I admit: the reviews made me continue writing... Thank you so much! Now you've all got the second chapter!
For the guest reviews, I have no choice but to reply here. Sorry readers; you'll just have to scroll down! (To everyone else, I would like to thank you once more!)
BMB: Eh, already acknowledged you. Love yah!
(Guest) Feu: This chapter is for you then! Thanks to your review, I've got the guts to continue writing. Let me know if this meets your standards!
Other Guest (Did you review twice?) that reviewed: Thank you for the virtual cookies and the reviews! I'm glad that you don't mind Mikan's OOCness too much. (:
Guest: Yep, this is from Mikan's perspective. I'm glad you noticed!
Most recent Guest: You people are starting to confuse me... What if you're all just one person reviewing at once... eh. Nah, impossible... But yeah, (I'll just call you Boots for now). Boots, I don't hold too much of a grudge towards "rich" people... but they can drive others up the wall. You'll find out who her brother is (maybe) and what she's doing with her food soon! MissMango MAY or may not be right... P.S. Well, Mikan wasn't TOO disgusted by the girls making-out. Anyway. :) P.P.S. About her attitude and the little blueberry muffin grammar incident, it was entirely intentional on the narrator's part. :)
Ilyasm :)
So without further ado, Chapter 2! Cheers! This chapter was either very short, or a thousand words longer so... short chapter, here it is! Sorry...?
Disclaimer: Disclaimed. Yessiree.
Feeling everyone's gaze peeled towards me, I pierced my lips together smugly.
Stop judging me, suckers.
Stepping back out into the cold, I shivered in my doused jacket and walked to the man, weighing the food from hand to hand.
Holding the contents in my arms out to him, I grunted, "Eat."
Applaud, applaud. You've just thoughtlessly commanded to do something.
If only the voice would shut up and stop being so bloody annoying already.
I watched as the man clasped his hands together and his eyes nearly resembled that of a carefree child's again. It was amazing how a smile could change someone so.
He took a loud slurp from the paper cup. I briefly wondered if the Starbucks was too bitter for the old man. Perhaps he was humoring me, but he showed no sign of disgust.
Every so often, he would stop chewing and ask if I would care for a bite. Feasibly, it was out of honest revulsion or the wet shivers traveling up and down my skin, but I declined with a small smile.
The thought of him asking however, made me smile.
You're so gullible, Mikan.
Swallowing another swig of the golden liquid, the homeless man never tore his gaze away from me.
He studied me, and I studied him.
It was mutual studying.
But honestly? It became unnerving after a while…
A scar curved over right eye in a wave of loose skin, threatening to curl into his eye socket. Ouch. A few other scratches here and there accentuated his long hours of manual labor in the past.
Oi girl, you're not Sherlock. So stop playing Sherlock.
I looked down, hiding under my cap. Droplets of clear water kissed the floor, desperate to say goodbye to my head. That's how inapproachable I am.
The man held half a muffin in his hand up to me, his eyes inquiring.
Those child-like eyes.
With a gentle push, he thrust it in front of me.
Protesting, I shook my head. Piercing my quivering lips together, I pointed at him. "Eat."
He made no move to argue. Complying, he slowly swallowed bits of the muffin until nothing but golden crumbs were left in his palm.
His next words gave me a start. "You're wet."
Part of wanted to snap 'No shit, Sherlock,' but the other part of me was empathetic.
I shrugged. "It was worth it."
The man stared at me soulfully. And despite the situation with him being the lonely man, I shivered. His next words were impossibly clear, "For me, it was worth it... because I had something to gain. But what of you?"
That was the first complete sentence I heard him utter. Food does wonder to people.
I swallowed. What… what are you up to? "It was worth it."
The hair clinging to my nape was but a distant worry as I wriggled in the clothes that hugged uncomfortably to my skin.
The homeless man stared down at the cylinder containing the chocolate coffee beans. It must have been me, but perhaps his eyes did soften, and the hard crinkles on his face lessened for a sliver of a moment; during that short, short moment, he looked roughly ten years younger.
He cleared his throat. "You. If you don-don't share, I reh-fuse to ac-sep this."
It was my turn to soften. Sighing I shook my head. "Maximum two."
The man's cheeks were thin from malnutrition; his bones protruding, doing a sad job of supporting his wrinkles. Yet here he was, openly offering what I had given him.
He dropped three round balls into my open palm. Looking up at him, I laughed quietly and placed one in my mouth.
The old man gestured to the discarded items at his feet.
As I peered at the chocolates I shouldn't have accepted in the first place, the man's next words jolted me to the bone.
It was entirely unexpected.
"Thank you."
I blinked, unable to register what he said. My ears must have been playing tricks on me. "P-Pardon?"
"Thank you," he repeated. Eyes never straying from my face, he said, taking short breaths between each word, "Thank you, for this." He motioned towards me. "And for yer company."
"I… it was worth it," I repeated dumbly, my lips parched. Not knowing what to do, I swallowed another chocolate bean.
Perfect. Be awkward, you idiot.
The homeless man gathered up his discarded paper bags and cup. Giving me a purposeful, albeit weak, salute, he turned to limp away. Stopping abruptly, he stood among the busy throng of people, ignoring their blatantly blistering glares. "Young lady."
I blinked, still surprised. "Y-Yessir."
He eyes softened for a fleeting moment. "Wear a jacket and dress properly next time. Thank you, and good day."
I just stood there, completely thwacked and stupefied.
"Wear a jacket."
"Dress properly."
And don't bring Harry Potter into this. Even I can have a sexier accent than Rat-cliff.
What happened to this man? Where did he learn such etiquette? What happened that led him to the streets? Why would he care so much?
I swallowed my last chocolate and stood there, dumbfounded, as I watched him disappear quickly down the streets.
Bloody hell, that would all remain a mystery to me.
Mental brakes, mental brakes, mental brakes, girl.
You're too stupid. Don't take every little action for granted.
Not everyone you meet is an angel dressed up in rags.
BLOODY HELL!
Language. Religion. Angels!
"Shut up."
A small tap made itself known to my shoulder.
I stiffened. Great move, great move. Stiffen up for the world to see.
A mewling voice sent daggers into my ears. "Ahem, uh, hello?"
I straightened, my back, still stiff. Lowering my eyes, I turned around. "Yes?"
"I was well—Oh my god! Oh my-god, oh god, oh go-!"
I coughed wryly. Droning dryly despite the rain, I enunciated, "Please don't bring religion into this."
"No! I mean, it was just… oh my god, is it you?"
Play dumb.
Bloody Mary. "Pardon? I am not God. I don't think God is a woman. She'd be a goddess in that case."
So maybe I spoke too much. It was the pesky girl's fault for annoying me.
I am positive that her next words would have caused me to snap in two.
"Well…"
I opened my mouth to prompt her. "Well what?"
No sooner had the irritated words come out of my mouth, I held up my hand. "That's enough."
"Wait but, wait I think… don't I know you?"
I twitched in annoyance. "I'm afraid not."
"Daughter, daughter. Where are you?"
I looked about wildly, the skin on my neck prickling. Gah, what now?
A familiar sight of matted hair hobbled into view.
I nearly laughed.
"Daughter," he repeated solemnly.
The girl behind me shrieked. Guess you aren't so into me now, are you?
Shivering, I scurried towards the old man. "Dad," I played along.
"Ah, daughter. You are late for your, erm, appoit-met."
Oddly enough, I found the man's broken wording endearing.
Waving towards the dumfounded girl cheekily, I quipped, "Sorry I resemble someone you may know. I hope you meet however you're looking for soon. Have fun at the movies!"
I honestly didn't know whether or not this girl was going to a movie theater. Beats me.
So…. So maybe the homeless man came to my rescue.
My rescue.
A sharp intake of breath stabbed my lungs. I stopped walking abruptly.
The man leaned against his stick and stopped hobbling.
"Wh-Who are you?" I choked, standing in an alleyway.
The homeless man shook his head and without another word, turned around disappeared down into the fog and made his way towards the outskirts of New York City.
Well, blimy.
And I'm ending it there. :) Thank you so much for reading!
Kindly drop a review? Cookies for all! Wait no... Cookies for me.
Alex
