.: VII :.
"Jo," Blair gasped, rushing over. "What happened?" Jo ignored her, continuing to clean up her face. "Are you okay?" Jo continued to stay silent. Her hands began to shake as she wrung out the paper towel in her hands, careful not to tear it. Blair reached out and grabbed Jo by the wrist. "What is going on?" Blair shook her head, her blond ringlets shimmering underneath the dim bathroom lights, as Jo started to speak. "And don't tell me nothing," she said.
Jo exhaled slowly before looking at her reflection. "Get Natalie and Tootie, we have to go," Jo muttered.
"Jo-"
"Blair," Jo said, pulling her hands away. She turned and looked Blair directly in the eyes. "I will explain, but not with Natalie and Tootie around. They don't need to get involved."
"I think they'll notice." Blair reached a hand up and brushed some of Jo's dark hair away from her face. She carefully traced a finger around Jo's right eye, occasionally pressing the swollen skin. Jo flinched away, grabbing hold of Blair's hand. Blair's breath hitched before she snatched her hand away, holding it close to her chest. She looked down at the ground and cleared her throat. "Something like this is kind of hard to hide."
"The lighting in here is about as dark as outside," Jo explained with a shrug. She balled up the wet paper towels and threw them away. "I will tell them…just not tonight." Jo sighed. "I need to get my bearings first." Jo carefully
Blair nodded once. She reached into her purse before pulling out a makeup palette. "Hold still," she instructed. She opened the lid and pulled out a powder puff before swirling it around in foundation and began to lightly apply it to the skin around Jo's eye. She faltered for a moment when she felt Jo's breath on her wrist. "This should help a bit, at least until we get back to the house."
"Blair-"
"I'm going with you," she interrupted. "I'll stay with Natalie and Tootie at the hotel later." Blair placed the powder puff back into the makeup palette container and closed it with a loud snap. "Don't try to change my mind."
"I wouldn't be able to even if I wanted to." Jo looked at her reflection one more time before offering Blair a half-smile, which turned into a grimace. "You can be ridiculously stubborn and hardheaded."
"Looks who's talking?" Blair shot back. She took another quick glance at Jo's face before turning to open the door to the bathroom. As the two stepped out another woman brushed past them with a glare. Jo cried out in pain as she was hit in her abdomen with the woman's purse.
Blair located Natalie and Tootie and grabbed each of them by the arm before gently directing them towards the front doors. They two let out cries of protest upon noticing the glare on Jo's face. It wasn't until they spotted the look of worry on Blair's face in between the strobe light beams of light they followed the two older girls lead.
"What's going on?" Natalie demanded. "We were having fun."
"Yeah, we were dancing with some really cute guys," Tootie added.
Jo fought the urge to roll her eyes. "They were gay, Tootie," she said slowly.
A look of confusion appeared on her face. "But, it was mainly women in there."
"Oh my god," Jo said, reaching up and running a hand through her hair. She winced and grabbed her side.
"We'll explain this to you later," Blair said with a sigh. "We have to go, now."
Natalie peered over at Jo before pointing a finger in her face. "Jo, your nose is bleeding," she said. Jo reached up and wiped at her nose with the back of her hand, while turning away. Natalie squinted before gasping, motioning towards Jo's right eye. "What happened?"
Jo sighed. "I promise, I will explain tomorrow." She turned to take a step forward before letting out a light groan. She cried out in surprise as her knees buckled after a few steps. Blair reached out and wrapped her arm around Jo's waist.
Jo and Blair paused as Blair's hand brushed against the gun tucked in Jo's waistband. Blair moved her arm a bit higher up around Jo's back before helping her back to her feet. Tootie and Natalie assisted from the other side, wearing matching looks of concern.
"Jo? Are you okay?" Tootie asked, her voice quiet.
"Should we call an ambulance?" Natalie added.
"No, it's fine," Jo said.
"I can handle it," Blair said. "Will you two be find getting back to the hotel by yourself? I don't think Jo should be alone until her mom gets home."
"We should be fine, it's only a few blocks from here." Tootie said. "Did you hit your head?"
"Something like that," Jo answered.
"Well, Blair, just in case it's a concussion, watch her very closely," Natalie instructed. "If one of her pupils starts to dilate or she complains about a vision change, take her to the emergency room and make sure she doesn't go to sleep, probably for twenty-four hours at a minimum."
The four girls said goodbye to each other before leaving in opposite directions. Natalie watched Tootie with a look of fascination and annoyance as her friend gained a bounce in her step. "Can you feel it, Natalie? The creative energy?"
"Is that what you're calling it?"
"Natalie, we're in the city that never sleeps. It's so exciting!"
"Tootie, you come up here from Peekskill every weekend for auditions"
"But it's a different feeling when you're actually in the mix." Tootie hummed to herself as they weaved in and out of people along the busy New York sidewalks. She had a spring in her step, giving everyone, she locked eyes with a smile, even if they didn't return it. The crisp fall air stung at her eyes and her cheeks, but she was too happy to notice.
The two came to a street corner and pressed the button at the bottom of the light pole to signal they were waiting to cross. Natalie stuffed her hands into her pockets before looking around. She paused upon seeing the small group of six women standing at the opposite sidewalk, hanging around the corner smoking. They were dressed in skintight dresses and large coats with five-inch heels.
"Hey Tootie, we should probably cross the other way and go around the block," Natalie said in a whisper. One of the women across the street upon hearing Tootie's name. She stepped back behind the other five women, using their bodies as a shield.
"Christy, why aren't you out there? It's your turn," one of the women said upon noticing her hiding behind them. She pushed Christy forward towards a car that had pulled up. "You're going to get Tom angry with all of us."
"Christy?" Tootie repeated. She looked both ways before crossing the street. Natalie reached out to grab Tootie by the arm, trying to pull her back but Tootie brushed her off. Upon noticing Tootie crossing the street, the vehicle peeled off. The group of women spotted Tootie and ducked into the doorway of a nearby building. "Christy?" Tootie called out. The girl paused before turning her head away.
"No, you have the wrong person," the girl said, turning to move down the street. Tootie caught up with her and gently grabbed the girl by the wrist, pulling her to a stop. The light from a nearby building lit up part of the girl's face.
"It is you," Tootie said. She dropped her hand and took a step back. Christy looked at Tootie, her jaw clenched. "It's good to see you," she said with a small smile.
Christy offered a smile back. She looked over at the group of women before pulling Tootie a bit further down the street. She cleared her throat before speaking at a normal level. "What are you doing back here? Running away again?"
"No, I'm visiting the city with my friends." Tootie pointed over to Natalie, who was waiting for the crosswalk light to turn green. "It's kind of a reunion type of thing," she admitted. Christy nodded once. "So…what have you been up to?" Tootie asked. She let out a nervous laugh as Christy began to fidget. "How's that acting career going?"
"Oh, good!" Christy said with a smile. "It's good. I have an audition for a Broadway play later this week."
"There are auditions for Broadway this week?" Tootie gasped. "What show? How did I not know about this? I'm here practically every weekend. I'm surprise we haven't bumped back into each other before," she rambled. "Maybe, I can go audition with you, or to cheer you on."
"Yeah, maybe." Christy shrugged.
Natalie walked up and stood close to Tootie's side. "Hey, we should be going," she insisted. She looked at Christy, offering up a smile, before giving Tootie a pointed look before jerking her head to the side.
"It is getting late," Tootie agreed. "How can I reach you?"
"I'm kind of, in between places right now," Christy said.
"So, come and stay with me and my friends!" Tootie said.
"What?" Natalie gasped. Tootie elbowed her in the side.
"Don't worry, you'll like them." Tootie glared at Natalie. "They're great."
Christy was about to respond when a loud whistle filled the air. She looked over at the group of women who were motioning for her to come over. "I'm kind of busy right now. I'm meeting up with some people soon."
Tootie reached into her purse and pulled out some paper and a pen. "Here's the name and address to our hotel. Why don't you stop by sometime? Relax, warm up, have some food?"
Christy smiled widely before nodding. "Sounds good. I'll call the hotel before I head over."
"Hi, I'm Natalie," Natalie interrupted and flashed Christy a bright smile, "one of Tootie's friends who thinks it's time to go." She then turned and leaned close to Tootie's ear before whispering. "Blair and Jo should be back at her place by now. We should probably call Blair on her cell and tell them we're fine."
"Did you say, Jo?" Christy asked. "As in Jo Polniaczek?"
"You know her?" Natalie and Tootie asked.
"Not officially." Christy shook her head. "I've heard things." Natalie and Tootie looked at each other before facing her. Christy took a deep breath before writing her hands together. She then looked over at the group of women who were now all calling out to her and waving her over, occasionally looking over their shoulders.
"If this is the same Jo Polniaczek who disappeared to that fancy school upstate…let's just say you may want to cut ties with her…before someone else does."