Thank you all for your reviews! It makes me happy to see that it's already got three. ^-^
And yes, the cover is supposed to be Charlie, although I forget what Charlie's supposed to look like. :D *Sheepish grin* (Sometimes Skandar Keynes looks SO MUCH like my brother it's not even funny. Well yes, it is kind of funny...)
Okay, so the story will kind of be following the story-line in Cat Among the Pigeons when she's at Cambridge-with more Charlie of course. ;)
Yes, anyway, here is the next chapter. :) (By the way, if you think I should do a chapter or two from Charlie's point of view, then say so! But if you want me to stick with Cat's point of view that's fine too.)
Syd's arrival was announced by a loud thumping at the door.
Frank jumped up, "I'll get it."
"Thanks," I slumped in my chair. I was exhausted from playing a 'boy'. True, being a boy meant you could do all sorts of unladylike things, but it also meant that I had to keep my voice low, perpetually keep a grimace on my face just because boys had the stupid idea in their head that looking 'manly' includes grimacing.
"Cat's gone missin'," Syd breathed hard, "The runners are watching all over the place, the shop, your 'ouse, the theater, the whole town!" Syd's checks were flushed, "I've been keepin' an eye out for 'er, all me boys are watchin' out for her, but she's gone! I'm afraid that something'll 'appen to 'er. If she spends another night on the street, I don't know what I'll do," Syd's eyes were filled with distress.
"Don't you know big Oaf?" Tears threatened to spill onto my face.
"Cat? Cat!" Syd ran to me and scooped me up in his strong arms, "Why on earth are you 'ere?"
"I'm hiding from the runners." I said bluntly, "So far so good."
"You can't stay 'ere!" Syd held me at arms length, examining me, "'They'll find out that you're a girl! And 'wot if the boys pick on you?"
"They already have," Frank said matter-of-factly, "And Cat sorted them out, didn't you Cat?"
"Yep," I started play-punching Syd in the stomach, "I learned some tricks from the master."
"Cat," Syd made me look at him, "This isn't a joke, you could be beat up really badly."
"Syd, I'll be better off here," I kept my tone serious, "The runners would be sure to get me as soon as I walked onto the streets!"
Syd said nothing. When he said nothing it usually meant he knew he wasn't going to win the battle. "Fine."
"Yay-," Syd cut me off.
"But if you get into a fight, just remember to hit here-he pointed to Frank's jaw-, generally don't go below the waistline, but if you're in a real predicament and need to get out of a fight fast, punch right there-Syd pointed-Frank blushed a bright red, and it'll sort them out for a while.
"Thanks Syd," I gave him a half smile.
Syd stood still for a moment, then picked me up with his tough arms, squeezing the life out of me, "Stay safe Cat."
"I will," I hugged him back, although he was draining the life out of me, "You're squeezing me Syd."
"Sorry," He sat me down and grinned, "Goodbye Cat." He waved to me as he walked out the door.
"Bye Syd." Frank and I wandered into the kitchen.
"Sausages anyone?" Charlie held out a pan of sizzling sausages, with grilled bread on the side.
"Sure," I breathed in deeply, "Smells good."
"I'll pass," Frank snitched a piece of sausage, "Mostly," He grinned, "I have to go study. See you guys later."
"Okay." Charlie scraped some sausage and bread onto two different plates, "Poor half-starved Tom Cat first," Charlie grinned and offered me a plate with flourish.
"Haha! Thank you big brother." I dug into the food without further ado.
"So, do you and Syd have a thing going on?" Charlie emphasized the word thing.
"Um," This was going to be an awkward conversation, "No..."
Charlie raised his eyebrows, "Sure he doesn't have different ideas?"
"Well..." I trailed off, why did I have to explain this? "Why are you wondering?"
"No reason," Charlie answered quickly. A little too quickly.
I gave him a skeptical look.
"I was just curious." Charlie tried to make up for his suspicious answer.
"Really," I stuffed my face with some grilled bread with a hunk of cheese on top, "I might ask what's going on with you and Lucy."
"Nothing at all," He gave me a defiant look, daring me to say otherwise.
"Hah!" I said with my mouth full, "That's why you two were talking privately in the Avon's library awhile ago." I gave a half grin half smirk.
"See? You said yourself that it was awhile ago."
"So you're admitting that you used to like her?" I grinned even bigger.
"No!" Charlie exasperatedly sighed, "She was like my sister; annoying, full of herself, and can't stop digging herself deeper into holes."
"But still lovable," I was enjoying teasing Charlie. It was quite easy to get a reaction from him.
"Ugh," He rolled his eyes, "Maybe like a sister. Nothing more."
I gave him an are-you-sure-about-that look.
"It's the honest truth." He held his hands up, "I can swear."
"It's the same with Syd and myself."
"Really?" Charlie put his hands down, "Does he know that?"
"Does Lucy know how you feel?" I dodged his question.
"I-I don't know. But you didn't answer my question." His normally calm eyes held the look of curiosity that would not be satisfied until he had the answer.
"Well, he sort of knows..." I didn't actually know if Syd knew that I thought as him as a brother. I knew that I had given him hints as to what I thought, but I had never actually flat out told him. "I'm not sure."
"Hah! Didn't think so." Charlie smirked.
"I doubt Lucy knows that you think of her as a sister either." I smirked back.
"Ugh!" Charlie stood up and put his dish on top of the stack of dishes that had piled up, "You're hopeless."
"Am I?" I smiled, "You just don't know how to handle me. Only Syd does." I grinned at the last comment I made.
"Is he?" Charlie said nothing more, making it awkward.
As soon as he washed wiped his hands on a hand towel he irritably exited the room.
What did I do? I was baffled. Was he that touchy whenever I mentioned Syd?
So how'd you like it? :D Still not sure if I should make the story super short or make it a bit longer.
(I'm spoiling you guys to death. :D )
I feel like Charlie deserves more than just a few chapters. ;) Agreed?