Aaaaand chapter four! I still only own Rose. Sorry for the long wait, I started Lent, albeit late, and didn't have time to put it at the end of the chapter. Sorry Guys.
"A little bit of jealousy in a relationship is healthy; it's always nice to know that someone's afraid of losing you!"-Unknown
I twisted around the streets of New York, but I could barely care. Today was close, way too close. That would be the fifth time Snyder had almost caught us in the last four months. I can't help but think that our luck was running out. If David hadn't ducked when he saw us or if Les was too slow we would have been caught. A guilty feeling gnawed at my conscience when I thought about the Refuge. The damned place had caused me to lie one too many times. I shuddered as I let my mind wander to that awful place. I still had, what, twelve months hanging over my head.
"Don't worry Jack, I got into some trouble in Brooklyn and had to stay put for a while. I'm okay, I didn't mean to scare you."
It wasn't a lie, I just stretched the truth a little. I was hanging out with a group of other newsgirls in Brooklyn when some bulls showed up. I would meet the girls once a month and we would always switch up the 'fall girl' of the night. I was the fall girl, and when one of the girls upset a bull they went to arrest us. A cop broke a shop window swinging a club at my head, and arrested me as the girls got away. I spent a week alone at age eleven, and I still wake up in the middle of the night from it. All of the boys and girls fighting, people trying to find out just how tough you are, and how much you can take. It was hell, but it helped me. I became tougher, and I learned how to fight. Too bad I can't tell Jack. He'd be upset, he never wanted me to even see the Refuge, let alone be in it for a week. It was a little secret I kept to myself, just like Oscar. It was almost funny how one came from the other.
"Just another block, then we'll be to my home." David said, still walking. It had just started to drizzle, rain barely wetting my hair. Jack had his hat off, his hair getting wet as well. We looked so similar with our hair the same shade and taller build. People asked if I was twins with him. He was still taller by a few inches, like an older brother should be. We finally made it to an apartment building and hurried up the stairs, Jack holding Les in his arms. The second the doors swung open I was greeted by the smells of food and a woman's voice.
"My God, what happened?" She yelled, going over to get Les.
"Nothing Ma, he's just sleeping." David said.
"We've been waiting dinner for you. Where have you been?" a man said, who I was guessing was David's father. David put his money on the counter, trying to distract his father.
"You made all this selling newspapers?" his father asked, looking shocked.
"Well, half of its Jack's. This is our selling partner, and our friend. Jack Kelly, my parents. And that's my sister, Sarah." I couldn't help but notice the look Jack gave Sarah, he liked her.
"Ester, maybe David's partners would like to join us for dinner. Why don't you add a little more water to the soup?" His father joked, kissing his wife on the cheek.
"Mayer!" she said, shoving him playfully. They dished out the soup and it was delicious. I ate two bowls before I forced myself to stop. I didn't want to cause trouble for them.
"So, from what I saw today, you're boys are a couple of born newsies. Can I have some more?" Jack however did not think the same way I did.
"Jack!" I hissed lowly at him.
"Yes." Sarah said, not seeming to notice me at all.
"So with their hard work and my experience, I figure we can peddle a thousand papes a week and not even break a sweat." Jack boasted happily, and I felt a little dejected. I wasn't exactly used to sharing money and experience with anyone else but Jack.
"That many," Mr. Jacobs said, eyebrows raised.
"More when the headline's good." Jack said, eating some more soup.
"So what makes the headline good?" Sarah asked, batting her eyes at him.
"Oh, you know. Catchy words like maniac, or corpse, umm…love nest, or nude. Excuse me. Maybe I'm talkin' too much." Jack said, and I rammed my elbow into his ribcage.
"Wars help too," I spoke up, feeling the awkwardness in the air.
"Sarah? Go get the cake your mother's hiding in the cabinet." Mr. Jacobs said, and I felt even worse for being here.
"That's for your birthday tomorrow!" Mrs. Jacobs said, making me feel even worse than I already did.
"Well, I've had enough birthdays. This is a celebration." He said, trying to convince her.
"I'll get the knife."
"I got the plates." Both kids went to get the silverware, and they cut me a slice of cake. I didn't want to, but I ate it quickly as I listened to the conversation around me.
"This is only the beginning, papa. The longer I work, the more money I'll make." David said excitedly.
"You'll only work until I go back to the factory, and then you are going back to school, like you promised." His father said sternly, and I almost envied him. I wonder what school is like.
"Happy birthday, papa." Sarah said, and I felt even more jealous. They were such a happy family, a whole family. They weren't broken up like mine.
"This is going to heal, and they'll give me my job back. We'll make them." Mr. Jacobs said, a determined look I his eyes.
"Come back my lovey dovey baby and coochie-coo with me!" Les sang in his sleep. David tried to explain but we were too busy laughing.
"And what is this David?" his mother asked, so we only laughed harder. After dinner I followed Jack and David out onto the fire escape.
"I gotta go Jack, I need ta rest befoah tomorrow."
"You okay to go alone, I'll come with you if you-"Jack stared to say, but I just laughed.
"I'm a big girl Jack, I'll be fine by myself. 'Night Curls, sleep well." I said, making my way down the fire escape.
"Night Jewel. Carryin' the banner."
"Carryin' the banner." I said, walking out of the alleyway. I hummed an old song that always got stuck in my head. I think my mother sang it to me, I always heard a female voice in my head. I only knew a few words, but I knew the tune.
"When I dream on my own I'm alone, but I ain't lonely
For a dreamer, night's the only time of day
When the city's finally sleeping
When my thoughts begin to stray
And I'm on the train that bound for Santa Fe
And I'm free
Like the wind
Like I'm gonna live forever.
It's a feeling time can never take away…" I hummed the rest as I made my way to the familiar alleyway.
"Oscah, am I early?" I half-whispered as I walked in.
"Right on time beautiful." Oscar said, coming up behind me and giving me a hug from behind.
"Good, I was with David and Jack and lost track of time."
"Oh, well that's nice." He said, glaring at the wall above my head.
"What, is something wrong?" I asked.
"You jus' seemed really friendly to dat David kid." He snapped.
"What Curls? I just met 'im Oscar."
"You seemed really close from the start." He said.
"Oh my, is the great scary Oscar Delancey jealous of a shrimp like Curls?" I asked, laughing a little. "I'm sorry, it's just kinda funny."
"No it ain't funny Rose, I don't want anyone stealin' you from me."
"He won't Oscar, I promise." I said. We had started sneaking over to what I guessed was Central Park. We liked to stare at the stars until the early hours of the morning. We found a nice spot by a pond where the stars reflected on the surface of the calm water. He had brought an old blanket for us to lie down on.
"The necklace looks nice on you." Oscar said.
"I like the pin on your hat. Is your face okay from where you got hit this morning?" I asked.
"Yeah, it hurts, but I'm fine."
"Good. Not that it hurts I mean, the fine part." I said, correcting myself. "Snyder almost caught me again today."
"Rose, that's the second time this month alone."
"I know, I'm not trying to get caught."
"Yeah, I know…"
"Hey Oscar, what do you do with my notes?"
"I usually hide them under my bed in a box, but I keep one in my pocket. It's the one where we set up our meeting place. 'Dear Oscar, last night was actually fun. We should meet more often, in the alleyway by the fights.' Signed with a small drawing of a rose. What do you do with mine?"
"Between the bathtubs there is a floorboard that isn't nailed down. I keep your letters there, the letters and an old picture of my parents, Jack, and I at Coney Island. It's the only picture I have of them."
"I'm right next to your most prized possession. I didn't know." He said.
"I did, and that's all that matters. I think Jack has a copy as well." I said.
"Rose, is anything wrong?"
"I have a bad feeling… I'm just being paranoid."
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to you. It's late, you might want to get home." He muttered after a while of staring at the sky. I gave him a quick kiss, and then left alone. As I sneaked into my room I checked under the floorboard and made sure everything was safe. I finally crawled into my bed and fell asleep, blissfully unaware of what was to come.
