Note: I noticed the last chapter was a bit low on the action part, but I hoped it clears some stuff about pagan, but at the same time raising more questions.
Back at the lodging house, racetrack was waiting for pagan and jack to return. Blink had told him they'd been selling papes together that day. Well, race thought, I'm happy for yah, kid.
Jack and pagan returned in time for supper. Racetrack watched as jack and pagan strolled in the dining room. Jack's arm was slung over pagan's shoulder in a casual way. This caused racetrack to raise his eyebrows, but he noticed that his was not the only pair that was raised. A few others were watching jack and pagan as well.
" what's up wi't jack? is he makin' da moves on pagan, now?" mush commented.
"ah, ya know jack! he don't mean nuttin' by it," it was skittery, as always serving as the dissenting, cynical voice. The look in his face said otherwise, though. He was just as curious.
Racetrack was about to comment, but remembering his promise to pagan, held back. Besides, she did buy him his papes.
"hey! Dey looks nice tahgedah!" mush said, bringing racetrack's unspoken words flying out into the air.
"hey fellahs," jack said as they approached the gossiping newsies. He dropped his arm and they both took a seat with them." What's on dah menu?"
all of a sudden, they all forgot about it. "rice and beans," mush answered. " gee, I hope it don't make me fart or nuttin'!" mush was always worrying about things like that.
" ah,yes," pagan said. " magical beans. dah more yah eat, dah more yah toot!"
jack scratched the back of his ear. " I dunno 'bout you bums," he said. " but I'd ratha toot dan be silent but violent if yah catch my meanin'."
The newsies howled. Pagan shook her head inwardly. So much for my romantic hero, she thought, but couldn't help but join in on the laughter anyway.
Jack and pagan slipped into the routine of selling papes together. Racetrack was starting to miss seeing her during the day, but was happy that it seemed the two were getting closer. She never produced updates for racetrack's benefit, and racetrack didn't pry.
Jack and pagan were sittin below Horace greeley's passive stare when jack noticed the gold chain around pagan's neck. " what's dis?" he asked, reaching over to tug at it. He half expected her to stop him from pulling it out from under her collar, but pagan didn't stop him. He held in his palm the tiny crucifix attached to the chain. He raised his eyebrows.
" I know, I know, " pagan said, without a trace of being defensive. " it's ironic, ain't it?" she gave him a somewhat sad smile. " fah someone who don't believe in choi'ch?"
"I'd say," jack replied, still turning the cross over in his hand.
" it's a remindah, " pagan said.
" a remindah f'what?" jack asked, even more surprised that pagan was even volunteering this kind of information. He felt privileged in a way, like claiming something of hers the other newsies couldn't.
pagan started to say something, then changed her mind. " things," she said. " it ain't f'religious poiposes. More of...ah...sentimental."
The nearness of jack's hand on her neck made her aware of their proximity. When he tucked it back in for her, making contact with the delicate skin, she took in a breath. A sharp one.
They sat there a bit longer, saying nothing, just letting the silence wash over them. Finally jack opened up. " Ise wanted to run away to dante fe not long ago," he shared.
"what kept yah?" pagan asked him.
Jack gestured, as if to encompass the entire city, of which his universe was made of, and was so much a part of him." Realized my family was right heah.i came dis close though." And he raised two fingers up. He leaned his head back on the base of the monument. " still I wondah what it's like. An open road...an endless sky..." he trailed off. Then, "one day befoah I die at least, I just wanna see what it's like out deah,"
"yeah?" pagan answered. Why was jack baring his soul like this to her? she didn't know what to say, except for maybe what was in her heart. "well, we should go, huh?" she said, taking a chance, her heart beating madly in her chest, like anytime it might explode. " one'a dese days?" she looked up at him.
Jack leaned forward. " yeah," he said. " you an' me, pagan. We should defa'nit'ly go. Just you and me."
Pagan was about to spit on her palm when jack beat her to the punch. "whaddaya say we makes it official?"
" to santa fe," pagan said, pressing her palm to his.
Back at kloppman's, jack and pagan's newsie pals were busy making their tandem a topic for discussion. The newsies didn't want the pair to know they were being talked about, so they took to gossiping about the nature of their closeness when both weren't around. Which was actually not very hard to do.
"anybody seen pagan?" it was racetrack who unintentionally opened the topic by asking the question.
" she's wit' jack. as usual," kid blink answered, with emphasis on the last two words. " seems tah me, they's spendin' mostah deah time tahgeddah,"
" correction," skittery put in. "alla deah time."
By now, a small tight circle had formed around poor racetrack, each with nhis own opinion about jack and pagan.
"what'ya t'ink, race?" mush aksed eagerly. " are jack and pagan goin' tahgeddah?"
" ah, what is dis? yah bums should reconsidah writin' for dah gossip column at dah sun!" he said, as he busied himself with his totesheet, signaling the end of the conversation.
The newsies loudly objected to this. They have been all noticing things and they wanted to find out if their observations matched. They wanted to find out more.
" so what's dah score, race?" blink pried. "come onnnn! You must know someti'n about it."
Racetrack threw down his totesheet. " oh do I?" he said. "what'chu guys t'ink I am?"
Skittery shook an accusing finger. "are youse hidin' sometin'?" he asked suspiciously. " yah ain't tellin' it like it is."
"ansah dah question, race!" blink said. A chorus of "yeah!"s bombarded racetrack.
He was caught in the crossfire all right. He rolled his eyes, feigning boredom. The newsies all spoke at the same time, reinforcing their own theories about jack and pagan.
" remembah when dey walked in de udda night?" mush recalled, as if remembering past events would prove them right. he got up to demonstrate. " he even had his arm around her and all?"
" i really tawt somet'in was goin' on then!" blink agreed. " and deys always last tah come in at night!" he added.
" jack and pagan are definat'ly tahgeddah," mush proclaimed.
dat's it, racetrack thought. i bettah put an end tah dis! " yah bums are stawtin' tah sound like a bunh'a old ladies yakkin' behind people's backs!"
the newsies grudgingly broke it up. racetrack sat back dow. he'd defended pagan without rtevealing anything, at least. but in spite of it all, he had to admit his own growing curiousity.
what was going on between those two?
all were in their beds when jack and pagan returned. they were both very tired and so went straight to bed. they'd been making all sorts of plans about their trip out west that they lost track of the time. kloppman reminded them that they'd both missed thier supper. he knew there was something going on between those two, but from the looks of it, they haven't admitted it to each other yet. in due time, the old man thought. he'd seen a lot of that kind going on around the lodging house, and knew it was always best to leave the newsies to their own affairs. the old man was quite accustomed to it by now. kloppman was sure they didn't notice him giving them a knowing look as pagan and jack walked up the stairs.
"good night, pagan," jack whispered as soon as he settled in. he lowered his hand over the side of the bed. pagan reached out hers so that their fingers touched. she said nothing as their hands continued to flutter over each other for some time. it was the slightest touch, but it sent shocks of electricity straight to pagan's heart. jack gently stroked her palm, traced the length of her fingers, as if trying to understand her through touch. their fingers interwined, laced and unlaced in the darkness, filling the silence with unmistakable meaning. finally, she whispered, "good night, cowboy."
from their own beds, the curious newsies had one each one eye open to see the whole thing. they silently watched the intimate scene, not one of them daring to make the slightest sound, not wanting to intrude, as they all pretended to be asleep.
Back at the lodging house, racetrack was waiting for pagan and jack to return. Blink had told him they'd been selling papes together that day. Well, race thought, I'm happy for yah, kid.
Jack and pagan returned in time for supper. Racetrack watched as jack and pagan strolled in the dining room. Jack's arm was slung over pagan's shoulder in a casual way. This caused racetrack to raise his eyebrows, but he noticed that his was not the only pair that was raised. A few others were watching jack and pagan as well.
" what's up wi't jack? is he makin' da moves on pagan, now?" mush commented.
"ah, ya know jack! he don't mean nuttin' by it," it was skittery, as always serving as the dissenting, cynical voice. The look in his face said otherwise, though. He was just as curious.
Racetrack was about to comment, but remembering his promise to pagan, held back. Besides, she did buy him his papes.
"hey! Dey looks nice tahgedah!" mush said, bringing racetrack's unspoken words flying out into the air.
"hey fellahs," jack said as they approached the gossiping newsies. He dropped his arm and they both took a seat with them." What's on dah menu?"
all of a sudden, they all forgot about it. "rice and beans," mush answered. " gee, I hope it don't make me fart or nuttin'!" mush was always worrying about things like that.
" ah,yes," pagan said. " magical beans. dah more yah eat, dah more yah toot!"
jack scratched the back of his ear. " I dunno 'bout you bums," he said. " but I'd ratha toot dan be silent but violent if yah catch my meanin'."
The newsies howled. Pagan shook her head inwardly. So much for my romantic hero, she thought, but couldn't help but join in on the laughter anyway.
Jack and pagan slipped into the routine of selling papes together. Racetrack was starting to miss seeing her during the day, but was happy that it seemed the two were getting closer. She never produced updates for racetrack's benefit, and racetrack didn't pry.
Jack and pagan were sittin below Horace greeley's passive stare when jack noticed the gold chain around pagan's neck. " what's dis?" he asked, reaching over to tug at it. He half expected her to stop him from pulling it out from under her collar, but pagan didn't stop him. He held in his palm the tiny crucifix attached to the chain. He raised his eyebrows.
" I know, I know, " pagan said, without a trace of being defensive. " it's ironic, ain't it?" she gave him a somewhat sad smile. " fah someone who don't believe in choi'ch?"
"I'd say," jack replied, still turning the cross over in his hand.
" it's a remindah, " pagan said.
" a remindah f'what?" jack asked, even more surprised that pagan was even volunteering this kind of information. He felt privileged in a way, like claiming something of hers the other newsies couldn't.
pagan started to say something, then changed her mind. " things," she said. " it ain't f'religious poiposes. More of...ah...sentimental."
The nearness of jack's hand on her neck made her aware of their proximity. When he tucked it back in for her, making contact with the delicate skin, she took in a breath. A sharp one.
They sat there a bit longer, saying nothing, just letting the silence wash over them. Finally jack opened up. " Ise wanted to run away to dante fe not long ago," he shared.
"what kept yah?" pagan asked him.
Jack gestured, as if to encompass the entire city, of which his universe was made of, and was so much a part of him." Realized my family was right heah.i came dis close though." And he raised two fingers up. He leaned his head back on the base of the monument. " still I wondah what it's like. An open road...an endless sky..." he trailed off. Then, "one day befoah I die at least, I just wanna see what it's like out deah,"
"yeah?" pagan answered. Why was jack baring his soul like this to her? she didn't know what to say, except for maybe what was in her heart. "well, we should go, huh?" she said, taking a chance, her heart beating madly in her chest, like anytime it might explode. " one'a dese days?" she looked up at him.
Jack leaned forward. " yeah," he said. " you an' me, pagan. We should defa'nit'ly go. Just you and me."
Pagan was about to spit on her palm when jack beat her to the punch. "whaddaya say we makes it official?"
" to santa fe," pagan said, pressing her palm to his.
Back at kloppman's, jack and pagan's newsie pals were busy making their tandem a topic for discussion. The newsies didn't want the pair to know they were being talked about, so they took to gossiping about the nature of their closeness when both weren't around. Which was actually not very hard to do.
"anybody seen pagan?" it was racetrack who unintentionally opened the topic by asking the question.
" she's wit' jack. as usual," kid blink answered, with emphasis on the last two words. " seems tah me, they's spendin' mostah deah time tahgeddah,"
" correction," skittery put in. "alla deah time."
By now, a small tight circle had formed around poor racetrack, each with nhis own opinion about jack and pagan.
"what'ya t'ink, race?" mush aksed eagerly. " are jack and pagan goin' tahgeddah?"
" ah, what is dis? yah bums should reconsidah writin' for dah gossip column at dah sun!" he said, as he busied himself with his totesheet, signaling the end of the conversation.
The newsies loudly objected to this. They have been all noticing things and they wanted to find out if their observations matched. They wanted to find out more.
" so what's dah score, race?" blink pried. "come onnnn! You must know someti'n about it."
Racetrack threw down his totesheet. " oh do I?" he said. "what'chu guys t'ink I am?"
Skittery shook an accusing finger. "are youse hidin' sometin'?" he asked suspiciously. " yah ain't tellin' it like it is."
"ansah dah question, race!" blink said. A chorus of "yeah!"s bombarded racetrack.
He was caught in the crossfire all right. He rolled his eyes, feigning boredom. The newsies all spoke at the same time, reinforcing their own theories about jack and pagan.
" remembah when dey walked in de udda night?" mush recalled, as if remembering past events would prove them right. he got up to demonstrate. " he even had his arm around her and all?"
" i really tawt somet'in was goin' on then!" blink agreed. " and deys always last tah come in at night!" he added.
" jack and pagan are definat'ly tahgeddah," mush proclaimed.
dat's it, racetrack thought. i bettah put an end tah dis! " yah bums are stawtin' tah sound like a bunh'a old ladies yakkin' behind people's backs!"
the newsies grudgingly broke it up. racetrack sat back dow. he'd defended pagan without rtevealing anything, at least. but in spite of it all, he had to admit his own growing curiousity.
what was going on between those two?
all were in their beds when jack and pagan returned. they were both very tired and so went straight to bed. they'd been making all sorts of plans about their trip out west that they lost track of the time. kloppman reminded them that they'd both missed thier supper. he knew there was something going on between those two, but from the looks of it, they haven't admitted it to each other yet. in due time, the old man thought. he'd seen a lot of that kind going on around the lodging house, and knew it was always best to leave the newsies to their own affairs. the old man was quite accustomed to it by now. kloppman was sure they didn't notice him giving them a knowing look as pagan and jack walked up the stairs.
"good night, pagan," jack whispered as soon as he settled in. he lowered his hand over the side of the bed. pagan reached out hers so that their fingers touched. she said nothing as their hands continued to flutter over each other for some time. it was the slightest touch, but it sent shocks of electricity straight to pagan's heart. jack gently stroked her palm, traced the length of her fingers, as if trying to understand her through touch. their fingers interwined, laced and unlaced in the darkness, filling the silence with unmistakable meaning. finally, she whispered, "good night, cowboy."
from their own beds, the curious newsies had one each one eye open to see the whole thing. they silently watched the intimate scene, not one of them daring to make the slightest sound, not wanting to intrude, as they all pretended to be asleep.