Behind The Big Ben

Chapter 2

 Will sat on the bench across from the clock tower, head in hands. He knew he was being overdramatic. Will knew full well that he didn’t have any real friends. Sure, he always talked with some of the other boys from his class but they weren’t his friends.

 So what if Alyson was a freak, she was nice. She could be his friend. She seemed a bit bossy and stubborn but then again, she would have to deal with his flaws. He was, after all, a scatter-brain and had the memory of a goldfish.

 He just needed to decide whether or not to enter the clock tower. As he looked down at his beaten up his mum and dad had given him second hand for his birthday, he realised the time. It was 17:58. Two minutes until six. He had to make a decision and quickly. Either go into the clock tower and make a new friend and possibly a new reputation or go home and never build the robot.

 Two minutes later, he was racing into the clock tower. He ran as fast as his twelve year old legs could. He pushed past workers who were trying to fix the clock. He didn’t stop running until he came to the clock. Well, behind the clock.

 Alyson sat, spiky black hair draping over her pale face. She looked up as she heard Will’s footsteps approach the clock room. Her dad and a few other co-workers were the only people there. Her dad was fine with her inviting a friend inside of the clock tower; he was actually glad quite glad to know that Alyson had actual, real, human friends.

  “Decided to come then?” she asked, her tone of voice a bit more cold than she intended it to be. Will looked down guiltily as soon as the words escaped Alyson’s mouth. Had he hurt her feelings that bad? “I’m not going to judge you, William. I have many flaws of my own but being judgmental is not one of them.”

“I’m sorry about earlier, Alyson. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Will said, running a hand through his hair. Alyson could hear the sincere tone in his voice as spoke each word. It made her feel guilty for using the cold tone she had. “Can we – maybe – be friends?”

 “Okay William, you’ve got yourself a new friend,” Alyson said, a smile playing on her lips. Will looked at her, a full-toothed grin spread across his face. He didn’t know why, but her accepting his friendship made him very happy. “First rule of being my friend though, call me Alice. I detest being called Alyson.”

 Will couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips as he compared Alice to Alice in Wonderland. They were almost identical, now that he thought about it. Except the hair. Whilst Alice in Wonderland had blonde hair, this Alice had raven black hair. Though he had to say, he preferred this Alice’s hair.

 “William?” Alice’s voice cut Will out of his thoughts. She was waving the palm of her left hand in front of his face, a confused look on her face. “What’s so funny?”

  “Oh, uh... n-nothing,” Will stuttered out, wanting to keep his thoughts to himself. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, “and call me Will. William is too formal.”

 “Okay then, Will,” Alice said as she began grabbing materials from various places in the small room. She grinned up at him as he raised an eyebrow at her sudden movements. “How about we build a robot?”

 “Oh. Yeah, of course,” Will said, grabbing the sheets of crumpled paper and laying them on the ground as he sat next to his new friend, who was sitting on her knees by a broken bench. “Well, I was thinking...”

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didn't I tell you I'd update daily? well another chapter thanks to all who are reading. banner on the side is by @stuffedbows whom this is dedicated to.