Englishwoman in New York | (Open) (Casual)

[IRENE ADLER]

Irene carried a baguette underneath her arm, smokes gone from her jacket, her hair changed, even her attire new. Her hair dye gone as well, god she had really been changing. But one vice that she would not change was her love for food. Sitting down on a street corner, she cut off chunks of baguette. A tiny tube pale colored dress covering her body, simple yet delicate. She suddenly looked around. The first place were she had met those two, and the only place were their strange and odd relationship started.

But who was she to complain, that those two , or their group in general had actually denied her. Guess that was one of the reasons why she wanted to prove them wrong, she wanted to show them that in the end she really did have a heart. A tart with a heart, who would have imagined. Especially her, she was always so protective , so carefully. Leaving the half cut baguette on the side, she shoved around through her purse and sighed when she could not find cigarettes .

"Dammit all!!" she cursed, running her hand through her dark blond locks. Dam the devil for all her change ,all her trying to be just for a few months a normal person. Also dam the people who had ignored her, bullied her, cursed her to be like this. She needed a hug even, now she thought. "God common Irene pull yourself together , you can pull through this" she told herself mentally ,and sighed. Closing her eyes briefly , she waited for nothing to bother her .

The still silence pleasing , until she started to hear feet. Who in gods name was disturbing her peace.

[eastsidesunset]

The bell rang midway through Mr. Johnson's last minute homework announcement. An essay on the economy and how it's affected our individual lives. Nice. I wondered if he'd take marks off for vagueness on the "individual" part. I didn't think Darry'd be happy with me writing stuff about him and Soda getting less hours every month and the arguments we got into more and more these days about the pros and cons of me getting a job now that it was legal.

I sighed, shoving textbooks, pencils, and notebooks into my backpack quickly, then slinging the bag onto my shoulders and squeezing into the mad scramble through the classroom door. I wasn't in a hurry to go home today. Neither Darry or Soda'd be home before six, and I wasn't in the mood to hang around the house by myself. Maybe I'd meet up with Johnny later, I thought as I stepped out into the gloomy streets. But for now I'd just go for a walk around town. Or a run, if I was feeling it.

For three o'clock in the afternoon, the couple of blocks around my house was really empty. Almost deserted. I quickened my footsteps into a light jog, taking advantage of the lack of people and obstacles. Once I got started it was easy to fall into that familiar rhythm of the run, and I slowly speeded up until I barely registered anything in my head except for the sound of my own footsteps. Good thing my backpack wasn't too heavy today, or this would be a lot harder than it was. As I turned a corner down the street my house was on, I almost ran right into a woman just standing in the middle of the sidewalk. Almost.

Instead, I skidded to a sudden stop and managed not to fall on top of her. "Oh, I'm real sorry ma'am, didn't mean to run into you..." I apologised automatically. And then I looked at her more closely and felt a flicker of recogniton which grew until I realized that I knew her. Or, rather, had seen her before. She used to hang around us greasers a bit, but Soda and Dally didn't really like her and so I stayed quiet when she was around. She was sorta intimidating, too, which didn't help things. Today, though... she looked real different. I couldn't really tell you what, exactly... but she just looked different.

"Irene?" I blurted out before I could find my senses and leave after a few more apologies like I knew I should've.

[IRENE ADLER]

Irene turned towards the boy who had called her name, her body standing up as she cocked her head from side to side and wondered who he was.If anything at all, his hair and his eyes reminded her of something or someone. But who was he , that was the biggest question of all. Then like a flash when she walked closer, she dropped her baguette and backed away.

" Pony boy " she mouthed a whisper, and held her breath. Why was this boy even talking to her, it was curious and scary . Yet why she was just standing there paralyzed, was her vital signs still alive. Was she still alive, she wondered if the other boys where alone.

"Why are you here..." she asked worried, was she even asking the right question at all. She must be daft , daft .. That was it ,that was the only reason why she was even talking to the boy. Then again , he seemed to be full , busy , with work could it be.

But then again, she must say she found the whole meeting to be quite the delivery. Here she was feeling alone and gloom, and he had just brightened her spirits a little. God she was extremely happy, to happy . God where those tears falling from her eyes, she felt and raised her fingers to touch her cheek delicately.

[eastsidesunset]

"Why are you here..."

She was just standing there, frozen in place, and I couldn't see any of the Irene I'd first met in this girl at all. For one thing, she looked completely different. For another... there was something in her expression that sure wasn't there last time. Or maybe something missing?

"Uh, I was just... going home. From school. 'Cause you know, school's done for the day..." I said hesitantly, shifting my backpack on my back a bit for emphasis. She looked petrified. There was no other word for it. Of what?! I wondered. The silence was starting to get awkward fast and I opened my mouth to tell her I had to get going, but before I even got past the first word, I looked up at Irene and noticed... she was crying.

Oh, shit.

I swore under my breath, desperately praying some divine being would just swoop in and do something, fast. This kinda thing... I had no idea how to handle it. Making people smile was Soda's department. Or Two-Bit's. I could only stand there, stuttering something incoherent and with absolutely no idea what to do.

Finally, I managed to ask, uncertain as anything, "Um, are you okay? I mean, of course you're not, but... what's wrong?"

[IRENE ADLER]

She smiled at the boy, a calm serene smile placed instead of the tears as she cleaned them away and sighed. " i am sorry for this blubbering mess that I am " She sniffled and cleaned her face with her hands , she did not know which words to use to express if she was OK or if she was not. But she understood one thing, at least the boy did not judge her like so many before. But she hoped also in gods name that this meeting would be left between the two of them.

She was coming to the realization that she hated scandal, well not all forms of it just some of them. She did not want that Dallas to know anything of this either, he would laugh at her face. Sighing, she ruffled her hair to clear her head out and started to walk over towards the boy. " I am sorry it is just nobody in your gag ever likes me much. " she told him the truth and started to unroll the baguette and cut a piece off. She got so hungry recently, it must have been the nerves that had arisen when she started to talk to the boy.

[eastsidesunset]

I let out a long, relieved breath. Okay, so she's fine. Now what? "Don't need to apologize," I muttered towards the direction of my feet. I was saying that a lot these days, I noticed. Funny, because none of them really had anything to say sorry for. Most of the time it was me who should've been apologizing. I don't mean funny... you know what I mean.

When I looked up she was walking towards me, looking like she was (Thank God) back to normal. I couldn't stand to see girls cry, even girls like Irene. Especially girls like Irene, who looked and acted as tough as Dally and almost as hard to break. I suppose all I'd known of her was really just what Soda had talked about though. Did I know her? No. So I couldn't judge her. It should've been simple. So how come it was so complicated?

"I am sorry it is just nobody in your gang ever likes me much. "

"Ain't that the truth," I said before I could think my words through. Then I realized I was probably making it worse and added quickly, "No, I didn't mean that, it's just that they don't..." I struggled for words (Funny how words were one of the only things I knew but they failed me in times like these) then finally said lamely, "They just don't know you, I guess." As if I do, I thought sarcastically. I knew more about complete strangers.

She was cutting off chunks of a French-looking bread and gulping it down like it would be her last meal ever or something. I looked back down at my worn tennis sneakers, wondering what Soda or Darry would say if they saw me here. With one of the few people they'd said specifically for me to stay away from. Though after this... I didn't think she was all bad. Not really. Not in the way they thought she was.

[IRENE ADLER]

Stopping her eating , she looked at him and raised her eye brows. She laughed when she heard the boy say that it was the truth as she bit her lower lip, “You’re a sweet boy. Now to repay your kindness what would you like to do?” She suggested ,and placed her hands on her pockets and started to look around for whom to give the bread she had in the hand that was outside her right pocket. She knew people could go hungry in the street, so she could show some kindness and not coldness. After all coming from such a poor district like she had, she knew all to well what feeling hungry was like.

But then again she was glad to have some company today, at least for now. But then hearing him say that they did not know her, she chuckled. “ Guess they only see me for what is outside than what is inside me. A little bit like you. You don’t let people see the real you, or is it just me that I am being rude now. “She told and rubbed her neck. She did not want to be rude to the boy, of all people in this city she hoped that she could at least find a friend who she could chat to in her times of boredom.

She was after all still not used to the city .

[eastsidesunset]

"Kindness? What kindness?" I mumbled, laughing and running a hand through my hair ruefully. This was one odd situation I hadn't gotten into through being "kind". Just truthful. And I still wasn't sure whether or not people liked hearing the truth. I shrugged at her suggestion to go and do something. "Doesn't matter to me. As you can probably see, there's not a lot to do around here anyway."

“Guess they only see me for what is outside than what is inside me. A little bit like you. You don’t let people see the real you, or is it just me that I am being rude now. “

For some reason, my face flushed slightly red at the comment. 'What do you mean?' was my first defensive response. I mean, I wasa greaser when it came down to it and I knew the shield I put up around everyone except Soda and the rest wasn't the "real me", but that didn't mean I liked to hear it said aloud. I didn't think she meant anything by it, though, so I just said a vague, "Yeah, well, doesn't everyone?" and managed a small grin. She was bluntly honest. I had to give her that.

That's when my ears caught the sound of loud voices a block or so away, three or four different voices with hints of a more sophisticated accent that instantly sent off dozens of alarms in my head-- the ingrained instinct to get the hell away from there or risk having to fight for no reason except self defence.

Socs. From the sound of them, straight out of a party of some sort and coming to the East side to find what they considered 'fun'. My eyes narrowed and I drew in a sharp breath as I spotted the sports car, cruising towards where I stood. And if I could see them, they definitely saw me. This couldn't be good.

I'd almost forgotten the fact that Irene was still here, my heart was thumping so fast. There was no time to run. They were in a car. There was nothing else for it. We were gonna have to stand our ground. I took a deep breath, hoping Irene knew how to fight if the worst came to the worst. Did she even know about the Soc/greaser war? I explained in a quiet voice as quickly as I could while the car neared us and came to a stop, sliding out my switchblade from my back pocket just in case.

"Alright, Irene, I dunno if you know this already or not but around here, there's more than just greasers. Socs live on the West side. They're the rich kids, the ones with the breaks and the fancy cars. Greasers've hate Socs and Socs have hated greasers for as long as I can remember, and bottom line is they like to jump us for fun. Just keep calm. Bluff. If we keep cool, it'll be okay and they'll leave. But just in case... be prepared."

The good news was that there were only three. The bad news was that even the smallest was bigger than me. With identical smirks on their faces, they sauntered towards us and the tall one drawled, "Well, lookie here. An odd pair you two are, aren't you?" The other two laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world.

I slouched automatically, glaring at the Soc with as much contempt and hate as I could muster while my heart hammered relentlessly. "Yeah, whatever," I said, "What do you want?"

(ooc: Classic Outsiders moment. xD Feel free to godmod any of the Socs as much as you want. :3)

[IRENE ADLER]

Before she knew it , she had a lot of guys corning her around. Her hands slapping a few people away as she looked at how they bullied poor Pony boy. There was in no way that she was going to let that happen before she knew it. She had a boy with his hand behind his back and her nails twisting into his flesh. Her smile placed across her lips as she took out her gun and returned it back to its satchel.

A wicked idea crossing her mind as she sighed and took a deep breath. God these poor boys they should have never messed with her. “ Now then my little Cheshire cats , you will either leave this poor boy alone or I will have to whip you and crack your bones.” she said and felt the young boy start to caress her wrist as she turned swiftly and cracked her bone once and again in a different place. Her leg giving a high kick as she sighed and leaned into the boys ear. “ I think that is better don’t you” she said as she saw another of the boys companions hands grab her arm.

“ Don’t touch me “ she said and whipped around punching upwards to break the mans nose as she heard the crack of bone and grabbed his jacket quickly and the other mans as she chuckled. “ Say you are sorry and be on your way” she said and started to pull on the two boys ears. Her eyes staring at Pony boy as she sighed and saw the blood drip down to her boots. “ Or would you like to do something worse to them” she asked and snickered.

[eastsidesunset]

I couldn't believe it. My jaw dropped and I stared in awed amazement as Irene pretty much fought the three Socs all at the same time and made it look easier than fighting a bunch of ragdolls. Even I heard the crisp crack of bone more than once, and I was standing several feet back. Then suddenly she stopped and sighed and looked at me, asking if I wanted to hit them more or something.

"Uh, nah it's okay," I said in a mumbled rush, still staring in absolute disbelief at the cowering state she'd left the Socs in. Blood dripped steadily from one's head, and I actually felt sorry for him. He probably hadn't realized what he'd gotten himself into when he faced Irene. Hell, I wasn't expecting it any more than him. "Let's just, um, go." I took a few hesitant steps back, motioning awkwardly towards the empty streets.

My mind was whirling, half of it wondering how the gang would do in a fight with her and half of it stupified by the shock of it all. As the Socs ran away, I couldn't help a grin from surfacing on my face. Boy, would I have a story to tell Soda and the rest of them today. Three Socs, beaten by a girl. Well, I guess Irene couldn't really count as just a girl. I wondered what Dally would say and the grin only widened.