Azu's POV
I walk down the street with Bruno's girlfriend Allegra. She's a little stupid, but she makes up for it with kindness. "Bruno told me he was sorry for nearly splitting that kid's throat," Allegra told me. "Fabio and Martino, too. Anthony's skull is too thick too be sorry for anything."
"I know, Allegra, I know." I tell her. "Jacob and Octavio weren't even there and they feel bad for jumping that boy."
"Forget being sorry," Allegra scoffs. "Kristina cried when she found out!"
That didn't surprise me. Kristina was a water works system. Her tears alone could probably supply an entire city with water!
"And Teresina is refusing to even look at Anthony until he apologizes to that boy." Allegra keeps going. You can't really stop her when she gets talking.
"Allegra!" I finally interrupted. "I need to go to Doc's Drugstore and deliver Joseph's message. He thinks I'm a homing pigeon!" I stalked up the small stairs to Doc's. I opened the door and all eyes turned to me.
"What d'you want, little girl?" Action drawled, smoking a cigarette.
"I have a message from Joseph and Anthony," I say.
"Then let's hear it," Ice stands up.
"They want another fight. If you want to know why I'm here, not them, they're busy with deflating Jacob's overly-large head. He jumped one of the Sharks and nearly got his eye cut out. So I'm here to arrange this rumble with you." I reply.
"They can't send another guy, they need to send a broad?" A-Rab sneers.
"Do you want to fight them or not?" I ignore him.
"I wanna know where they learned to fight like animals." The one called Snowboy asks.
"The slums in Italy," I tell him. "There were gang wars there too. Fabio beat up his father when he was fourteen. Bruno nearly killed Octavio when Octavio insulted Bruno's girlfriend. Technically, none of the boys are peaceful at all. Fighting is their air to live."
Ice looked at his Jets. "What d'you say, buddy boys?"
"I say go!" Action cried. "We need to show them Tigers who's on top, the Jets, that's who!"
A few more Jets made similar outburst before Baby John asked: "Ain't we had enough?"
"You scared?" Action challenged.
"Who you callin' scared?" Baby John puffed out his chest.
"Honestly," I interrupt them. "I can just leave if you can't make a decision. I'll just have to tell Anthony that these Jets are too chicken to accept a fight when the challenge is made by a girl."
"We ain't chicken, you little wop," one of them hisses.
"Polack," I spit. He makes a move to punch me but I pull out Joseph's switchblade. I've stolen, and carried, it around since they jumped me. He stops. "Do you want to get stabbed?"
"Do you have the guts to stab me?" he asks.
"Lay off, Big Deal," Ice tells him. Big Deal backs up. "We accept your challenge."
"Where and when?" I ask.
"Same time, same place as last time." Ice returns.
"Weapons."
We spit out a lot as usual but Ice said no to chains, bricks, and guns. I said no pipes. "Well, Anthony will be happy to crack one of your skulls open," I get up to leave. "Tomorrow,"
"Tomorrow," Ice replies. I shake his hand: it swallows my little fist. I turn to leave. The door opens: there stands Anthony.
"I handled it," I push him out the door. "Let's go, you stupid ox."
"If you weren't Joseph's girl, or just a girl in general, I'd slap you. I am not a stupid ox! Those Americani and Bruno are the stupid ones."
"Is Jacob's head regular size again?" Anthony nods. "Kristina will be happy."
"Who cares? Kristina is stupid." Anthony brays in a donkey-voice. "So, Lady Spavento," I hate it when he calls me that. "Why did you bravely volunteer to go into Jet territory and arrange our rumble? Is there a certain blonde boy you want to see more of?"
The damn sneak knows everything… Instead of blushing I spit on his shoe. "What have you been sniffing? I don't go for blondes," When has lying come so easily to me? It is partly true I wanted to see Baby John's face again. How can I forget his eyes? His kiss? Could anyone blame me for wanting to see him? But he was a Jet; I was a Tiger girl.
"You are so crude," Anthony shakes his head. "Gimme a minute, I have to pisciare…"
"You're going to urinate in public! You're obscene!" I spit at him again and stalk off. "What a child!"
Anthony runs to catch up with me. "I was kidding, Azzura!"
"You're never going to get Teresina to forgive you if you keep up this playact." I tell him.
"And you're never going to capture our great leader's heart if you keep spitting at people!" Anthony chides.
"How many times do I have to say that Joseph is like my brother and nothing more?"
"How many times do I need to suggest that one of those Jets is taking his place in your heart?"
"How many times do I need to ask how much illegal substance you've been smoking?"
We glared at each other. Anthony and I just never liked each other.
Baby John's POV
Doc wasn't happy with us. "You punks scare away all my business, using my place for your 'war councils.' You're making trouble for the Italians now?"
"Like the PRs, Doc, they make trouble for us." Action said. "They jumped Baby John. They fight like monsters."
"Well I still wish you'd hang around somewhere other than my store, I used to have business before you kids moved in." Doc sighed.
"Don't worry Doc, we're not that bad are we?" I asked.
"Actually you kids are terrible." Doc shakes his head. "People don't even think about comin' in anymore."
"But Doc," A-Rab objected, "we are your business!"
"Yeah, you pay with smartass attitudes and war councils." Doc goes into the basement and comes back up with a crate of soda pops. Joyboy reaches for one. "Not for you!" Doc swats his hand. "I'm stuck selling my stock because you pigs don't pay for what you take."
"Gosh, sorry Doc, we'll start coughing up the cash soon." Ice said rubbing the back of his neck. We did take advantage of the middle-aged man a lot.
"You better, or I'll kick you all out." Doc glanced at the clock on the wall. "By the way… get out."
"What?" some of us asked. "Why?"
"Well, you can't come back until you pay me. Now GET!" We trooped out. Some of the guys left and I ended up walking with Action, A-Rab, and Snowboy.
The streets were quiet except for the squeal of car breaks, the occasional curse, and then… "Get off! Off!" Our heads shot up at the sound. The voice belonged to a girl.
We ran around to the alley. Three Sharks had surrounded a girl and were pulling at her dress and doing a lot of other stuff. We got into the mix and the Sharks ran. That left the girl. I recognized her immediately. Azzura. Her attitude was gone: in its place was who she was. Young, vulnerable, and at the moment a wreck. She was trembling and crying. Her skirt was ripped up the side, revealing her legs. Something inside me hurt for her. It was obvious she tried to put up a fight because her hands were cut up and the switch she pulled on Big Deal was on the ground. She looked at us through tear-soaked lashes.
I knelt down to her level. "Hey, you alright?"
"Do I look alright?" she hisses at me.
"Hey, we just saved you, ya know." Snowboy says.
She pauses. "Thank you," she says softly.
"Damn Sharks, they're gonna turn this into an all-out war." Action growls. "This turf ain't big enough for all three gangs. One's gotta jump ship."
Azzura tries to smooth out what's left of her skirt. "Joseph and his boys are not going to let this go. They'll go pick a fight with these Sharks."
"They have guts; they fight dirty but can agree to fight fair. Their leader is Pepe, his lieutenant is Indio." Snowboy says. "They're Puerto Rican."
"Ethnicity won't matter," Azzura tells him. "Joseph is willing to crack the skulls of whoever hurts me. That's why he fought with you the first time, because you jumped me."
The guys leave. I decide to walk her home. We were quiet. She tried, in vain, to fix her skirt and walked close to me. I stop. She stops too. "What?" she looks around nervously.
I wrap my arms around her and kiss her. She kisses me back, lacing her fingers through my hair and digging her nails into my neck. My hands rest on her hips. We break apart. "We shouldn't," I whisper.
"We can't," she agrees. But the wanting is there. We keep walking and get to her house. "Stay here for a minute," she disappears inside for a minute and then comes back out. "My father will be gone all night and my mother is visiting her sister." She takes my hand and pulls me into her house. Her house reminds me of A-Rab's, everything is messy and nothing is in its place. We go into her bedroom. (I think you know what's about to happen. *winks*)
She pulls me down onto the bed and crawls next to me. Our eyes meet for a moment, thinking about what we're about to do. What we can't turn away from. "Are you sure?" I ask. She only nods.
Azu's POV
I'm nervous, not embarrassed. Baby John pulls my clothes off before taking off his own. He's not nearly as muscular as the other guys look but that's fine. My fingers trace his chest and he holds me. We kiss and he ends up pinning me against the mattress. I look at him. His fingers explore between my legs. I blush and squirm. "I can stop," he offers.
"No," I tell him. "Don't you dare stop."
He smiles softly and kisses me. I can vaguely feel him touching me there and my hips move a little more into him. He breaks away. "I can't," he says.
"Don't leave me!" my voice is desperate. I need him. I love him. "I don't care if you hurt me."
He looks at me. I realize that he's young too. He can't be much older than me. He's just as nervous and embarrassed as me. My hands rub his arms. "We don't have to do it now," I say.
He stays quiet but his eyes are taking in the sight of me. "I dreamed about this, taking you, but now that I have the chance to it feels different." He looks at me sheepishly. "I don't think we're ready for this."
I pull myself into his arms. "I guess not." I reach for my nightgown and pull it on. He pulls on his boxers and pants. "You won't leave me though?"
"I'll stay with you all night if you want." I nod and snuggle against him.
Baby John's POV
Thing didn't turn out the way I thought they would. She falls asleep and her gentle breathing is the only sound I hear. I hold her and eventually I drift off too.
Hah, did I disappoint you? Nothing racy today, my friends, not today. But soon, I promise. Remember to review!