ACT ONE
Scene Eight:
"The Terms"
The inside of the school bathroom was the same as it had always been, looking dirty despite the custodians' dutiful routines of keeping it clean.
Profanity and graffiti were permanently etched on the bathroom stalls. The latch of the tiny windows, high up by the ceiling, were long ago busted, so kids could crack the windows open to dissipate some of their cigarette smoke outside. The sinks had hardwater stains on the faucets and splash marks on the mirrors. For all the restroom's problems, at least the light fixtures were still working. For now.
Jinx was flanked by Deckard and Action. Jayce was flanked by Quique and Braulio.
"You wanna fight, right?" Quique asked, pacing back and forth in front of the bathroom sinks.
"Not here. We gotta set it up," said Deckard, leaning on a stall door.
"'Set it up?' What, you mean… like a date?" Jayce chuckled, standing in the middle of the tiled floor.
"Alla you, and alla us," Jinx said with a serious frown, adjusting the collar of her suit.
Jayce held his hand to his heart. "We're busy guys. We got jobs. Why should we play on the playground with a bunch of –?"
"Control of your territory, that's what you get," Jinx said seriously, cutting over him. "We keep out of your way, you're Jet free. If you win." Jinx clicked her tongue. "If we win, you see us coming, and we will keep coming – you Sharks make like the rats and skedaddle."
Jayce put his weight on his back foot, pursing his lips.
"Where?" he asked.
Jinx put her hands on her hips. "The river," she supplied.
With a glance at his friends, Jayce huffed, shaking his head. "The docks," he suggested.
"The underpass," said Jinx, cocking her head.
"The rail yards," said Jayce.
"The salt shed," Jinx said, raising her eyebrows at the offer. It would be equal distance for both gangs and relatively easy to find. If you knew where to look.
"¿Dónde?" Jayce turned to Braulio and Quique.
Quique was going to answer, but Jinx cut in front of him. "De dónde está 57th and the river."
Snapping, Quique lunged toward her, but Jayce stopped him. "Wait."
Jinx held out her hand to Jayce, arching an eyebrow. "Midnight tomorrow?"
He eyed her hand… then took it, shaking it.
"Weapons?" Jinx asked, holding out her hand as though to let him go first.
"Fists," Jayce supplied.
Jinx rolled her eyes, expecting this.
"Rocks," she added to the list.
"Bricks," Jayce added, frowning.
"Pipes," Jinx challenged.
"Chains!" Jayce said louder.
"Knives?!" Jinx asked brashly.
At the mention of knives, everyone unanimously raised their voices, agreeing that was a step too far.
"We don't need no –" Deckard said.
"You boys love your knives," said Jinx.
Quique and Braulio spoke rapid Spanish.
Clapping his hands, Jayce assured his friends, "Tanta mierda que hablan estos gringos que si navaja, que si mierda, pero cuando ven sangre se cagan encima."
Calming his friend, Jayce held out his hands, addressing Jinx.
"Better without knives," he said, smirking.
"Better for who is the question that comes to mind," Jinx added before waving the thought down with her hands, "But no knives. And no jazz till then. Copacetic, pretty boy?"
She held out her hand and they looked at each other. They shook once more.
Turning, Jayce led Quique and Braulio out of the bathroom first.
After the Sharks left, Jinx adjusted her jacket, wiping a little sweat from her forehead. The other Jets were nervous, too.
"Jinx, I don't know that about 'no knives'," said Deckard.
"Them Spics sleep with their switchblades in their teeth!" remarked Action.
"Action. Action," Jinx tried to calm her down.
"They ain't gonna leave their knives at home!" she argued.
They stopped talking as they heard the door suddenly opened again. A head popped in around the corner. It was Jayce.
"Your friendly sister?"
"What about her?" Jinx asked.
"I'll see her tomorrow night?"
"You bet your ass," Jinx stated with a stiff nod.
Jayce drummed his fingers on the wall. "Tell her…"
"Vi," Jinx said, narrowing her eyes.
Jayce bit his lip. "Tell… Vi," he said, putting a hand on his heart, mirroring Vi's cordial attitude before, "I look forward to that."
Then he smirked as he stepped out of the doorway.
As she heard the door close, Jinx frowned after him.
/
"¿Dónde?"
"Where?"
"De dónde está 57th and the river."
"Where is 57th and the river from." (Incorrect grammar.)
"Tanta mierda que hablan estos gringos que si navaja, que si mierda, pero cuando ven sangre se cagan encima."
"So much shit that these gringos talk about, yes, a knife, yes, shit, but when they see blood they shit on themselves."
/