Title: High Times and Hard Times
Author: sabor ice
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but this story is mine. Thanks for past reviews. Please keep them coming.
Chapter Ten
Sunlight crept through every crack and crevasse of the sleeping quarters, alerting the occupants that it was now morning. No one hardly even moved, but only burrowed themselves deeper into their pillows and blankets. Swift footsteps were heard outside the room, on the stairs. David had just come from the courthouse where Bryan Denton has paid five dollars for every single newsie there. Otherwise, the boys would have been forced into the Refuge, as not one of them had a dime to spare, let alone five whole dollars. They had lucked out this time. But, Jack was another story. Thanks to Warden Snyder, the leader was now on his way to a few months confinement behind the walls of the Refuge. Denton had called a meeting at Tibby's restaurant, and asked David to retrieve whomever else was missing from the group of newsies.
Assuring Mr. Kloppman that all was well, David had went ahead to wake the others himself. Upon entering the room, he noticed that there were more empty beds than filled ones, which would make this all go much more swiftly. They all had to get to the meeting and fast.
David moved to the first set of bunks. On the bottom cot was a young, blonde-haired boy; on the top bunk was another boy, older and with red hair. He shook them both almost fervently.
"Sharp, Pesky, wake up," David commanded. "Come on!"
The two boys groaned equally, swatting at David while attempting to keep on sleeping. Sighing, the young man walked through a row of bunks to reach the ones near the other wall. It was then he noticed the two occupants of one of the bed. He raised his brows in wonder as he watched the sleeping forms of Racetrack and Letty a few moments. The dark-haired boy was laying on his right side, nearly falling off the bed; she was laying against him, her head on his back. David tried to hide his smirk as he cleared his throat loudly. Letty jolted awake, her heart suddenly beating quickly against her chest for a moment. Racetrack was now slowly rousing from sleep as well. Letty turned over and glanced around, trying to remember how she had gotten into Racetrack's bed the previous night. David cleared his throat again, and she looked up at him.
"Good morning," the dark, curly-haired boy said, still trying his hardest not to smirk again.
Letty yawned as she reached her hand behind her somewhat and tapped Racetrack's shoulder to wake him.
"Race," she grumbled, rubbing her hand over her face as she sleepily stood up from the bed. "What's goin' on, Dave? You seen de others today?"
"Everyone's waiting at Tibby's for us. Denton called all the newsies to a meeting. He made it sound important," David answered, briefly glancing over at Racetrack who was rolling off the other end of the bed himself and standing.
"What could be so important that it couldn't wait?" grumbled Racetrack, who was now reaching for the old can on the nightstand near his bunk to retrieve his morning cigar.
"De world doesn't revolve 'round yous, Race," came Mush's voice as the boy walked passed them.
He glanced icily at both Racetrack and Letty as he pulled up the straps of his suspenders all of the way.
"Or maybe der's a special reason yous not so interested in goin'?" Mush added, glancing from him to Letty again briefly.
Letty furrowed her brows as she watched him brush past David to go to the washroom.
"What's wrong wit 'im?" Racetrack wondered.
David just shrugged, then turned to face the next bunk over where Snipeshooter was still snoozing away. He shook the boy to wake him. Snipeshooter awoke with a start, and barely had the chance to perfect his line of vision as the three others all ready made their way to the washroom. The mop-topped twelve year old hastily joined them.
"I'll wait for you downstairs," David told the others, before leaving the room.
Mush began washing up his arms, hands, neck, and face with a wet cloth. His dark gaze fixated on Racetrack and Letty when the two of them went to the sink across from him. The two didn't really seem to notice his dismay. Racetrack began combing down his dark hair. Letty pulled back her brown hair and tied it with a piece of string, before moving on to wash her face with the cold water before her. The two of them were talking amongst themselves; it sickened Mush, and he wondered how they could act so casual now. Mush's jaw visibly tensed as he strangled the cloth in his hands to try to control the anger brewing inside him. He didn't notice Skittery walk up behind him and observe what he was doing.
"I think it's dead, Mush," Skittery finally said, then gestured to the cloth in Mush's hands.
The muscular boy rolled his eyes and threw the cloth back into the older boy's face. Skittery chuckled and shook his head to himself as he went to use one of the unoccupied stalls. Racetrack looked over at Mush, after he had noticed an extra bar of soap laying on the sink near the boy.
"Hey, hand me dat soap, would ya?" Racetrack wondered.
Mush scoffed. It was killing him now, the innocence in him being casual towards him. To the muscular young man, it seemed like Racetrack was mocking him. It was as if his friend was toying with his emotions. How could he be doing this to him? Ignoring his request, Mush walked over to the towel hanging on the wall and wiped off his hands. Then, he glanced back at the other boy.
"Why don't ya get your girlfriend to get it for ya?" he replied, coldly, before stalking out of the washroom.
Racetrack and Letty watched him leave, before exchanging puzzled looks. After a moment, the dark-haired boy shrugged, and pat her gently on the shoulder, before going to finish getting dressed. To Racetrack, Mush's words hadn't met anything. It was only because he didn't realize himself what Letty now did. Had Mush seen the two of them in bed together? They hadn't done anything except sleep. Was Mush jealous? After a moment, the girl shook her head to herself. He couldn't have been; that would be silly. They were all newsies together and all friends. Mush was probably just in a bad mood this morning. The female newsie was certain it would all blow over by time they got to the meeting at Tibby's.
A short while later...
By time Letty and the others had reached their favorite restaurant, Tibby's, the meeting with Denton had all ready started without them. The small group filed into the restaurant quietly. Mush pushed past Racetrack, purposely bumping harshly into his shoulder as he did so. He didn't look back to see the confused look on the other boy's face as he went to stand by Kid Blink and Bumlets. The two pat Mush on the shoulders to welcome him, but stayed quiet as Denton was still speaking. Letty moved to the front of the group of boys, and stood near Dutchy, David, and Racetrack, before diverting her attention back to Denton.
"...Now that you all seem to be here...I can get to the point of why I asked you all to meet me here this morning," Denton continued.
He removed his glasses and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Slowly, the middle-aged man raised his gaze again, looking around at the youthful faces that surrounded him. The dark-haired man smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you all this...but I can't be apart of this strike anymore," Denton said.
The newsies began talking amongst themselves, all of them in sheer disbelief of what they were hearing.
"Were you fired?" asked a younger newsie who was sitting down in front.
"No, no. I've been re-assigned back to my old job. My employer only wants me to cover stories about the war from now on. I am sorry," the man answered.
Many newsies, including David, held the expression of betrayal on their faces. Almost nobody watched Denton as he made his way out of the restaurant. Letty lowered her head in disappointment. She only looked up again when she heard Dutchy start to say something to Racetrack.
"You 'n Mush in a rut or somethin'? the blonde-haired boy asked.
Racetrack shrugged. "No, why?" he wondered.
"He's been starin' daggers at yous since you came in," Dutchy replied, patting his fellow newsie on the back of his shoulder.
Both Letty and Racetrack glanced across the room at where Mush was standing. He was indeed staring down Racetrack. The look in his eyes was something the female newsie had never seen in him before. She was surprised when Racetrack took a few steps forward, moving around some of the other boys. They quieted somewhat as their attention was now on Racetrack and Mush, giving each other equally grave looks. Letty stayed where she was. Whatever was about to occur, she didn't want to be caught in the middle of it.
"If I didn't knows any better, Mush, I'd say yous were about to jump over this table here at me," Racetrack said.
"That's not all I'd like to do," Mush confirmed.
"Oh, yeah?" Racetrack wondered, resting his knuckles on the table top as he leaned forward onto it slightly.
The muscular boy took a couple of steps forward, ignoring the quiet protests of Kid Blink and Bumlets behind him. It was then Racetrack knew he was serious about it, though he was still clueless as to why. They were friends, so what was Mush's reason for suddenly wanting to pick a fight with him?
"What'd I do? Ask for the wrong bar of soap dis mornin'? Take the hot roll you wanted to eat for breakfast? What?" Racetrack wondered.
"You stole me girl, that's what!" Mush exclaimed, grabbing the chair in front of him and whipping it sideways into a wall nearby.
Oh no, Letty thought to herself. So, this really was about last night. Racetrack stiffened as he stood erect again.
"I stole yer...what?" the gambler asked, obviously still confused.
Without a moment's noticed, Mush launched himself over the table at Racetrack. He punched the the boy in the face, but Racetrack wasn't about to give up that easily. None of the other newsies really did anything once they had begun to fight. It was like a sport to them. Letty forced her way through the others to get to where Mush and Racetrack were still throwing punches at one another.
"Knock it off!" she exclaimed, obviously not being able to do much to stop the two. "Mush! Race! Stop it!"
Finally, a few of the others boys stepped in to break up the brawl. It took Kid Blink, Specs, and Bumlets to hold Mush back. Letty moved up beside Racetrack and helped him climb to his feet again. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve as he looked over at the still fuming muscular boy.
"I trusted you!" Mush cried, still trying to break away from the others' grasps. "You knew I liked Dreamer, and yet yous made a move on her...hands yer hands on her...slept in the same bed wit her all night! And, yous did it right in front of me! You lousy, good-for-nothing...yous might as well be a dirty, rotten scabber stabbing me in da back!"
Letty walked right up to Mush and slapped him hard across the face to bring him back to his senses. Her hand stung from the impact, but she didn't care. She held a serious expression on her face.
"Now, you listen to me, goddamnit," she ordered, a fierce look in her green eyes. "You have no idea of what went on between me 'n 'im last night. Nothing happened, I's tell ya. He comforted me while the rest of yas was either gone or sleepin.' He comforted me when I's needed a friend da most. And, what I's do is none of yer damn business. I's ain't ya girl, Mush. I's never was. And, you have no idea...no idea of what I's been through in the past three days! I don't pretend yous even understand."
She glanced around at the other newsies.
"None of ya!" Letty added. "All this fightin' and it never gets us nowheres! Yous want to keep on livin' this way, then goes ahead! But, I don't want no part in it. Not anymore! This whole strike is a damned joke. It's all over. It's over!"
As Letty ran out the front door, everyone else stayed silent. Spot finally moved away from the others and followed the brown-haired girl. Nothing seemed to matter in those moments to anyone left in the room, while they all reflected on everything that had just happened. It was all alot to take in.
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