"You what?" Tug cried, throwing her hands in the air, nearly upsetting her stack of newspapers. "I thought I told ya to stay out of it, Mush."
He looked at her sheepishly. "I know."
"Well? Let's have it then. What happened?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in his direction.
She may have been irritated by Mush's little stunt, but curiosity lingered as well. She wanted to know exactly how it happened as there obviously had been an altercation involved. Clearing his throat, Mush explained hesitantly,
"I got in real late, like I usually do when I go out for the night. So, this morning, Blink asks me 'bout my night, like he always does. So, I'm telling him 'bout the girl I met, when Skittery walks by. I didn't mean to, honest, Tug, I really didn't, but it sorta just slipped out." Mush glanced briefly at Tug to observe her expression. She was frowning, but listening attentively, so he continued. "I told Blink the girl's name was Claire, which made Skittery turn on me. He started asking me questions about ya, so's I says to him 'Ya know, I thought she looked familiar.' That's when he hit me," he said with a shrug, as though that sort of thing happened all the time.
"And after that?" Tug asked, prodding for more information.
"We had a scrap, but then some of the fellas stepped in, which ended it. Skittery walked out as soon as Jack and Race let him go. He didn't look too happy," Mush informed her, smiling with heavy implications.
Tug fought back the grin that was trying to work its way into sight. What Mush had done was absolutely infuriating, since she hadn't agreed to any of it, but the elation that was rising inside her couldn't be escaped. Based on Skittery's reaction, Mush's little plan appeared to have had the desired effect. There was just one potential little problem she couldn't escape...
"Yeah, he probably hates me now," Tug replied.
Mush shook his head. "Nah, I think I win that honor. I mean, I have met ya before as Claire, and Skitts knows that.
"Yeah, but Skittery doesn't know you really know about me, does he?"
"No, I didn't tell him 'bout that."
"Thing is, he knows I ain't about to blow my cover, and hooking up with you would risk doing that, even if ya thought I's just Claire," Tug explained. "So, he's got to think I pursued you, because in reality, I'da tried to avoid ya at all cost. It's no offense to you, or anything."
Mush waved a hand, dismissing her comment. "None taken. It's all too confusing to think about anyway. Let's just leave it at: I got black eye, 'cause Skittery didn't like to think I's out with his girl. " He smiled again. "Now, can we go sell some papes, huh?"
Tug rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same as they began their day.
---
Sales were lousy that the morning. Tug hadn't even sold half of her newspapers by the time her stomach signaled its desire to be fed. Mush, however, sold slightly more than half of his. As they reconvened, after drifting down opposite ends of the street, Mush felt the need to point out her morning's dismal progress. Tug just shrugged it off, figuring she could sell the rest to the afternoon crowd. It wasn't like she was required to sell a particular amount by a certain time or anything. Was it her fault that the people seemed uninterested in the headlines or perhaps, was it because her headlines lacked the usual creativity that gave her a steady business? Either way, she was in no mood to care about successfully selling every last newspaper; there were other things on her mind, like lunch.
Lunch had the potential to be very eventful, depending on the way things played out. Chances were good that she and Mush would run into Skittery at the diner. Tug couldn't help but wonder what would happen with the three of them in one place at the same time. It made her stomach twist to imagine the various possible scenarios that could develop from that situation. Plenty of them ended badly, but a select few weighed in her favor.
Tug followed Mush into the small restaurant. It wasn't difficult to spot the clutter of newsies scattered about the place. Banging the remainder of his newspapers on the table, Mush slid into a seat next to Blink. Tug was just about to sit across from them, next to Bumlets, when there was some commotion at a nearby table. Glancing in that direction, Tug saw Skittery picking up the chair he must have overturned in his hasty attempt to leave the diner. Once he'd returned it to the proper position, he quickly departed, sending a bitter glare toward their table, dissolving all those scenarios that Tug envisioned in her favor.
"I told ya he wasn't happy," Mush said as soon as the door had closed behind Skittery.
Resisting the urge to kick him under the table, Tug nodded her agreement. "Yeah, you wasn't kiddin'."
Blink laughed as he clapped Mush on the back, looking over the table at Tug. "So's ya heard, huh? 'Bout how he stole Skitts girl?"
Tug nodded, trying to react accordingly. "Yeah, I heard."
"Yeah, Mush, Skittery was talkin' like he was gonna roll ya the next time he saw ya," Bumlets informed Mush. "I's surprised he just walked outta here. I thought for sure, we's gonna have another fight on our hands when you two walked in. "
Blink seemed to agree, but with a fair amount of concern. "It's weird though, ain't it? I mean, I thought he was with Angela now. So, really Mush ain't doin' nothin' wrong, if ya think 'bout it."
"Yeah, but since when is Skittery with any girl?" Mush added with a laugh. "Though, ya got a point, Kid."
Tug complied with their theories by nodding. There were way too many factors in this whole equation. It all needed sorting out, before someone gets hurts. However, a hungry belly comes first. So, Tug listened to the boys attempt to sort out the situation, all the while praying that Mush wouldn't accidentally let her true identity slip. After a while, Blink and Bumlets left, as did most of the others. Once they had finished their food, Mush announced his need to use the bathroom.
Tug had just stepped out onto the street and was shifting their newspapers around, when her shoulder caught against someone passing her. Looking up, she came face to face with her unacquainted rival, Angela. Tug's first instinct was to narrow her eyes at the competition, but quickly controlling the impulse, she wiped her face blank of all expression.
"Sorry," she grunted, almost unwillingly, but it was the polite thing to do.
Angela just waved a dismissive hand in front of her Tug's face as she peered eagerly through the restaurant windows. Scowling, Tug started to walk off, but was quickly flagged down as Angela had not found what she was looking for.
"Hey you!" she called, in a light wispy voice.
Tug knew she was talking to her, but she pretended not to notice. It was more difficult to ignore her as she called out a second time. Slowly, and with a great reluctance, Tug turned as Angela flounced over to her, brushing her flyway hair from her eyes.
"Do ya know a newsie called Skittery?" Angela asked, seeming a bit annoyed.
Tug nodded. It was difficult to be standing so close to this girl, knowing exactly who she was, and having her be none the wiser. This was the first time Tug really saw what she was up against and she couldn't help but make comparisons between herself and this Angela.
As much as Tug hated to admit it, she really was very pretty. Whenever thoughts of Angela crossed her mind, she looked more along the lines of a frumpy, disfigured hag-like creature, which clearly was an incorrect assumption. She had her incredibly bias imagination to thank for that. The fact that Angela was no where near hag-like made Tug fee like she was the frumpy, disfigured one, standing there with her short hair and boys clothes. Tug shifted uneasily as Angela's sharp blue eyes rolled in irritation.
"Well, do ya know where he is?" she demanded, impatiently tapping her foot.
With half a mind to send her on wild goose chase, by telling her some outlandish location such as Coney Island, Tug pushed that thought from her head as she shrugged. "Nope."
Angela sighed in frustration and was about to walk off when Mush appeared. He smiled warmly, joining the conversation.
"Do you know where Skittery is?" she said without skipping a beat.
Mush shook his head and shrugged. "Nope. He left here in a bit of a hurry, seemed kinda upset. Ya might wanna check the Newsboys Lodging House for him. It's on Duane Street."
Her nose crinkled at his suggestion. "I'd rather not. He knows where to find me, if he wants to. Tell him that, will ya?"
"Sure thing," Mush said, a broad grin stretched across his face. As soon as she walked away Mush burst into laughter, throwing his arm over Tug's shoulders and said sarcastically, "Tug, remind to tell Skitts, will ya? Now don't forget! It's important."
Tug grinned, handing him his stack of papers. "What's that? I gotta remind you about what?"
"You know I can't really remember." Mush snapped his fingers. "I almost had it." Shaking his head, he added, "Nope, never mind."
Shoving his newspapers into his arms, Tug laughed. She had been right in thinking that lunch would be eventful.