RAGE
Chapter Three – Lying Is The Most Fun a Girl Can Have With Her Clothes On
The next morning, we wake up before the dawn as usual. I roll out of my warm bunk and grouch my way over to the bathrooms.
"Morning, Rage!" Crutchy chirps at me.
I grimace, but manage a half-smile for him. "Mornin', Crutch."
"How ya doin'?" he asks good-naturedly.
"Alright, how about yourself?"
"Fine. Just fine. It's a beautiful day in New York City!"
"It's too hot, though, man."
He nods. "True, true. Well, I gots to get cleaned up. I's be seein' ya, Rage!"
"Not if I see you first, Crutch."
He laughs and walks off. I sigh and look out the window. It is, in fact, a beautiful day in New York City. A perfect day.
Which means that, with my luck, something terrible will happen. Like I'll only sell three papes, or I'll lose an arm in a streetfight, or this time, Spot'll push me into the tank of dead fish at the Hatchery, or—
Or, I'll have to see David.
He has just walked into the room.
"Damn," I curse under my breath, looking around wildly for an escape route. My only option seems to be one of the sinks. I dive under the closest one, and it is only then that I look up to find myself staring directly at one of the boy's belts.
I manage to get a peek of a face. Kid Blink.
I realize suddenly how bad this looks, given Blink's perversion; me on my knees in front of him, at the perfect height for—
"What ya doin' down there, sweetheart?" he asks me conceitedly.
"Shut the hell up, wouldja?"
"Look, if you're lookin' to do that, ya need only ask me."
"I'm not, you womanizing bastard. I'm avoiding David."
"Always with the insults!" he exclaims. "Some women like a womanizer." He winks flirtatiously.
"Just be quiet. Block me from view, how 'bout it?"
"Why should I?" he demands.
I decide to switch tactics. "Maybe I'll pay you back for it later, if you know what I mean."
He grinned. "I know what ya mean," he said brightly.
"You're a very smart guy, ya know that?"
"Yeah." He puffed himself up.
I wait under the sink for what feels like an hour, with water dripping on my head and an occasional arrogant chuckle from Blink.
"Hey, he's gone!" Blink finally calls to me.
"Finally," I sigh and climb out from under the sink.
Kid Blink is staring at me. "What?" I ask suspiciously.
"Payment!" he demands.
"Oh," I say. "that."
He looks at me expectantly. "Well?"
Figuring it is best to get it all over with, I lean over to him and press my lips hard to his. I kiss him for a couple minutes until his hands start to find their way to my shirt buttons, and then I pull away.
He looks disappointed, and turns away pouting.
I shiver and try to shake the feeling of him off of me. Maybe another shower would be good…
Then, David reappears from behind a door and all the newsies (except me) laugh and cheer.
David stares at me like he's seen nothing like me before. Well, he probably hasn't.
I glance around quickly, but it's too late. He's already seen me.
"What was that?"
"What was what?" I shake my head. "Why are you here?" I demand.
"That," he motions toward Kid Blink. "And because they told me to watch."
I look over at the other newsies with fury in my eyes. I see Snipes motioning at David to stop running his mouth, but when he sees me looking he smiles sweetly.
"Aw, I'm gonna kill all o' youse."
I turn back to David. "Sorry 'bout the confusion. You can go now."
He doesn't say another word, just turns and leaves through the door. I watch him leave and then round on the others.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" I demand.
"What's wrong with you?" says Itey. "You were suckin' face wit him." He motions at Kid Blink.
"What's that supposed to mean, bum?"
"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean!?" Kid Blink inquires angrily.
"He's only done that with, like, every girl in Manhattan," says Snipes.
"And some in Brooklyn," adds Jack.
"And Queens," says Racetrack.
"Times Square—"
"Ah, shut up!" I punch the sink.
"Don't break the sink!" exclaims Jack.
"It's a sink, numbskull. It ain't gonna break, it's porcelain!" I say angrily.
"—A porcelain tub wit boilin' water—" exclaims Jack.
"—A Saturday night wit the mayor's daughter—" Kid Blink sings.
"—Look at me, I'm the King of New York—" Racetrack breaks into song. "—Suddenly, I'm respectable—"
"—Starin' right atcha, lousy wit stature—" continues Mush.
They begin to grab any and all of the few chairs that there are and perform a complicated sort of clan/tribal dance around them.
"—Nubbin' wit all the muckety-mucks, I'm blowin' my dough and goin' deluxe—" sings Jack.
"—And there I be, ain't I pretty?—" Race croons.
"No, you ain't!" I scream over their rumpus. "What's wrong wits you guys? Don't ya have any pride?"
"Hey, Rage is gonna have to sing David's parts cause he ain't here," says Snipes excitedly.
"The hell I am, neither," I spit at them.
They shrug.
"—It's my city—"
"SHUT UP!" I scream. "Why are you always singing!?"
"It's fun," says Itey, his smile fading.
"It puts us in good moods," says Jack.
"Yeah," says Mush. "Don't judge us because we're in touch with our creative sides."
They all look at him with distaste. "What he means is, don't be jealous," says Kid Blink.
"Don't flatter yourselves," I say, walking toward the door.
I exit and bound down the stairs. At the bottom is none other than David. He is facing the street and sitting on one of the steps.
"Are you stalking me?" I ask him and he turns around to look at me.
He shakes his head and turns back around.
"What, are ya mad at me or somethin'?"
"Shouldn't I be?"
"Why would you be?" I am confused.
"Well after that little spectacle—"
"What are you talking about, man? I didn't do anythin' to ya. In fact, I think I was pretty polite."
"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about you and Kid Blink."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Me and him ain't nothin' but friends. Not even that. I kinda hate his guts."
He stares at me. "That's even worse."
"Why?" I really don't get what he's going on about.
"Do you always go around kissing guys that you aren't dating?"
"Not always…"
He laughs meanly. "Is that the kind of girl you are, Al—"
"Don't!" I exclaim. "Don't even think about callin' me that, Davey-boy."
"Whatever." He rolls his eyes away from me.
"I ain't messin' wit you no more," I say, standing up. "You ain't got no reason to be mad at me."
"You just go on thinking that!" he calls after me as I walk down the sidewalk to pick up my papes.
"Gimme twenty," I say to Weasel.
"What's the magic word?" he whines.
"The magic word? You don't wanna know the magic word, chump."
"Didn't no one ever teach ya to respect your elders?"
"Aw, shut up, ya worthless old loony. Give me my damn papes."
He ignores my comment and slides the papes under the glass. "Two bits."
I throw the money under the glass at him and sit down on the sidewalk and swish my hair over my shoulder. Even though it's not much past seven in the morning, it's getting hot, and quick.
Hot days make me mad. Or did I mention that?
~Author's Note:
I was having technical difficulties when I posted Chapter Three, so that is why it didn't have an author's note. I am putting this on Ch. 3 and I will put it on Ch. 4. I love you all.
BIG thank you's to MushSpotGoil and Spot'sAlleyCat for their reviews and to MushSpotGoil, Spot'sAlleyCat, HerminoneandMarcus, and Adalia King for favoriting.
Royal shadow1, part of the whole relationship between Davey and Rage is going to be that he is the only one that can calm her down. And yes, eventually she will show him a soft side. But it may be a long while coming for y'all. Keep in mind that I have written way, way ahead on this story (up to Ch. 9). There is softiness coming up. Please continue to make suggestions. 3.
lovelovelove,
Julianna. ~