Chapter 6
Specs stepped out of the lodging house, squinting at the bright sunlight. He closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh closing his eyes. This was his home. the only friends he ever had lived in this place.
No one could believe he was leaving New York. Most swore he would be back with in the month. This was the only life he's ever known. He was too young when his parents died to remember them now. He was lost for a long time, just gliding through life not really caring where it took him.
~o~ Then Gip walked into his life. Actually she ran into his life tears mixed with blood running down her face. Spot was the first one to her; she clung to him as he smoothed her hair. He scooped her up and brought her upstairs leaving Specs stunned at the foot of the stairs.
An hour later Specs slowly opened the sickroom door. Spot was sitting at the open window one leg on the inside one leg dangling over the side of the building. He was on his third cigarette; he smoked them nervously. The girl was asleep on the bed.
"'Er names Gip" Spot said.
Specs nodded. "Who is she?"
"She lived wit me in Brooklyn. she's one a' me good friends," Spot said lighting his fourth cigarette.
"How'd she-"
"Griff," Spot said cutting him off. Specs' eyes widened. He knew who Griff was, everyone did. He was the meanest, most hated newsie in all of New York.
"He claimed her for his own when she moved to the Bronx, she knows how to fight but she's no match for him." Spot said flicking his cigarette out the window.
Specs sighed and watched Gip. Even with her bruises she held his gaze. He was unable to rip it from her face.
"Poity ain't she?" Spot asked smirking at Specs. Specs nodded not looking up. "Ya should see 'er smile, I usta make 'er smile." he said with a sigh. "She don't do it to much anymore," He sat down on the bed looking up at Specs. "She's gonna stay 'ere. Brooklyn is too easy he'll find her for shoih dere." Specs nodded listening to him, but not taking his eyes off the mysterious girl. Spot looked at him carefully. "Watch 'er for me?" He asked Specs.
Specs nodded. "You ain't stayin?" he asked tearing his eyes from her.
Spot shook his head. "I'se leavin' tomorrow"
Their conversation was interrupted by Gip stirring. She opened her eyes and blinked.
"Hey," Spot smiled down at her "How's ya feelin?"
"Like I got hit by a train," she said softly.
Spot chuckled. "Dis 'eres Specs," he said gesturing to Specs.
Specs' heart skipped a beat when she caught his eyes with hers. Spot sighed and swept some hair from Gip's brow causing her to rip her eyes from Specs. "He's gonna watch ova ya. now don't give me dat look I don't want ya in Brooklyn. It'll be da foist place Griff looks" Gip sighed and nodded. "If ya get scared go ta Specs I mean it Gip. I don't want ya in Brooklyn."
Ever since that day Specs vowed to keep Gip safe, the two of them were inseparable.
It didn't take him long to make her smile again. He fell in love with her smile and tried to do everything he could to make her do it again. ~o~
Specs sighed. He would miss that smile for as long as he lived. Time did nothing for him; he missed her more and more everyday. He missed her smile, her giggle, the way she would softly say his name. Specs swore she had the softest skin he ever felt. He loved the way she would curl up in his arms and gently run her fingertips up and down his chest as they laid in the silence.
~o~ "Specs?" Gip asked as he softly kissed her bare shoulder.
"Hmm?" he asked as he left a trail of kisses down her neck.
"Do ya love me?" she asked closing her eyes.
He nodded. "Wit everythin' I got, I love you."
She smiled. "Me too,"
His smile grew wider as she pushed him on his back. She straddled him and kissed up his chest. "Mm I like you loving me" he chuckled running his fingers through her hair.
She giggled as he turned her over covering her body with his.
For as he would live he would remember every touch, every moan, every sound she made that night. He loved the way she made him feel. ~o~
Specs smiled at his memories of her, they were bittersweet. He could still feel her all around him, but he could never touch her again. He would never be able to taste her on his lips. He sighed missing her more then ever; he tried to shake her memories from his head.
Specs walked away from the Lodging house slowly making his way to the train yards. He stood still at the gate not sure now if it was the best thing for him to leave. Finally he made himself go in, he wasn't going to turn back now. He bought a ticket as far away as he could get from New York, which landed him in Michigan. He was leaving his life behind him, getting away from the memories that haunted him. He would never have a moment's peace in New York, but he knew his pain would follow him anywhere.
Specs stepped out of the lodging house, squinting at the bright sunlight. He closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh closing his eyes. This was his home. the only friends he ever had lived in this place.
No one could believe he was leaving New York. Most swore he would be back with in the month. This was the only life he's ever known. He was too young when his parents died to remember them now. He was lost for a long time, just gliding through life not really caring where it took him.
~o~ Then Gip walked into his life. Actually she ran into his life tears mixed with blood running down her face. Spot was the first one to her; she clung to him as he smoothed her hair. He scooped her up and brought her upstairs leaving Specs stunned at the foot of the stairs.
An hour later Specs slowly opened the sickroom door. Spot was sitting at the open window one leg on the inside one leg dangling over the side of the building. He was on his third cigarette; he smoked them nervously. The girl was asleep on the bed.
"'Er names Gip" Spot said.
Specs nodded. "Who is she?"
"She lived wit me in Brooklyn. she's one a' me good friends," Spot said lighting his fourth cigarette.
"How'd she-"
"Griff," Spot said cutting him off. Specs' eyes widened. He knew who Griff was, everyone did. He was the meanest, most hated newsie in all of New York.
"He claimed her for his own when she moved to the Bronx, she knows how to fight but she's no match for him." Spot said flicking his cigarette out the window.
Specs sighed and watched Gip. Even with her bruises she held his gaze. He was unable to rip it from her face.
"Poity ain't she?" Spot asked smirking at Specs. Specs nodded not looking up. "Ya should see 'er smile, I usta make 'er smile." he said with a sigh. "She don't do it to much anymore," He sat down on the bed looking up at Specs. "She's gonna stay 'ere. Brooklyn is too easy he'll find her for shoih dere." Specs nodded listening to him, but not taking his eyes off the mysterious girl. Spot looked at him carefully. "Watch 'er for me?" He asked Specs.
Specs nodded. "You ain't stayin?" he asked tearing his eyes from her.
Spot shook his head. "I'se leavin' tomorrow"
Their conversation was interrupted by Gip stirring. She opened her eyes and blinked.
"Hey," Spot smiled down at her "How's ya feelin?"
"Like I got hit by a train," she said softly.
Spot chuckled. "Dis 'eres Specs," he said gesturing to Specs.
Specs' heart skipped a beat when she caught his eyes with hers. Spot sighed and swept some hair from Gip's brow causing her to rip her eyes from Specs. "He's gonna watch ova ya. now don't give me dat look I don't want ya in Brooklyn. It'll be da foist place Griff looks" Gip sighed and nodded. "If ya get scared go ta Specs I mean it Gip. I don't want ya in Brooklyn."
Ever since that day Specs vowed to keep Gip safe, the two of them were inseparable.
It didn't take him long to make her smile again. He fell in love with her smile and tried to do everything he could to make her do it again. ~o~
Specs sighed. He would miss that smile for as long as he lived. Time did nothing for him; he missed her more and more everyday. He missed her smile, her giggle, the way she would softly say his name. Specs swore she had the softest skin he ever felt. He loved the way she would curl up in his arms and gently run her fingertips up and down his chest as they laid in the silence.
~o~ "Specs?" Gip asked as he softly kissed her bare shoulder.
"Hmm?" he asked as he left a trail of kisses down her neck.
"Do ya love me?" she asked closing her eyes.
He nodded. "Wit everythin' I got, I love you."
She smiled. "Me too,"
His smile grew wider as she pushed him on his back. She straddled him and kissed up his chest. "Mm I like you loving me" he chuckled running his fingers through her hair.
She giggled as he turned her over covering her body with his.
For as he would live he would remember every touch, every moan, every sound she made that night. He loved the way she made him feel. ~o~
Specs smiled at his memories of her, they were bittersweet. He could still feel her all around him, but he could never touch her again. He would never be able to taste her on his lips. He sighed missing her more then ever; he tried to shake her memories from his head.
Specs walked away from the Lodging house slowly making his way to the train yards. He stood still at the gate not sure now if it was the best thing for him to leave. Finally he made himself go in, he wasn't going to turn back now. He bought a ticket as far away as he could get from New York, which landed him in Michigan. He was leaving his life behind him, getting away from the memories that haunted him. He would never have a moment's peace in New York, but he knew his pain would follow him anywhere.