Milkshake

Pine sat in a pile of crinkled, marker-covered papers. Nibs scented like blueberry tickled her nose as she scribbled in the well-used sketchbook, hidden to the public behind unmoved crates of MREs and rationed clothes. She tuned out the crowd chatter, ignoring the figures that passed by her hiding place, not giving it a second glance. Her barefoot feet stung from slapping against the tile floors, and her legs ached from running. It didn't stop her from being bent halfway over her drawing pad though.

"Nice hiding place."

A rather nasal voice hummed, and her nose wrinkled at the sharp smell of cologne. A startlingly blond man with a smile that pulled at the corners of his gums leaned over the box of used sweatshirts, his chin resting in his hand.

"You know, your dad has been looking everywhere for you."

"He's not my dad."

“Legal documents say otherwise, but, eh…I’ll cut you some slack. *I* wouldn’t want to be cooped up with him either!”

Before she could protest, he’d swung his legs over the crate, nimble as a cat as he crossed his legs in front of her. Squinting, she pulled her papers closer to herself.

“Who are you??”

“Charles! Charles Atkins, nice to meet you.” When she didn’t reach out to shake his outstretched hand, he put it back in his lap. “Look, I get how jarring it is to be here. Especially when you’re under the care of a strange, masked man, right? I’m not saying I *know* what it’s like, but I can understand it, and I don’t blame you, for sure. You’re tired of being treated like a little kid.” She made no indication she was listening, save for the wary glance in his direction out of the corner of her eyes. “So…I’m not going to treat you like one. I think we could be *really* good friends, and I happen to know The Headmaster…and a lot of things about him. If you ever wanted to know.” He let the tantalizing offer hang in the air, and Pine crinkled her drawings in her fists. She cast a frustrated little scowl at his thin-lipped smile that pushed at his eyes.

“…Okay.”

“Friends?”

This time, she stuck her ink-covered fingers in his hand.

“Only if you get me a chocolate milkshake.” He laughed at her audacity.

“Deal.”