Chapter 4 - Brooklyn

-3rd Person POV-

The circulation bell tolls outside of the lodging house once again and Jack yells for the boys to wake up. Crutchie breathes a sigh of relief seeing the rise and fall of Olives breathing. He's glad to know that she made it home safe.

"Albert, get's Sparks up will you's?" Jack shouts. "We's got to get to the gate."

Albert shakes her shoulder trying to wake her up and yells as her fist connects with his nose. "What's the problem Sparks?" He shouts.

"I's not goin today." She mutters and everyone goes quiet and turns to Jack.

He struts over and pulls off her blankets. "What's is goin on kiddo.?" He tries to put his hands on her back to get her up but she flinches away from him and stands up.

They all watch her strangely. She's hunched over with her arms covering her stomach so none of them can see her front. Race walks over to throw his arm around her in support but she ducks away from his touch and trips. When she throws her arms backwards to stop herself from falling all the newsies notice the dark red stain peering out from the edges of her vest.

-Crutchie POV-

I gasp to myself and watch as her eyes widen in fear. She flinches away from the caring and gentle touches of the other newsies as they try to ask her what happened.

"Don't you'se touch me!" She yells, scared and cornered. They all back up quickly, giving her space to move.

"Olive… what's happened?" I ask her quietly.

Her eyes swim with tears as she grabs a different shirt and another vest from her bunk. "I's just tripped is all. Sorry ta worry you'se." She tells us quietly.

She walks towards the bathrooms and shuts the door. We all stare at each other in disbelief. There's no way she got that from falling.

"She went out's last night." I tell them. "I's don't know's where." They all stare at me, waiting for me to go on. "I told her not to's. But she had some boys to visit or somethin."

Jack swears. "What's we's gonna do."

"We's is gonna go sell our papes, then we's gonna talk to her's when we's is done." Blink suggests.

We all nod and pipe down as she steps out of the bathroom. "Come on then." She says quietly, opening the lodge door for us all.

-/-

-Olive POV-

I stand behind the guys as we wait for the gate to be opened, the thought of being touched again makes my skin crawl even though I know none of the boys would ever hurt me. I keep my eyes on the ground as the Delancey brothers open the gate and we all walk into the square. I get in line and avoid small talk with Skittery and Boots, more importantly I avoid the looks all the boys are sending me.

As I get closer to the paper stacks I feel anxiety build in my chest but I know that I can't let anything show or the boys will all figure it out. I drop a quarter into Wiesel's hand.

"Fifty papes." I tell him quietly and step over to receive them.

I grit my teeth as Morris smacks the stack of papes into my stomach with a sneer on his face. "Good luck today's."

"She don't need luck Morris. She's just that good. Ain't you's, did ya enjoy last night? I know's I sure did." Oscar laughs.

I hear a ripple run through the boys and my hands start to shake. They've all figured it out now, and I don't know what's about to happen.

"What did you's say?" Jack storms up to us angrily. "You'se the ones that did this to her."

Oscar and Morris step down off their platform and walk over to us. "I's did more than just that." He gestures to my stomach. "Didn't I's?" He winks at me. "Go on, tell you's friends how much fun we's had. How much you's enjoyed you's self."

Tears prickle in the corner of my eyes and I spin on my heel and run out of the square. I stop only to tuck my papers into my bag and then I take off again. My feet pound against the cobblestones in a comforting rhythm and it drowns out the throbbing of pain on my stomach.

After twenty minutes I slow down to catch my breath and walk, panting along the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm looking for one Brooklyn newsie in particular, and he has been known to sell along the bridge.

"Liv!"

"Spot!" I yell gratefully. "Thank god."

He jogs over and pulls me into a big hug. "Long time no see's. When did you's get out?"

"Bout five days ago. I's is so glad I found you's." I lean away from him and smile.

He looks at me warily. "What's happened Liv? You's look terrible."

"Dem Delancey's soaked me real good Spot." I lift up my shirt and show him the mess of whip marks.

He places a hand on my shoulder and tilts my chin so I'm looking at him. "I's is gonna kill them, you's ain't got nothin to worry about no more."

"No Spot. They'll lock you's up again. I couldn't stand that's. I just can't look me boys in the eye's. Can I's sell with you today?"

He smiles. "Course you can. You's is like family, anythin you need."