Chapter Five
As Glitz, Lisa and I walked into Tibby's it somehow reminded me of the 3 Musketeers. I wondered if we'd be friends forever or not. Okay, maybe not forever, but for a long time. I decided I wanted to be. I liked the feeling of being in a trio, of having friends. My newsie guys were my best friends, too but a girl needs other girls.
"So, why do you guys stay at the orphanage? I thought it was only for factory workers, but you said you were newsies?" I hoped I didn't sound as nosy and confused as I sounded to myself.
"Well," started Lisa, "We were supposed to go to the factory too, but we never wanted to. It gets too hot and I really dislike heat. And it smells awful and the work is so much physical labor. The only thing I dislike more than heat is physical labor." Then she shuddered, "and Oscar and Morris Delancey." I caught the look Glitz sent to Lisa when she mentioned the Delancey's. It was a look of pure terror. I wondered what they'd done to them. I'd heard plenty of stories about those two. I'd never actually met them, though. And I hoped I never would. I wanted to ask what she meant but I thought I'd already pushed that subject as far as she wanted me to, so I stopped.
"So, if you don't like the orphanage and you don't even work in the factory, why do you stay?" I asked. I couldn't help it, it was in my blood to be nosy.
Glitz gave a half smile and looked sort of distraught. "Where else would we go?"
I thought for a moment...The Lodging House? These girls were my new friends, but...the lodging house was my home, the guys were like my brothers, Kloppmann my father. Did I want sisters? Yes I did...I always have. But did the guys? Well they had one they were stuck with but did they want two more? Ugh, I was so confused. "You can stay at the Lodging House." I said. They both looked as surprised as I felt. Why-oh-why did I say that? Was it my heart speaking? That longing for friends that had more to talk about than wrestling or advice with their girlfriends? "Oh sure, I'm sure Kloppmann won't mind." Someone stop me! I thought.
"Well shouldn't we make sure its okay with everyone else?" Lisa asked.
"Yes. I know they won't mind though. They're boys after all!" I said only half-jokingly. We all laughed at that.
Suddenly Jack yelled "Emily! Ova here!"
Tibby's was pretty empty with the exception of two men talking at the counter and 30 of our Manhattan Lodging house newsies plus 5 of Brooklyn's newsies whom I didn't know, which was really unusual.
"Hey, Jack, Race, Mush, Blink...guys." I laughed at the faces of the guys I didn't name. "Sorry, but it'd take awhile to name you all." Then I realized Spot was standing next to me. I looked over, and then up, seeing how he was a good 3 inches taller than me. "Hey Spot." I said to him, hoping it didn't give away the fact I was so anxious to talk to him. Then I made my mistake. I looked in his eyes. They were somehow mesmerizing. I know we stared like that for a good minute. I knew I had to pull away from his eyes. I had guests - Lisa and Glitz! but I heard them talking to someone so I figured they'd be fine until I found the strength to turn around and introduce them. Then Jack stood up and tapped me on the shoulder.
"What?" I asked crossly. I knew I sounded exasperated, but I couldn't help it. He pulled me away from that gaze. I knew I'd hurt him, I could tell from his eyes. That was usually the hardest thing with Jack. His eyes didn't tell what he was feeling. But ever since he and Sugar (Sarah) broke up, his feelings just sort of...flowed out of him.
I heard Race laugh loudly and got up from the table. "Well Spot," he began and I knew what was to follow. I sat down in Jack's chair and leaned my elbow on the table, and the right side of my forehead in my palm. I looked up at Race, Spot and Jack with my eyes but kept my head down. He finished his sentence with, "Yep, you got her to fall for ya. Now I don't know how ya did it. She's real picky when it comes to us guys."
I closed my eyes but I couldn't help but grin. I heard Jack ask Race what he thought of Spot and Race reply that he thought he fell for me. Of course they made that conversation much more complicated, but that was the basic outline. I could almost hear Spot grin but then I heard his voice get serious. I knew he didn't like being picked on that way and I heard him warn Jack with, "Jacky-boy you betta be watching it."
I felt my face flush and I knew it was red. "Have you ever saw her face that color red?!" laughed Blink. Of course if I didn't know it was red before, I did then.
That started everyone off. All of a sudden I heard Jack and Spot yell together, "SHUDDUP!"
It went dead silent. I smiled at them. I walked over to Jack and kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug. "Thanks." I whispered only audible for him.
Then I walked over to Spot and went to kiss him on the cheek but just as I did he moved his head to the side and planted his lips directly on mine. My head told me to pull away but the message didn't get to my body in time. His arms encircled my body and I felt so at peace and needed. I knew I was making enemies with Glitz and Lisa but true friends would be happy for me right? No, they wouldn't they should hate me but I couldn't think about that now. I couldn't think of anything. Then I found the strength to pull away from the kiss but not from his arms. I heard Race and Blink and the rest of the guys holler things at us. That's when Spot leaned over my shoulder to yell at them. "Watch it," he warned, "that's my girl you're yelling about."
That made me grin even more. Then realization hit. Glitz and Lisa! I thought. "Oh, God!" I said. I turned around to see them standing there just staring at Spot and myself. I had no idea what to say. I let go of Spot and walked over to them. "Oh guys," I began, "I'm so sorry."
The two looked at each other then grinned at me. "Sorry?" Lisa asked. They leaned over and gave me a hug. "You have achieved major greatness in our books!"
We all laughed about that and after I introduced them (finally!) to the guys we stayed at Tibby's until way after they were supposed to close talking and laughing and really realizing how good it was to have friends.
