Disclaimer: Parts of this story have been taken from The Immortals by Tamora Pierce. Please don't sue me...this was my first fic and I had to look for things to fill in the blanks. Sorry it's not all original work.
Smalls bounded up the stairs, her hair bouncing on her shoulders, her light green eyes lighting up at the thought of seeing her boyfriend after a long day of selling. A skeptic Tapper, rolled her eyes, annoyed at the girl's cheeriness, and followed her. When they reached the landing, they entered the bunk room, where a few boys were scattered out, all doing different things.
"Dutchy!" Smalls squealed as she literally flew into her boyfriend's arms. Dutchy grinned and smoothed back her auburn hair.
Tapper raised an eyebrow at the sight, and couldn't control herself. "Oh, Skittery! Oh, Skittery, I'm heah. Dere ain't nuttin' ta worry bout! Oh!" she mocked in a high tone. She made a mad dash towards her unbelieving boyfriend, who scrambled away to avoid her 50-mile-per-hour body.
"Shut up," Smalls growled, still resting contentedly in Dutchy's arms.
Tapper gave a little smirk, and then helped Skittery off the floor, where he was still cowering. She distractedly brushed back her light auburn hair and scanned the room, looking for something interesting to comment on. Her blue eyes stopped at a petite girl who was staring longingly out the window. "Hey," she elbowed Skittery, "Who's dat?"
Skittery, who had been busy staring at Tapper's face, started. "Wha--- oh, her? Her name's Mysty. She's annuda one a Spot's. 'Side's dat, we'se don't know anythin' else."
"Yeah, we do," Kid Blink interjected strongly. "We'se know dat she's dumped Spot."
"She dumped Spot?" Tapper cried incredulously, "I'se don't believe a woyd dat's comin' outta ya mouth, boy."
"Why not? Hell, he had it comin' ta 'im! He has at least two goils each month, not includin' all da oddas dat he sleeps wid!" the blonde boy argued back.
"Has any a ya talked ta her?" Smalls innocently asked, speaking up for the first time in the conversation.
"Uh---"Skittery scratched the back of his neck, while Blink looked down sheepishly.
"Well, dere's ya problem right dere! You'se boys don't 'ave any sense at all ta try ta make someone feel welcome!" Smalls practically marched over to where the girl was sitting, who was still gazing out the grimy window.
Mysty tilted her head up to acknowledge the short girl. She noted the distrusting look Tapper was shooting her and observed the way the other boys hung behind, uncomfortable and uneasy. 'Jeez, is this the way they're always gonna treat me?' she thought, doubt and insecurity breeding within her.
"Heya," Smalls greeted, "I'se Smalls." She spat in her right hand and extended it towards the motionless girl.
Mysty looked her over, moving only her brown eyes. There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Smalls frowned and then glanced over at Tapper, who had a very hostile look on her face. Just as she was about to pull her hand away and wipe it on her shirt, Mysty stirred and spat in her own left hand. "Mysty." So saying, she clamped her hand around Small's, and shook it once. Smalls breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"Pleased ta meet ya, Mysty."
Mysty's smile spread slowly across her face, like a flower slowly blooming. She brushed back her long, brown, hair out of her face and stood up very casually. "Nice to meet you, too, Smalls."
"Well, did dese clowns intraduce derselves?" Smalls gestured at the small crowd of boys that had gathered around them. Mysty shook her head, her eyes jumping nervously from one person to another. "I'se guess I should start wid me boy, Dutchy," she introduced him by pointing him out. Dutchy bowed gentlemanly, causing Mysty to smile once more.
"Dis lil ray a sunshine heah," she indicated towards the girl next to her, who was clad in garments of black, "is Tappah..."
"Watch ya mouth," Tapper threatened, before nodding at Mysty.
"Da blonde boy ovah dere wid da eye patch is Kid Blink, but call him Kid, he loves dat," Smalls continued, ignoring Blink's cry of protest. "Ovah dere's Mush, wid da coily hair. Um, Skittery, who is Tappah's boyfriend by da way, and dey are meant fo' each udda." This earned her an elbow in the ribs from Tapper herself, and she cried out in pain.
Mysty smiled once more, barely containing the laughter that threatened to spill over any minute.
"Oh, and da rest are probably still out sellin' papes. Speakin' a which, are ya a newsie?" Tapper bluntly asked.
"Um, I guess. I talked to Jack earlier, so I don't know..."
"It's simple, deah, are ya a newsy or not?" Tapper tilted her head to the side, an eyebrow raised.
Mysty looked down at her black boots and then up at Tapper. Her brown eyes met Tapper's blue eyes, and then she nodded, not breaking the stare. "I am a newsie." Once again, an awkward silence filled the room.
Tapper briskly bobbed her head upwards, disrupting the 'staring contest' and the stillness. "Good," she clapped her on the back, "Yeah, da rest should be comin' back perdy soon..." As soon as she said it, loud voices floated up to the bunk room, followed by footsteps on the stairs, and then about 20 or so people burst into the chamber.
Mysty particularly noticed a curly-haired boy on crutches enter the room, and she vaguely wondered if he was faking it or not. She had seen so many phony cripples selling newspapers on the street, all emitting such grieved looks that you couldn't help but feel sorry for them. She watched as he slumped against a nearby bunk bed, pain imminent on his face. 'So he is a real crip,' she thought unhappily.
She observed as a girl, slightly shorter than Tapper but taller than Smalls, with her dirty blonde hair pulled up in a loose bun, stepped up to the boy in crutches and give him a one-armed hug.
Crutchy looked up shyly, and just the sight of his girl, Gears, made his leg stop sending painful flashes up and down his body. Gears smiled solemnly, and let go of him, patting him encouragingly on the back.
A girl with wild burgundy hair who happened to be even more petite than Smalls, shot from the crowd of newsies to engulf Kid Blink in a tight hug. Mysty looked around bewilderedly as other girls came and assembled around her.
"Wow. There are a lot of ladies here," she commented softly.
"HA!" the girl who had embraced Kid Blink let out a loud laugh. "Ladies? Did ya hear dat, Gears? She called us ladies!" She stepped up to Mysty. "Whatsa matta? Never seen a big gang a goils befoah?"
"Yes, I have. Brooklyn has newsgirls too. I just didn't realize that all the guys had girlfriends..." she muttered in explanation.
"Whad? Up in Brooklyn, didn't all da guys have girlfriends too?" Smalls asked skeptically.
"No...the only one who did have a girlfriend was..."
"Spot," Tapper finished for her, a smirk on her face. "Da one who plays wid all da goil's hearts, promisin' fo'evah...until da next perdy boid comes along. By da way, what is dis load a bull 'bout you'se dumpin' lovah-boy?"
"It ain't bull. It's the truth," Mysty shot back, "I caught him cheating on me."
"Oh, you poor t'ing," a girl piped up. She had sandy brown hair, and green, shining eyes, which were as bright as emeralds. A pale scar stretched around her neck, and Mysty couldn't help but feel at ease around her. She exuded a certain confidence, a certain light. "I'se Irish Flame, or IF. Pleased ta meet ya...um---"
"Mysty," she introduced herself again. "And since I don't know any of you besides Smalls and Tapper here, could we get acquainted?"
"Acquainted!" the short girl burst out again. "Oh, dis is rich!" So saying, she firmly pushed through the crowd and stopped right in front of Mysty. "Mysty, I'se Switch Blade. So named, cuz a dis beauty!" She swiftly pulled out a gleaming, well-polished switch blade. "And I'se ain't afraid ta use it!" she bragged, waving it around haphazardly. "I'se take good care of it," she whispered, her face softening for once and replaced by a vulnerable expression. She shoved it back on her belt. "Oh, yeah, and in case ya didn't notice, Blink's me boy. Don'tcha go tryin' ta steal him er nuttin'," she warned.
A stream of laughter erupted from Kid Blink's mouth. "Like she---how could a goil like her evah steal me away from you?!" He cracked up again, oblivious to the way Mysty was glaring at him.
Mysty ran a hand through her hair, and then crossed her arms, irritated. "Excuse me, Kid," she cuttingly said, a hard edge to her voice, making sure he heard the way she had improperly used his name. "I think the real question is why in hell would I want you as a boyfriend?"
Kid Blink stared angrily at her, annoyed at the blow to his ego, while everyone proceeded to laugh at him, loudly.
"Awww..." Switch Blade briskly strode over to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry...I'se still want you as me boy. And all dat matters is my opinion, right, Blink?"
Blink smiled at her, and then gladly kissed her again, this time on the lips, making it last longer than a quick peck on the cheek.
Mysty couldn't help it. Her lips twisted into a sideways grin, much more meaningful than her simple, sweet smile. A sappy look invaded her face, and she stood there, observing the two of them. It was evident that they belonged together, the way they just simply held each other, not caring who was watching...
"Hey! Hey! Hullo?!" Tapper snapped her fingers inches away from Mysty's face. "Aw right, stop it! Stop da madness!" she cried, taking her shoulders and shaking her. "Foist a all, ya only look like dat if you're in love. And ya ain't...not anymore. And secondly, dere's so much," she paused, searching her mind for the right word. "...Sappiness goin' 'round, you'll git sick a it in about a day! De only people who ain't sappy heah must be me and Skittery."
"Right. And that liddle t'ing dat happened last night, dat wasn't sappy?" Gears spoke up. "Heya, Mysty. I'se Gears." She spat in her hand and extended it towards her. Mysty spat in her own hand and shook Gear's. "Hey," she said shyly.
Gears smiled, equally as shy. She didn't know what to say around people she just met, and Mysty definitely counted as someone she had just met. "Yeah, and dis is Crutchy," she beckoned to the boy on crutches. "Kinda self-explanatory, eh?"
"Are you two - - -" Mysty started to ask.
"Yeah, we are," Crutchy interrupted, hobbling forward on his crutch. He slipped his left arm around Gears' shoulder, and they smiled sweetly at each other.
'Well, they belong together too,' Mysty thought as she watched the two of them.
"Aw right, dat's enough!" Tapper protested once again. "Keep it comin', we'se need ta intraduce ya to everyone. Da guy ovah dere, da one dat's...eep...busy wid IF, dat's Snitch."
Snitch waved a hand as he kissed IF even harder.
"Ok, movin' right along... dat's Blaze, da one wid da coily blonde hair. She has a tendency ta 'blaze' inta t'ings widout thinkin'."
Blaze nodded and smiled mischievously. "Nice ta meet ya!" She raised a finger to her lips, her eyes glinting with rascality.
"Oh," Smalls whispered to Mysty, who watched interested. "And da guy she's about ta sneak up on to steal his hat is Bumlets...who also 'appens ta be her guy."
She watched as Blaze crept up to an unsuspecting boy with black hair. Then, Blaze screamed in his ear, making him jump a mile high. She snatched the black newsie cap that had been resting on his head and scampered away with it.
"Blaze! BLAAAZE! Oh, c'mon, please, I'se don't have da energy ta do dis!" Bumlets whined.
"Ya gettin' old, Bumlets?!" Blaze teased over her shoulder.
"Oh man," Bumlets grumbled as he ran after her.
"Yeah, dey are so much in love," Smalls remarked. Dutchy frowned and then reached out to grab her. He pulled her, unresisting, towards him.
"What?!" he murmured in her ear, "And like we're not?"
Tapper rolled her eyes. "Damn, I'se tired a all a dis mushiness."
"Whad?" Mush shouted, hearing his name.
"I'se wasn't ---Neva mind!" Tapper called back. "He must be da only one widout a goil. But dat's cuz he lives up ta his name...all Mush around goils! Ain't dat right?!" she taunted.
"Dat ain't true!" Mush cried, "Whad about da udda guys?"
"Oh yeah," Tapper grumbled, "Da udda guys are back ovah dere, dat's Itey, Boots, Pie-Eatah, Snipeshootah, and Snoddy."
Mysty's head spun with the introductions. 'Gonna be kinda hard to keep all their names straight.' "Is that all?" she asked weakly.
"No," another girl, one Mysty didn't notice stepped forward. "I'se Baby." She had blonde hair that curled slightly at the ends and light blue eyes that twinkled like sapphires.
"Aw right, is dat all?" Smalls asked.
"She's already met Jack, but she's gotta meet Sling. Oh and da 'Mouth'," Tapper scoffed, "And his goil, Kaa. And Race, too." There was a silence as Baby stood up and left the room. "Damn," Tapper shook her head, and tousled her hair, obviously annoyed and angry with herself.
Mysty groaned and put a hand up to her head. "Ow..."
"I'se know it huyts, but afta a while, all da names are gonna roll off ya tongue. It's guaranteed!" IF said, smacking her on the back.
"Ok, now dat dat's ovah, give us da dirt," Tapper ordered, throwing herself on a nearby bed.
"The dirt?" Mysty asked confusedly, still not recovered from her headache.
"Ya know, whad happened exactly when ya caught Spot cheatin' on you'se, how ya dumped him...the dirt!" Tapper exclaimed, propping herself up on her elbows.
"Dat's me cue," Kid Blink muttered. "It's annuda gossip session, and I'se ain't stayin' fo' dis one..." He shook his head and exited the room. He was followed by all the boy newsies in the room that streamed out after him. Moments later, all the people that were left were only girls.
"Whoa," Mysty uttered in shock. "How---"
"Gossip session," Tapper shrugged in explanation, "We'se got da boys involved in one and, well, let's say dat dey had sumptin' equivalent ta a hangovah da next mornin'."
"O...k..." Mysty said, before going on to illustrate what had happened that day. "I guess it started with the date..."
Mysty gazed over at Spot. They walked down the pier together, sometimes chatting incessantly, sometimes just staying quiet, comfortable in their silence.
Spot was wearing a dirty, white shirt with his famous pink suspenders and black trousers. His brown hair was hidden underneath his gray newsies cap and his slingshot was conveniently tucked away in his back pocket.
Mysty had decided earlier that day that this night was to be a special night, so she wore her light, blue shirt with her black suspenders that she 'borrowed' from Spot with her gray trousers. Her brown hair flowed down her back freely and unchecked.
Spot stuffed his hands in his pockets, while Mysty stared up at the sky. It was a clear night, only a slight wind ruffled them, the sky a velvety black. It had been a new moon a few days back, and now it was a crescent moon. The stars adorned the blackness, like sequins hanging on a raven, shining dress.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" she said in amazement.
"Whad is?" Spot started, the silence disturbed.
"The sky. The stars. How many stars are there out in the universe? How many millions of them?"
"I'se don't know. I'se neva tried ta count dem," Spot said, shrugging, pretending like he didn't care. Inside, he did care. He valued her thoughts and reflections, more than he should have valued them, if she was just an ordinary girl, one he was going to break up with a week from now.
"And it's not only that," she said, still awe-struck, "My mother once told me that every star up there is only half of one."
"Whad?" Spot asked, skeptically, "Ya ain't makin' sense, goil."
"She told me once that every star is really a gigantic...divine being. Like, a goddess. A god. And that every star has its perfect match, and that...that they spend their whole life looking for each other. And when they find their match, they fly to each other, bright and shining...in ecstasy, a rhapsody of bliss and joy," she didn't stop as a look of annoyance and aggravation (and was that...was that a look of recognition?) flickered across his icy blue eyes.
"And the moment they find each other, they fall...like birds without wings, they fall in each other's arms, unaware that they are dropping...sinking into each other. And that's why we have shooting stars..." she finished, realizing she might have babbled on and revealed more information then she should have.
"So, da moment dey find each udda, dey die?" Spot asked, eyebrows knitting together. "Ya still don't make sense, by da way. And ya mudda speaks a load a crap," he growled, suddenly in a bad mood.
"Fine," Mysty snapped, "See if I ever talk to you about my opinions and my beliefs ever again!"
"Then, don't. It's fine wid me," Spot said tranquilly, bad mood finally over.
'God, how many mood swings can a guy have?' Mysty thought grimly. A few minutes later, they were off the pier and on an empty cobblestone street. Spot still had his hands stuffed in his pockets, while Mysty looked down at the street, kicking at the pebbles and stones. A silence hovered above the two of them, but this time it wasn't the least bit comfortable.
Spot found what he was searching for among the line of buildings and tenements. He pulled a resistant Mysty towards a structure with a sign outside that read, 'Knight's Tavern'.
"Spot," Mysty protested as she tugged away. "How come every time we go on a date we always go to a bar?!"
"Because," Spot explained tolerantly as he pulled her towards the door, "It's da only way I'se can have fun." He ignored her glare, and went on, "And if I'se ain't havin' fun, den you'se ain't having fun. Don't it all make sense?" Mysty crossed her arms, her eyes glowing with anger like a cluster of coals. "Ya comin'?" he asked before opening the door and stepping into the building.
"Ass," Mysty muttered. The wind carried her whispered word past the still open door and reached Spot's ears. Unseen by Mysty, Spot's cyan, blue eyes narrowed in hurt and distress. He blinked rapidly to keep the tears from forming in the corners of his eyes.
'Git ovah it!' he mentally screamed at himself, 'She's jist a goil! You're goin' crazy ovah a goil!' He made himself keep walking towards the bar, and ordered a beer, the first thing that came to his mind. He tipped the glass into his mouth, draining its contents in one gulp. When he looked over his shoulder, Mysty was nowhere to be seen. He angrily banged his clenched hand upon the bar.
"Hey, son, calm down," the bartender said soothingly. "How about a drink to ease your nerves?"
Spot nodded tensely. "Don't know why I'se even lettin' it affect me," he growled to the bartender, "She's jist a goil, aftah all, right?"
The bartender nodded knowingly. "That's right. She's just a girl." The bartender poured more beer into his glass.
"So, why..." he trailed off, the unfinished question ringing in his head 'Is it bothering me that much?'
"So, basically, you'se jist left him dere?" Irish Flame spoke up from where she was sitting on the bed. "Well, it ain't no wondah he cheated on you'se. Spot has an ego da size a da univeyse."
"He t'inks dat since he's Mistah - High - and - Mighty Brooklyn, he can do anythin' he wants, includin' have a different goil each week," Tapper voiced, "Oh, well, keep goin'. Don't let us interrupt!"
Mysty looked around her. All the girls were gathered in a 'circle' surrounding her. IF was on the nearest bunk bed, as was Tapper, Smalls was lying on the floor, right next to a resting Blaze. Switch Blade was reclining in a wooden chair, Gears was right next to her on the floor. Baby, who had finally come back, was sitting next to IF, completing the circle. "Ok..." Mysty took a deep breath and started again, "Well, I went walking down the pier..."
Mysty stormed away from the tavern, hair streaming behind her, angry expression on her face. 'Damn jerk,' she thought. 'Don't even know why I got with him anyway. I hate him'.
Despite it all, she knew she loved him too. Her eyes were always drawn to his figure from across the room; her heart gave an extra leap just to be around him. Once, he merely brushed his arm against hers, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Any time his eyes would brush by hers, she couldn't help being nervous and fidgety. She loved the way he smiled, she loved the way his hair fell over his blue eyes. And the way he acted around her, even if he was conceited, just made her fall for him even faster. It seemed like he was a perfect bad boy, a suave, mysterious, scandalous gentleman.
When she had first come here, her dislike for him was evident. But in the course of two weeks, she didn't deny it. She liked him. His charm had finally gotten to her after about a month, and she fell in love. Something she had never admitted to anyone, not even Enchanted, her friend at the Lodging House. She knew that the moment any girl showed interest, real interest, in Spot, he would get rid of her and get a new one. It was like that with him. Always jumping around, never caring to stay in one place or with one girl.
She strolled along the piers, still contemplating her 'problem' with Spot. She knew she shouldn't get too attached. In about a week or so, he would dump her. She smiled quirkily. Still, it was fun to argue with him. Sometimes, it was all they ever did. Argue back and forth over who was right or who was wrong. Enchanted told her that that was how she knew they belonged with each other. Spot had never argued with any of his girlfriends... until Mysty.
Mysty reached the end of the pier. Without thinking, she stripped down to her underwear and dived into the water. The piers were deserted at night, so she had nothing to worry about. The water felt delightful, sending shivers down her back. She floated on her back for a while, letting the gentle tide push her farther and farther away from land, still thinking about what to do. 'Well,' she thought, reaching a conclusion, 'I'll just enjoy things until they're over. I'll deal with it then.'
So, she flipped over in the water and started swimming back to the wooden docks, leaving fantasy and illusion in the water, and heading back to the harsh world of reality. She pulled herself out of the water, and realized with a pang inside her heart that she missed Spot. She flipped her dripping hair over her shoulder, and squeezed the excess water out. She slipped on her dry clothes over her soaking underwear, and started making the short walk to the Lodging House.
She swung open the heavy, wooden door to the Lodging House and literally skipped into the building. The first room she stopped in was the kitchen. Her stomach growled hungrily as she opened the dirty cupboards, searching for something to nibble on. She exhaled loudly when she saw that the cabinets were empty, as usual, except for a package of crackers stuffed into the back left corner. "Ugh," she said disgustedly and was about to close the cupboard, when her stomach snarled at her, making her change her mind. She pulled out the package of stale crackers and voraciously sank her teeth into it, grimacing at the dry taste. She swallowed it down and choked at the crumbs that wouldn't budge. "GAH!" she screamed, frustrated, and threw the crackers at a nearby wall, her famous temper bobbing to the surface.
"Jeez," a passing Brooklyn newsie commented as he dodged the crumbs showered around him, "Angry enough, Mysty?"
"Shut up, Skunk," she snarled at the amused boy. "There's enough crap in this world going on without you having to open your dirty, little mouth. Oh, and have you ever hear of the word bath?!" Finally done with speaking her mind, she turned around to step up the stairs.
"Wait!" Skunk called after her. "No, um, don't go up dere!" he shouted. He darted up the stairs, following her, and reaching the landing before Mysty did.
"Why not?" Mysty asked, pushing ahead of him.
"Because---because he's takin' a showah!" Skunk cried, pushing her back down.
"Oh, please. Like I haven't seen Spot naked," she grumbled.
"Oh my...really?! I'se didn't know---" Skunk exclaimed, shocked. Mysty laughed giddily and forced him backwards, going up the stairs, finally reaching the landing.
"Gotcha!" she said, and walked to the closed door that opened into Spot's bedroom.
Skunk slumped down, his eyes closed, waiting for the explosion.
Mysty was about to turn the knob when she heard a feminine laugh. Her eyes narrowed like a huntress' and her jaw dropped unbelievingly. "Wha---" she asked to no one and then heard the laugh again. This time, a laugh she recognized reached her ears.
Spot kissed the girl's neck, trailing kisses down her chest. She was beautiful, and he was lucky to have picked her up before someone else did. Still, as he took her in his arms, he felt a twinge of guilt, something he had never felt regarding his girlfriends. She laughed as he brushed his hand down her stomach, and he grinned. "Did dat feel good?"
The girl nodded frantically, making her red tresses fly over her shoulders. A seductive smile spread across her face as she laughed again. A few moments later, he joined her in the laughter, his blue eyes twinkling with glee.
Mysty swung the door open, her eyes shooting fire. What she saw made her blood boil even hotter. Her Spot with that...that slut?! She hit the doorjamb with her fist, drawing Spot's and the girl's attention.
"Mysty!" Spot cried, scrambling to cover him and the girl up. It was too late; she had already caught sight of her.
Mysty had seen the girl before, in the lower streets of Brooklyn. She was a whore, a slut, a prostitute. She had red curls that fell past her shoulders, and light, green eyes. She was thin, thinner than Mysty, thinner than Enchanted, even. And she was fuller, more curvaceous and more 'developed' than Mysty could ever hope to be. She saw the look the girl was shooting her, a triumphant look. An expression that said, 'You may be his girlfriend, but he invited me to his bed, not you...'
Mysty stealthily swung around on her heel, and stamped down the stairs past a cowering Skunk. She stormed out of the Lodging House, teardrops starting to form and make her brown eyes seem glazed over. She blinked, and one coursed down her cheek before she brushed it away angrily.
Spot stood up, and started to get his clothes on.
"What---?" the girl protested, tugging on his arm and pulling him back down.
"Leggo a me," he growled, "Git out," he ordered, before going out to follow Mysty down the stairs. He swung out an open hand at the still cowering Skunk. "I'se told ya ta keep her away!" he growled.
Mysty started running when she heard his footsteps. Ever patient, ever diligent, he persisted. He would follow her to the ends of the Earth if he had to. She darted around a street corner blindly, her eyes still full of tears. When Spot turned the corner, she was gone. He shook his head wonderingly, and was about to head back to the Lodging House, when he heard a sniffle. He followed the noise of distinct weeping, and ended up in an abandoned alley. At the very end, he saw a slumped figure, her head in her arms, still weeping.
"Mysty?"
"Leave me alone, jerk," she said quietly.
"Mysty, I'se sorry."
"You think that will make up for it?! Just apologizing? I just caught you in bed with another girl, Spot! How could you?"
"I'se got a reason," he said, pitifully, turning his puppy-dog eyes towards her.
"What? Ya got the sudden urge and thought that I wasn't..." she searched her mind for the right words "... stacked enough for you?"
"I'se was drunk!" Spot exclaimed, "I'se didn't know whad I'se was doin'!"
"Oh, really? It seemed like you knew whatever you were doing in there!"
"Mysty," he begged, and crept closer. He laid a tender hand on her arm, and when she didn't budge, he proceeded to take her chin in his other hand. He turned her face towards him, and gazed at her tearstained face lovingly.
Mysty sighed, nearly melting in his touch. Then, the memory of swinging open the door and seeing the girl being held in Spot's arms...the way he always used to hold her, came back to her and replayed before her eyes. She yanked away, her lips quivering.
"It's over, Spot," she said, slowly and deliberately. She wasn't surprised when his eyes changed from puppy-dog to hard as rock.
"You'se dumpin' me?" he asked coldly.
"Yes," Mysty hissed, her temper taking control of her again. "Ya got a problem with it?"
"No one dumps Spot Conlon," he growled.
"Jesus, Spot! Just because you're the Leader of Brooklyn doesn't give you the right to do whatever you want! I'm dumping you, ok?!" She shouted, seeing red.
"Did ya hear me?" Spot asked.
"There's a first time for everything, Spotty. And this is definitely a first for you. I am dumping you," so saying she stood up and threw off his arm. She stalked away, leaving a speechless Spot, not knowing where the hell she was going, or what she was going to do. She wasn't going to return to the Lodging House, she was sure of that. So, she turned in the direction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and started the long walk across.
"And so I dumped his scrawny ass," Mysty finished.
"Wow," Gears spoke up, breaking the silence. "Dat's---amazing."
Tapper stirred and stood up to stretch. "Nice story. I'se still can't believe ya dumped Spot. Classy t'ing ta do, by da way."
"Sun's 'bout ta set. Wondah where da boys are," Switch Blade said, changing the subject.
"Don'tcha mean, wondah where your boy is?" IF offered.
"Be quiet!" Switch Blade cried, picking up a pillow and throwing it at her.
"Pillow fight!" IF cried, and all the girls picked up a pillow and threw it at each other. "Pick on da new goil!"
"Not fair!" Mysty protested as the girls all turned on her. "AAGH!"
Laughter echoed through the Lodging House as Mysty jumped on a bunk bed to avoid the flying pillows. "NOT FAIR!"
~*~
Smalls bounded up the stairs, her hair bouncing on her shoulders, her light green eyes lighting up at the thought of seeing her boyfriend after a long day of selling. A skeptic Tapper, rolled her eyes, annoyed at the girl's cheeriness, and followed her. When they reached the landing, they entered the bunk room, where a few boys were scattered out, all doing different things.
"Dutchy!" Smalls squealed as she literally flew into her boyfriend's arms. Dutchy grinned and smoothed back her auburn hair.
Tapper raised an eyebrow at the sight, and couldn't control herself. "Oh, Skittery! Oh, Skittery, I'm heah. Dere ain't nuttin' ta worry bout! Oh!" she mocked in a high tone. She made a mad dash towards her unbelieving boyfriend, who scrambled away to avoid her 50-mile-per-hour body.
"Shut up," Smalls growled, still resting contentedly in Dutchy's arms.
Tapper gave a little smirk, and then helped Skittery off the floor, where he was still cowering. She distractedly brushed back her light auburn hair and scanned the room, looking for something interesting to comment on. Her blue eyes stopped at a petite girl who was staring longingly out the window. "Hey," she elbowed Skittery, "Who's dat?"
Skittery, who had been busy staring at Tapper's face, started. "Wha--- oh, her? Her name's Mysty. She's annuda one a Spot's. 'Side's dat, we'se don't know anythin' else."
"Yeah, we do," Kid Blink interjected strongly. "We'se know dat she's dumped Spot."
"She dumped Spot?" Tapper cried incredulously, "I'se don't believe a woyd dat's comin' outta ya mouth, boy."
"Why not? Hell, he had it comin' ta 'im! He has at least two goils each month, not includin' all da oddas dat he sleeps wid!" the blonde boy argued back.
"Has any a ya talked ta her?" Smalls innocently asked, speaking up for the first time in the conversation.
"Uh---"Skittery scratched the back of his neck, while Blink looked down sheepishly.
"Well, dere's ya problem right dere! You'se boys don't 'ave any sense at all ta try ta make someone feel welcome!" Smalls practically marched over to where the girl was sitting, who was still gazing out the grimy window.
Mysty tilted her head up to acknowledge the short girl. She noted the distrusting look Tapper was shooting her and observed the way the other boys hung behind, uncomfortable and uneasy. 'Jeez, is this the way they're always gonna treat me?' she thought, doubt and insecurity breeding within her.
"Heya," Smalls greeted, "I'se Smalls." She spat in her right hand and extended it towards the motionless girl.
Mysty looked her over, moving only her brown eyes. There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Smalls frowned and then glanced over at Tapper, who had a very hostile look on her face. Just as she was about to pull her hand away and wipe it on her shirt, Mysty stirred and spat in her own left hand. "Mysty." So saying, she clamped her hand around Small's, and shook it once. Smalls breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"Pleased ta meet ya, Mysty."
Mysty's smile spread slowly across her face, like a flower slowly blooming. She brushed back her long, brown, hair out of her face and stood up very casually. "Nice to meet you, too, Smalls."
"Well, did dese clowns intraduce derselves?" Smalls gestured at the small crowd of boys that had gathered around them. Mysty shook her head, her eyes jumping nervously from one person to another. "I'se guess I should start wid me boy, Dutchy," she introduced him by pointing him out. Dutchy bowed gentlemanly, causing Mysty to smile once more.
"Dis lil ray a sunshine heah," she indicated towards the girl next to her, who was clad in garments of black, "is Tappah..."
"Watch ya mouth," Tapper threatened, before nodding at Mysty.
"Da blonde boy ovah dere wid da eye patch is Kid Blink, but call him Kid, he loves dat," Smalls continued, ignoring Blink's cry of protest. "Ovah dere's Mush, wid da coily hair. Um, Skittery, who is Tappah's boyfriend by da way, and dey are meant fo' each udda." This earned her an elbow in the ribs from Tapper herself, and she cried out in pain.
Mysty smiled once more, barely containing the laughter that threatened to spill over any minute.
"Oh, and da rest are probably still out sellin' papes. Speakin' a which, are ya a newsie?" Tapper bluntly asked.
"Um, I guess. I talked to Jack earlier, so I don't know..."
"It's simple, deah, are ya a newsy or not?" Tapper tilted her head to the side, an eyebrow raised.
Mysty looked down at her black boots and then up at Tapper. Her brown eyes met Tapper's blue eyes, and then she nodded, not breaking the stare. "I am a newsie." Once again, an awkward silence filled the room.
Tapper briskly bobbed her head upwards, disrupting the 'staring contest' and the stillness. "Good," she clapped her on the back, "Yeah, da rest should be comin' back perdy soon..." As soon as she said it, loud voices floated up to the bunk room, followed by footsteps on the stairs, and then about 20 or so people burst into the chamber.
Mysty particularly noticed a curly-haired boy on crutches enter the room, and she vaguely wondered if he was faking it or not. She had seen so many phony cripples selling newspapers on the street, all emitting such grieved looks that you couldn't help but feel sorry for them. She watched as he slumped against a nearby bunk bed, pain imminent on his face. 'So he is a real crip,' she thought unhappily.
She observed as a girl, slightly shorter than Tapper but taller than Smalls, with her dirty blonde hair pulled up in a loose bun, stepped up to the boy in crutches and give him a one-armed hug.
Crutchy looked up shyly, and just the sight of his girl, Gears, made his leg stop sending painful flashes up and down his body. Gears smiled solemnly, and let go of him, patting him encouragingly on the back.
A girl with wild burgundy hair who happened to be even more petite than Smalls, shot from the crowd of newsies to engulf Kid Blink in a tight hug. Mysty looked around bewilderedly as other girls came and assembled around her.
"Wow. There are a lot of ladies here," she commented softly.
"HA!" the girl who had embraced Kid Blink let out a loud laugh. "Ladies? Did ya hear dat, Gears? She called us ladies!" She stepped up to Mysty. "Whatsa matta? Never seen a big gang a goils befoah?"
"Yes, I have. Brooklyn has newsgirls too. I just didn't realize that all the guys had girlfriends..." she muttered in explanation.
"Whad? Up in Brooklyn, didn't all da guys have girlfriends too?" Smalls asked skeptically.
"No...the only one who did have a girlfriend was..."
"Spot," Tapper finished for her, a smirk on her face. "Da one who plays wid all da goil's hearts, promisin' fo'evah...until da next perdy boid comes along. By da way, what is dis load a bull 'bout you'se dumpin' lovah-boy?"
"It ain't bull. It's the truth," Mysty shot back, "I caught him cheating on me."
"Oh, you poor t'ing," a girl piped up. She had sandy brown hair, and green, shining eyes, which were as bright as emeralds. A pale scar stretched around her neck, and Mysty couldn't help but feel at ease around her. She exuded a certain confidence, a certain light. "I'se Irish Flame, or IF. Pleased ta meet ya...um---"
"Mysty," she introduced herself again. "And since I don't know any of you besides Smalls and Tapper here, could we get acquainted?"
"Acquainted!" the short girl burst out again. "Oh, dis is rich!" So saying, she firmly pushed through the crowd and stopped right in front of Mysty. "Mysty, I'se Switch Blade. So named, cuz a dis beauty!" She swiftly pulled out a gleaming, well-polished switch blade. "And I'se ain't afraid ta use it!" she bragged, waving it around haphazardly. "I'se take good care of it," she whispered, her face softening for once and replaced by a vulnerable expression. She shoved it back on her belt. "Oh, yeah, and in case ya didn't notice, Blink's me boy. Don'tcha go tryin' ta steal him er nuttin'," she warned.
A stream of laughter erupted from Kid Blink's mouth. "Like she---how could a goil like her evah steal me away from you?!" He cracked up again, oblivious to the way Mysty was glaring at him.
Mysty ran a hand through her hair, and then crossed her arms, irritated. "Excuse me, Kid," she cuttingly said, a hard edge to her voice, making sure he heard the way she had improperly used his name. "I think the real question is why in hell would I want you as a boyfriend?"
Kid Blink stared angrily at her, annoyed at the blow to his ego, while everyone proceeded to laugh at him, loudly.
"Awww..." Switch Blade briskly strode over to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry...I'se still want you as me boy. And all dat matters is my opinion, right, Blink?"
Blink smiled at her, and then gladly kissed her again, this time on the lips, making it last longer than a quick peck on the cheek.
Mysty couldn't help it. Her lips twisted into a sideways grin, much more meaningful than her simple, sweet smile. A sappy look invaded her face, and she stood there, observing the two of them. It was evident that they belonged together, the way they just simply held each other, not caring who was watching...
"Hey! Hey! Hullo?!" Tapper snapped her fingers inches away from Mysty's face. "Aw right, stop it! Stop da madness!" she cried, taking her shoulders and shaking her. "Foist a all, ya only look like dat if you're in love. And ya ain't...not anymore. And secondly, dere's so much," she paused, searching her mind for the right word. "...Sappiness goin' 'round, you'll git sick a it in about a day! De only people who ain't sappy heah must be me and Skittery."
"Right. And that liddle t'ing dat happened last night, dat wasn't sappy?" Gears spoke up. "Heya, Mysty. I'se Gears." She spat in her hand and extended it towards her. Mysty spat in her own hand and shook Gear's. "Hey," she said shyly.
Gears smiled, equally as shy. She didn't know what to say around people she just met, and Mysty definitely counted as someone she had just met. "Yeah, and dis is Crutchy," she beckoned to the boy on crutches. "Kinda self-explanatory, eh?"
"Are you two - - -" Mysty started to ask.
"Yeah, we are," Crutchy interrupted, hobbling forward on his crutch. He slipped his left arm around Gears' shoulder, and they smiled sweetly at each other.
'Well, they belong together too,' Mysty thought as she watched the two of them.
"Aw right, dat's enough!" Tapper protested once again. "Keep it comin', we'se need ta intraduce ya to everyone. Da guy ovah dere, da one dat's...eep...busy wid IF, dat's Snitch."
Snitch waved a hand as he kissed IF even harder.
"Ok, movin' right along... dat's Blaze, da one wid da coily blonde hair. She has a tendency ta 'blaze' inta t'ings widout thinkin'."
Blaze nodded and smiled mischievously. "Nice ta meet ya!" She raised a finger to her lips, her eyes glinting with rascality.
"Oh," Smalls whispered to Mysty, who watched interested. "And da guy she's about ta sneak up on to steal his hat is Bumlets...who also 'appens ta be her guy."
She watched as Blaze crept up to an unsuspecting boy with black hair. Then, Blaze screamed in his ear, making him jump a mile high. She snatched the black newsie cap that had been resting on his head and scampered away with it.
"Blaze! BLAAAZE! Oh, c'mon, please, I'se don't have da energy ta do dis!" Bumlets whined.
"Ya gettin' old, Bumlets?!" Blaze teased over her shoulder.
"Oh man," Bumlets grumbled as he ran after her.
"Yeah, dey are so much in love," Smalls remarked. Dutchy frowned and then reached out to grab her. He pulled her, unresisting, towards him.
"What?!" he murmured in her ear, "And like we're not?"
Tapper rolled her eyes. "Damn, I'se tired a all a dis mushiness."
"Whad?" Mush shouted, hearing his name.
"I'se wasn't ---Neva mind!" Tapper called back. "He must be da only one widout a goil. But dat's cuz he lives up ta his name...all Mush around goils! Ain't dat right?!" she taunted.
"Dat ain't true!" Mush cried, "Whad about da udda guys?"
"Oh yeah," Tapper grumbled, "Da udda guys are back ovah dere, dat's Itey, Boots, Pie-Eatah, Snipeshootah, and Snoddy."
Mysty's head spun with the introductions. 'Gonna be kinda hard to keep all their names straight.' "Is that all?" she asked weakly.
"No," another girl, one Mysty didn't notice stepped forward. "I'se Baby." She had blonde hair that curled slightly at the ends and light blue eyes that twinkled like sapphires.
"Aw right, is dat all?" Smalls asked.
"She's already met Jack, but she's gotta meet Sling. Oh and da 'Mouth'," Tapper scoffed, "And his goil, Kaa. And Race, too." There was a silence as Baby stood up and left the room. "Damn," Tapper shook her head, and tousled her hair, obviously annoyed and angry with herself.
Mysty groaned and put a hand up to her head. "Ow..."
"I'se know it huyts, but afta a while, all da names are gonna roll off ya tongue. It's guaranteed!" IF said, smacking her on the back.
"Ok, now dat dat's ovah, give us da dirt," Tapper ordered, throwing herself on a nearby bed.
"The dirt?" Mysty asked confusedly, still not recovered from her headache.
"Ya know, whad happened exactly when ya caught Spot cheatin' on you'se, how ya dumped him...the dirt!" Tapper exclaimed, propping herself up on her elbows.
"Dat's me cue," Kid Blink muttered. "It's annuda gossip session, and I'se ain't stayin' fo' dis one..." He shook his head and exited the room. He was followed by all the boy newsies in the room that streamed out after him. Moments later, all the people that were left were only girls.
"Whoa," Mysty uttered in shock. "How---"
"Gossip session," Tapper shrugged in explanation, "We'se got da boys involved in one and, well, let's say dat dey had sumptin' equivalent ta a hangovah da next mornin'."
"O...k..." Mysty said, before going on to illustrate what had happened that day. "I guess it started with the date..."
Mysty gazed over at Spot. They walked down the pier together, sometimes chatting incessantly, sometimes just staying quiet, comfortable in their silence.
Spot was wearing a dirty, white shirt with his famous pink suspenders and black trousers. His brown hair was hidden underneath his gray newsies cap and his slingshot was conveniently tucked away in his back pocket.
Mysty had decided earlier that day that this night was to be a special night, so she wore her light, blue shirt with her black suspenders that she 'borrowed' from Spot with her gray trousers. Her brown hair flowed down her back freely and unchecked.
Spot stuffed his hands in his pockets, while Mysty stared up at the sky. It was a clear night, only a slight wind ruffled them, the sky a velvety black. It had been a new moon a few days back, and now it was a crescent moon. The stars adorned the blackness, like sequins hanging on a raven, shining dress.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" she said in amazement.
"Whad is?" Spot started, the silence disturbed.
"The sky. The stars. How many stars are there out in the universe? How many millions of them?"
"I'se don't know. I'se neva tried ta count dem," Spot said, shrugging, pretending like he didn't care. Inside, he did care. He valued her thoughts and reflections, more than he should have valued them, if she was just an ordinary girl, one he was going to break up with a week from now.
"And it's not only that," she said, still awe-struck, "My mother once told me that every star up there is only half of one."
"Whad?" Spot asked, skeptically, "Ya ain't makin' sense, goil."
"She told me once that every star is really a gigantic...divine being. Like, a goddess. A god. And that every star has its perfect match, and that...that they spend their whole life looking for each other. And when they find their match, they fly to each other, bright and shining...in ecstasy, a rhapsody of bliss and joy," she didn't stop as a look of annoyance and aggravation (and was that...was that a look of recognition?) flickered across his icy blue eyes.
"And the moment they find each other, they fall...like birds without wings, they fall in each other's arms, unaware that they are dropping...sinking into each other. And that's why we have shooting stars..." she finished, realizing she might have babbled on and revealed more information then she should have.
"So, da moment dey find each udda, dey die?" Spot asked, eyebrows knitting together. "Ya still don't make sense, by da way. And ya mudda speaks a load a crap," he growled, suddenly in a bad mood.
"Fine," Mysty snapped, "See if I ever talk to you about my opinions and my beliefs ever again!"
"Then, don't. It's fine wid me," Spot said tranquilly, bad mood finally over.
'God, how many mood swings can a guy have?' Mysty thought grimly. A few minutes later, they were off the pier and on an empty cobblestone street. Spot still had his hands stuffed in his pockets, while Mysty looked down at the street, kicking at the pebbles and stones. A silence hovered above the two of them, but this time it wasn't the least bit comfortable.
Spot found what he was searching for among the line of buildings and tenements. He pulled a resistant Mysty towards a structure with a sign outside that read, 'Knight's Tavern'.
"Spot," Mysty protested as she tugged away. "How come every time we go on a date we always go to a bar?!"
"Because," Spot explained tolerantly as he pulled her towards the door, "It's da only way I'se can have fun." He ignored her glare, and went on, "And if I'se ain't havin' fun, den you'se ain't having fun. Don't it all make sense?" Mysty crossed her arms, her eyes glowing with anger like a cluster of coals. "Ya comin'?" he asked before opening the door and stepping into the building.
"Ass," Mysty muttered. The wind carried her whispered word past the still open door and reached Spot's ears. Unseen by Mysty, Spot's cyan, blue eyes narrowed in hurt and distress. He blinked rapidly to keep the tears from forming in the corners of his eyes.
'Git ovah it!' he mentally screamed at himself, 'She's jist a goil! You're goin' crazy ovah a goil!' He made himself keep walking towards the bar, and ordered a beer, the first thing that came to his mind. He tipped the glass into his mouth, draining its contents in one gulp. When he looked over his shoulder, Mysty was nowhere to be seen. He angrily banged his clenched hand upon the bar.
"Hey, son, calm down," the bartender said soothingly. "How about a drink to ease your nerves?"
Spot nodded tensely. "Don't know why I'se even lettin' it affect me," he growled to the bartender, "She's jist a goil, aftah all, right?"
The bartender nodded knowingly. "That's right. She's just a girl." The bartender poured more beer into his glass.
"So, why..." he trailed off, the unfinished question ringing in his head 'Is it bothering me that much?'
"So, basically, you'se jist left him dere?" Irish Flame spoke up from where she was sitting on the bed. "Well, it ain't no wondah he cheated on you'se. Spot has an ego da size a da univeyse."
"He t'inks dat since he's Mistah - High - and - Mighty Brooklyn, he can do anythin' he wants, includin' have a different goil each week," Tapper voiced, "Oh, well, keep goin'. Don't let us interrupt!"
Mysty looked around her. All the girls were gathered in a 'circle' surrounding her. IF was on the nearest bunk bed, as was Tapper, Smalls was lying on the floor, right next to a resting Blaze. Switch Blade was reclining in a wooden chair, Gears was right next to her on the floor. Baby, who had finally come back, was sitting next to IF, completing the circle. "Ok..." Mysty took a deep breath and started again, "Well, I went walking down the pier..."
Mysty stormed away from the tavern, hair streaming behind her, angry expression on her face. 'Damn jerk,' she thought. 'Don't even know why I got with him anyway. I hate him'.
Despite it all, she knew she loved him too. Her eyes were always drawn to his figure from across the room; her heart gave an extra leap just to be around him. Once, he merely brushed his arm against hers, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Any time his eyes would brush by hers, she couldn't help being nervous and fidgety. She loved the way he smiled, she loved the way his hair fell over his blue eyes. And the way he acted around her, even if he was conceited, just made her fall for him even faster. It seemed like he was a perfect bad boy, a suave, mysterious, scandalous gentleman.
When she had first come here, her dislike for him was evident. But in the course of two weeks, she didn't deny it. She liked him. His charm had finally gotten to her after about a month, and she fell in love. Something she had never admitted to anyone, not even Enchanted, her friend at the Lodging House. She knew that the moment any girl showed interest, real interest, in Spot, he would get rid of her and get a new one. It was like that with him. Always jumping around, never caring to stay in one place or with one girl.
She strolled along the piers, still contemplating her 'problem' with Spot. She knew she shouldn't get too attached. In about a week or so, he would dump her. She smiled quirkily. Still, it was fun to argue with him. Sometimes, it was all they ever did. Argue back and forth over who was right or who was wrong. Enchanted told her that that was how she knew they belonged with each other. Spot had never argued with any of his girlfriends... until Mysty.
Mysty reached the end of the pier. Without thinking, she stripped down to her underwear and dived into the water. The piers were deserted at night, so she had nothing to worry about. The water felt delightful, sending shivers down her back. She floated on her back for a while, letting the gentle tide push her farther and farther away from land, still thinking about what to do. 'Well,' she thought, reaching a conclusion, 'I'll just enjoy things until they're over. I'll deal with it then.'
So, she flipped over in the water and started swimming back to the wooden docks, leaving fantasy and illusion in the water, and heading back to the harsh world of reality. She pulled herself out of the water, and realized with a pang inside her heart that she missed Spot. She flipped her dripping hair over her shoulder, and squeezed the excess water out. She slipped on her dry clothes over her soaking underwear, and started making the short walk to the Lodging House.
She swung open the heavy, wooden door to the Lodging House and literally skipped into the building. The first room she stopped in was the kitchen. Her stomach growled hungrily as she opened the dirty cupboards, searching for something to nibble on. She exhaled loudly when she saw that the cabinets were empty, as usual, except for a package of crackers stuffed into the back left corner. "Ugh," she said disgustedly and was about to close the cupboard, when her stomach snarled at her, making her change her mind. She pulled out the package of stale crackers and voraciously sank her teeth into it, grimacing at the dry taste. She swallowed it down and choked at the crumbs that wouldn't budge. "GAH!" she screamed, frustrated, and threw the crackers at a nearby wall, her famous temper bobbing to the surface.
"Jeez," a passing Brooklyn newsie commented as he dodged the crumbs showered around him, "Angry enough, Mysty?"
"Shut up, Skunk," she snarled at the amused boy. "There's enough crap in this world going on without you having to open your dirty, little mouth. Oh, and have you ever hear of the word bath?!" Finally done with speaking her mind, she turned around to step up the stairs.
"Wait!" Skunk called after her. "No, um, don't go up dere!" he shouted. He darted up the stairs, following her, and reaching the landing before Mysty did.
"Why not?" Mysty asked, pushing ahead of him.
"Because---because he's takin' a showah!" Skunk cried, pushing her back down.
"Oh, please. Like I haven't seen Spot naked," she grumbled.
"Oh my...really?! I'se didn't know---" Skunk exclaimed, shocked. Mysty laughed giddily and forced him backwards, going up the stairs, finally reaching the landing.
"Gotcha!" she said, and walked to the closed door that opened into Spot's bedroom.
Skunk slumped down, his eyes closed, waiting for the explosion.
Mysty was about to turn the knob when she heard a feminine laugh. Her eyes narrowed like a huntress' and her jaw dropped unbelievingly. "Wha---" she asked to no one and then heard the laugh again. This time, a laugh she recognized reached her ears.
Spot kissed the girl's neck, trailing kisses down her chest. She was beautiful, and he was lucky to have picked her up before someone else did. Still, as he took her in his arms, he felt a twinge of guilt, something he had never felt regarding his girlfriends. She laughed as he brushed his hand down her stomach, and he grinned. "Did dat feel good?"
The girl nodded frantically, making her red tresses fly over her shoulders. A seductive smile spread across her face as she laughed again. A few moments later, he joined her in the laughter, his blue eyes twinkling with glee.
Mysty swung the door open, her eyes shooting fire. What she saw made her blood boil even hotter. Her Spot with that...that slut?! She hit the doorjamb with her fist, drawing Spot's and the girl's attention.
"Mysty!" Spot cried, scrambling to cover him and the girl up. It was too late; she had already caught sight of her.
Mysty had seen the girl before, in the lower streets of Brooklyn. She was a whore, a slut, a prostitute. She had red curls that fell past her shoulders, and light, green eyes. She was thin, thinner than Mysty, thinner than Enchanted, even. And she was fuller, more curvaceous and more 'developed' than Mysty could ever hope to be. She saw the look the girl was shooting her, a triumphant look. An expression that said, 'You may be his girlfriend, but he invited me to his bed, not you...'
Mysty stealthily swung around on her heel, and stamped down the stairs past a cowering Skunk. She stormed out of the Lodging House, teardrops starting to form and make her brown eyes seem glazed over. She blinked, and one coursed down her cheek before she brushed it away angrily.
Spot stood up, and started to get his clothes on.
"What---?" the girl protested, tugging on his arm and pulling him back down.
"Leggo a me," he growled, "Git out," he ordered, before going out to follow Mysty down the stairs. He swung out an open hand at the still cowering Skunk. "I'se told ya ta keep her away!" he growled.
Mysty started running when she heard his footsteps. Ever patient, ever diligent, he persisted. He would follow her to the ends of the Earth if he had to. She darted around a street corner blindly, her eyes still full of tears. When Spot turned the corner, she was gone. He shook his head wonderingly, and was about to head back to the Lodging House, when he heard a sniffle. He followed the noise of distinct weeping, and ended up in an abandoned alley. At the very end, he saw a slumped figure, her head in her arms, still weeping.
"Mysty?"
"Leave me alone, jerk," she said quietly.
"Mysty, I'se sorry."
"You think that will make up for it?! Just apologizing? I just caught you in bed with another girl, Spot! How could you?"
"I'se got a reason," he said, pitifully, turning his puppy-dog eyes towards her.
"What? Ya got the sudden urge and thought that I wasn't..." she searched her mind for the right words "... stacked enough for you?"
"I'se was drunk!" Spot exclaimed, "I'se didn't know whad I'se was doin'!"
"Oh, really? It seemed like you knew whatever you were doing in there!"
"Mysty," he begged, and crept closer. He laid a tender hand on her arm, and when she didn't budge, he proceeded to take her chin in his other hand. He turned her face towards him, and gazed at her tearstained face lovingly.
Mysty sighed, nearly melting in his touch. Then, the memory of swinging open the door and seeing the girl being held in Spot's arms...the way he always used to hold her, came back to her and replayed before her eyes. She yanked away, her lips quivering.
"It's over, Spot," she said, slowly and deliberately. She wasn't surprised when his eyes changed from puppy-dog to hard as rock.
"You'se dumpin' me?" he asked coldly.
"Yes," Mysty hissed, her temper taking control of her again. "Ya got a problem with it?"
"No one dumps Spot Conlon," he growled.
"Jesus, Spot! Just because you're the Leader of Brooklyn doesn't give you the right to do whatever you want! I'm dumping you, ok?!" She shouted, seeing red.
"Did ya hear me?" Spot asked.
"There's a first time for everything, Spotty. And this is definitely a first for you. I am dumping you," so saying she stood up and threw off his arm. She stalked away, leaving a speechless Spot, not knowing where the hell she was going, or what she was going to do. She wasn't going to return to the Lodging House, she was sure of that. So, she turned in the direction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and started the long walk across.
"And so I dumped his scrawny ass," Mysty finished.
"Wow," Gears spoke up, breaking the silence. "Dat's---amazing."
Tapper stirred and stood up to stretch. "Nice story. I'se still can't believe ya dumped Spot. Classy t'ing ta do, by da way."
"Sun's 'bout ta set. Wondah where da boys are," Switch Blade said, changing the subject.
"Don'tcha mean, wondah where your boy is?" IF offered.
"Be quiet!" Switch Blade cried, picking up a pillow and throwing it at her.
"Pillow fight!" IF cried, and all the girls picked up a pillow and threw it at each other. "Pick on da new goil!"
"Not fair!" Mysty protested as the girls all turned on her. "AAGH!"
Laughter echoed through the Lodging House as Mysty jumped on a bunk bed to avoid the flying pillows. "NOT FAIR!"
~*~