"That was great," I smile, curling up to Jasper beneath our tree. He touches my nose as I squeal with delight. We are both soaked to the bone as we curl up with the top blanket. We don't talk for a while, just listening to the soft sound of the rain smiling at the scent forgetting we are freezing. I'm not sure when we'll fall asleep but the consequences of getting up and selling will be awful.
"Hey Ella," he smiles, "I'm freezing."
"Me too." I reply, snuggling up to him even more, but still it doesn't help, we are both freezing as nothing. Plot twist, its summer and the rain was warm.
"Where do you put your head at night?" knowing he doesn't stay with Sketch and Davey anymore, I don't think.
"What?" he responds expectantly, obviously caught up in the moment, "Oh, the lodging house."
"With Race" I smirk into his chest; he breaths out a loud sigh and pats my back.
"Also with a smart mouth Albert." He smirks.
"He isn't that bad," I testify as he runs his fingers through my hair.
"You try living in the Lodging house; you and Elsie are like the only newsies that haven't lived a week in the Lodging house." He smiles.
"That is so not true," I mutter.
"Name one person," he reasoned.
"Well," I start, I guess I took too long because I can feel him smirk. "Ike," I finally say.
"He isn't even a newsie, try again," he coughs.
"Well…." I proposed.
"No one," he proclaims, "see, it's true." I roll my eyes as he kisses me again. "I'm freezing."
"Same here, come on lets go." I say slowly getting up and stretching like a cat. I wonder what time it is as the city clock chimes midnight.
"Don't be like Cinderella and leave at midnight." He begs.
"Who says you aren't with me?" I fake sass, "you're spending the night at my house, and I don't want you to be faced with Race for the rest of the night."
"I can't do that," he testifies, picking up my stuff and folding the blankets.
"Yea you can, you can sleep on the floor or something." I claimed. "I or Elsie won't yell at you to wake up either."
"Good," he smirks, "last time, I had a mini heart attack, was in the worst part of my dream and whoever yelled in my ear almost made me screamed a bad word."
"That explains why you were moving around so much." I giggle. I don't giggle that much actually. I think I have a hideous laugh that makes me sound like a pig. It's not a snort either, I just don't like it, but Jasper thinks it's cute so I really don't mind it anymore. Yet, he describes it as a cross between a happy baby and a dying elephant, some way to describe a laugh. "So what's your biggest dream?" I ask.
"Well," he laughs, "My biggest dream is that," he breaks out laughing; apparently his biggest dream is something no one would ever think of. "One day that we will all live in a world where baby pandas are handed out like free candy. I'm pretty sure the consequence of this will be disastrous, but I don't care. I just want my free panda."
"And how will you get your free panda?" I smile, trying not to double over laughing.
"That," he hesitates, "a giant panda will roam the streets of Manhattan with a backpack containing free pandas that hands them out to people based on their size."
"You're a big dreamer," I laugh, "go consult with Jack."
"Cant, he's a realistic dreamer, I'm more wishful." He claims.
"That you get a free panda?" I laugh. "Come on, I think I have an old stuffed panda at my house, you can have it."
"Really?" he asks with wide eyes and a hopeful smile.
"Come on," I gesture, he starts following me to the apartment as I slowly unlock the door, barely making any noise. He throws the blankets on the couch as I bang on Dad's door, my signal of telling him he's snoring. Then quietly going into my room; Elsie wakes up startled and rubs her eyes the minute the glass lamp hits her eye.
"Turn off the lamp," she sneers.
"Hold your horses," I snap. "I'm just getting something for Jasper."
"He's here?" she instantly perks up.
"Yea, he's sleeping on the couch tonight, it's raining outside and I don't want him to face Race tonight; had a small fight with him," I sigh, really not in the mood for explaining what happened.
"I want to talk to him," she says, pulling off her covers and running into the main room. Probably about Les, knowing he sleeps in the lodging house too. I quickly undress and pull on my nightgown. Finding a pillow in the closet, I also find a box with my stuffed animals. I was one spoiled little girl, then Elsie came into the world. I did not like that very much but she was cute and it made me happy that I had authority over her. Being treated like a baby got old pretty fast when I grew up. So, good thing Elsie was born. I weigh out all my options for my light as my candle dims. Street lights are an option, but it's raining outside so that not necessarily a possibility. Sunlight, nope, when the sun rises and the sun sets I'm working or outside. Maybe I could light a building on fire from the inside. No way, don't really want to be charged for it, and it's going to rain tomorrow I think so not really an option either. If I do though, I could just blame it on a Delancey or something then get on a train and disappear from Manhattan, possibly move to the other side of the country. No way I'd blame it on Morris though, he's okay. Blame it on Oscar, he can have a harsher sentence cause he's older and somewhat an adult; and of course, Morris could just bust up your skull. I squeal slightly as I pull out a medium sized stuffed panda for Jasper and it looks okay. I dust it off and kiss it, and then I walk into the main room. Elsie smiles as I set down his pillow on the ground. She thanks him quickly then smirks at me while walking back to the bedroom. I hear a small click and let out a slight groan as I could tell she locked the door; possibly wanting me to sleep in the main room with Jasper. I hear a small click again. Unlock. I let out a sigh of relief. Lock. And the cycle continues as I help Jasper lay out his bed. I go to the closet and get him more blankets, considering we're both still soaking. I make a quick not to change into my other nightgown before I finally fall asleep. Maybe Jasper and I will just stay up talking quietly, knowing Dad never comes out of his room at night, he's like a hibernating bear. Jasper looks at me with a slight smile as I gush.
"I'll let you change," I say not realizing he's in his only clothes. I realize this and go pick out Dad's old stuff he hasn't worn since he was twenty, twenty five at the most. I couldn't find pants that fit him, so I tell him he may have to be a girl and sleep with an oversized shirt on. He waves away the offer and takes off his vest and top shirt revealing his wet undershirt. I smile as he undoes his belt and throws it off to the side. I coax him to change into something dry as he politely declines. "I'm not going to let you be miserable tonight. Just wear something dry," I coax. He nods as I step out giving him what he has left of his privacy. I come back in slightly and hug him, knowing we are somewhat completely dry and alone right now.
"Is it later?" he whispers as we both sit down on the floor.
"I guess so," I whisper back.
"What do you mean by compromise?" he asks cheekily. I think for a second and smile.
"I wouldn't necessarily call it a compromise," I say slyly curling up to him like we were under the tree.
"Well then, what should we call it?" he asks as I uncurl myself and lie next to him.
"Love." I smiles as he sees my reaction and kisses my stomach. He mouths something to me and with happy tears I nod slowly as he covers the both of us with blankets.