I know, yet another real stupid chapter title, but I'm horrible at writing titles and the chapter title doesn't affect the story much so it doesn't really matter.
Chapter 4
Dave was eating breakfast as he heard a pounding on his door. He got up quickly to answer it, not wanting the loud noise to wake up Les. "Hazel! Aren't you supposed to be out selling?"
"I can afford to miss a little time. This shouldn't take long. So Dave, you're gonna tell me how long, and you're gonna tell me now!" Dave put a finger to his lips (trying to ignore the memories that the action stirred up), and gestured towards the slumbering Les. Hazel winced slightly. "Sorry."
Davey heaved an internal sigh. He knew Hazel would go straight to Spot as soon as she found out what happened last night, and he would drop her a few tantalizing bits of information, just enough to make her so curious that she had to come here and find out more. "Tell me what you know, and I'll fill in the rest."
"I know what happened up there on that roof, I know Becca's feelings towards it," Dave felt his stomach lurch.
"How does Becca feel about it?" he asked urgently. Hazel looked Dave straight in the eyes, clearly annoyed that she had been interrupted, but not as angry as she seemed.
"That's for her ta tell ya, not me. I know that Spot knows way more about this whole thing than he choices to say, but I do know that he said somethin' like you finally made your move. How long have ya had a thing for my best friend?"
"Our best friend. And practically since she got here."
"So as long as you've known her?" Hazel's voice raised as loud as it could get without waking up Les. "An' she's never known? How can you like her an' be her best guy friend at the same time?" The girl newsie's hard face softened when she saw the upset, distraught, and hurt look on Davey's visage.
"At the very beginning, it was infatuation, the type you get for a person when you don't really know them, but are attracted to them. Then, as I got to know her better, I buried those feelings and concentrated on being her friend, and we became real close. We are just friends, and if that's all that we ever are, than that's all that we ever are. I thought that my initial feelings--the ones that I had buried--had faded. Last night…something happened…I don't know…but I do know for certain that because of me, she's confused and upset and that's one of the last things I ever want to do to her." Davey fell heavily into his seat. Hazel put a hand on his shoulder.
"You're a good person, David, an' a good friend. Not just ta Becca, but ta me an' the rest of us. Now, you've got ta go tell her what you just tol' me. I've gotta go, but I hope that when ya come ta lunch today, you'll talk ta her. She's not mad, just confused, like ya said."
"Thanks, Hazel."
"No prob., Jacobs."
***
Spot waited outside The Café for Becca. It was almost lunchtime, and she should be heading off to Tibby's any moment. A second later, that moment came.
Becca didn't seem too surprised to see Spot. He'd been hanging around Manhattan as of late, as if he was anticipating something. "Hey, Spot."
"Heya, Angel." Spot slung an arm around Becca's shoulders and they walked down the street together. "So, how's it been goin' wit' you lately?" The 16-year-old knew that Spot had more in mind than just the casual polite interest in how things were going with her. A puckish smile crept upon Becca's face and she answered him.
"You really wanna know, Spot?" she asked in a sugar-coated voice. "Well, it's kinda personal, so how 'bout I make you a proposition? You tell me a secret of yours, and I'll tell you my secret." Becca was aware that Spot knew what had happened on the roof last night, but she also knew that he'd play along with her. The respected and famous Spot Conlon did have a soft spot, and she happened to be part of it.
"Alright, I'll agree ta t'at, but only cuz you're practically my lit'le sistah. See ti's key heah, t'e one t'at I always got on me?"
"Yeah."
"Well, it don't open no door ta some secret room in t'e Lodgin' House. My Grandfat'ah Conlon gave it ta me a few months befoah he died it t'at fiah t'at also killed my parents." Becca nodded sympathetically. She knew about the fire, it had happened right around the time her mother died. The last time she and Jack had seen Spot before the whole Refuge/orphanage incident was the night after the fire. He had come to tell them goodbye, that he might not ever see them again because he was running away, not about to be carted off to some orphanage.
"Anyway, my grandpa told me t'at t'is wasn't a key to some lock or nuttin' like t'at. It was a key ta t'e mind, ta spark my imagination oah somet'in like t'at. Ya gotta undastand somet'in 'bout my grandpa, he was t'e real creative type, kinda like you. In fact, sometimes, 'specially when youse writing oah singin', you reminds me of him. My grandpa was always tellin' stories and actin' 'em out foah me. He was a real great man, my grandpa." Spot paused, swallowing the swell of emotions that had bubbled up to his chest and throat. "So, whatta 'bout you, what's yoah secret?" Becca grinned devilishly.
"Well, Spot, I'd tell you, but I think you already know." Her expression softened. "But if you want me to come up with something else, I will." Spot, who was back to his normal self, declined.
"Naw, I'd say we're 'bout even now. 'Sides, wese almost ta Tibby's, and when we get t'ere, you'll have somet'in more impoitent ta do." Becca cast Spot a puzzled look, who shook his head and answered cryptically. "I ain't sayin' a woid. You'll just have ta wait and see."
Yes, this chapter was boring and dull too. I promise that it will get better *crosses fingers and mutters "I hope, I hope, I hope* Please r/r, and tell me what I can do to make this better!