OE Chapter 2 - Ready To Fall
"And I'm ready to fall in love tonight / Ready to hold my heart open wide / I can't promise forever, but, baby, I'll try / Cuz I'm ready to fall / In love tonight." - Joey Fatone
The next day, all the newsies met at Tibby's for lunch. At Kid Blink's table sat himself, Mush (of course), Jack, Race, Chance, Melody, and Ocean Eyes. Whom (also of course) he still called Alex.
"Ocean Eyes? Will ya pass da salt?" asked Mush politely. She picked up the shaker and handed it to him. He grinned as her fingers brushed his. He set the salt down and didn't use it.
"What'd ya have 'er pass it fer if ya ain't gonna use it?" Jack, the only one to notice, asked.
"I jus' wanted ta have an excuse ta touch 'er hand," Mush explained, as if this should have been the most obvious thing in the world. Ocean Eyes blushed as she looked down at her plate, and Kid Blink flushed with anger. Mush saw the look in Kid Blink's eyes and decided to tone it down a little, at least for a while.
Pie Eater came in then, wiping sweat from his forehead. Melody nudged Chance and pointed him out. Race followed her finger. "Why's ya pointin' at Pie Eateh?" he wondered, eating his sandwich with ferocity, as if he hadn't eaten in a week.
"Very nice," Chance said to Ocean Eyes, ignoring Race's question. "I'se guess I'se seen 'im aroun', but I neveh knew 'is name."
"Huh?" said Kid Blink, wondering what was going on.
"Hey, what are you talkin' about, huh?" Mush asked, sounding a little hurt. Just because Kid Blink was clueless as to his sister's admirations didn't mean Mush was, too. He had noticed the night before when Ocean Eyes would sneak peaks over at the next table, but just KNEW that he was more charming than Pie Eater. He wondered why Ocean Eyes was so attracted to Pie Eater over himself.
"Is you tryin' ta tell me somethin'?" Race asked, upset as he stared at Chance.
Chance burst into giggles. "Naw, Race! I still loves only you." She kissed him teasingly. "We'se jus' checkin' out prospects fer Ocean Eyes heah."
"Pie Eateh, huh?" Race said, his face clearing and a smile taking over. "'E's a nice fella. I'se t'ink you'd make a cute couple." He turned in his chair. "HEY, PIE EATEH! COME EAT WIT' US!"
Pie Eater raised his eyebrows. He was sitting at a table with Snoddy and Boots. "T'anks, Race, but I'se sittin' wit'—"
"Aw, bring 'em wit ya!" Race yelled, shaking his head. "Golly, it's hard woik gettin' people ta do what ya want 'em to, ain't it?"
"Not if you'se gots da right woids," Jack said with a smile. "Leave dis all ta me, goils."
"Jack, don't!" Kid Blink said angrily.
"Yeah, Jack, don't!" Mush agreed, but for different reasons. As Pie Eater, Snoddy, and Boots joined the table, Mush turned his best puppy-dog face on Ocean Eyes.
"I'se believe you boys know Ocean Eyes?" Jack said, speaking to the three of them but looking only at Pie Eater.
"Yeah, we'se met," Pie Eater answered uneasily. He wasn't much one for social events—he'd rather go for walks by himself. He liked all the newsies at the table, he was just not close with them. And being within such a close proximity of the beauty of Ocean Eyes was enough to make his lungs close up and his heart beat faster. He looked at Snoddy—his closest friend—for help. Snoddy shrugged.
"How is ya, Pie Eateh?" Ocean Eyes asked, her light turquoise eyes resting on his chocolate brown ones. He thought to himself furiously, 'It's okay, Pie Eateh… breathe… breathe…'
"I'se a'right," he heard himself answer. "An' you?" 'Dere, dat wasn't so bad!' he thought to himself cheerfully.
She just smiled. "I'se betteh, t'anks." His heart fluttered. Better? Was she bad before? Was she better from yesterday, or better now that he was at the table? He tried to make himself stop thinking, because it was going to drive him crazy.
"So, Pie Eateh, how was yer sellin' dis moinin'?" Jack asked lightly, keeping the conversation rolling.
"Ah, I'se had betteh," Pie Eater answered honestly. At least with the topic on selling papes, he was more confident.
"Ya know what? I'se had Ocean Eyes along wit' me dis moinin', an' I sweah, she's da best selleh I'se ever seen who ain't been a newsie fer yeahs!" Jack said.
Ocean Eyes stared at him. She hadn't gone selling with him that morning—she'd walked around with Kid Blink and Melody. Kid Blink was staring at Jack in confusion, too. But luckily, Race had caught on.
"Oh yeah, Jackie Boy," he said, and now that he was finished with lunch, picked up his cigar and waved it around like a baton, "I'se noticed dat you was done a lot soonah dan yestahday."
"Pie Eateh, maybe you should take along Ocean Eyes dis aftahnoon," Jack suggested. "She's a great selleh. Dat is…" He turned to Kid Blink and used his best weapon. His eyes glinted maliciously. "… if Blink TRUSTS you enough to let you walk wit' his sistah."
Kid Blink just stared at Jack, unable to believe he'd played that card. If Kid Blink said no and insisted that Alex stay with him, then he'd be saying he didn't trust Pie Eater, AND that he was selfish. But if he said yes, he'd be playing into Jack's hands, and maybe even losing his little sister.
"So whaddya say, Blink?" asked Race, his eyes looking as evil as Jack's.
Kid Blink turned to his sister. She opened her eyes wide and stared at him, and HER eyes were begging him to let her go. He was torn. She WAS his little sister, and he'd do anything in the world to make her happy—except this. He'd made up his mind to tell Pie Eater no, and had just looked over, when—
Pie Eater stood. "Sorry, but dat's okay," he mumbled. "I'se t'ink I'll sell on me own dis aftahnoon." He pushed in the chair and walked quickly from the restaurant.
"Damn," said Chance. "Dis is hardeh dan it looked."
Pie Eater walked (okay, ran) down the street, hoping to make such a clean getaway that no one could catch him, not even Snoddy. When he got to Central Park, he slowed, and, chest heaving from the exercise, walked to Sheep Meadow. He lay down in the grass and closed his eyes.
He wished he was more like Mush, able to let girls know when he liked them. Able to calmly mutter charming phrases, and manipulate words to gain their hearts. But just the thought of having to make a whole afternoon's worth of conversation with Ocean Eyes was enough to make his sweat glands burst from overproduction. No matter how much he wished, he knew he could never be like Mush. That just wasn't him. He heard the sound of someone falling onto the ground beside him, and knew it was Snoddy— nobody else cared enough about him to follow. "I screwed up," he told his best friend. "Gawd, why can't I jus' talk ta her? Let 'er know how I feel about 'er?" He opened his eyes and stared up at the clouds. "An' it's not like it'd be foreveh or anythin', even if she hates me—Blink's sendin' 'er back home dis weekend anyway. Why am I so scared?" He waited for his friend's response.
When it didn't come, he rolled on his side and looked over. Ocean Eyes was lying next to him.
He was so surprised, he let out a little shriek.
She opened her eyes and looked over at him. "Continue?" she said.
"Gawd, I'se sorry, Ocean Eyes—I didn't mean it—I thought you was Snoddy—I wouldn' a said dose t'ings—oh, Gawd—if you hate me, den I'll jus'—"
Ocean Eyes just laughed. Pie Eater grew quiet and listened to it—her laugh was beautiful. Just like everything else about her. She caught his eye and smiled. "I'se likes you too, Pie Eateh," she said softly.
"You—you do's?" he said, shocked. He'd never heard of any girls liking him before—he supposed because he was too shy.
She nodded. "A lot."
"But what abou' Mush?" he couldn't help but ask.
She shook her head. "Mush is a'right, but e's too much of a tease. You seem so—grounded. So real." She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest.
"But, Mush could—" Pie Eater started again.
Ocean Eyes looked over and gave him her best look of doubt. "Does this answer yer question?" she asked, then leaned down and softly kissed him. Pie Eater kissed her back, enjoying her massaging lips and then, tongue.
Until a shadow fell over them. Pie Eater looked up, a delirious expression of happiness on his face—and was immediately greeted with a fist.
"NOBODY LAYS NO HAND ON ME SISTAH!" roared Kid Blink, grabbing Ocean Eyes by the wrist and pulling her off the ground, then going again for Pie Eater. Ocean Eyes screamed as Kid Blink punched and punched, and threw herself at her brother.
"STOP! STOP! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" she screamed, wrapping her arms around her brother's waist and pulling him backwards with all her might. "LEAVE HIM BE! CHRISTIAN MICHAEL—"
She burst into tears and ran from the park, looking for someone, anyone, stronger than she was who could pull Kid Blink off of Pie Eater. She found Snoddy and Mush talking and laughing not far away. "Help! Help!" she said.
"Ocean Eyes? Wha's wrong?" Mush asked, concern raising his brow.
"CHRISTIAN! He's punchin' Pie Eatah an' I can't get 'im offa him…"
"C'mon," Snoddy said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along as he and Mush took off running in the direction she'd come in.
"Dey're in Central Park," she sobbed. "Dat meadow, I forget what it's called…"
"Sheep Meadow?" suggested Snoddy. "Dat's wheah Pie Eateh always goes ta when he's feelin' down…"
Ocean Eyes could no longer speak, only nodded her head in agreement as she wailed through her tears.
Kid Blink was still going at it, but he was crying by now, too. He just kept yelling at Pie Eater never to touch his sister again, but was only hitting half-heartedly now. Mush easily pulled him off. Snoddy bent next to his best friend, whose face was covered in blood. He glared up at Kid Blink. "Well, 'e's still breathin'," he said. "But Gawd knows fer how long." He turned back to his friend, who was unconscious. "We'se can't afford no doctah. Le's jus' get 'im back to da Lodging House and see what Kloppman says." He and Mush picked up Pie Eater between them. Mush held Pie Eater's upper torso, and Snoddy carried his best friend's legs under one arm. The other one went protectively around Ocean Eyes, who walked beside him.
Kid Blink walked next to Ocean Eyes, but she turned to him angrily. "You ain't me bruddah," she told him. "An' don' you come walkin' wit' us to da Lodgin' House. You beat 'im up fer no reason! Christian, I was da one who kissed HIM! An' you jus'—you jus'—" She couldn't finish the thought, she was so disgusted, only turned and caught up with the solemn party leaving the park. Kid Blink stared after them in disbelief. How had all this happened to him?
**Copyright © 2002 Mondie**