Note--that's not me talking at the beginning. Hazel is not an alter-ego of mine or anything like that. I just thought writing in first person might be a cool twist.
Chapter 12
Hey, my name's Hazel, but I think ya know that already. So you've been followin' th' story of my best friend Becca Kelly and her best guy friend Dave Jacobs. Actually, he's more than that ta her now, but ya know that too. It's taken th' too of them long enough, hasn't it?
Well, it's Saturday night, and Dave's leavin' tomorrow. Becca's doin' pretty good, hasn't cried all week. But I think we're gonna see some waterworks tamorrow. Who knows, one of th' guys might even break down. If it wasn't so sad of a situation, that would almost be funny. Anyway, this week's been normal enough. Th' guys say this is what it was like right before Ebony, Clover, the other girls, and me got here, with Davey sellin' and Becca 'round. Yeah, this week's been pretty uneventful.
Oh, except for one thing. There was definitely one thing in th' middle of the week, on Wednesday. It wasn't all that funny when it first happened, but now all of us can look back on it and have a good laugh. So, here's what happened…no, if I tell it ta ya, it won't sound right. Ta really get th' full impact of what happened, you're gonna have ta read it for yourself.
***
It was Wednesday night and the newsies had decided to throw a goodbye party (casual dress upon Becca's insistence) for David at Medda's. They had the party Wednesday night instead of Saturday night with the reasoning that if the party was Saturday night, the mood would be too somber as Dave would be leaving the next day. Having the party on Wednesday gave them a few more days with Davey still around.
***
Becca was standing off to the side with Clover, Ebony, and Hazel. They were chit-chatting, basically having a good time. She'd danced a few times with both Jack and Spot, but had then retreated to the side to spend time with her other friends. In the corner of the room, Spot was talking with Jack and Davey. Spot glanced over to see the four girls off to the side. He nudged Davey, who looked at him. Spot jerked his head in Becca's direction. Panic spread across Dave's face. Jack noticed the two of them, and figured out what Spot was urging Dave to do. "Get ovah t'ere, Dave. Yoah hoir best friend and ya ain't even gonna ask hoir ta dance?" (at this point, Jack still had no idea that Becca and Dave were more than best friends.)
Spot smothered a laugh as David's panicked look increased. Jack mistook Dave's terror for something else. In reality, Dave was worried that he and Becca would dance, Jack would see some sort of "spark" between the two of them, and then…he didn't even want to think about it. Jack, however, was thinking something else. "What? Can't ya dance? Don't worry, Becky'll teach ya." Jack gently shoved Davey in Becca's directon. Spot excused himself, heading outside so he could burst out laughing without anyone wondering why.
Dave took a deep breath and calmed himself. It'll be okay, he won't notice anything. Just dance with her. Thinking about it will only make it more obvious.' Dave approached Becca at a leisurely pace. He held out his arm, and in a gentlemanly voice asked, "May I have this dance, M'lady?" Becca stared at him blankly as her friends dissolved into giggles.
"M'lady?" Davey laughed at himself,
"You're right, calling you m'lady is stupid of me."
"No, that's okay," Becca assured him. "I'll dance with you, as long as you drop the M'lady thing." She looked at Dave and they both cracked up as they walked out onto the dance floor. (I know Medda's doesn't have a dance floor, but just for know can we pretend that it does?) Hazel glanced over at Jack, how glanced back. After a few minutes of them both doing this, they walked over to each other and onto the dance floor. Clover dragged Skittery onto the floor, and Ebony rolled her eyes. Sure, she'd had plenty of boyfriends, but she'd never understood all this lovey-dovey stuff. She found it adorable in someone like Becca, but not for herself.
Spot chose that moment to walk inside. He'd been debating whether or not to ask Hazel to dance. Spot wasn't much for dancing and all of his girlfriends who he'd danced with hadn't been anything serious, but it was his way of apologizing to her for being rude last week. Spot had been acting less stony ever since he was reunited with his grandfather. And it was a party…but when Spot walked in he found Hazel already dancing with Jack. The Brooklyn leader observed Ebony standing off to the side. H wasn't sure why, but he found himself going over to her. She saw him coming towards her, and made an aggravated noise.
"What do you want?" Ebony grumbled, purposefully speaking without an accent in order to emphasize her irritation.
"I just want ta ask ya somet'in."
"Make it quick." Ebony's tone was flat.
"I want ta know what ya have against me. Hazel's always made it cleah t'at she won't fall all ovah me, but you've nevah given me even a second glance. 'Least Hazel will talk ta me."
"Ya wanna know why?" Ebony's eyes narrowed, as did Spot's. In fact, the two of them looked quite alike. Not in physical features, but in countenance. "I don't like ya. I don't like ya 'cuz I can't stand yoah ego. So, yoah t'e leada of Brooklyn. Jack's t'e leada of Manhattan, and he don't go actin' all high and mighty. I can see havin' t'e keep up t'e act foah yoah 'subjects', but ya drop t'e aihs 'round Becca and Jack, why not t'e rest of Manhattan? None of us heah expect ya ta be so emotionless all t'e time if ya don't want ta. And t'e way ya automatically assume t'at a goil's gonna fall all ovah ya unless she specifically says ot'ah wise, it's disgustin'." Spot's eyes glinted dangerously and his hand instinctively fell down towards his slingshot. Ebony merely glared back, her dark blue eyes scornful.
"So ya just assume t'at I'm an awful poisin, t'en," Spot replied.
"No, I know ya could be a bettah poisin, I just don't undastand why ya can't show it moah often wit'out Becca oah Jack havin' ta be heah." Spot folded his arms across his chest and smirked.
"I could be if I wanted ta." Ebony snorted,
"Shoah ya could. But ya ain't gonna, 'cuz t'at would ruin yoah precious image."
"Why would I bot'a? Ya wouldn't even give me a chance," returned Spot cooly.
"You'll nevah know t'at, now will ya?" Ebony spat out. Spot's smirk only intensified.
"Will ya dance with me?"
"WHAT? Why would I dance with you?!"
"Be like t'at if ya want. Ise just tryin' ta be human like ya want me ta be." With that, Spot turned around and began to walk away. Ebony snatched his arm.
"Oh, no ya don't." Spot jerked his arm free and whirled around on her.
"What d'ya t'ink yoah doin'?"
"Ya asked me ta dance. I ain't lettin' ya back down on t'at."
"But yoah t'e one who--" Ebony cut him off,
"Shut up and dance with me." Grudgingly at first, Spot took Ebony onto the dance floor. But he relaxed when he realized that she wasn't going to bite his head off. 'She's a real good dancah,' he noted. About five feet away, Becca glanced over Dave's shoulder and her jaw dropped open. She leaned over to Hazel, who was dancing with Jack beside her.
"Do you see what I see?" Hazel looked in the direction Becca indicated, and reacted much the same way. Clover waltzed over with Skittery and commented,
"That is so cute! But we'd better pretend not to notice or make a big deal out of it, or they'll both stop." The others agreed with her.
***
Hi, it's me, Hazel, again. I just wanted ta instert somethin' here. In case you were wondering, Ebony dancing with Spot wasn't what I was referrin' ta earlier. By the way, they danced a lot that night, but for some reason, on the next day, things were just as icy between them as they had been before. Go figure. As I was saying before, that whole incident wasn't what I was talkin' 'bout, although it did make th' night more memorable. However, th' event that really sticks in my mind as th' more dramatic at th' time and almost comedic now is what happened an hour or two later.
***
It wasn't long before David relaxed completely. Jack was absorbed in dancing/conversing with Hazel, and even if there was any noticeable "spark" between him [Dave] and Becca, Jack was sure not to perceive it. Dave leaned in and whispered into Becca's ear. "You getting bored?"
"Yup. But you can't leave. We threw this party for you and you're not going anywhere."
"So you can leave but I can't."
"Now, I wouldn't do that to you. But yup, I sure could! You know, you should go socialize with the others. We're getting too couple-y. Before, we could be around our friends and still enjoy each other's company. Now, I feel pressured, like we have to be alone. I don't like it."
"Becca, I don't expect you to spend all your time with me alone with me," Davey told her in a gentle voice. "This dance is almost finished. How 'bout when it's over, we go bother the others, or split apart and do something with other people."
"Thanks."
"It's fine. I was actually thinking the same thing myself." Becca let out a small laugh,
"We think alike, but we still haven't figured out that if one of us is thinking something, the other one is probably thinking the same thing." Dave returned the laugh. (warning: sappy moment coming up. But don't worry, it won't take long) Their eyes met and the smiles faded from their faces. Suddenly, it was as if no one else was in the room. They drew together and their lips met in a soft kiss.
***
Jack was on the other side of the room, by the refreshment table. He happened to glance over at the dance floor, and he did a double take, spitting out his punch in the process. Jack flew to the center of the dance floor and slammed Davey up against the wall. "WHAT DO YA T'INK YOAH DOIN'?!" he roared. All other activity in the room ceased as every head turned and stared. Murmurs swept across the crowd. Some had their jaws wide open--those who didn't know Becca and Dave as well as others. They had never seen this [Becca and Dave getting together] coming. Closer friends of the two shook their heads--it sure had taken them long enough. Spot, however, didn't have time for such thoughts.
He, Race, and Blink rushed up to Jack and Dave, and tore the former away from the latter. "Hey, Cowboy, calm down!" Spot yelled, stepping in between Jack and Dave. Jack sedated slightly--Spot only called him Cowboy when he was very serious or angry. Yet, Jack still struggled a bit in Blink and Race's grip, all the while glaring murderously at David.
"Keep yoah hands OFF my baby sistah!" At this, Becca began smouldering.
"Francis Matthew Sullivan!!!!" she thundered. A hush fell over the room, bringing a deafening silence. Becca stepped in front of Spot and glowered at Jack. "I may be your sister, but I am NOT a baby. You know as well as everyone else in here that I can take full care of myself. I realize that you're being a big brother and it's in your nature to be overprotective, but this is ridiculous."
"But--"
"I'm not finished," snapped Becca frostily. "How many girlfriends did you have by the time you were sixteen? Did you even know any of them for more than a few days before asking them to 'be your girl'? Okay, so maybe I'm being harsh here, but aren't you? Are you willing to soak and possibly lose one of your best friends over something as stupid as this?"
"But--" protested Jack again.
"Lissen, Jacky-boy," Spot cut in. "T'ink 'bout what yoah doin' foah a second. Foist of all, yoah about ta soak t'e guest of honah at his own party. Second, t'is is Dave we'ah talkin' 'bout. He wouldn't hoit a fly unless he had ta. Becca could be goin' aftah someone a whole lot woise, and ya know it. T'ere's plently of scabs in t'is city, and ya get mad when one of t'e best guys out t'ere foah yoah sistah starts datin' hoir. Do ya exepct hoir ta stay little foahevah? Well, I got news foah ya, she ain't gonna. And ya ought ta be glad t'at a guy such as t'e Walkin' Mouth is t'e one she likes." Jack looked from Becca (who still had a seething hue in her eyes), to Dave (who hadn't moved far from the wall and was standing, preparing for anything), to Spot, to Blink, to Race, and back to Dave.
The anger melted from Jack's eyes. He spit in his hand and held it out to the eldest Jacobs son. "T'anks." Dave spit in his own hand and shook with Jack.
"For what?"
"Foah bein' such a great guy foah Becky."
'I feel like I'm being negotiated over, like I'm a piece of land or something,' Becca thought. 'I'll just leave it alone, though, at least for now. If I nit-pick with Jack about this, he'll only get mad again.'
Dave grinned at Jack, who clapped him on the back and walked meekly over to Becca. "Um, Becky…I'm sorry. I shoulda undastood t'at yoah growin' up and t'at ya can take care of yoahself, and yoah not t'e type ta go out with a guy just ta go out with a guy. Ya gotta really like him." Becca's heart melted when she saw Jack scuffing the floor with his shoe, like a little boy who had been caught in the act of coloring on the wall. She struggled to keep a straight face.
"That's okay, Jack. But I'm really not the one you should be apologizing to." Jack turned sheepishly around to Dave, who was also trying, almost unsuccessfully, not to burst out laughing.
"Sorry, Dave."
"It's okay, Jack."
"Alright, Jack," Becca gave her brother a light hug. "You're all forgiven. Now," she pointed to Hazel, "I believe you stopped in the middle of a conversation with someone and she's waiting patiently over there to resume it." Jack grinned and jogged over to Hazel.
The sixteen-year old sighed, and noticed that Ebony was missing. 'Probably gone to hide from everyone so she doesn't get interrogated about her and Spot,' Becca mused. She went outside to search for her friend, stopping by Hazel and Jack to tell them where she was going.
***
Dave sighed and turned to Spot (Race and Blink had since rejoined the others on the side of the dance floor, and the party had resumed.) "Thank you."
"Foah what?"
"For defending me."
"No prob.," Spot playfully punched Dave's arm. "I told ya awhile ago t'at I'd back ya up if t'is evah happened." After a few moments of silence, Dave began chuckling. Spot looked at the curly-haired boy strangely. "Hey Mouth, ya alright ovah t'ere?"
'Yeah, I'm fine. I just thought of something: what if Becca really did have a crush on you like I thought all that time ago?" Spot smiled,
"T'at woulda been intrestin', 'cause cousins datin'…t'at's sick." Dave laughed, and Spot joined in. Then they abruptly stopped.
"It's really not that funny, is it?" asked Davey.
"Yeah," Spot answered. The two of them glimpsed around to see if anyone had noticed them. Seeing that no one had, the two newsies headed off to join the others.
***
Becca found Ebony sitting right outside of Irving Hall. When the black-haired newsie heard someone come up behind her, she said, "don't even bot'ah askin, 'cuz I ain't gonna talk 'bout it." Becca sat down next to Ebony,
"I wasn't planning on it, but okay." Ebony put her chin on her hands, elbows on her knees.
"Hey, Angel."
"Hey."
"What ya leave t'e party foah?"
"To find you. Why'd you leave?"
"I dunno. I guess I was gettin' bored."
"Yeah, I was too, till Jack decided ta try and use Dave as a punching bag." Ebony laughed, then blurted out,
"It was a dare." Becca was confused,
"What?"
"He asked me why I don't like him. I told him why, and he said he could act human 'round ot'ah people if he wanted. I told him t'at he wouldn't, and he asked me ta dance since I practically dared him. It didn't mean nuttin'." Becca raised her eyebrows, but it was too dark for Ebony to notice, and put her hand on Ebony's shoulder.
"After the scene that Jack caused, I doubt that many people are going to remember. And if anyone brings it up, just point me to them and I'll take care of it."
"T'anks," Ebony smiled at Becca, who grinned back impishly.
"No problem. C'mon, let's go make some mischief." Ebony's eyes sparkled in agreement. The two snuck back inside and crept over to the refreshment table. Becca grabbed a piece of cake. "Hey Jack!" The eighteen-year-old turned, only to be splattered in the face with an airborne piece of cake. He wiped it off his face, calmly picked up a separate piece, and pelted Becca with it. In seconds, the entire room was in chaos as pieces of cake soared through the air in every direction.
***
So that was Wednesday night. It was a great night. *wipes tear from eye* Sorry, I just can't believe Dave's leavin' tamorrow. He and I weren't super close, but I'm gettin' tired of losin' people…anyway, I'd better leave now. It's late, and tamorrow's gonna be a long day.