kindred

Chapter 26 : Fists and knuckles

"What in the world?" Harlan asked in disbelief as he opened the door and the little ginger cat came bounding out the door. 

Addie leaped backwards, hiding behind a crouched Thomas, clinging to his back. 

"You didn't buy them a cat did you?" He asked Harry, his eyebrows raised. 

"Maybe" He smirked, picking up the skittish kitten. "They're not keeping it. Addie's terrified of cats." 

"Damn well they're not." He scowled down. 

"I just thought it would cheer them up." He said, putting the cat back in the room. 

"Take it back to the pet shop or wherever you got it from." Harlan glowered down at him. He went to walk off, but not before whacking Harry over the back of the head with his papers. 

"Oooh, that was so painful" He smirked. 

"Don't forget who's the big brother?" He mocked, flexing his muscles with a smirk. Harry shook his head as he chuckled. 

*************

"Pleaseeeeee" She begged Harlan. She was practically on her knees with her hands raised. 

"Addie, you have a big surgery tomorrow, you don't need to go back to school. You only had a chest infection last week." He told her, looking over his coffee. 

"Exactly, I have a big surgery tomorrow and I won't be going back to school after that for ages. Pleaseeee" She widened her eyes and pouted, doing her puppy dog face. 

"Fine" He sighed, giving in. "But the second you feel sick call your brothers and tell them to take you home" 

"Thanks Harlan." She called as she walked out the door after James, already fully dressed in her school uniform. 

Addie flushed the toilet and opened the stall door, its was lunchtime and she had needed to use the bathroom. 

She became self conscious when she saw three girls preening themselves in the mirror, they were in eighth grade and very intimidating to Addie. 

They were all beautiful with perfectly preened hair and delicately applied makeup. They had nice figures with large chests. Addie looked down at her flat as a pancake chest and her hair that was only brushed, not in some elaborate style. 

She ignored them as she quickly washed her hands in the sink, not missing the glance they shared in the mirror. 

"Soo, you're the little Kingston" One of the girls said, blocking Addie as she went to dry her hands. She was twirling her long blonde hair around her fingertips, her pose at her side. 

"Yep" Addie said, pushing past them to the dryer. The girl lent against the wall next to her. 

"I heard they abandoned you when you were born." She smirked, Addie glared up at her before she ignored them. 

"Hey Addieee" Gracie called as she bounced into the bathroom.

"Leave her alone" She commanded when they noticed them cornering her. 

"It's fine Gracie" Addie murmured, trying to leave before the girl with black hair stood in her way. 

"Or what?" The ringleader said, her hand's on her hip. 

"Shove off" Addie told them, squeezing between the girls. The taller one grabbed onto her arm tightly. At 5"4 she was almost a foot taller than Addie and glared down at her.