Never Meant To Happen

Chapter 1. In Which We Meet Violet For the First Time

'Come on.' Violet murmured, her face screwed up in concentration, before bowling an incredibly fast cricket ball towards a set of makeshift stumps on the other side of the street. Robby attempted to hit it and missed sending the bat straight into the stumps causing a rather ragged cheer from the neighbourhood kids dotted around the road and sidewalk as fielders, and a low groan from the kids lined up on the curb.

'Just one more bowl Vi, and then we've won!'yelled Abbey from where she was standing as fielder. Violet narrowed her eyes and wriggled her nose. She cracked her knuckles and licked her lips. She slowly rose her arm up to its position and... 'For God's sake, hurry up Vi!'interrupted Robby. 'Oh shut up Robby!'she retorted. She raised her arm, more quickly this time, and ran, releasing the ball at the perfect point and watched it arc through the air straight past Robby's waiting bat and right into the stumps.

'YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!'yelled the kids charging at Vi to lift her up on their shoulders and parade her around.

'Woooooooooohhhhhhh!'Vi yelled pumping her fists in the air wildly, precariously balanced on bony thin shoulders.

'Ha. Beat that Robby!'she yelled exultantly. 'Whatever.'he muttered back as he slouched through the crowd.

'Awwww. Is someone sulking? It's alright, you'll get over it eventually... I think.'teased Violet. 'Yeah, yeah rub it in.'he replied.

'Oh come on lighten up.' 'Okay sorry.'

'Lemonade!'their mum called from the front door. 'Anyone who wants lemonade had better come in now and clean themselves up before they get any. I might even make spiders!' A collective gasp went through the crowd of kids, and then a second of silence, before everyone raced in a dead sprint to see who would get clean and get a lemonade spider first.

It was Abbey of course. Then again she was the best sprinter in the school that most of the kids went to, ' ', so there wasn't really any competition, but one of the kids Luke did give her a run for her money. About five cents of it at least.

Besides Abbey was about a foot taller than most of the other kids and as skinny as skewer as the others said.

Abbey was enjoying her reward when the others raced in puffing and with no shoes on.