third thing is People are people, Black or white young or old, so we all have to stick together."
"True. Your mom's very smart, just like mine." She smiled adding. "That still doesn't mean you should have a death wish. Leo you almost got caught in the girl's cabin and pounded by bullies. That's just nuts."
"Well there's one thing you'll need to know about me Brains, I'm crazy to the core." He grinned roguishly and she laughed. He was definitely something else.
"You know turtle boy," Kendrix began realizing that they'd be late for morning activities if they didn't get a move on it. "We better head back they'll report our absence and we'll both be in hot water."
"Me yeah probably," Leo agreed and nodded bak at the way they'd come. "But you never. You're a little angel." he replied shoving a branch back so they could pass. "Now if you really want to get into trouble I can teach you a trick or two."
TBC
*****
Well? I know it's a little cheesey but sometimes a story takes on a life of it's own. If you thinks it's worth going on with let me know. I'd like at least fieve replies. And thanks to those who replied last time.
Chapter 2. Breakfast and bullies
The next morning Kendrix came through the breakfast line and scanned the dining hall for a place to sit. Most of the times were already filled and the ones that were not were 2 one with Bailey and his friends and one with the girls from her own cabin, the Same ones that glued 2 of the pages of her book on ancient architecture together last night. Sighing she headed for table. It was probably the lesser of 2 evils. She was merely to the table when she came by the one where the bullies sat. She just kept her eyes right ahead of her and so never saw the foot until she tripped over it.
The trey flew out of her hand as she went down the clattered to the floor even as she landed hard on her stomach, or rather on Bailey's foot.
"Gees worm can't you even walk?" He asked and his friends snorted with laughter.
Kendrix just closed her eyes and against the tears of pain and humiliation back. She was not going to let them see her cry. Her belly ached and so slowly she pushed herself off of the boy's foot. Her eyes fell on the shambles of her breakfast, the cereal lay in a puddle across the floor the plastic utensils ' their packet a ways from there and the milk still in its carton, yet in another direction. Sighing she began to clean it up. When a second pair of hands began to mop up the oatmeal with a dishrag Kendrix was somehow unsurprised to find it was Leo.
"I can do it." She said but he just went right on helping until it was all cleaned up. Then he got to his feat and took her arm.
"Leo what are you doing?"
"It's breakfast time." He said and she found herself pulled over to where he'd been sitting.
"Leo are you crazy? They'll all say your nuts." The like girl argued. Leo shrugged.
"Let them." With that he sat, scooted over and said. "Have a seat. She hesitated then when she realized the other boys at the table were watching she sat. She was more dismayed when he shoved his trey in front of her.
"Leo I can't eat your food."
"Why not? It's just like yours." He indicated the hot cereal in the bowl."
"Because it's yours and you'll be hungry." She explained.
"Ok." So he got up marched up to the line which had finally emptied out and knocked on the counter.
"You had your food Corbett!" The cook called.
"Yeah well my friend didn't."
"Everyone has." But Leo was pointing at the place where Kendrix had been sitting. He frowned when he saw she was gone. The cook however understood. He nodded.
"Wait here."
"Right." He disappeared a mute then came back with a little bag. "Give this to her." He said and Leo grinned at him.
"Thanks Hank."
"Right, you just make sure little Drixy is alright." He said and the boy nodded. Leo left then to go find her.
He found her in her cabin. He knew he was not aloud in a girls cabin but right now he didn't care, his new friend was more important than dumb old rules. Besides, rules, in Leo's opinion were made to be broken.
"You leaving?" Kendrix jumped at the sound of the voice and looked up to see Leo standing there. She hadn't even heard him come in, that just showed how much of a spaz she was.
"Home." She said quietly.
"You shouldn't let those creeps get to you."
"Leo, I never really did, they've been doing that for as long as I can remember."
"So do you always run away from them?" He asked perching on one of the other beds.
"Look, it doesn't matter; I just think it will be better."
"Why?"
"Why do you think, think about it Leo, not only are they picking on me but there going to really give you a hard time." She said the last packing one of her books away.
"I don't let them get to me." He said with a shrug, you shouldn't either."
"They already started?" At that he shrugged once again. "See my point, if you didn't try and be nice to me that never would've happen."
"You know I have this brother Mike, he's in military school and." Just then they heard the sound of children's voices and her eyes widened in alarm.
"You have to get out of here."
"Or what they'll." His tone had gone belligerent even as she was dragging him towards the little bathroom in the back of the cabin. She managed to slam the door just in time. Then to Leo's surprise Kendrix was dragging the screen from the window. He saw what she was doing and went out the opening dropping on to the ground behind the cabin. He was even further surprised when she followed, landing almost on top of him. Then she was pulling him off into the woods.
"Woe, your not all book stuff after all." He grinned at her once she'd finally stopped walking.
"I had to think of something, if you would have been caught they'd have thrown you out of camp."
"By the way I brought you something.' He said and held out the bag the camp cook had given him.
"What is it?" Kendrix asked frowning ash she reached into the bag. There were two egg sandwiches, with sausage and cheese. Kendrix was just looking at them.
"You gotta eat don't you?" He asked as understanding dawn in those eyes.
"You are a very nice person Leo Corbet." Kendrix smiled a real smile. It made Leo do a double take. She was not nerdy or dull in appearance and he had a sudden flash of a slender young woman with this girl's face standing in the afternoon sunlight, her blond curls blowing in the breeze. She looked worried but very, very pretty in a gentle kind of way. He sat beside her and slowly they began to talk.
"You know why you can't leave?" Leo asked as they finished the food.
"Why?"
"Well, the way I see it is if you do they'll win."
"They always win." Kendrix said dusting the crumbs from her hands.
"Because you never fight back."
"Fight back? Leo I'm not like you, I wouldn't be able to get away with anything."
"Like me?"
"Leo you're a doer, you aren't afraid of anything." She said and he wondered how she could be so smart but so dumb.
"You know just last night I was thinking about how much I wanted to go home, to protect my brother."
"Your brother?"
"Yeah, his name's Mike and." Leo blushed.
"Leo what is it?" Her voice was soft as she asked the question.
"It's dumb." He said getting up.
"What and me running home isn't?"
See Mike, My brother, he's all gung-ho into the whole military thing. He always has been, the thing is he kind of forgets about other things, you know having fun and being careful about girls."
"So? He likes the military, there's nothing wrong with that. I like books." She said and he nodded.
"He is kind of like you I guess, I mean he eats sleeps and breathes his likes and there's nothing else." Leo said and Kendrix reached out a hand, resting it on the boy's arm.
"You love him very much."
Leo looked over at her, her voice had sounded soft, and a little say, just as her eyes seemed. It hit him that she was probably an only child. She'd probably never had to protect anyone in her life. Maybe that's why he had been drawn to her; she was so much like Mike. The difference3 was that Mike did have him and their parents.
"Can you keep a secret?" He asked slowly even though he knew the truth. This girl that he'd known for less than a day was not a liar and had a heart, he'd seen that in her eyes just now. Her solemn nod was only further evidence of that. "See, Mike and I don't exactly come from the best side of town."
"You're poor?" She asked surprised, his smile had her blushing at her reaction. "Sorry that was um."
"No prob, thing is that if anyone here knew." He let his words trail off not even really sure why he told her that except that he had a point to make.
"They'd never let you just be." She said with a knowing nod.
"Yeah, well anyway see our parents taught us three things." Leo started and rose walking over to a tall tree. It was only then that she noticed how he moved, kind of like a big cat on the move. She frowned, where had that thought come from? He was not an animal; he was a boy, and a friend. Sighing she shook her head.
"The first thing was that family is the strongest bond you have, it's there when you're born and it will be here when we're gone." He went on gazing off into the distance. "The second is never hit a girl." This was said as he turned back to look at her.
"That's why you intervened yesterday." She said nodding in understanding his reasons now completely.
Leo nodded. Maybe this wasn't so bad, talking. Usually he'd only really done it to his mom. Nora Corbett was kind, understanding and insightful. It was one reason he had done this whole thing in the first place.
"The third thing is People are people, Black or white young or old, so we all have to stick together."
"True. Your mom's very smart, just like mine." She smiled adding. "That still doesn't mean you should have a death wish. Leo you almost got caught in the girl's cabin and pounded by bullies. That's just nuts."
"Well there's one thing you'll need to know about me Brains, I'm crazy to the core." He grinned roguishly and she laughed. He was definitely something else.
"You know turtle boy," Kendrix began realizing that they'd be late for morning activities if they didn't get a move on it. "We better head back they'll report our absence and we'll both be in hot water."
"Me yeah probably," Leo agreed and nodded bak at the way they'd come. "But you never. You're a little angel." he replied shoving a branch back so they could pass. "Now if you really want to get into trouble I can teach you a trick or two."
TBC
*****
Well? I know it's a little cheesey but sometimes a story takes on a life of it's own. If you thinks it's worth going on with let me know. I'd like at least fieve replies. And thanks to those who replied last time.