Lefty and Race burst into the seemingly empty bunkroom laughing hysterically. Lefty was leaning on Race for support, who was having some trouble keeping her up, for he was nearly doubling over with laughter, wiping tears from his eyes. Race had been telling her a story about when Blink was a kid, one that he liked to tell at parties he found particularly dull, one that definitely lightened up the mood. Lefty, as he had anticipated, had found it extremely humorous, and was still laughing when Race put his hands around her slim waist and lifted her up, seating her on the top bunk he and Blink shared. He climbed up and joined her, kissing her cheek and smiling.
"Ya know, its Satiday, and most a da boys'll be sellin da aftanoon edition, and I tink da chances of somebody walkin in on us is pretty slim…" he trailed off as she turned her head and stared into him with her clear blue eyes. She captivated him. She could have told him to do anything, and he would have done it. She could have asked him any question, and he would have answered. If she told him to go jump off the Brooklyn Bridge he would have done it, without hesitation, as long as her face would be the last thing he saw. She brought him back to life by kissing him gently a kiss that he was glad to deepen. She put her arms around his neck as their kiss grew more passionate, and he gently began to lower her down on the bed. Lefty ran her delicate fingers down the collar of his shirt, but as she did they both heard the door to the bunkroom bang open, and sat up immediately. It was Mush, who seemed slightly embarrassed but mostly amused at the sight of them looking down anxiously at him from the bunk.
"Ooo Race it's gonna cost you a lot to keep me from tellin Blink you've been foolin around wit one a da prettiest goils in Manhattan on his bunk" he said as he walked over to his bunk and reached under his mattress, pulling out a bag and taking out a few coins.
"Where ya goin Mush, ya gotta date? Oh no, that can't be it. You haven't had a date…ever. Wouldn't wanna break dat record." Race shot back, smirking as he jumped down from the bunk. Lefty hopped down and put her arms around his waist, standing on her tiptoes and looking over his shoulder at Mush. He winked at her and she let go of Race and walked down the row of bunks to the large window. It was open, and she leaned her head out and let the light breeze cool her face. Just then she looked down at the fire escapes below her and saw to people standing there, a few floors down. It was Bumlets; the white cap she recognized, and some little blonde girl who he was talking to very rapidly.
"Listen Twitch, I'm tellin you, dere out dere, and dere lookin' for you." Lefty heard Bumlets say.
"Ya tink I don't know dat? I know my brotha more dan anyone, and I know how ta take care a myself. Quit worrying about me Bumlets, I know what I'm doin" the small blonde girl said.
"If you don't watch out dis could get very dangerous Twitch."
"Fuck off. I am watching out. Dis ain't none a your concoin"
"Hey, your da one who told me about you plan, your da one who asked for my help. I told you dis would happen, but you didn't listen…" Just then Lefty felt someone put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey doll, Mush says Jack-" Race began.
"Sshh" Lefty put her finger to his lips and backed away from the window.
"What?" Race asked.
"Nothing. What does Jack want?" Lefty asked, closing the window gently and lighting a cigarette.
"To see us at Tibby's" Race answered, already putting his arm around her shoulders and walking towards the door. Mush followed them downstairs, but as soon as he noticed Ringlets and Asia coming towards the door he spun around back inside.
"Hey Race" he yelled into the street from the doorway. Race turned around, an eyebrow raised.
"What?"
"Does my haih look ok?"
"No" Race laughed as Lefty rolled her eyes. Mush didn't see because he was already standing up straight, looking like a doorman ready to welcome Ringlets into a hotel. She laughed and took his arm and they shut the door, leaving Asia outside.
"Hey guys, wait up" she called to Lefty and Race, who didn't stop walking.
"C'mon Asia, Tibby's'll be full a guys dis time a day, you'll be able to break plenty of hearts befoah dinna" Race smirked and Asia caught up with them right as they turned to go into the restaurant. Jack stood up and spitshook with Race as soon as they came in.
"Glad you guys could make, but we didn't ask for live entertainment" he said, casting a teasing glance at Asia, dressed in her usual provocative red.
"Haha Kelly, ya almost as funny as Race is charming." She returned as she slid into the booth next to Blink, who seemed to perk up a bit.
"Alright, listen everybody, we've got a bit of--Racetrack" Jack began but stopped and frowned down at Race, who already had a cigar hanging out of the side of his mouth and was shuffling his cards.
"What?" was the insulted response.
"Lefty" Jack gazed down at her. She quickly pulled the cigar from his mouth and placed her lips on his, causing everyone else to groan in disgust, and Race completely forget about the cards in his hands.
"Pay attention Race" she whispered, in a voice that almost was promising something if he obeyed, which he did.
"Anyways, we have just heard from Spot, who has just come back from a meeting with Queens, that they're not too happy with us right now. Anybody know any reason why they wouldn't be?" Jack asked, looking around the table, which was fairly cluttered with some of Manhattan's best newsies. They all shrugged, much to Jack's disappointment, as he looked around at all of them.
"Wait a minute, weahs Mush an Ringlets?" he asked. Race smirked.
"Busy" Lefty said shortly. Asia and Blink both looked extremely amused, and Jack went back to business, explaining the situation in Queens.
"Apparently Dice says someone from Manhattan keeps comin ovah dere and makin deals wit his boys." He told them.
"What kind of deals?" Skittery asked.
"Spot said Dice was sorta vague on da details, but he says if e don't watch out we might have a fight on our hands, and if any a yous knows anyting about someone having issues wit Queens now would be da time ta say so" Jack said. Everyone shook their heads or shrugged, and Race, bored now, lit up his cigar.
"I wouldn't worry about it Jackie-boy." Skittery said, ever doubtful, "Dice is probably jus getting bored; he always wants ta pick a fight wit us. It's probably nothing." Jack rolled his eyes, and everyone else seemed to become disinterested, and Race and Blink had already started playing blackjack. Just as everyone began talking and Jack sat down, defeated, Lefty noticed the door open ad the blonde girl she'd seen talking to Bumlets walked in.
"Hey Jack" Lefty called across the table. He leaned towards her and she lowered her voice. "Who's dat goil?" she gestured tom the blonde, who was at the bar, arguing with the bartender.
"I don't really know, she hangs around wit Bumlets all da time, and she always tries to sleep in our Lodging House, and she gets real pissed when I tell her she can't." Jack told her. Lefty shrugged, thinking about the strange girl no longer, and turning her attention to Race. Even as she did the strange girl took her drink and looked out the window, seeing something outside that made her drop it and run to the bar and duck down behind it. No one heard the glass fall to the ground and shatter, except Lefty, who, out of the corner of her eye, though she saw the side window open and a blur of dirty blonde hair jump out of it. Just then the front door opened again and a group of angry looking, sweaty guys stalked in, walking over to their table and causing everyone to jump.
"Dice," Jack said quite casually as the tallest and leader of the group cleared his throat loudly, "always a pleasure." He stood up and offered a spit-dosed hand for Dice to shake, but he only sneered at it.
"Any a yous seen a goil walk in here recently?" he asked loudly, looking down at everyone sitting. Jack glanced at Lefty, who raised an eyebrow.
"What business do have wit some goil who's walking around on our turf? Old goilfriend?" Jack asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Dice was not amused. As he argued with Jack, Lefty glanced towards the far window, and saw the girl peering through it, ducking every now and then. She seemed very anxious and slightly frightened, and Lefty didn't blame her. Dice had frightened her many times. She kicked Jack's foot lightly under the table, catching his eye and shaking her head. This motion also caught Dice's eye and he turned to look down at her.
"Heya Lefty, how ya been?" he asked enthusiastically, his leering eyes traveling up and down her body. Lefty shivered slightly and Race reached for her hand under the table.
"Fine Dice." She answered politely. Dice sad something to one of his boys and laughed, inching closer to Lefty. He bent down and put his face very close to her's.
"Ya know, sweethaht I'm free tonight, and I know a great place in Queens, where we can f-" Before the word even fell from his lips Race had leapt up out of his seat and hit Dice as hard as he could. Immediately both of his boys lunged at Race, who was saved only by Jack grabbing the back of his vest and pulling him out of their reach. By this time everyone was standing up, waiting for another punch to be thrown, waiting for a reason to soak three of Queens' best. But Dice gave no signal to his companions to do anything, and stood there with a smug smile on his face, eyes still drifting to Lefty, who was safely standing behind Blink. He said nothing, but walking towards the door, motioning for his boys to follow him. Jack made sure that they were completely out of sight before he released Race, who seemed like he was going to run after them at any moment.
In the days to follow that brief encounter with Queens would seem like nothing. The strange blonde girl would be seen again and again. Everything was going
Everything was going to change, and no one would be prepared for it.
