✔️An Adventure of a Lifetime (ReaderxVarious)

1776, New York City

I stepped up onto the back of a dusty wooden horse wagon and scanned the town around me. I looked around carefully and finally came across what I was looking for to my right. A group of men surrounded a wooden lamp post full of various posters. However, I already knew which poster was gathering all the excitement. Some were pushing each other out of the way to be the first to sign their name on the page, and some were waiting their turn civilly. They would all be fighting in the same war, so there's no need to be fussy about how quickly you sign up.

I sighed. Men will be boys.

But this girl will be a man. Well, I'm twenty years old, if that stills counts as a girl.

I quickly hopped down from the wagon before the owner returned from his errands and made my way towards the sign-up.

This was it. We recently declared war on Britain for prohibiting our independence, and I wanted to be a part of it.

As I came closer to the lamp post, I found myself repeatedly being pushed back, not making any progress to be near enough to scribble my name down on the join list.

"Excuse me," I said, hoping to get everyone's attention to clear a path for me. A lady has better things to do than wait around all day just to sign a paper.

The man in front of me turned around and eyed me up and down.

"You lost, little girl?" He smirked.

"I'm here to sign up for the continental army, sir. Can you please tell the others to step to the side for a quick second?" I politely responded, despite being agitated at his choice of words.

He laughed and turned back around.

I predicted something like this would happen. I proceeded to make my way about 20 feet to the left around the group.

"Pardon me!" I said a little louder. No one turned around, and most likely couldn't hear over the loud cheers and laughs of every man. 

"Everyone move their dang ugly boots out my way!" I screamed. They all whipped their head around and stepped to either side, creating a perfect path towards the sign-up sheet.

"Thank you," I huffed. I picked up my dress to keep clean from all the kicked up dust that had arisen and stalked down my path.

Whispers could be heard echoing around me.

"But she's a girl."

No duh.

"Would General Washington even allow it?"

"People like her need to know their place is in the kitchen."

I scowled to myself at that comment.

I made my final step towards the sign-up list, only to find I had nothing to write with. I turned back toward the group, "Does anyone have a pen I could borrow?"

A moment of awkward silence passed until a stranger cleared his throat and tossed a pen in my direction.

I quickly scribbled my name on the list. I began walking away but realized I still had the pen tightly clutched in my hand. I forgot who it belonged to.

"Uhhh-" I nervously glanced around.

"Here," a young man with long curly brown hair tied back and a face full of adorable freckles stepped towards me and held out his hand.

"Thanks," we both said in unison as I handed it back to him. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

I turned around to leave, but he grabbed my wrist and spun me around.