Against the Stars

Chapter 11

When Ginny woke up the next morning, she had no idea how she was going to get out of the house. She wanted to see Ben, and relaxed. However, Father certainly would not let her go and see Ben, let alone even leave the house. It was going to take some work, work that would be even easier with help on her side.

After breakfast, Ginny took Nelly aside and explained the situation. Nelly got a sly grin on her face. "Leave this to me," she said.

"What are you going to do?"

"Do not worry. No one should get in any trouble," Nelly said, sneaking of somewhere. Ginny wanted to follow, but decided against it. Nelly had certain magic to her, magic Ginny did not fullyunderstand.

A minute later, Nelly was back. "You can go."

"I shall never understand how your little mind works."

"You do not have to understand how my mind works, just how to deal with it. I'm going to go bug Eddy," Nelly said skipping off to find her brother. Ginny just sighed. There was something to Nelly that she did not think was possible for anyone to understand. Even Edward did not fully understand her.

Ginny slipped her cloak on, and was out the door without making a sound. The less people who knew of her departure the better. Though she was a fairly good liar, she had no desire to put that talent to work.

Ginny slipped through the crowded streets, a silent figure that no one cared anything about. She liked that. She didn't need any talk to slow her down. She loved being that hidden figure that no one ever knew.

She entered the general store behind a wave of people. She then quietly snuck to the backroom where she would find Ben. She pushed opened the door and found Ben lounging against a bag of flour, munching on an apple.

"Ben!" Ginny cried, startling Ben, causing him to drop his apple. Ginny chucked at his panic.

"Oh hey Ginny," Ben said, picking up his apple, and trying to act like nothing happened. It didn't work. Ginny only laughed harder. She did not know what caused get to continue laughing.

"Hi Ben. Does your father by any chance know that your back here, eating merchandise?" She asked, glancing at that apple behind Ben's back.

"How did you know it was merchandise?"

"It was quite obvious by the way you tried to hide the apple when I came in. So does your father know your back here?"

"It does not matter what my father does not know," Ben said, eating his apple.

Ginny just sighed. "So I take it we should go get Celia and do something?"

"Ginny you read my mind! Let's go!" Ben cried, as he dragged Ginny outside. As soon as they were outside, Ben took off. "Ben!" Ginny cried, trying to get him to slow down. She cursed her petticoats with every step.

He did not listen.

Ben kept running, leaving Ginny far behind. Curse these darn skirts, Ginny thought as she did her best to gather them in her hands. She was tempted to take off one of her petticoats right then and there! her mother would be scandalized by even just that thought.

Eventually though, Ginny caught up to Ben. He had pulled off to the side of the street to wait for her. Ginny would have appreciated this gesture if he had not been standing there with his hands on hips, tapping his foot, seeming very impatient.

"What took you so long?" he said, a tone of annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Well it's not my fault my mother makes me wear all these skirts! You should really try it one day."