Disclaimer: roses are red, violets are blue, me no own, so you no sue.
AN: Okay everybody, welcome to chapter four! *bows* Ummmmm…. Not much to say here, so just read my frikkin' story!!!!
Chapter Four
*It Could Have Been Jealousy*
The next morning the sleepy members of the Manhattan lodging house were woken loudly by Kloppman. Jade sat up in her bed and lazily stretched, yawning, trying to figure out where the heck she was.
Oh great, Ise is in da lodging house, she thought, Ise was hoping dat it was a weird dream.
She slowly climbed down from her bunk and "accidently" stepped on Angel, waking her up when Kloppman's voice had failed.
"Huh? Whozzat? What time is it?" Angel mumbled, still half asleep.
"It's Jade, it's five thoity in da mornin', an' dis was yoah stupid idea so get da hell up!" Jade said, nudging her sister with her toe.
"Alright, alright already, Ise up, Ise up," Angel grumbled, throwing the blanket off and standing up, suddenly realizing that her face was directly pressed up against someone's chest.
"What's dis?" Angel asked poking the chest hard with her finger.
"'Ay, dat hoit," said the owner of the chest swatting her hand away and grinning.
"Huh?" Angel said, looking up into the face of none other than Blink. (AN: dun, dun, dun, dun).
"Oh, sorry Blink," she mumbled moving to the side and heading over to the bathroom, where the newsies that were already up were getting ready for the day.
"No problem," said Blink, still smiling at the fact that Angel looked like a zombie because of how not awake she was.
Jade was already in the bathroom brushing her hair with a comb that she pulled out of her back pocket. When she saw Angel she smirked, and handing her twin the comb said, "Oh, an' look who decided to grace us wid her presence."
"Youse is chippah dis mornin'," Angel said, raising her eyebrows.
"Youse is dead lookin' dis mornin'," Jade countered, a scowl replacing her smile as she realized that she had been looking friendly.
Ise can't afford ta make friends, Jade thought, we'se'll jist end up leavin' anyway, so it's not woith it. Besides, Ise got enough ta worry about lookin out fer Angel without tryin ta look out for friends too.
Jack, though, noticed Jade's expression turn from happy to vicious and he had also heard her conversation with Angel.
It's like she's poiposely tryin ta make everybody hate her, Jack thought, why would she want dat?
Jack shook his head. He was probably just imagining things, it was early in the morning after all.
"Okay youse guys," he yelled above the din of the washroom, "We'se gotta go or we'se'll be late for getting our papes!"
The newsies quickly exited the LH, Jade and Angel in tow. When they reached the distribution office Jack made his way over to Angel and Jade.
"Youse two are gonna sell wid me taday, so Ise can help ya get da hang of tings. Now we'se jist need ta get our papes. Do youse have enough money to get 'em, 'cause if not Ise can pay for ya taday an' youse can pay me back latah," Jack said as they waited in line for Mr. Weisel.
"We'se can pay fer our own papes," Jade growled menacingly at him.
Angel, on the contrary, smiled sweetly and said, "We'se have cash ta pay for our own papahs, tanks doe."
"Yeah, no problem," said Jack eyeing Jade cautiously.
When Jack was at the front of the line he slapped a half dollar coin on the table and said, "Mornin' Weasel, Ise'll have a hundred, like usual."
Mr. Weisel glared at him as Morris counted out the newspapers before handing them to Jack underneath the iron bars.
When Angel walked up to the counter Morris said "Hey dere sweetface, what's yoah name?"
"Fifty papes, please," Angel whispered, putting a quarter on the counter, not meeting Morris's eye. He handed her the papers and made kissing lips at her as she walked over to where Jack was waiting.
Jade, something, oddly enough, very seductive in her eyes, slinked up to the counter swaying her hips ever so slightly.
"An' what's yoah name, handsome," she whispered, her voice throaty and low.
"Morris," said Morris. (AN: that sounded really, really stupid…)
"What was dat?" Jade asked in the same voice as before.
"Morris," he repeated, pressing his face against the bars.
Big mistake, thought Jade, as she grabbed his nose with her index and middle finger, pulling on it violently and smashing his face against the bars repeatedly.
"If youse evah, evah, go an' try sometin wid my sistah Ise'll shove yoah head so fa up youah doity stinkin ass dat youse'll have ta drop yoah pants ta say hello. Youse got dat?" She demanded, slamming his face into the bars again.
"Yes," Morris said hoarsely.
"Ise can't hear ya," Jade hissed in a sing-songy voice, pulling his face forward again.
"Yes!" Morris shouted.
Smiling pleasantly Jade said, "Now dat wasn't so hard, was it, big boy? Ise'll take fifty papes."
Morris glared and handed her the papers while all the newsies that had seen what had happened where laughing uncontrollably.
"Jade, youse didn't have ta do dat," Angel said quietly, when Jade walked up to her and Jack.
"Course Ise did. 'E was a rotten son of a bitch an' 'e desoived it. Plus, no one gits away wid insultin' me family unharmed," Jade said reassuringly, throwing her arm across Angel's shoulders.
Jack looked at Jade. Okay, he thought, Nevah, evah, insult Angel. Or make Jade mad, for dat mattah, he added as an after thought.
"Now da foist ting youse gotta loin is dat no mattah what da headline is, dere's always a way ta make it sound bettah," Jack explained, leading the girls down a crowded street.
"Lik, fer example, dis headline says dat da Mayor bought a new dog. Well, dat ain't no good," Jack said.
He turned around, his back to Angel and Jade, when he held up his papers and yelled, "Mayor brings vicious beast intah da city! Mother's don't let yoah children outah yoah sight!"
Several people wandered over, handing Jack a penny for a paper. Jade watched in amusement as some of the women held on tightly to their children's hands and looked around suspiciously.
Taking one of her papers and waving it in the air Jade shouted, "Chief of police caught in steamy love nest!"
About ten people came up to Jade and asked for a paper.
"Where'd youse get dat from?" Asked Jack, searching the paper.
"Ise jist made it up," Jade said shrugging.
Sighing Jack said, "Youse can't jist totally make tings up, 'cause people'll come back an' demand fer a refund."
"Dat's what youse tink," said Jade smugly, and, upon seeing one of her irate customers approach her, quietly added, "Watch dis."
"I can't seem to find the story," the man said angrily.
"Well, heah, Ise'll show ya where it is," said Jade, calmly taking the paper.
"Well, look at dat!," she exclaimed in fake excitement, after looking through the paper, "It ain't dere. This heah pape is one in a million, sir, it's probably woith a fortune!"
The man's eyes lit up in greed and he hastily grabbed the paper back from Jade's hand. Not even bothering to say anything more the man quickly walked away, casting his eyes about and looking as if he thought he was about to be mugged.
"See?" said Jade, smiling and turning to Jack, "Piece of cake."
"Yeah, well youse got lucky," said Jack, glaring at her, "Youse shouldn't do dat, it could get ya into a lot a trouble."
"Youse don't need ta tell me what ta do, Cowboy," she said his name sarcastically and spat it out as if it were a curse.
Angel, seeing that a fight was about to start intervened, stepping in the middle of the two and saying, "Lets jist sell our papes, 'kay? Ise wanna try an' sell some."
Jack and Jade nodded at her and locked gazes in a silent war. Angel swatted them both on the arm and continued down the street, calling out headlines.
Jade turned to Jack. Spitting in her hand and holding out it to him she said, "Truce."
Giving her a surprised glance Jack spit in his own and shook hers.
"Truce," he agreed, smiling.
Dat don't mean nuttin, Jade reassured herself, youse just did it so Angel would get off yoah back.
Three hours later Jack, Angel, and Jade had sold all of their papers.
"Now what?" Jade asked Jack.
"Now we'se meet go ta Tibby's. It's where me an' most a da othah boys go an' eat lunch. Are either a youse two hungry?" Jack asked, walking backwards so he could face them.
"Starvin'," they both said in unison.
Jack grinned and turned around, leading them toward the restaurant.
When they arrived it was already packed with people, mostly newsies, and Jack walked in, holding the door open for Angel and Jade.
There was a chorus of greetings, mostly directed at Jack, when he walked in behind the two girls. Making his way over to one of the larger tables he motioned for Jade and Angel to follow him.
Seated at the table was (An: or is it 'seated at the table were' ?) Race, Blink, Mush, Skittery, Dutchy, Specs, and one newsie who the girls didn't recognize.
"Well youse is coitenly popular wit da ladies now, Cowboy," the boy said, "Ain't youse gonna introduce me?"
"Hawk, dis is Angel and Jade. Goils, dis heah is Hawk. 'E's from Brooklyn, one of Spot's 'little boids," Jack said.
Hawk had short dark brown hair and weird yellow-brown eyes. He was slightly shorter than Jack, but he still towered above Jade and Angel.
"Spot? Who is dat, somebody's dog?" Jade asked in contempt.
"What was dat?" Hawk growled, standing up and slamming his fists down on the table menacingly, trying to stare down Jade. She just met his gaze, unblinking, though.
"Hawk, youse'll have ta excuse Jade, she's a bit tired taday," said Jack, jabbing Jade in the ribs with his elbow, giving her a warning look.
"Yeah. Shoah Kelly," Hawk said, still glaring at Jade but sitting back down.
Angel smiled apologetically at him and he grinned back. When everyone was seated around the table, Angel and Jade took two chairs in between Blink and Race while Jack sat by Mush and Hawk, a waitress came and took their orders.
"So what brings youse ta Manhattan, Hawk?" Jack asked after their food had arrived, "Everyting all right in Brooklyn?"
"Yeah, everytings fine. Ise was jist sent ovah heah 'cause Spot wanted ta invite all a youse to a pokah game in a week from taday," Hawk continued, "Plus, 'e wanted ta see how everyting was ovah heah, see if youse got any new people, ya know, jist da usual."
Nodding his head in understanding Jack asked, "Wheah's da pokah game gonna be?"
"Brooklyn, an' all da boys, uh, people," Hawk corrected, looking at Jade and Angel, "From all da othah boroughs are invited too."
"Is Creepah gonna be dere?" Jack asked, his eyes hardening.
"Yeah, but if 'e 'causes any trouble Spot'll soak 'im," Hawk said.
Jade looked intrigued, Ise wondah who Creepah is? She thought.
She also thought about the obvious respect these guys had for "Spot." It was evident when they spoke, the way they suddenly all seemed to listen more carefully when his name was mentioned.
'E must be da leadah of da Brooklyn newsies, Jade concluded.
Angel meanwhile was having a rather interesting conversation with Blink as he described how he had been attacked by the Crib but had gotten away totally unscathed. And, not to mention, how he had rescued a poor widow and her only child in the process.
Angel listened, a smile on her face at his obvious exaggerations. She was a good listener, though, she nodded in all the right places and laughed when he said something funny.
Jade noticed her sister becoming rather friendly with Blink and she snorted in disgust. She bettah not go fallin fer somebody, Jade thought with scorn.
Although, it could have been jealousy that sparked the little flame behind her eyes.
Why should Angel get to have all the friends? Why should Angel get to have all the guys want to be with her?
Who was it that decided that Jade have the role of the protector who could not afford to show emotions, but was also no longer capable of feeling most of them?
Jade turned back to her food and stabbed at it mercilessly with her fork.
"Youse pretendin' dat's somebody youse don't like or sumptin?" Race asked, gesturing to her vicious attack on the food.
Almost, but not quite, blushing Jade turned her head away from him, grumbling sourly, "Aw, shuddup Race."
Chuckling Race turned around and continued listening to Hawk and Jack, who were discussing how things were going in Brooklyn.
Ise could have sworn Ise saw her cheeks toin a bit red, thought Race, nah, it was probaly jist da lights.
Soon the newsies began filing out of the restaurant in groups of twos and threes, and sometimes just one person would leave, though most had a selling partner.
"Wheah to now?" Asked Angel, when she saw Jack stand up.
"We'se gotta go sell da afternoon edition, an' den we'se is done for da day," he said, putting his cowboy hat on top of his head.
"Youse mean we'se gotta sell more?!" Jade whined.
"Yeah, are youse to tired ta go?" Jack asked, knowing that would get under her skin.
"No, Ise ain't too tired, it's jist hot out, dat's all," Jade said angrily, mad at herself for appearing, if only for three seconds, less than tough.
The three of them, Jack, Angel, and Jade, made their way out of the restaurant and back towards the distribution office. Jack got another hundred papers while Jade and Angel both got fifty..
This time it took them four hour to sell all their papers and by the time they were done Jade and Angel were exhausted. When they got back to the lodging the girls collapsed onto their beds.
"Ise've nevah done dat much walkin' in my entire life!" Jade complained quietly to her twin.
"Yeah," agreed Angel, "All Ise want right now is a shower."
"Me too," said Jade.
The two girls walked towards the bathroom, jumping over Duck and Goose who were playing marbles on the floor.
"De're so cute," commented Angel, when they reached the washroom.
"Yeah," said Jade handing Angel a towel. Angel raised her eyebrows at her sister.
"Did youse just agree wid me?" Asked Angel in fake shock.
"Shuddup," said Jade, heading over towards the shower stalls.
Angel grinned as Jade slammed the door of the stall. Angel went into the one next to Jade's smiled, thinking about how nice Blink had been. (AN: Aaawwww, ain't dat sweet?)
When their showers were done the two girls returned to the bunkroom where almost all the boys had gathered, watching the final round of a poker game, it was seven card stud, and it was being played by Race, Bumlets, Jack, and, surprisingly enough, Mush.
After everyone lay down their hands Mush's face lit with surprise.
"Ise won!" He cried, scooping up his winnings and laughing.
"Shuddup, Mush," Jack, Race, and Bumlets all yelled, throwing their cards at him.
"Are youse to goin' ta bed dis oily?!" Jack asked, after seeing Jade and angel climb into their bunks.
"Yeah," said Angel, "We'se is beat."
"Well, youse bettah be awake enough ta come to da pokah game in Brooklyn next week," said Jack.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't worry about it," Jade said waving her hand in the air.
"'Night, Angel," Blink said, walking past her bunk.
"'Night Blink," Angel said shyly.
Jade rolled her eyes. Dis can't be good, she thought, dis can't be good.
AN: This chapter took me way to long!!!! Can you say writer's block? Well, it's more along the lines of can you say writer's procrastination? Anyway, review pweez!!!!! Now I just need to start writing chapter five…..
AN: Okay everybody, welcome to chapter four! *bows* Ummmmm…. Not much to say here, so just read my frikkin' story!!!!
Chapter Four
*It Could Have Been Jealousy*
The next morning the sleepy members of the Manhattan lodging house were woken loudly by Kloppman. Jade sat up in her bed and lazily stretched, yawning, trying to figure out where the heck she was.
Oh great, Ise is in da lodging house, she thought, Ise was hoping dat it was a weird dream.
She slowly climbed down from her bunk and "accidently" stepped on Angel, waking her up when Kloppman's voice had failed.
"Huh? Whozzat? What time is it?" Angel mumbled, still half asleep.
"It's Jade, it's five thoity in da mornin', an' dis was yoah stupid idea so get da hell up!" Jade said, nudging her sister with her toe.
"Alright, alright already, Ise up, Ise up," Angel grumbled, throwing the blanket off and standing up, suddenly realizing that her face was directly pressed up against someone's chest.
"What's dis?" Angel asked poking the chest hard with her finger.
"'Ay, dat hoit," said the owner of the chest swatting her hand away and grinning.
"Huh?" Angel said, looking up into the face of none other than Blink. (AN: dun, dun, dun, dun).
"Oh, sorry Blink," she mumbled moving to the side and heading over to the bathroom, where the newsies that were already up were getting ready for the day.
"No problem," said Blink, still smiling at the fact that Angel looked like a zombie because of how not awake she was.
Jade was already in the bathroom brushing her hair with a comb that she pulled out of her back pocket. When she saw Angel she smirked, and handing her twin the comb said, "Oh, an' look who decided to grace us wid her presence."
"Youse is chippah dis mornin'," Angel said, raising her eyebrows.
"Youse is dead lookin' dis mornin'," Jade countered, a scowl replacing her smile as she realized that she had been looking friendly.
Ise can't afford ta make friends, Jade thought, we'se'll jist end up leavin' anyway, so it's not woith it. Besides, Ise got enough ta worry about lookin out fer Angel without tryin ta look out for friends too.
Jack, though, noticed Jade's expression turn from happy to vicious and he had also heard her conversation with Angel.
It's like she's poiposely tryin ta make everybody hate her, Jack thought, why would she want dat?
Jack shook his head. He was probably just imagining things, it was early in the morning after all.
"Okay youse guys," he yelled above the din of the washroom, "We'se gotta go or we'se'll be late for getting our papes!"
The newsies quickly exited the LH, Jade and Angel in tow. When they reached the distribution office Jack made his way over to Angel and Jade.
"Youse two are gonna sell wid me taday, so Ise can help ya get da hang of tings. Now we'se jist need ta get our papes. Do youse have enough money to get 'em, 'cause if not Ise can pay for ya taday an' youse can pay me back latah," Jack said as they waited in line for Mr. Weisel.
"We'se can pay fer our own papes," Jade growled menacingly at him.
Angel, on the contrary, smiled sweetly and said, "We'se have cash ta pay for our own papahs, tanks doe."
"Yeah, no problem," said Jack eyeing Jade cautiously.
When Jack was at the front of the line he slapped a half dollar coin on the table and said, "Mornin' Weasel, Ise'll have a hundred, like usual."
Mr. Weisel glared at him as Morris counted out the newspapers before handing them to Jack underneath the iron bars.
When Angel walked up to the counter Morris said "Hey dere sweetface, what's yoah name?"
"Fifty papes, please," Angel whispered, putting a quarter on the counter, not meeting Morris's eye. He handed her the papers and made kissing lips at her as she walked over to where Jack was waiting.
Jade, something, oddly enough, very seductive in her eyes, slinked up to the counter swaying her hips ever so slightly.
"An' what's yoah name, handsome," she whispered, her voice throaty and low.
"Morris," said Morris. (AN: that sounded really, really stupid…)
"What was dat?" Jade asked in the same voice as before.
"Morris," he repeated, pressing his face against the bars.
Big mistake, thought Jade, as she grabbed his nose with her index and middle finger, pulling on it violently and smashing his face against the bars repeatedly.
"If youse evah, evah, go an' try sometin wid my sistah Ise'll shove yoah head so fa up youah doity stinkin ass dat youse'll have ta drop yoah pants ta say hello. Youse got dat?" She demanded, slamming his face into the bars again.
"Yes," Morris said hoarsely.
"Ise can't hear ya," Jade hissed in a sing-songy voice, pulling his face forward again.
"Yes!" Morris shouted.
Smiling pleasantly Jade said, "Now dat wasn't so hard, was it, big boy? Ise'll take fifty papes."
Morris glared and handed her the papers while all the newsies that had seen what had happened where laughing uncontrollably.
"Jade, youse didn't have ta do dat," Angel said quietly, when Jade walked up to her and Jack.
"Course Ise did. 'E was a rotten son of a bitch an' 'e desoived it. Plus, no one gits away wid insultin' me family unharmed," Jade said reassuringly, throwing her arm across Angel's shoulders.
Jack looked at Jade. Okay, he thought, Nevah, evah, insult Angel. Or make Jade mad, for dat mattah, he added as an after thought.
"Now da foist ting youse gotta loin is dat no mattah what da headline is, dere's always a way ta make it sound bettah," Jack explained, leading the girls down a crowded street.
"Lik, fer example, dis headline says dat da Mayor bought a new dog. Well, dat ain't no good," Jack said.
He turned around, his back to Angel and Jade, when he held up his papers and yelled, "Mayor brings vicious beast intah da city! Mother's don't let yoah children outah yoah sight!"
Several people wandered over, handing Jack a penny for a paper. Jade watched in amusement as some of the women held on tightly to their children's hands and looked around suspiciously.
Taking one of her papers and waving it in the air Jade shouted, "Chief of police caught in steamy love nest!"
About ten people came up to Jade and asked for a paper.
"Where'd youse get dat from?" Asked Jack, searching the paper.
"Ise jist made it up," Jade said shrugging.
Sighing Jack said, "Youse can't jist totally make tings up, 'cause people'll come back an' demand fer a refund."
"Dat's what youse tink," said Jade smugly, and, upon seeing one of her irate customers approach her, quietly added, "Watch dis."
"I can't seem to find the story," the man said angrily.
"Well, heah, Ise'll show ya where it is," said Jade, calmly taking the paper.
"Well, look at dat!," she exclaimed in fake excitement, after looking through the paper, "It ain't dere. This heah pape is one in a million, sir, it's probably woith a fortune!"
The man's eyes lit up in greed and he hastily grabbed the paper back from Jade's hand. Not even bothering to say anything more the man quickly walked away, casting his eyes about and looking as if he thought he was about to be mugged.
"See?" said Jade, smiling and turning to Jack, "Piece of cake."
"Yeah, well youse got lucky," said Jack, glaring at her, "Youse shouldn't do dat, it could get ya into a lot a trouble."
"Youse don't need ta tell me what ta do, Cowboy," she said his name sarcastically and spat it out as if it were a curse.
Angel, seeing that a fight was about to start intervened, stepping in the middle of the two and saying, "Lets jist sell our papes, 'kay? Ise wanna try an' sell some."
Jack and Jade nodded at her and locked gazes in a silent war. Angel swatted them both on the arm and continued down the street, calling out headlines.
Jade turned to Jack. Spitting in her hand and holding out it to him she said, "Truce."
Giving her a surprised glance Jack spit in his own and shook hers.
"Truce," he agreed, smiling.
Dat don't mean nuttin, Jade reassured herself, youse just did it so Angel would get off yoah back.
Three hours later Jack, Angel, and Jade had sold all of their papers.
"Now what?" Jade asked Jack.
"Now we'se meet go ta Tibby's. It's where me an' most a da othah boys go an' eat lunch. Are either a youse two hungry?" Jack asked, walking backwards so he could face them.
"Starvin'," they both said in unison.
Jack grinned and turned around, leading them toward the restaurant.
When they arrived it was already packed with people, mostly newsies, and Jack walked in, holding the door open for Angel and Jade.
There was a chorus of greetings, mostly directed at Jack, when he walked in behind the two girls. Making his way over to one of the larger tables he motioned for Jade and Angel to follow him.
Seated at the table was (An: or is it 'seated at the table were' ?) Race, Blink, Mush, Skittery, Dutchy, Specs, and one newsie who the girls didn't recognize.
"Well youse is coitenly popular wit da ladies now, Cowboy," the boy said, "Ain't youse gonna introduce me?"
"Hawk, dis is Angel and Jade. Goils, dis heah is Hawk. 'E's from Brooklyn, one of Spot's 'little boids," Jack said.
Hawk had short dark brown hair and weird yellow-brown eyes. He was slightly shorter than Jack, but he still towered above Jade and Angel.
"Spot? Who is dat, somebody's dog?" Jade asked in contempt.
"What was dat?" Hawk growled, standing up and slamming his fists down on the table menacingly, trying to stare down Jade. She just met his gaze, unblinking, though.
"Hawk, youse'll have ta excuse Jade, she's a bit tired taday," said Jack, jabbing Jade in the ribs with his elbow, giving her a warning look.
"Yeah. Shoah Kelly," Hawk said, still glaring at Jade but sitting back down.
Angel smiled apologetically at him and he grinned back. When everyone was seated around the table, Angel and Jade took two chairs in between Blink and Race while Jack sat by Mush and Hawk, a waitress came and took their orders.
"So what brings youse ta Manhattan, Hawk?" Jack asked after their food had arrived, "Everyting all right in Brooklyn?"
"Yeah, everytings fine. Ise was jist sent ovah heah 'cause Spot wanted ta invite all a youse to a pokah game in a week from taday," Hawk continued, "Plus, 'e wanted ta see how everyting was ovah heah, see if youse got any new people, ya know, jist da usual."
Nodding his head in understanding Jack asked, "Wheah's da pokah game gonna be?"
"Brooklyn, an' all da boys, uh, people," Hawk corrected, looking at Jade and Angel, "From all da othah boroughs are invited too."
"Is Creepah gonna be dere?" Jack asked, his eyes hardening.
"Yeah, but if 'e 'causes any trouble Spot'll soak 'im," Hawk said.
Jade looked intrigued, Ise wondah who Creepah is? She thought.
She also thought about the obvious respect these guys had for "Spot." It was evident when they spoke, the way they suddenly all seemed to listen more carefully when his name was mentioned.
'E must be da leadah of da Brooklyn newsies, Jade concluded.
Angel meanwhile was having a rather interesting conversation with Blink as he described how he had been attacked by the Crib but had gotten away totally unscathed. And, not to mention, how he had rescued a poor widow and her only child in the process.
Angel listened, a smile on her face at his obvious exaggerations. She was a good listener, though, she nodded in all the right places and laughed when he said something funny.
Jade noticed her sister becoming rather friendly with Blink and she snorted in disgust. She bettah not go fallin fer somebody, Jade thought with scorn.
Although, it could have been jealousy that sparked the little flame behind her eyes.
Why should Angel get to have all the friends? Why should Angel get to have all the guys want to be with her?
Who was it that decided that Jade have the role of the protector who could not afford to show emotions, but was also no longer capable of feeling most of them?
Jade turned back to her food and stabbed at it mercilessly with her fork.
"Youse pretendin' dat's somebody youse don't like or sumptin?" Race asked, gesturing to her vicious attack on the food.
Almost, but not quite, blushing Jade turned her head away from him, grumbling sourly, "Aw, shuddup Race."
Chuckling Race turned around and continued listening to Hawk and Jack, who were discussing how things were going in Brooklyn.
Ise could have sworn Ise saw her cheeks toin a bit red, thought Race, nah, it was probaly jist da lights.
Soon the newsies began filing out of the restaurant in groups of twos and threes, and sometimes just one person would leave, though most had a selling partner.
"Wheah to now?" Asked Angel, when she saw Jack stand up.
"We'se gotta go sell da afternoon edition, an' den we'se is done for da day," he said, putting his cowboy hat on top of his head.
"Youse mean we'se gotta sell more?!" Jade whined.
"Yeah, are youse to tired ta go?" Jack asked, knowing that would get under her skin.
"No, Ise ain't too tired, it's jist hot out, dat's all," Jade said angrily, mad at herself for appearing, if only for three seconds, less than tough.
The three of them, Jack, Angel, and Jade, made their way out of the restaurant and back towards the distribution office. Jack got another hundred papers while Jade and Angel both got fifty..
This time it took them four hour to sell all their papers and by the time they were done Jade and Angel were exhausted. When they got back to the lodging the girls collapsed onto their beds.
"Ise've nevah done dat much walkin' in my entire life!" Jade complained quietly to her twin.
"Yeah," agreed Angel, "All Ise want right now is a shower."
"Me too," said Jade.
The two girls walked towards the bathroom, jumping over Duck and Goose who were playing marbles on the floor.
"De're so cute," commented Angel, when they reached the washroom.
"Yeah," said Jade handing Angel a towel. Angel raised her eyebrows at her sister.
"Did youse just agree wid me?" Asked Angel in fake shock.
"Shuddup," said Jade, heading over towards the shower stalls.
Angel grinned as Jade slammed the door of the stall. Angel went into the one next to Jade's smiled, thinking about how nice Blink had been. (AN: Aaawwww, ain't dat sweet?)
When their showers were done the two girls returned to the bunkroom where almost all the boys had gathered, watching the final round of a poker game, it was seven card stud, and it was being played by Race, Bumlets, Jack, and, surprisingly enough, Mush.
After everyone lay down their hands Mush's face lit with surprise.
"Ise won!" He cried, scooping up his winnings and laughing.
"Shuddup, Mush," Jack, Race, and Bumlets all yelled, throwing their cards at him.
"Are youse to goin' ta bed dis oily?!" Jack asked, after seeing Jade and angel climb into their bunks.
"Yeah," said Angel, "We'se is beat."
"Well, youse bettah be awake enough ta come to da pokah game in Brooklyn next week," said Jack.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't worry about it," Jade said waving her hand in the air.
"'Night, Angel," Blink said, walking past her bunk.
"'Night Blink," Angel said shyly.
Jade rolled her eyes. Dis can't be good, she thought, dis can't be good.
AN: This chapter took me way to long!!!! Can you say writer's block? Well, it's more along the lines of can you say writer's procrastination? Anyway, review pweez!!!!! Now I just need to start writing chapter five…..