“ New Friend?”

“ Nik cut it out I can see just fine!” I say pushing the teen’s hands away from me.

“ Coming from the lady who has a scarred eye?” He looked at me with an eyebrow raised

“ It happened 10 years ago, I think that I have adjusted since then” I rolled my eyes at the taller male. 

“ Yea, yea just don’t come running to me you trip and fall.” He says following after me.

“ At least I have an excuse for when I fall, you have perfect eyes and you still fall on your ass,” I replied snarkily as I stop to find a loaf of bread.

“ I have perfect eyes huh?” Niklaus teases as he reaches around an older lady to grab a loaf. 

“ Oh hush you.” I looked around the marketplace to see it buzzing with activities, people up and early at their shop’s children running around playing, one or two carriages being pulled. The ships setting off to sea and one or two coming inland.

“ Lively as ever isn’t it.” Niklaus snapped me out of my trance.

“ A little too lively for my taste,” I say continuing to get necessities for me and my father.

“ You say that because you don’t like people.”

“ No people don’t like me, no one likes a scared-faced woman,” I muttered

“ That’s because Women shouldn’t be playing around with knives,” Niklaus muttered back to me.

“ Oh really, then I guess I just shouldn’t cook dinner then either>” I snapped back

“ What do knives have to do with my dinner, Cornelia?” Niklaus asked

“ How am I to cut the vegetables if I, shouldn’t be ‘ playing with knives?” I sarcastically replied.

“ You know people don’t like you because your rude and unladylike, That’s why your 15 and unmarried.” 

“ yeah well, people don’t like you because you are friends with me, and your 18 and unmarried so shut it!” I replied that’sIIafter paying for some tomatoes. 

“ If I get married then who would marry you, Cornelia?” He says teasingly 

“ How arrogant of you to assume I’d ever married you,” I say as Niklaus fakes hurt. I walked up to Mr. Barns apple stand before Niklaus continues.

“ If you don’t marry me then who in the world will you marry then?” He asked with a smirk knowing that there would be no one.

“ New ship arrived into tow today, fine-looking men that haven’t met ya so I’m sure you’ll be fine, just reel them in with your looks lassy.” Mr. Barnes cuts into our conversation giving me a warm smile.

“ See Nik, there is hope yet.” I laugh as I head off.

“ And where are you going?” Niklaus yells behind me.

“ To the Docs where else?” I laugh before running ahead Niklaus chasing behind me.

As I arrived at the docs I do indeed find loads more people than normal. There are about two boats full of cargo and one full of people, In the corner, there sat a young man about my age that looked only beaten and bruised, yet he was still caring the most cargo of the ships while the other men laughed at him. As I am walking towards the boy another walked right into me I looked at him, he was short had very messy hair and a pair of spectacles that sat crooked on the tip of his nose. HE stumbled and apology as I continued to walk towards the beaten boy. As I got towards him I picked up one of the boxes and started to carry it along with him. 

“ My name is Cornelia,” I say looking at his shocked expression.

“ What are you doing?” He asked 

“ Helping, I thought that was obvious.” 

“ Why would you help me you are a woman?” I sent the boy a glare

“ So my gender decides whether or not I should be kind to another?” I asked him smiling at him.

“ No, I guess not.” 

“ That what I thought?’

“ Why are you all bruised?” 

“ Why is your eye scared?” 

“ fair.” 

“ Why are the townspeople giving you dirty looks?” After a minute the boy spots again.

“ Why do they laugh at the one doing the most work?” I replied

“ That’s not an answer.” 

“ No, it is not,” I say setting the box down in its destined spot.

“ My name is Arlen.” He said to me, I then smiled.

“ It’s lovely to meet you, Arlen, would you like to be my friend?” I asked finally the nervousness settles in as I play with my fingernails.

“ You want to be friends with me” Arlen seemed shocked

“ Yes, I do,” I replied looking up to him. He was almost a full head taller than me.

“ Okay then Cornelia, I would like to be your friend as well.” He says as a small smile danced on his face. I am about to reply as I heard my name being yelled off in the distance, I turn to see Nilkaus running after me.

“ Can I meet you here tomorrow?” Asked in a rush.

“ Yes?” I could tell he was confused but I didn’t want to face a lecture from Niklaus. 

“ OK see you the Gooday!” I yelled as I run off in the opposite direction of Niklaus. But I was happy, I have made a new friend.