Chapter 4
The newsies had long since gone, and the wagon was heading back to the abbey. Sister Agatha glanced at Nona who stared longingly at the crowded streets. Sister Agatha slowed the wagon to a halt.
"Why are we stopping," Nona inquired.
"This is where you get off," She replied. "Take the rest of the day for yourself. You deserve the chance to have a little fun once in a while."
"Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Nona nearly tackled the nun in her joy. It had been a long time since she had been alone in the city. She was normally surrounded by a whining crowd of snotty nosed children tugging at the hem of her dress. She hopped out of the carriage and quickly made her way uptown to the park.
{Now where was it? I know it's around here somewhere. Ah, here it is.} Nona stopped in front of a large oak tree slightly off the path in the park. It had been her favorite place when she was little.
She had always thought it was funny watching the Sisters scour the park for her when she was right under their noses. Or over their heads, as it were. Of course, everyone else always failed to find the humor in it.
No one was coming, so she hiked her skirts and climbed the tree. When she had gotten comfortable, she let out a contented sigh. {Just like I remember it.} She lay back and was about to doze off when voices hawking the headlines jostled her awake.
{Maybe they'll walk past the tree and I can get some sleep.} No such luck, the newsies stopped dead in front of the tree and continued to yell. Nona groaned and sat up, now thinking of a different spot where she could find some peace and quiet.
She moved to get out of the tree and caught a glimpse of one of the newsies. He looked familiar for some reason. {Hey, isn't that the newsie who walked into the wagon this morning?} Instead of getting down, Nona inched closer for a better look. Still moving closer, trying not to make a sound, she didn't realize the branches were weaker towards the front of the tree. Just as she got to a spot with a good view the branch snapped, sending her plummeting onto the unsuspecting newsies below.
It all happened rather quickly. One minute she had been in the tree trying to get a better look at the people disturbing her sleep, and the next she was on top of them. It had happened so fast that Nona hadn't even screamed, which would have warned the poor newsies. Instead, they found themselves on the ground tangled in papers and skirts.
As soon as she regained her equilibrium, Nona jumped up and began apologizing profusely. All three newsies wore the same confused expression on their faces as they stared at the extremely apologetic, disheveled girl.
It took Nona almost a minute to realize that the fallen newsies were now more preoccupied with gathering their papers then listening to her rambling apology. Stooping to help them, she continued to apologize.
"I'm so sorry, really I am. Here, let me help you."
"Oh no miss. Really ya don't have ta do dat," one of them answered.
"No, I insist."
When they had gathered all of the papers Nona got her first good look at her victims. One of the newsies was definitely the one who had walked into the wagon. The second boy was a short Italian who eyed Nona warily, like an overly territorial dog. He seemed angry with her for interrupting his hawking. The last boy was muscular and seemed to be more puzzled than angry that she had fallen on them. He kept looking skyward as if she had fallen out of the clouds.
"It is you," she whispered slightly shocked as she stared at Blink.
"Pahdon?" Blink asked slightly confused. Nona nervously opened her mouth to answer, but the muscular boy cut her off.
"Hey, you're da goil from da bread wagon!"
"Hmm-mm." Nona stood there not knowing what to say or do, hoping one of them would make the next move.
"I'm Mush," the muscular boy said removing his hat, revealing a mass of extremely curly brown hair. He turned to the Italian as if expecting him to go next, but he remained silent still watching her every move.
"This here's Race. Apparantly, he ain't feelin' too social taday," Mush answered apologetically. This left only the newsie who had walked into the wagon.
"I'm Blink," he said spitting into his hand and extending it. He realized his mistake almost immediately and suddenly wore a horrified, embarrassed look. Mush looked like he was going burst from holding in his laughter. Race watched her with his eyebrow raised, waiting for her reaction. Nona couldn't help but laugh at his faux pas, but she didn't say anything for his sake. She spit into her own hand and shook his.
"Nona," she said through a laugh. Blink flashed her a grateful smile, which only served to make her more nervous in the situation. His smile was so warm and inviting. It was contagious; she couldn't help but smile with him. {Great, now I'm standing here grinning like an idiot. Just break the silence. Say something.}
"I'm really sorry about the whole falling on you thing. I.slipped."
"Yeah, well as long as you're ok,' Mush answered sincerely.
"Pahdon me fah sayin' so, but ya look like ya just got caught in a tornado," Blink said politely.
"Well I did just fall out of a tree," she said indignantly.
"What was you'se doin' up dere anyways?" Race asked suspiciously.
"At least you were there to break my fall," she said sarcastically dodging his question.
"Wait, what do you mean I 'look I just got caught in a tornado'?" She hurried over to a small pond nearby and looked at her bedraggled reflection. Her hair was in every direction imaginable, her face was dirty, and her skirts were in shambles. "Great!" she exclaimed. Race came to stand beside her on the bank, and scrutinized her reflection.
"It aint dat bad. If ya don't mind a fixah-uppah." Nona fixed a molten glare on her accidental companion.
"Why are you still here? Don't you have papers to sell?"
"Jist a few. I can get rid of 'em fast. Besides, I'm enjoyin' da pleasah of ya company," he replied sarcastically. Sick of his comments, Nona shoved Race. Her intent was to knock him into the pond, but as he tried to regain his balance, he grabbed her bringing them both crashing into the water. She quickly scrambled out and fixed an even hotter glare on him as he slowly made his way onto land.
"Ya owe me for dem papes,' He said pointing to his remaining papers that were now floating on the surface of the pond.
"Oh and thanks for da swim."
"Here, have another!" she said as she shoved him back in.
"It was nice meeting you," she said to Blink and Mush who were doubled over from laughter. They would definitely have a story to tell when they got to the lodging house.
"What about my money?" Race called from the water.
"Here!" she said as she hurled a dime at his head.
"Ow! Thanks, nice to meet ya too!," he said to her back as she stormed off.
The newsies had long since gone, and the wagon was heading back to the abbey. Sister Agatha glanced at Nona who stared longingly at the crowded streets. Sister Agatha slowed the wagon to a halt.
"Why are we stopping," Nona inquired.
"This is where you get off," She replied. "Take the rest of the day for yourself. You deserve the chance to have a little fun once in a while."
"Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Nona nearly tackled the nun in her joy. It had been a long time since she had been alone in the city. She was normally surrounded by a whining crowd of snotty nosed children tugging at the hem of her dress. She hopped out of the carriage and quickly made her way uptown to the park.
{Now where was it? I know it's around here somewhere. Ah, here it is.} Nona stopped in front of a large oak tree slightly off the path in the park. It had been her favorite place when she was little.
She had always thought it was funny watching the Sisters scour the park for her when she was right under their noses. Or over their heads, as it were. Of course, everyone else always failed to find the humor in it.
No one was coming, so she hiked her skirts and climbed the tree. When she had gotten comfortable, she let out a contented sigh. {Just like I remember it.} She lay back and was about to doze off when voices hawking the headlines jostled her awake.
{Maybe they'll walk past the tree and I can get some sleep.} No such luck, the newsies stopped dead in front of the tree and continued to yell. Nona groaned and sat up, now thinking of a different spot where she could find some peace and quiet.
She moved to get out of the tree and caught a glimpse of one of the newsies. He looked familiar for some reason. {Hey, isn't that the newsie who walked into the wagon this morning?} Instead of getting down, Nona inched closer for a better look. Still moving closer, trying not to make a sound, she didn't realize the branches were weaker towards the front of the tree. Just as she got to a spot with a good view the branch snapped, sending her plummeting onto the unsuspecting newsies below.
It all happened rather quickly. One minute she had been in the tree trying to get a better look at the people disturbing her sleep, and the next she was on top of them. It had happened so fast that Nona hadn't even screamed, which would have warned the poor newsies. Instead, they found themselves on the ground tangled in papers and skirts.
As soon as she regained her equilibrium, Nona jumped up and began apologizing profusely. All three newsies wore the same confused expression on their faces as they stared at the extremely apologetic, disheveled girl.
It took Nona almost a minute to realize that the fallen newsies were now more preoccupied with gathering their papers then listening to her rambling apology. Stooping to help them, she continued to apologize.
"I'm so sorry, really I am. Here, let me help you."
"Oh no miss. Really ya don't have ta do dat," one of them answered.
"No, I insist."
When they had gathered all of the papers Nona got her first good look at her victims. One of the newsies was definitely the one who had walked into the wagon. The second boy was a short Italian who eyed Nona warily, like an overly territorial dog. He seemed angry with her for interrupting his hawking. The last boy was muscular and seemed to be more puzzled than angry that she had fallen on them. He kept looking skyward as if she had fallen out of the clouds.
"It is you," she whispered slightly shocked as she stared at Blink.
"Pahdon?" Blink asked slightly confused. Nona nervously opened her mouth to answer, but the muscular boy cut her off.
"Hey, you're da goil from da bread wagon!"
"Hmm-mm." Nona stood there not knowing what to say or do, hoping one of them would make the next move.
"I'm Mush," the muscular boy said removing his hat, revealing a mass of extremely curly brown hair. He turned to the Italian as if expecting him to go next, but he remained silent still watching her every move.
"This here's Race. Apparantly, he ain't feelin' too social taday," Mush answered apologetically. This left only the newsie who had walked into the wagon.
"I'm Blink," he said spitting into his hand and extending it. He realized his mistake almost immediately and suddenly wore a horrified, embarrassed look. Mush looked like he was going burst from holding in his laughter. Race watched her with his eyebrow raised, waiting for her reaction. Nona couldn't help but laugh at his faux pas, but she didn't say anything for his sake. She spit into her own hand and shook his.
"Nona," she said through a laugh. Blink flashed her a grateful smile, which only served to make her more nervous in the situation. His smile was so warm and inviting. It was contagious; she couldn't help but smile with him. {Great, now I'm standing here grinning like an idiot. Just break the silence. Say something.}
"I'm really sorry about the whole falling on you thing. I.slipped."
"Yeah, well as long as you're ok,' Mush answered sincerely.
"Pahdon me fah sayin' so, but ya look like ya just got caught in a tornado," Blink said politely.
"Well I did just fall out of a tree," she said indignantly.
"What was you'se doin' up dere anyways?" Race asked suspiciously.
"At least you were there to break my fall," she said sarcastically dodging his question.
"Wait, what do you mean I 'look I just got caught in a tornado'?" She hurried over to a small pond nearby and looked at her bedraggled reflection. Her hair was in every direction imaginable, her face was dirty, and her skirts were in shambles. "Great!" she exclaimed. Race came to stand beside her on the bank, and scrutinized her reflection.
"It aint dat bad. If ya don't mind a fixah-uppah." Nona fixed a molten glare on her accidental companion.
"Why are you still here? Don't you have papers to sell?"
"Jist a few. I can get rid of 'em fast. Besides, I'm enjoyin' da pleasah of ya company," he replied sarcastically. Sick of his comments, Nona shoved Race. Her intent was to knock him into the pond, but as he tried to regain his balance, he grabbed her bringing them both crashing into the water. She quickly scrambled out and fixed an even hotter glare on him as he slowly made his way onto land.
"Ya owe me for dem papes,' He said pointing to his remaining papers that were now floating on the surface of the pond.
"Oh and thanks for da swim."
"Here, have another!" she said as she shoved him back in.
"It was nice meeting you," she said to Blink and Mush who were doubled over from laughter. They would definitely have a story to tell when they got to the lodging house.
"What about my money?" Race called from the water.
"Here!" she said as she hurled a dime at his head.
"Ow! Thanks, nice to meet ya too!," he said to her back as she stormed off.