HEY! Ofclocksandviolets here again. I hope you all have been real swell! Sorry about being MIA I just started my freshman year of college and I have been swamped with homework, and such. Here's chapter 2 for you! I own only what is mine
Chapter 2
"Come on Dory hurry up!" Barnabas shouted from the bottom of the stairs. He tapped his foot with impatience, and crossed his thin arms. "Keep your pants on Barney!" Adora shouted at her brother descending the stairs, frowning with disdain. The pair of siblings glared at each other neither pleased with the activity their Mother was making them preform today. "Come on let's get this over with" Adora said walking past Barnabas and into the kitchen. Their Mother stood at one of the counters preparing two large baskets with all of the perishable goods that wouldn't keep until Monday. Her freckled hands moved at a dizzying speed, shifting through goods making sure mold hadn't already gotten to them. Though Adora could only see her mothers backside, she could practically feel the smile her Mother wore. "There ye are!" Adora's Mother cried out. She turned around to face her children, whipping her freckled hands on the apron she wore. Her Mother's smile fell slightly once she saw her children scowling. "Oh come now! Ye'll be doing something good helping those poor boys! Lord knows when the last time the had something decent to eat" She cried out. Adora pierced her lips, she knew her Mother was right but why did she have to go? She had plenty of other siblings that are just a capable.
As if she was reading Adora's thoughts. "Yer going Adora Marie Claire, because you need to spend more quality time with Barny, and ye also need to get out of your room and go outside more." Adora began to protest "But I do Ma! I walk to school everyday!" Her Mother rested her hands on Adora's shoulders "and that's the only time you ever leave. Adora my darling there is a world beyond the pages of books, and off the path you take to school or yer friends houses." Adora's Mother kissed her forehead, and did the same to Barney "and your going because they are your mates, and Claires do things for their mates." Adora's Mother handed each of her children a large basket and shooed them out of the kitchen. The pair stopped by the door to put on their over coats and hats. As the walked through the door, Adora heard a window open up above her. She craned her neck to see her brother Harrison, "have a lovely time you two!" he shouted with a wicked smile. Barnabas turned and waved his fist at the window "can it Harry, or I'll soak you when I get back." Harrison snickered and shut the window with a dull thud. "Come on" Barnabas grumbled as he stalked away from the house. Adora speed walked behind him, her small stature struggling to keep up with his taller one. Barnabas walked with hunched shoulders and his glass green eyes casted toward the ground. Adora scowled at her brother, as he weaved in and out of people leaving her behind "Barny wait up!" she cried out. He didn't listen, and kept walking at his current speed. Adora growled, she readjusted the basket in her arms, and hiked up her skirt a little more.
Barnabas continued to lead her to the docks, through people, back alley streets with grimy crates, and grotesque debris. In one alley a thin layer of a mysterious sludge cover the cobbled stone, Adora was none too please when she had to walk through that. She took extra care walking through it, so much so that she lost Barnabas. She was in some unfamiliar part of town, with browning shops, and decaying people. Adora rested her hands on her hips, "perhaps Mother is right, I should leave the house more, maybe then I will be able to find my way better." Adora scanned her surrounding, and decided to stand on top of a large crate near the alley she just came out of. By doing this she hoped to gain a better perspective of where she was. This is not what happened, she couldn't see anything that was helpful, but she could smell sea water. Adora smiled slightly at the prospect of being able to figure out where she was. No dice, she couldn't determined what direction the salty smell was coming from, it was simply everywhere. Adora sighed heavily and rested her hands on her hips once more, fearing she was doomed to either wander about the city or wait until her brother returned. "Traveling, and exploring sounds so much better on paper" she mumbled. Adora leaned her back against the cool brick of the building behind her, and closed her eyes.
"Hey! Shakespeare!" a voice called out, causing Adora's eyes to scan the small sea of people. "Over here!" The voice called again. Adora turned her head in the direction of the noise, she smiled mostly out of relief to see a familiar face. Jack Kelly was standing near a sagging building, with David and another boy Adora was not yet acquainted with. Adora leaped off her perch and moved her way over to the boys. When she reached them she said "it's Adora Jack Kelly, so I see you weren't caught." Jack chuckled "I'm too sly for them Shakespeare, so what brings you to these parts? Live around here or something?" Adora sighed "it's Adora, and sort of I live a bit away from these parts of Brooklyn my family owns a bakery on Linklon Street." The boy Adora was not familiar with spoke up "Your a little too soft to be a Brooklyn goil aren't ya?" Jack nudged the boy in the ribs "Boots!" The boy, Boots, rubbed his ribs saying"what?!" Jack rolled his eyes "don't mind him, even though he has a point...you are a little delicate."
Adora pierced her lips, unsure on how to respond to the subject. David cleared his throat and asked a different question, "so if you go to school in New York, you have to make the trek from your house in Brooklyn to the school in Manhattan?" Adora nodded at the freckled boy, "yeah it's not too bad, once you are used to it that is." Jack raised her eyebrows slightly "that's an awful lot of work to get to a building that from I hear, is a load of crap." Adora giggled a little "well I live by knowledge is power." Boots, who had been eyeing Adora's basket most of the conversation, "What's in the basket Shakespeare." Adora sighed, "please, it's Adora, and just some left over goods we didn't sell at the bakery, my Ma wants me and my Brother to give them to the Brooklyn Newsies." David smiled, "that's awfully nice of your Mother." Adora nodded "would you guys like some?" All three of the boys nodded quickly, and helped them selves to some of the pastries.
As, they ate Jack asked "so if your supposed to be giving the Spot's gang these with your brother, then why are you here, and wheres your brother?" Adora scowled "Barney was walking too fast, and I couldn't keep up so we got separated and now I am lost." Jack swallowed "well your brother is probably lost too. Seeing that Spot's gang hides out in the South docks and your closer to the North ones." Adora quirked a brow "what? That's impossible Barney would know where he was going he hangs out with a Newsie, Dottie." Boots, in between chews said, "sounds like your brother is giving ya the slip." Adora gripped the basket tighter, "he did what?" she bit out. The boys jumped back at the venom in her voice. Adora glared daggers at the ground "that low live, good for nothing...how could I be so stupid!" Jack dared to move closer, and place a hand on her shoulder "don't worry we were heading Spot's way before we bumped into ya, we could take ya to the South docks." Adora nodded "I would appreciate that Jack." Jack smiled crooked "no problem Shakespeare." Adora rolled her eyes, "just Adora, please."
The four made their way toward the South docks. Jack kept a conversation among them up with random topics he would grab from the air. Only once interjected the whole time her talked. "What brings you to these parts Jack? Isn't your turf Manhatten?" Jack nodded "typically yeah, but youse see we got some business with the King of the Brooklyn Newsies." Adora shirved a moment remembering the urban legeneds around the King. Noticing this Boots said "Yeah, Spots got that effect on people." Fear mixed with Adora's anger as Jack took up babbling again.
Adora though she smiled and conversed with the boys, got angrier with each step she took toward the South docks, as well a little more fearful. Adora, was not very easy to anger, but Barnabas had a way to make her blow her top. It was the stupid things he did, like leaving Adora in an unfamiliar place on purpose, or when he hid her favorite book from her. Adora was told she is very scary when angry, her words become toxic, and her eyes a green steel.
When the finally reached the docks, Adora's fear of the Brooklyn had all bust dissipated as it was fully consumed by her anger. Adora wanted nothing better to sock her brother right in the mouth. Some of the boys at the dock were preoccupied with various activities. Many were swimming in the murky Atlantic waters, others were playing cards, but all of them looked at the Manhattan Newsies with cold eyes. Adora, looked for her brother, or even Dottie whom she hand only met a handful of times.
One of the Brooklyn Newsies rose out of the water to stand on the dock. He glared at Jack and said something along the lines of "this isn't your turf." But Adora wasn't paying much attention because she had seen her brother, some where in a small fort of lobster traps, and crates. She saw his ginger hair, brown coat, and heard him laugh which had sent her temper off. Adora shoved past the Brooklyn Newsies that was blocking their path, who fell back into the ocean with a loud "hey!" Jack, Boots, and David all looked at her small frame as it stalked off toward the crates, slightly scared to follow. Adora wove through the crates, and found her brother still laughing with Dottie, and a boy she didn't know. "Barnabas Xavier Claire!" Adora seethed. Barnabas turned to look at his sister, slightly horrified. "Ah Dory there you are I was getting worried-" Adora growled "don't you play games with me Barnabas you low swine! You ditched me on purpose I outta throw you in the Atlanic!" Adora walked over to her brother and socked him right in the arm. "Dory it was an accident honest!" Barnabas said with a small smile he couldn't hide. Some Newsies who had been hanging near by snickered through the crates.
Dottie attempting to help his friend said, "Yeah Adora I am sure it wasn't on pur-" Adora glared daggers at him "stay out of this Dottie!" she turned her attention back to her brother. "Lying to me about it Barnabas with not make it better! You were leading me to the North docks instead of the South" Adora shoved him with every word. "I wouldn't even be out here in if ye didn't pipe up last night 'at least send Adora with me she'll soften them up so the boys won't soak me.' I ought to soak you myself. I could have been reading! Reading Barnabas, I have books who have been awaiting my attention since Monday, but no! Ye had to drag me along with ya on this outing Ma is making ya go on, only for ya to ditch me in an unfamiliar part of town!" Adora stopped a to breathe and now fix her glasses. Barnabas leaned in a whispered in her ear "cut it out Adora your embarrassing me in front of my friends." Adora felt her blood boil, and Barnabas looked down at her with wide eyes as he now realized that was not the proper thing to say. "Embarrassing you?! I show you embarrassing!" With that final phrase and shove Barnabas lost his balance and fell through the crates, and into the ocean.
Jack, who had witnessed most of the one sided argument laughed aloud when Barnabas landed in the water. Adora glared at her brother treading water "ya swine!" She turned away from him, and now faced the small crowd her scuffle had gathered. Under the boy's eyes Adora, felt her face heat up and tear of her own embarrassment prick her eyes. She had to leave. Adora breathed a moment to compose herself, and smoothed her skirts. She then proceeded to hand Dottie the basket of baked goods "from our Ma, left over pastries from the bakery" Dottie took them with shaking hands, nervous from Adora's out burst.
She moved to walk out the way she came, but the path was blocked by Jack and the boy who was with her brother before they fought. "Excuse me" Adora mumbled, casting her gaze to the ground. "Shakespeare! I didn't know you had such a temper guess I ought to not get on your bad side" Jack said with a grin. Adora scowled "It's Adora, please ex-" she was cut off by the other boy. "She one of yours Jack?" He eyed her with such a gaze. It was cold, and a little impressed all at once. The boy was not extremely tall, yet he commanded the air he occupied. Adora though he also had a handsome face.
"Nah Spot, she's isn't no Newsie she's a bookworm ain't that right Shakespeare?" Jack stood by Adora and swung and arm around her shoulders. The weight was foreign and uncomfortable. "Jack it's Adora, and yes I like books enough. Now excuse me."
But before she could move, Boots had piped up "Maybe you ain't too soft to be from Brooklyn." Adora smiled a little still unsure how to respond "well." David smiled "yeah your a pretty tough cookie huh Shakespeare?" Adora sighed "It's Adora, and I just have an awful temper." Spot raised his eyebrows, and Jack laughed. "Yeah our Ma says it will be the one thing keeping her from finding a will husband." Adora turned around, to see her brother who had climbed out of the Atlantic, and was wringing out his shirt. She scowled, still very angry with her brother "excuse me gentlemen, I will be going home now. Goodbye Jack, David, Boots, and it was nice meeting you Spot." The boys mumbled their goodbyes. Adora moved away from Jack's arm, and began to walk through the for of crates. Barnabas rolled his eyes "And how to you plan on getting back?!" he called to her. Adora turned her nose up in the air, "I'll find a way with out your help!"
Barnabas had caught up to Adora's retreating form when she was half way to Queens, and even closer to guilt. As they walked up two streets down from their own, Barnabas' clothes were nearly dry, and Adora was consumed by her guilt. She mumbled "I'm sorry fro throwing you in the ocean." Barnabas sighed and said "I'm sorry for leaving you behind...on purpose." Adora looked up at him "promise you won't tell Ma I pushed you in" she pleaded. Barnabas smirked wildly, "Only if you do my English homework for the next week, and don't tell Ma I lost ya on purpose." Adora nodded "deal." She shoved her brother playfully, and he shoved back before they dashed all the way home.
When they entered the door, Adora heard their Mother call from the kitchen. "How'd it go?" Adora glanced and Barnabas, before they relied in unison "good." The pair the proceeded to kick off their shoes at the door step, and go about their ideal activities until dinner. Their Mother had demanded a detailed telling of the days event from all her children, over a beef stew. Barnabas had covered telling their adventure to the docks, fogging up the details a little. He was better at embellishments than Adora was, who only contributed when she was addressed by her Mother. After dinner, Adora had settled down to a book by the hearth in the family room, well her brothers Fredrick, and Harrison played chest. It was only here invested in the words of Austen, near her warm fire place did a thought occur to her. Adora had just met the king of the Brooklyn Newsies.
Thanks for reading! Please review if you want!
Sincerely OfclocksandViolets :)