Edward was about, but that wasn't new. What was new was the shiner on his left eye. It was fresh but if it hurt the boy didn't show. He seemed his usual self as he stalked the streets looking for free money or just someone to harass. When he couldn't find someone, he remembered his friend new associate. 

Ignoring the dirty looks he got from people... Since when we're they not giving him angry or annoyed glances? People should mind their own business.... he started to toss small pebbles at the window. If it was her brother who answered, fine. He'd give him a piece of his mind. But he hoped she was awake and ignored her curfew like only the toughest kids did .

Mable was still awake in bed, but she wasn't happy about it.

In the bed next to her, Edmund was out like a light.  He smelled of alcohol, but at least he'd bathed right away.  Mable hadn't bothered to ask him what he'd been doing, not wanting to argue again with the boy.  When he went to bed, so did she, and that was forever ago.

She was bored.

The noise of something tapping against the hotel room window had the girls heartbeat skyrocketing.  What in the world could that be?  A tree, or a bush branch brushing too close?  But there was nothing like that near the hotel, so... was it a person?

Curiosity drew Mable from her bed and to the window, peaking through the curtains and searching the streets outside when she saw -

Edward!

The girl's eyes widened and she waved to get his attention before struggling to get the window open.  She leaned out, whisper yelling to her friend, "hello Edward!  What are you doing out here so late?  Is everything okay?"

Edward waved off her concern. "I'm just bored as hell. Come and hang out with me!" He said almost demanding . He was important enough right? He puffed out his chest and looked around. "It's quiet and dull. "

And maybe he wanted someone to play with.

Sneak out!  Edward was asking her to sneak out.  What a terrible influence he was!  Even worse was that Mable knew she was going to do it the moment he asked.

"One second," she told him, ducking back into the hotel room.  She slipped on her day dress and shoes, not needing to be too quiet in the room with how deep her roommate was sleeping, and climbed out the window.  The grin on Mable's face was massive.

"Hello!  Are you usually out so... wait."  The closer Mable got to her friend, the more she realized something was off about him.  "Edward!  What happened to your eye?!  Are you alright?"

Edward paced restlessly. He kept an eye out but it was pretty quiet here at this time of night. He was quite pleased with himself that she was coming, but then who wouldn't want to come hang out with him? He looked startled when she was climbing out and watched her, thinking she'd almost certainly fall.

He approached after she landed and his cheerful expression turned to a scowl and he looked away so she wouldn't see the eye. "It's nothing. I ran into three- I mean seven guys! They were huge and had big clubs. You should see them, they are a real mess." The boy chuckled slightly. "Anyway, it's not a big deal to be up at night. Adults just want us in bed cause they get so tired. Why be in bed if we don't want to?"

Mable looked horrified.  “Seven guys with clubs, Edward, what on Earth did they want with you?  Why would they hit you like that?!  Please be careful!”

She hated to imagine her friend alone on the street getting beat up by older boys who should know better.  But besides that, what he said about going to bed made sense to her.

“I guess your right about that other thing, though.  What do you wanna do?  Do you need me to take care of your bruise?  I’m very good at that, you know.”

Ed was so happy the girl was naive. No one else would believe his obvious lie, but she seemed to really sincerely did. "People like to mess with me cause they know I'm better than them." He said offhandedly as he was already walking.

The boy immediately shook his head, "it'll hurt if you mess with it. It'll go away eventually. It always does!" He said without clarifying. "I thought we'd hang out at my secret place.' He actually had several but this was his second favorite. He wouldn't show anyone his top favorite.

"I don't know what to do, but I'm sure you can come up with something. I just wanna do stuff.' And he didn't like being alone.

Mable followed after Edward, even though she was frowning.

”I’ve treated black eyes before, so I’m very good at not making it hurt.  I won’t bother you about it now, but if it happens again, please let me help!”

A secret place intrigued her.  She’s never seen a secret place before, other than her own.  And how Edward was trusting her enough to bring her to his!  Slowly but surely, he was really becoming her best and most favorite friend.

”Okay, we can find something to do!  I’m good at finding things to do when I’m bored.  And actually, do you have something sharp?  I’d like to poke a hole in your shell so I can put a string through it.  Do you think you could help with that?”

Edward waved her off without a reply. Yeah his eye hurt like he'll but if she didn't bring attention to it, it was easier to pretend it wasn't there.

He began to walk with complete confidence through the dark empty street. "I have a knife but it's no good. Need like a.." he seemed in thought. "Nail and hammer. I think that's how you make holes. I mean unless you just..." he gestured in the air of twisting the knife back and forth. "Then it might make a hole."

"Nail and hammer!  Edward, that would shatter the thing, there's no way I'm doing that!"  Despite the girl's words, she was giggling.  She repeated his motion of twisting something back and forth.  "Doing this would probably be better, but it would take a while... maybe I'll wait and ask an adult.  I'd be sad forever if I broke your shell."

The air at night was so cold compared to what it was like in the daytime, but the smell of the ocean was still prominent.  Mable had been getting more and more used to it the longer she stayed in Whitby, even growing to love it more and more too if it was possible.

"Where's this secret spot of yours, anyway?  I'm very happy you're taking me there!  Have you showed it to anyone else, or am I the only one?  Does this make me your very best friend, Edward?"