Chapter 2

Friendship

The word friendship was often misused in a city of such magnitude. Many had acquaintances instead of friends. To some it was thought that if you admitted to having friends, it meant you were weaker than those who claimed to be loners. It meant you needed someone to lean on, or someone to pick up the pieces when you weren't strong enough to do it yourself. I don't have friends, claimed a neighborhood gang member. I've got enemies on one side, and associates on da other.

To others, friendship was part of their backbone. They needed to know they weren't alone in such a vast city, and that they had someone to turn to when their world crumbled to pieces. Friends were there to comfort, laugh, celebrate, protect, hug, cry, share, and mourn with you. Friends could keep you from going over the edge, or could be the very entity that makes you leap to your doom.

Mix narrowed her greenish-brown eyes. "I bet Fade will grab her papes and run," she casually stated. "Brooklyn's lookin' mighty fine this time of day." Smirking, Mix ran a hand through her dark brown hair, and winked as a handsome boy crossed her path. The word 'ladylike' didn't hold any meaning whatsoever for Mix. The only reason she put on a dress every morning was because of her philosophy – so many men to tease, so little time. Known for her flirting nature, many of the girls befriended Mix just so she wouldn't decide to chase down boys they had their eye on. Sometimes this worked in their favor, and sometimes it backfired.

Snickering, Midnight flashed her menacing dark brown eyes in Fade's direction. "And she should know first hand just how fine Brooklyn really is."

Shaking her head, Fade shot a glare in Mix's direction before she quickened her pace, opting to walk ahead of the group. Fade was called cursed by some of the girls. She was the one entangled in a relationship with the famous Spot Conlon of Brooklyn. Unfortunately for her, Spot didn't know the meaning of the word commitment, and more often than not, their relationship was off instead of on.

Midnight was widely known in the boarding house as the troublemaker. With Mischief at her side, the two made an incredible and rather dangerous pair. While Mischief liked to physically cause trouble, Midnight was more fascinated with mentally inflicting chaos – and she was damn good at getting into a person's psyche. She knew deep down that Fade and Spot loved each other, but while Fade looked at the Brooklyn Newsie Leader with adoration, Spot looked at her with indifference. He had misplaced caring and sensitivity in his heart, and all that was left was this bitter feeling. He was supposed to be 'the most feared newsie in all of New York', so how could something as ridiculous as love strike fear into his own being? For that reason Spot ran from commitment, and while he tried to express himself to Fade, instead he was bitter and resentful of her for causing him to feel so afraid of something so wonderful. He couldn't be weak… ever. And for that reason, he couldn't love.

There were other girls, Mix included, that Spot spent time with. He wouldn't even admit it to his most trusted associates that he had cheated on Fade many times in the past, but Fade knew she wasn't his only girl. She wasn't unenlightened of girls that flirted with him, and she had been informed in confidence of his encounters by newsies from Manhattan and Brooklyn, but she loved him, and for that reason alone, she remained as ignorant of his wayward acts as possible.

"Can't ya goils ever just keep quiet 'bout something?" Moneybags questioned, doing her best to hide the worry in her light, brown eyes. She despised conflict, especially when it included the only friends she had. She knew what Midnight would do if she sensed that Moneybags was more upset than angry.

"Aw, whatsa matter Moneybags? Worried Fade will find out about ya and Spot da other night?" Midnight asked innocently as she batted her eyelashes.

And that was exactly what Moneybags knew Midnight would do. Her words lacked any truth to them, but Midnight knew they would still sting in Fade's mind.

"Ya know that's a bunch of poppycock, Middy," Satine chimed in, coming to the rescue of both Fade and Moneybags. Her deep blue-green eyes centered their attention on Midnight, hoping that for once, she might just take back something she had stated. Satine was one of the shyest in the group. Her words always came softly and not once had the girls heard her speak ill of another lodger, but they all wondered when one day she would finally explode from her gentle mannerism.

Midnight shrugged. "I think Moneybags can answer dat better den I can."

"Enough Middy!" Lee Lee cried, shaking her reddish-black hair back and forth. Her usually smooth caramel-colored skin was creased near her forehead, showing just how tired she was of the bickering.

"I agree with Lee," Filly added. "We're almost to the DC – do you really wanna show up fightin'? I've got a boy ta worry about! He's already in a bad mood enough for da both of us!"

"Just because you gotta steady man and we don't, doesn't mean ya gotta rub it in all da time!" Fade yelled over her shoulder, which in turn signified that she had been listening to the entire conversation, despite walking ahead of the group.

"It's yer own fault dat yer man ain't faithful," Mix asserted, swaying her hips in her light blue skirt back and forth while Mischief whistled.

In a failed attempt to lose the group of girls behind her, Fade pressed on, and without looking where she was headed, plowed directly into a fruit cart, oranges, apples, bananas, and grapes flying through the air in a rainbow-like spectacle.

It was then that previous arguments were discarded, leaving the seven girls to rush to Fade's side, helping their fallen comrade to her feet. Without a word spoken between them, the eight dashed down the street, leaving an angry street vendor with his arms flailing in the air, shouting for someone to pay for the mess.

"Did ya see da look on his face?" Mischief giggled as she brushed off her dark blue dress. "We should taunt him later."

Lee Lee shook her head as she straightened the plaid vest over her faded green blouse. "You are yer crazy ideas!"

The eight slipped into an alleyway, each taking a moment to gather themselves after the unexpected dash. Catching their breaths, not a word was said about Fade's collision with the cart, but instead the chatter turned towards their work for the day. The distribution center was only a few blocks away, and soon they'd find out just how horrid the headline was. There was an unspoken rule with these girls. Some lived to drive the others insane, but when push came to shove, they were there for each other. If a girl needed help, you helped them and the accepted your help – you didn't stop to think about how just a second before they had teased or insulted you – you acted immediately because deep down you were bonded together – you were friends.

Finally, Filly interrupted the girls' banter. "Alright girls, let's be headin' to the DC before dere ain't no papes left."

Nodding, the girls trudged out of the alleyway, each glancing back down the street in case the vendor had decided to try and find them. Having decided it was safe to continue on, they did so - Mix flaunting herself at any good-looking man, Midnight and Mischief planning an evil scheme, Filly making sure she looked proper when she met up with Skittery, and Fade, Moneybags, Satine, and Lee Lee conversing about anything that didn't involve boys.

~~

Why are ya friends wid him if he's so mean to ya? Les once asked of Kid Blink, referring to one of the gang leaders in Lower Manhattan named Snake. All he does is call ya names 'cause of yer eye. He ain't very nice to any of us.

Because, Kid Blink stated, his fingers instinctively touching his eye patch. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have one eye left. Sometimes we don't make friends wid people we normally would. Sometimes dey get thrust into our lives and we don't really gots a choice. Snake helped me out when I was in trouble, and he didn't have to – we both know dat. I can still see 'cause of him. I don't care if he calls me a million names, he's my friend.

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