Sorry it took me so long. Umm I think I might want to point out that this is the first part of a series. The West Side, series. This is the first book. It is mostly directed towards Angel. The later ones are directed to the other girls. I just wanted to make that clear. Thanks for all of the reviews. This chapter I hope will be more exciting.
Meilin stared at Rose. "What did you do that for?" she asked with a scowl on her face. Her blue eyes glowing with anger.
Rose sighed. "Something is wrong and I'm not sure what it is yet. But if you don't tell me I'll find out anyway."
Meilin sat on the nearest crate and ran her fingers threw her hair. "Rose I'm not sure if it's anything at all. It could be-"
There was a long pause. Rose sat beside her. "Look Meilly. I'm here if you need to talk. I always will be."
"I know," Meilin said with a sigh. "I think my dad might be alive."
~*~*~*~*
Angel sat on her bed. reading Little Women. Bumlets reached up and took the book form her.
"Hey," she said softly. "Give it back."
He shook his head and sat on the bed beside her. "I never really like this book," he said.
"I do," she said softly. "Jo lived happily ever after."
He stared at her. She seemed so sad, and he didn't know why.
"And you wont?" he asked.
She shrugged her slender shoulders. "I don't know."
Rose sat on a bunk, whom it belonged to she had no idea. She flipped threw the book that Angel had given her to read.
"Good book."
She looked up to see Specs.
"Hey dear. I bet this is your bunk, huh?"
He nodded. "That's a god book. The secret Garden. It was one of my favorites."
"Mine too," she said with a smile. "I like The Little Princess also."
He nodded and sat on the bunk above. She rose from his bunk and made her way to where Jack and Race spoke in hushed voices.
"So Angel really tinks des guys will come aftah dem?" Jack asked Race.
Race nodded. "She is. I can tell by da way she looks at us. She's afraid they'll take dem back."
Jack noticed Rose approach. "Your talkin' about Angel aren't you."
They turned towards her and stared, their eyes wide and mouths open. Race nodded.
Rose let out a sigh. "She didn't tell you everything that happened in that place."
"What didn't she tell us?" Race asked.
Rose looked to were Angel and Bumlets were talking. "I think she'll tell you in her own good time. She's very scared you know."
Race nodded. "Yeah, I know."
Rose looked at Jack. "I don't care what happens to me. Angel isn't as strong as she seems. She got us out but she cries herself to sleep at night. She's sad. All the time. I don't know what to do." she sighed. "Please look out for her."
"Would never do anything but," Jack replied. "She's like a little sistah to all a us. And we would never let anythin happen to her."
"Spot would kill us if we did," Race added. "Dose to are pritty close. Spot and Angie. Deys been friends since dey were two years old."
"She told me," Rose said. "Race," she motioned him over. "I want you guys to be careful with her, she went threw some rough stuff at the factory. Let alone she had ammonia. She almost died and winter is coming soon."
Race nodded
"And please take care of Meilly. She may be the biggest bitch this side of the Colorado's but she is more fragile than any of you know."
"Meilin? Fragile?"
"Her family all died in a train wreak when she was ten. Her mother and father. She's an orphan." Rose said. "Just be kind alright."
Jack nodded.
"Don't worry Rosy we can take care a both a dem. Angel's like family and we actually kinda like Meilin." Jack patted Rose on the back. "I promise."
~*~*~*~*
The night came and went. The girls were pit up in the sick room, where they all would be staying.
Kayle awoke to the cries of Klopman waking the boys. "GET UP YOU LAZY BUMS! SELL THE PAPERS! GET UP! DO I NEED TA SCREAM ANY LOUDAH!!"
Angel rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head. She grumbled not wanting to awaken.
The door creaked open and Race walked in, Meilin right behind him. Constantly chastising him the whole way. Apparently Race had accidentally, (yeah right) borrowed Meilin's hairbrush. Of which Meilin had since she was eight and was worth more than Race could make in two years. He brushed her off and walked up to the bed of his cousin.
"Get up, Angel. You've gotta go find a job," He said throwing her covers away, lucky for him she was wearing a pair of pants and very large T-Shirt (care of Skittery).
"Go away," she grumbled pulling the pillow closer to her ears.
Meilin smiled and dug her hands under the mattress. In one swift motion she flipped the mattress over, Angel along with it. She hit the ground.
"You, blasted stupido (jerk in Italian and stupid in Spanish)," Angel hissed pulling herself up from the floor. She slapped Meilin hard on the back of the head. "Stupid."
Meilin smiled to herself as Angel stomped out of the room slamming the door behind her.
Rose rolled out of bed, reaching for her glass of water, farther, farther ,farther...
Thunk!
She rubbed her head and grabbed her cup off of the nightstand.
"I hate this," she grumbled.
Kayle rolled out of bed and stretched.
She didn't know exactly what the day would bring. She was to meet this, 'Spot Conlon' that day and was a tad bit nervous. He was a man he had heard alot about from the murmurs of the boys.
The phrase 'toughest newsie in New York', came to mind. Rose said he was nothing special, although Kayle could see the way Rose acted when ever he was mentioned. She was a tad bit nervous at the thought of being separated from her new found friends, and two old ones. She knew she would have Rose and that Angel and Meilin were only a message away.
"Kayle are you coming or not?" Meilin asked while she brushed her hands off. She had just finished putting Angel's mattress back on the bed and was looking uncharacteristically proud of herself.
"umm yeah," Kayle mumbled as she rose slowly to her feet.
"ANTHONY HIGGINS!!" Angel's normally soft, now booming voice called from the washroom. "IF YOU DON'T GET IN HERE I WILL SOAK YA!!"
Race shrugged his shoulders and exited the room. Kayle pulled her shirt over her head and made her way to the mirror that hung on the far wall. She reached for the silver brush that laid on the dresser.
"Rose, Do you really think that the Jackals will leave us alone?" she asked calmly.
"I wish I knew." Rose replied.
