After the meeting as everyone was leaving Cray grabbed Kit by the arm as she passed. "You know your way back to the lodging house?" He looked anxious to talk about something.
But Kit wasn't about to make it easy for him. "I have been here one they, what do you think?"
"Don't act like that, I am sorry I scared you earlier. But I am your brother I won't put up with this attitude." The seriousness in his tone told her he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
She was crushed by that tone and the way he was talking to her. She knew Cray was right but she wasn't about to let him know that. "You don't know what I have gone through these past months since you made us go on. Don't start lecturing me about my attitude or behavior. Now if you will excuse me I want to catch up to my friends." She pulled her are from his grasp and ran to catch up.
Mills saw her coming, "What is that all bout?"
Kit shrugged and tried to look nonchalant "Just my brother actin like a dope. Is there anywhere quiet at the lodging house? He seems to think we need to talk."
"Yeah the roof is a quiet place, don't gets to loud though some people like using it for tings other then talkin."
"Good then Cray can have his talk and I don't have to worry about him yelling at me. Thanks Mills."
They all stopped briefly to say their good byes to David and Let's and reached the Lodging House a short time later. This night was even worse than the previous one, many of the younger newsies hadn't gotten to use up their energy stores that they and were no where near ready to go to sleep. Kit had Mills show her the fire escape and the quickest way to get on the roof.
Then after Jack had introduced Cray to everyone, she grabbed him and pulled his head down to whisper in his ear. "You still felling like talking?" After he nodded she led him over to the window and out onto the fire escape.
Cray started into his lecture as their eyes and ears adjusted to the quiet and darkness, "Ami I wanted to talk…"
"Quiet what till we are on the roof, then you can lecture at me or whatever."
It wasn't a long climb to the roof, plus it didn't seem as crowded as Kit had hoped, but she decided it would have to do. "Okay Crale what is the big problem that has to be discussed tonight?"
"Ames I want to know what is with this attitude of yours? I can't even tell if the girl I know is in there. She is isn't she? Don't give me that look, just hear me out then you say your piece. You know this attitude is getting annoying. I know this isn't you or at least it wasn't you before we left home. What is going on? I was talking with Craig during the meeting and he says that you have been picking some fights since you got here, particularly with a certain Brooklyn newsie. You have never been one to pick a fight. If I remember correctly you hate to fight and you would only do it if you were forced. What gives?"
Kit couldn't hid the hurt any longer, or keep in the pain. "You think that you know me so well, let me tell you Crale Joseph I have changed and you have no idea what led up to it. You know why we left Bal'more? You know why I am so mean to Spot? Didn't think so, but you know what the two things are related. So don't even tell me I have no reason to act this way unless you know all my reasons."
Cray sat there listening to her talk, "Well then why not tell me the reasons. Maybe I can help, I know I may have said that the way you've been acting is normal but this isn't and we both know it."
"You really want to know?" After Cray nodded Kit took a deep breath and began.
But Kit wasn't about to make it easy for him. "I have been here one they, what do you think?"
"Don't act like that, I am sorry I scared you earlier. But I am your brother I won't put up with this attitude." The seriousness in his tone told her he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
She was crushed by that tone and the way he was talking to her. She knew Cray was right but she wasn't about to let him know that. "You don't know what I have gone through these past months since you made us go on. Don't start lecturing me about my attitude or behavior. Now if you will excuse me I want to catch up to my friends." She pulled her are from his grasp and ran to catch up.
Mills saw her coming, "What is that all bout?"
Kit shrugged and tried to look nonchalant "Just my brother actin like a dope. Is there anywhere quiet at the lodging house? He seems to think we need to talk."
"Yeah the roof is a quiet place, don't gets to loud though some people like using it for tings other then talkin."
"Good then Cray can have his talk and I don't have to worry about him yelling at me. Thanks Mills."
They all stopped briefly to say their good byes to David and Let's and reached the Lodging House a short time later. This night was even worse than the previous one, many of the younger newsies hadn't gotten to use up their energy stores that they and were no where near ready to go to sleep. Kit had Mills show her the fire escape and the quickest way to get on the roof.
Then after Jack had introduced Cray to everyone, she grabbed him and pulled his head down to whisper in his ear. "You still felling like talking?" After he nodded she led him over to the window and out onto the fire escape.
Cray started into his lecture as their eyes and ears adjusted to the quiet and darkness, "Ami I wanted to talk…"
"Quiet what till we are on the roof, then you can lecture at me or whatever."
It wasn't a long climb to the roof, plus it didn't seem as crowded as Kit had hoped, but she decided it would have to do. "Okay Crale what is the big problem that has to be discussed tonight?"
"Ames I want to know what is with this attitude of yours? I can't even tell if the girl I know is in there. She is isn't she? Don't give me that look, just hear me out then you say your piece. You know this attitude is getting annoying. I know this isn't you or at least it wasn't you before we left home. What is going on? I was talking with Craig during the meeting and he says that you have been picking some fights since you got here, particularly with a certain Brooklyn newsie. You have never been one to pick a fight. If I remember correctly you hate to fight and you would only do it if you were forced. What gives?"
Kit couldn't hid the hurt any longer, or keep in the pain. "You think that you know me so well, let me tell you Crale Joseph I have changed and you have no idea what led up to it. You know why we left Bal'more? You know why I am so mean to Spot? Didn't think so, but you know what the two things are related. So don't even tell me I have no reason to act this way unless you know all my reasons."
Cray sat there listening to her talk, "Well then why not tell me the reasons. Maybe I can help, I know I may have said that the way you've been acting is normal but this isn't and we both know it."
"You really want to know?" After Cray nodded Kit took a deep breath and began.