𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 • 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜

02 • The New York Times

A smaller, but stockier boy licked his lips before speaking. "You new around here?" Mildred nodded as sweetly as she could muster, now acknowledging that the crowd was growing at the entrance of the alleyway. "Well then, what can we do for you?" The boy looked Mildred up and down and appeared to be making a feeble attempt at holding back a laugh, which infuriated her even more.

With one swift movement, Mildred raised the curled up newspaper, and swatted the three thugs right across each of their faces in a perfect line, managing to smack each and every one of them in one go.

"You can stop being a bunch of bullies!" Mildred's voice turned shrill, piercing the ears of on lookers.

The three men turned red with anger, veins and all protruding from their necks and faces. Blind rage having overcome them, but Mildred didn't back down. She clutched the newspaper right, ready to swing again if needed.

But the need never came, as Mildred was pulled away and shoved behind the back of a tall boy with dark brown hair. He dodged each of the punches that came from the thugs with ease, managing to take each of them out, knocking them to the ground.

By the time the three thugs had enough, they were practically crawling away from the much taller boy who stood victorious in front of Mildred. The crowd started to diminish after the victory m, everyone getting back on with their days.

The brunette boy, whose face was still hidden from Mildred, strode towards the much smaller, blonde one, who was now fully at his feet.

"Steve, are you stupid?" The thick accent cuts the silence, but the blonde boy doesn't respond, instead just shakes his head and wipes a trickle of blood away from his nose. "Well you seem it sometimes. How many times do I gotta tell ya they ain't worth it?"

Mildred took a small step backwards, her heels alerting the two boys who both look to face her. She smoothed out the fabric of her skirt, giving herself something else to look at other than both of their piercing blue eyes.

"You go out looking for trouble often, miss?" Mildred raised her eyes back to that of the brunette, but couldn't help but find herself constantly trailing over to look at the beaten blonde beside him.

Mildred coughed, clearing her throat and stood tall. "Your friend get into fights often?"

He chuckled, looking down at the the smaller one before turning back to Mildred. "Yes, actually." Which caused his friend to scowl up at him. "I'm Bucky." The brunette extended his hand, and Mildred reached out to shake it. "Bucky Barnes."

Mildred nodded, mentally noting his name down in her mind. "I'm Mildred...Mildred Mae Elliot." She released her grip from Bucky and turned to face the smaller man, shaking his hand next.

"Steve...Rogers" He muttered quietly, gently holding onto Mildred's dainty hand as they shook. Bucky rolled his eyes at his friend, crossing his arms in front of himself.

Mildred couldn't help but stare at the two young men in front of her, how different they were from each other, but it was evident that they were close friends.

She suddenly felt shy under the eyes of the strangers in front of her, realising she wasn't used to being so bold.

"So Millie," Bucky smirked, holding his hands on his hips as the new nickname left his lips. "Haven't seen you around these parts before."

Millie gripped the newspaper behind her back, rocking slightly in her heels. "Just moved here actually, with my parents." Bucky nodded, but Steve kept his eyes glued on his feet.

"How old are ya?" Bucky questioned Mildred, making polite conversation as he rubbed his hands together, attempting to warm them.

"Eighteen, what about you boys?"