Oh my god. I actually have reviews already. Thanks guys. I really
appreciate it. To reviewers:
Nirobie: Thanks for being the first to review. I update often, so check every few days.
Anmras: Why do you think "romance" is the second theme of this story? It might take a while since Tori is really hard and stubborn but there will definitely some.
Luby_Connor_Lizzie: Sure!
Karin: Yeah! You've stuck around to read this story. Sorry, I've decided no J/E *sob* *sob*.
***
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Tori (I'm not sure I want her) and Nick (I'm definitely happy to own him!).
***
Tori rolled over in her bed. She was used to the swaying of a ship to put her to sleep. She felt uneasy with firm ground beneath her. Usually when she couldn't sleep, she went onto the deck to breath in the sea breeze. The Turner's did have a small courtyard. It would have to do. She needed a breath of fresh air. Slipping on her boots, she silently walked down the hall to the door leading to the courtyard.
Someone was already there. Nick turned to face her as she came out. If Tori hadn't been feeling so uneasy, she would have turned around and walked right back. She couldn't stand this boy. Instead, she decided to try and get rid of him. "What are ya doin' here?" she asked, her voice accusatory.
"I believe this is my house," Nick snapped back. The night was not his time: His shoulder-length golden-brown hair was ruffled and hanging at odd angles around his face. His dark eyes were tired; "I come out here when I can't sleep. What are you doing?"
He gave her a suspicious look. "I couldn't sleep either," she said, airily, sweeping past him.
His eyes opened in amazement, as he saw her better. Tori realized it was a mistake to come out in a nightdress, especially the one she was wearing. It had a low-neck line and fit a little more snuggly than necessary. Undoubtedly Nick hadn't believed she would ever wear a dress of any sort. "Stop starin'," she spat, angrily.
"Sorry," he looked truly embarrassed and looked away.
That's what she hated most about him. He gave in too easily. He was nothing but politeness and pretty-boy features. He tried to give her too much respect despite the fact that nothing but insults had poured from her tongue. She wasn't used to it. Her father's crew treated her the same as they would a man as they did her mother. The only person who had ever treated her any different was her father who teased her, lovingly. She wasn't a lady and didn't want to be treated like one. "I didn't expect you." Nick started.
"Ta have a dress?"
Tori put her hands on her hips. "So ya've learned my one and only secret, happy?"
He looked offended. He wasn't even any fun to tease. He took it too seriously. "I'm sorry," he said again.
She couldn't stand it anymore. She struck him across the face. Nick gaped, his hand coming up to his cheek. "What was the for?" he asked, aghast.
"For bein' so damn polite," she growled.
Nick just stared. "Didn't anyone ever tell ya that ya only 'ave ta apologize once and only if it's somethin' really bad ya did?"
Nick didn't answer. He looked frightened. "Or not ta treat females who aren't ladies like they are?" she continued.
A rage was rising inside her. He was weak. His two-hour sword fighting sessions didn't make him stop cowering in front of him. 'Ya're new ta him just as he's new ta ya' she told herself 'He doesn't know what to do.'
Taking a deep calming breath she turned to him. "I'm not a lady so don't treat me like one," she told him, her voice deadly soft.
"I. I." Nick stammered.
"Leave me alone!" Tori snapped, knowing she couldn't stand being around him much longer.
Nick looked as though there was nothing he'd rather do. Pushing a strand of hair out of his face, he hurried away. Tori watched him go. She would never admit it but he scared her somewhat as well. She really had no idea how to act. Her former treatment to him seemed harsh but she could see nothing else that would make her point. She closed her eyes and breathed in the delicate spring breeze. Summer was right around the corner and she couldn't wait to get back aboard the Pearl. It was her life. She remembered how Jack often told her that since she had been at sea since she was in the womb, there would be no place she would rather be and it was true. Staring at the walls of the brick house, Tori decided she couldn't wait to leave this place and the proper Turner family.
***
Nick stared up at the ceiling. He was shaking with anger. Tori seemed to push around however she wanted and there was nothing he could do because she was female. He touched his cheek, gently. It was swollen and stinging. How could one shrimp of a girl get the better of him? Had she been a man, he would have had her down in seconds with his sword, although he had begun to suspect she had a dagger hidden in her sleeve. It seemed the sort of thing a pirate would do.
He didn't understand how she wanted him to treat her. She didn't seem to like him being polite and courteous. He knew the second he let down his politeness with other females, they'd be very offended. Not that they'd be around him much anyway. He slapped his fist hard on his night table and only received a searing pain up his arm.
He wrung his hand, trying to ignore what felt like a hundred needles prickling under his skin and thought back to Tori. It was almost like she wanted him to treat her like a boy. He couldn't forget that she was a girl. Her lips were soft and delicate like roses and her hair was much like her mother's: long and sleek.
He remembered the nightdress with the low-neck. Nick would never admit it but he had gotten a good look before she told him to stop staring and he'd liked what he saw. No, it he couldn't forget she was female.
But the beauty was only ploy: a cover. Underneath, she was a rock, impossible to impenetrate. Her heart was cold. She didn't care that he was hurt by her insults and verbal attacks. She just plowed straight on. He wondered if she even had a conscious. Turning, so that his swollen cheek was not pressed against the pillow, he closed his eyes and hoped for sleep.
***
The next morning, everyone was already seated at the table eating breakfast when Nick arrived in the dining room. Elizabeth gave him a cheery glance while sweeping into the kitchen for some more toast and stopped short. 'Nick, what's the matter with your cheek, darling?" she asked him, bringing her head close to get a better look.
Nick felt Tori's eyes boring into him from across the room. "I tripped over my sword while going to the outhouse last night," Nick lied.
Tori's eyes widened. She had been so sure he would tell the truth and he hadn't. She wasn't sure this was good or bad as it was most likely to keep her out of trouble. "I told you not to leave that lying around the room, Nick," Will told him.
"Sorry," Nick mumbled.
Tori wished she could sock him in the jaw. He had to apologize for everything. "Was it hurt?" Will asked.
"My cheek swelled up," Nick motioned to it.
"Not you," Will glared at him, "The sword!"
"No, not at all," Nick mumbled.
He wasn't good at lies. "Are you sure?" Will questioned him.
"Leave the poor lad alone, Will," Jack cut in, his dark eyes dancing as usual.
Will shrugged and didn't say anymore. Nick felt awful. His father had worked very hard to make his sword: it was one of the best ones he had ever made and he had had to lie and make his father think it might be damaged. Nick chanced a glance at Tori but she was staring fixedly down at her plate. So she wasn't even grateful that he had covered up for her. He couldn't wait until she was gone. He didn't mind Jack and Ana so much but Tori was more than he could handle.
***
I promise that something big will actually happen next chapter. Sorry for the delayed action but I really have to get it so the hate between Nick and Tori is at its high point. Please review.
Nirobie: Thanks for being the first to review. I update often, so check every few days.
Anmras: Why do you think "romance" is the second theme of this story? It might take a while since Tori is really hard and stubborn but there will definitely some.
Luby_Connor_Lizzie: Sure!
Karin: Yeah! You've stuck around to read this story. Sorry, I've decided no J/E *sob* *sob*.
***
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Tori (I'm not sure I want her) and Nick (I'm definitely happy to own him!).
***
Tori rolled over in her bed. She was used to the swaying of a ship to put her to sleep. She felt uneasy with firm ground beneath her. Usually when she couldn't sleep, she went onto the deck to breath in the sea breeze. The Turner's did have a small courtyard. It would have to do. She needed a breath of fresh air. Slipping on her boots, she silently walked down the hall to the door leading to the courtyard.
Someone was already there. Nick turned to face her as she came out. If Tori hadn't been feeling so uneasy, she would have turned around and walked right back. She couldn't stand this boy. Instead, she decided to try and get rid of him. "What are ya doin' here?" she asked, her voice accusatory.
"I believe this is my house," Nick snapped back. The night was not his time: His shoulder-length golden-brown hair was ruffled and hanging at odd angles around his face. His dark eyes were tired; "I come out here when I can't sleep. What are you doing?"
He gave her a suspicious look. "I couldn't sleep either," she said, airily, sweeping past him.
His eyes opened in amazement, as he saw her better. Tori realized it was a mistake to come out in a nightdress, especially the one she was wearing. It had a low-neck line and fit a little more snuggly than necessary. Undoubtedly Nick hadn't believed she would ever wear a dress of any sort. "Stop starin'," she spat, angrily.
"Sorry," he looked truly embarrassed and looked away.
That's what she hated most about him. He gave in too easily. He was nothing but politeness and pretty-boy features. He tried to give her too much respect despite the fact that nothing but insults had poured from her tongue. She wasn't used to it. Her father's crew treated her the same as they would a man as they did her mother. The only person who had ever treated her any different was her father who teased her, lovingly. She wasn't a lady and didn't want to be treated like one. "I didn't expect you." Nick started.
"Ta have a dress?"
Tori put her hands on her hips. "So ya've learned my one and only secret, happy?"
He looked offended. He wasn't even any fun to tease. He took it too seriously. "I'm sorry," he said again.
She couldn't stand it anymore. She struck him across the face. Nick gaped, his hand coming up to his cheek. "What was the for?" he asked, aghast.
"For bein' so damn polite," she growled.
Nick just stared. "Didn't anyone ever tell ya that ya only 'ave ta apologize once and only if it's somethin' really bad ya did?"
Nick didn't answer. He looked frightened. "Or not ta treat females who aren't ladies like they are?" she continued.
A rage was rising inside her. He was weak. His two-hour sword fighting sessions didn't make him stop cowering in front of him. 'Ya're new ta him just as he's new ta ya' she told herself 'He doesn't know what to do.'
Taking a deep calming breath she turned to him. "I'm not a lady so don't treat me like one," she told him, her voice deadly soft.
"I. I." Nick stammered.
"Leave me alone!" Tori snapped, knowing she couldn't stand being around him much longer.
Nick looked as though there was nothing he'd rather do. Pushing a strand of hair out of his face, he hurried away. Tori watched him go. She would never admit it but he scared her somewhat as well. She really had no idea how to act. Her former treatment to him seemed harsh but she could see nothing else that would make her point. She closed her eyes and breathed in the delicate spring breeze. Summer was right around the corner and she couldn't wait to get back aboard the Pearl. It was her life. She remembered how Jack often told her that since she had been at sea since she was in the womb, there would be no place she would rather be and it was true. Staring at the walls of the brick house, Tori decided she couldn't wait to leave this place and the proper Turner family.
***
Nick stared up at the ceiling. He was shaking with anger. Tori seemed to push around however she wanted and there was nothing he could do because she was female. He touched his cheek, gently. It was swollen and stinging. How could one shrimp of a girl get the better of him? Had she been a man, he would have had her down in seconds with his sword, although he had begun to suspect she had a dagger hidden in her sleeve. It seemed the sort of thing a pirate would do.
He didn't understand how she wanted him to treat her. She didn't seem to like him being polite and courteous. He knew the second he let down his politeness with other females, they'd be very offended. Not that they'd be around him much anyway. He slapped his fist hard on his night table and only received a searing pain up his arm.
He wrung his hand, trying to ignore what felt like a hundred needles prickling under his skin and thought back to Tori. It was almost like she wanted him to treat her like a boy. He couldn't forget that she was a girl. Her lips were soft and delicate like roses and her hair was much like her mother's: long and sleek.
He remembered the nightdress with the low-neck. Nick would never admit it but he had gotten a good look before she told him to stop staring and he'd liked what he saw. No, it he couldn't forget she was female.
But the beauty was only ploy: a cover. Underneath, she was a rock, impossible to impenetrate. Her heart was cold. She didn't care that he was hurt by her insults and verbal attacks. She just plowed straight on. He wondered if she even had a conscious. Turning, so that his swollen cheek was not pressed against the pillow, he closed his eyes and hoped for sleep.
***
The next morning, everyone was already seated at the table eating breakfast when Nick arrived in the dining room. Elizabeth gave him a cheery glance while sweeping into the kitchen for some more toast and stopped short. 'Nick, what's the matter with your cheek, darling?" she asked him, bringing her head close to get a better look.
Nick felt Tori's eyes boring into him from across the room. "I tripped over my sword while going to the outhouse last night," Nick lied.
Tori's eyes widened. She had been so sure he would tell the truth and he hadn't. She wasn't sure this was good or bad as it was most likely to keep her out of trouble. "I told you not to leave that lying around the room, Nick," Will told him.
"Sorry," Nick mumbled.
Tori wished she could sock him in the jaw. He had to apologize for everything. "Was it hurt?" Will asked.
"My cheek swelled up," Nick motioned to it.
"Not you," Will glared at him, "The sword!"
"No, not at all," Nick mumbled.
He wasn't good at lies. "Are you sure?" Will questioned him.
"Leave the poor lad alone, Will," Jack cut in, his dark eyes dancing as usual.
Will shrugged and didn't say anymore. Nick felt awful. His father had worked very hard to make his sword: it was one of the best ones he had ever made and he had had to lie and make his father think it might be damaged. Nick chanced a glance at Tori but she was staring fixedly down at her plate. So she wasn't even grateful that he had covered up for her. He couldn't wait until she was gone. He didn't mind Jack and Ana so much but Tori was more than he could handle.
***
I promise that something big will actually happen next chapter. Sorry for the delayed action but I really have to get it so the hate between Nick and Tori is at its high point. Please review.