This story was written for the Battery Park Lodging House's Freedom Contest. Please review and let me know what you think!
Oh! For anyone who might be wondering at the title; I got it from a song. I'm sure what the actual title is but it goes:
Make new friends
But keep the old
One is silver
And the other's gold
There are more verses, but that is the relevant one.
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Keep the Old
Corner had been running from several members of the Hudson Dusters when she found herself in the alley next to the pleasure house. She hadn't meant to venture into this area but when she was threatened, she had panicked and run as fast as she could. Her thoughts had only been on the need to get away. Wherever away was.
Now that she was standing outside The Black Rose she cursed her stupidity. Normally she managed to keep her wits about herself a little better than that. In fact she was used to being the calm one in a crisis.
Riot would be very angry with her if he found out. So would Specs.
With a deep sigh, Corner moved toward the entrance of the alley and looked around. There weren't too many people around. She stepped back for a moment and adjusted her cap over her head so that it covered her chin length hair.
When she stepped out onto the street, she kept her head down as she strode past the entrance to the pleasure house. This limited her vision and she didn't notice the scantily clad woman that stepped into her path until she had bumped into her.
Corner had to press her lips together to keep from muttering an expletive at her bad luck. "Sorry ma'am." She said in a lowered voice.
"It's no trouble sweetheart," Was the amused reply, "What's a cute thing like you doing in this neighborhood? Looking for a bit of fun sugar?"
Corner couldn't help but look up at the woman, her expression one of horror. What a suggestion! As she looked at the painted woman though, her eyes widened even further. "Caroline?!"
The light haired woman jerked backwards at the name and then peered down suspiciously at Corner. "Oh God. Elizabeth?"
Corner bit her lip and nodded. She looked over Caroline's revealing and horridly inappropriate appearance for a moment, taking in the very low cut dress and caked on make-up. Corner had never seen a woman with so much make-up this close before. When she realized she was staring though, she quickly turned away, her cheeks flushed red.
Caroline sighed and grabbed Corner's arm and pulled her back into the alley. "What are you doing here?" She finally asked after a few moments of silence.
"Got chased over here." Corner mumbled, keeping her gaze directed just to the left of Caroline's naked shoulder.
"Right. Well, how have you been?"
"I've been fine. Do you work here?" Corner blurted quickly.
Caroline looked down at Corner with a sort of sad look. "For three months now."
Corner bit her lip again, "Um…"
"What do you do?" Caroline asked tilting her head slightly.
"I'm a newsie. I sell papers." Corner's answer was slow, but confident.
"That's nice. Is your brother still with you?"
"Yeah. Well, he lives in a different lodging house. I live over at Battery Park. He's on Duane Street." She said without hesitation.
Even after so many years, she felt a connection to the older girl. They had been best friends when they were kids and that had only ended because Corner and her brother, Riot, left the apartment building after their pa died.
Both girls stood in silence, lost in memories of their lost childhood. The quiet was broken by a lewd call in a male voice coming from inside The Black Rose.
"Oh, I have to…be going," Caroline said, glancing at the doorway, "Would you…would you like to meet for lunch tomorrow?"
Corner blinked rapidly as she came out of her thoughts, "S-sure. We…we could catch up."
Caroline nodded and smiled, "Don't worry. I'll have on a nicer outfit then."
Corner laughed nervously at first and then relaxed into it, "Do you know where The Brick is?"
"It's been a while but I think I can find my way there."
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow around noon then." Corner said pulling her hat back over her brown eyes.
"Tomorrow at noon." Caroline repeated.
Corner nodded and left the alleyway quickly in the direction of the Battery Park Lodging House. She knew that if anyone were able to see her face it would be bright red. She was embarrassed that she knew somebody in such a profession, yet at the same time she was glad that Caroline was still alive and at least measurably well.
When she reached a certain point, Corner started running and didn't stop until she was in front of the lodging house. She paused there to catch her breath for a moment, before heading upstairs as calmly as possible.
"Where were you?" Aki asked as Corner crossed the bunkroom.
"Got chased by the Dusters," Corner said with a grimace, "Took me a while to get back from where I ended up."
Aki looked Corner over with a worried expression, "Are you alright?"
"Fine, just tired from running." Corner said with a half smile. "I'm going to wash up and go to bed."
"Okay." Aki said, not really convinced, but willing to let it go.
"Corner I really don't think it's a good idea for you to be spending time with someone who works at that place." Specs hissed as they walked toward The Brick after selling.
Corner pressed her lips together for a moment to keep from snapping at him, before taking a deep breath and speaking calmly, "Specs," She said grabbing his hand and pulling him to a stop, "You are very important to me and I care very much for you. But if you don't stop lecturing me, I will not hesitate to hit you."
Specs stood staring at her with wide eyes, surprised at the rather nicely delivered threat. Corner generally didn't like physical violence, though he knew she was perfectly capable of throwing a punch.
"This is important to me." Corner said after a pause. "Caroline and I were best friends when we were children. She grew up with a lot of trouble at her home and she had nobody to help her out."
"What about you?"
"I was a young girl. There wasn't much help I could offer other than a shoulder to cry on and the occasional sweet biscuit. When my brother and I left after our father died…I was worried it was the last time I would see her. She really had nobody. I was so lucky to have Riot to take care of me."
"Well…" Specs trailed off as he began to see her point.
"Specs, you have to understand. Yes, I was embarrassed and worried at first. It's not an easy thing to see her like that. But I had all night to think about it and I've accepted it. It's just something that happens to some people. I'm just happy that she's alive." Corner pressed, staring him in the eyes and willing him to understand.
With a sigh, Specs nodded, "Alright. Not that I could stop you anyway,"
Corner smiled, relieved, "Of course you couldn't."
"Just be careful alright?" Specs said as they started walking again.
"I will," Corner squeezed his hand and looked up at him, "And thanks for coming with me."
"This just means that when my prison friend comes to visit, you have to come with me." Specs said before holding the door open and ushering her inside the restaurant, laughing at the look on her face.
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Not long ago, I was dragged to a strip club by my friends and I saw the girl who had been my best friend in middle school working there. She had a difficult home life when we were friends and I'm just glad to see that she is okay. We had a nice talk and I'm glad to have seen her.
And that's where that story came from, if anyone was wondering.