Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, me no own, so you no sue.
AN: Alrighty, then, uh, ain't got nothin to say, ain't got grammar skills at the moment either, ummm, yeah…. Just read the story!
Chapter Eight
*It Pays Ta 'Ave A Hard Head*
Jade sat there for a few moments, scanning the crowd for the perfect target. There was a woman dressed in a frilly dress that had way to much lace walking slowly down the street.
She probably can't breath 'cause of how tight dat corset is laced, thought Jade.
Jade stood up and nonchalantly walked past the woman, slipping her hand into the lady's bag and grabbing her change purse. Jade grinned when she felt how heavy it was.
Whistling, she walked over to a fruit vendor a little ways away and bought an apple for her breakfast.
Now Ise jist need ta come up with a place where Ise can sleep, Jade thought.
That was her biggest problem at that point in time. Well, that and the fact that she didn't really know where she was because she hadn't paid attention to where she was running.
She wandered around listlessly for a while, not really doing anything, until she suddenly realized that she was in a very abandoned part of wherever she was.
In fact, she thought that she was alone until she heard the crunching sound of heavy footsteps behind her.
She whirled around, shoving the change purse into her back pocket and being prepared for anything. Jade found herself facing two big guys, probably around sixteen or so.
"'Ay, Oscar, what do we'se 'ave heah?" One of the boys asked his companion.
"Well, Ise dunno Creepah, why don't we'se find out?" said, Oscar, stepping forward.
Jade took a step back into her normal fighting stance and said, "It would be in yoah own interest ta not come near me."
""Ay," said Oscar, "Ise recognize dat voice! Youse is da goil dat broke my bruddah's noise, ain't ya?"
"Yeah, an' maybe I am," said Jade plaintively.
"Youse little bitch, youse'll pay foah messin' with my family!" Growled Oscar running at her and throwing a punch at her face.
Jade quickly ducked low to the ground and hooked her leg around Oscar's ankle, jerking forward and making him fall on his back. Oscar's head fell back and hit the road, knocking him out cold.
Creeper charged at her like Oscar, but when she ducked to the ground to trip him he jumped, and her leg hooked around nothing but air.
Jade sprung up from the ground so Creeper couldn't do something like step on her.
Creepah, Jade thought, now wheah 'ave Ise hoid dat name before?
Jade's train of thought was cut off as Creeper came at her again, moving as if to tackle her. When Jade stepped out of the way he grabbed her wrists and pinned them up above her head against the nearest building to them.
She struggled violently and Creeper pressed his body against her, making it impossible for her to move.
"Now, Oscah over dere, 'e may 'ave wanted ta soak ya, but Ise jist want ta have a little fun. What do youse say?" Creeper said, smirking.
"Fuck you!" Jade yelled head banging Creeper and making him stumble back, swearing loudly.
He raised his face and she punched him in the eye, making him unconscious.
"It pays ta 'ave a hard head," spat Jade, walking away.
Now I remembah! She thought, Creepah is dat one guy dat Jack didn't like! Huh, Ise can see why.
'E was kinda good lookin', doe. It's to bad dat 'e was a jackass, thought Jade.
And he was good looking, by most girls standards. He was tall, but not too tall, and he had short black hair that he kept tied together with a string in the back of his head. (AN: In other words, he has a really short ponytail, but that sounded too fruity to associate with a guy named Creeper)
He had ice blue eyes that never showed anything. Creeper was well built, and the only physical flaw that he had was a jagged scar that ran for three inches on the upper forearm of his left arm.
Jade rubbed her forehead. She may have had a hard head, but hitting Creeper like that had still given her a headache.
Jade kept walking until she saw a sign that simply said "Bronx Lodging House."
So, Ise is in da Bronx, she thought, well, maybe dis lodgin' house ain't only fer newsies, 'cause Ise still need a place ta stay.
She walked inside and looked around. There were a few guys playing poker, some with girls on their lap, others who were alone.
She made her way over to what looked like to be the front desk, trying to ignore the fact that everyone was staring at her.
Seated behind the desk was a bitter looking old man. He was probably around Kloppman's age, but while Kloppman was nice this guy looked mean and nasty.
Jade cleared her throat. The man looked up asking rudely, "Yeah, an' what do youse want, goil?"
Jade, answering in the same tone, said, "Ise want ta know how much it is ta stay heah per night. An' Ise want ta know if only newsies can stay heah."
"It's six cents per night, an' anybody who pays can stay," the man said, looking back down to what he was working on.
"Good," said Jade, putting six cents from the change purse down on the desk in front of the man.
"Da bunkrooms upstairs," said the man, pointing to a rickety old stairwell, "Go up dere an' ask fer Blade, 'e'll give youse a bunk."
Jade nodded and walked up the stairs, coming to a large bunkroom that looked much more rundown than the Manhattan one.
"Can we'se help youse, sweet face?" Asked a guy around Jade's age, walking up to her.
"Yeah," said Jade, "Numbah one, don't call me sweet face unless youse is lookin' ta die an' numbah two Ise is lookin foah Blade."
"Shoah," the guy said, obviously not to put off.
"Blade!" he yelled, in the direction of a little room connected to the bunkroom by a solid wooden door.
"Yeah, what?" Asked a boy, after opening the door from inside the room and stepping out.
"Dis goil's lookin' foah youse," the first boy said, gesturing to Jade.
"Who are you?" Blade asked, walking over to Jade, looking her up and down and grinning slyly.
"Jade," she said, not liking the way Blade was looking at her.
Well, okay, she didn't mind all that much. He was pretty good looking after all. He was medium height and build, with dark brown hair and piercing gray eyes.
"How can Ise help ya?" Asked Blade, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Jade slipped out from under his arm and said, "Ise need a bunk."
"Foah how long?" Asked Blade, irritated that she would disrespect him like that. Every girl he met wanted him, so what was wrong with this one?
"Dat's my own business," Jade said pushily.
Blade grinned at her attitude despite himself. "Heah," he said pointing to a bunk, "Dis one's free."
"Tanks," said Jade, going over and sitting on it.
It wasn't a top bunk, but hey, she would live.
"Do youse want ta come play pokah with me downstairs?" Asked Blade.
"Shoah," said Jade.
They walked down the stairs and Blade introduced Jade to everyone.
"Hey everybody!" Blade yelled over all the talking, "Dis is Jade. Jade," he said addressing her, "Dis is Jay," a tough looking boy with blue eyes grunted some sort of greeting, "Dis is Red, Ice, Owl, Dice, Jokah, Scarlett, Prints, an' Jackal."
Owl, Joker, and Scarlett were all girls. None of them smiled at Jade and they looked her over with scorn and suspicion.
Jade returned their looks with one of her own, looking haughty, confident, and unafraid.
The guys looked at Jade with a more *cough* appreciative manner, especially the ones who had no lap ornaments of their own, particularly Ice and Jackal.
Ice looked a lot like creeper, with the exception of the long hair and the scar. Jackal, on the other hand had tan skin and light brown-blond hair.
Jade sat down in one of the empty chairs around the table, while Blade took the other one.
Scarlett immediately got up and sat in Blade's lap, sending Jade a look which clearly stated, "Hands off."
Owl, who had large brown eyes and blond hair, was seated in Red's lap while Joker was in Jay's.
The cards were dealt and everyone's faces went totally blank.
Good, thought Jade, at least it looks like dese guys can all play pokah.
After the game, Blade won, much to Jade's chagrin, the old man behind the desk told them all that if they didn't all go upstairs to the bunkroom and shut up he would kick them out.
Grudgingly they all climbed up the stairs and Jade went to her appointed bunk, trying to ignore the fact that the couples were all engaging in certain activities that usually occur behind closed doors.
It didn't come as that much of a shock, though, because she had heard plenty of things about the Bronx. And this was one of those things.
Girls just had a reputation for being easy there. Jade didn't care as long as none of the guys tried anything with her that she didn't like.
If they did she had a number of ways to cause them extreme pain for the rest of her life.
She closed her eyes and tried not to think about Angel because she always felt a stab of guilt when she did.
She lay in her bed and tried to convince herself that Angel was happier where she was, until Jade was deep in the arms of Morpheus.
AN: Okay. I didn't mean Morpheus from the Matrix. Morpheus was the Greek god of sleep and "to be in the arms of Morpheus" is an idiom that means to be asleep. Anyway, sorry for the chapter before this, it was really sucky, but I was tired and I couldn't think of anything to write. BUT, this chapter is a whole lot better so I think you should write a review telling me how much better it is. Really, it would be for the best. Really, really.
AN: Alrighty, then, uh, ain't got nothin to say, ain't got grammar skills at the moment either, ummm, yeah…. Just read the story!
Chapter Eight
*It Pays Ta 'Ave A Hard Head*
Jade sat there for a few moments, scanning the crowd for the perfect target. There was a woman dressed in a frilly dress that had way to much lace walking slowly down the street.
She probably can't breath 'cause of how tight dat corset is laced, thought Jade.
Jade stood up and nonchalantly walked past the woman, slipping her hand into the lady's bag and grabbing her change purse. Jade grinned when she felt how heavy it was.
Whistling, she walked over to a fruit vendor a little ways away and bought an apple for her breakfast.
Now Ise jist need ta come up with a place where Ise can sleep, Jade thought.
That was her biggest problem at that point in time. Well, that and the fact that she didn't really know where she was because she hadn't paid attention to where she was running.
She wandered around listlessly for a while, not really doing anything, until she suddenly realized that she was in a very abandoned part of wherever she was.
In fact, she thought that she was alone until she heard the crunching sound of heavy footsteps behind her.
She whirled around, shoving the change purse into her back pocket and being prepared for anything. Jade found herself facing two big guys, probably around sixteen or so.
"'Ay, Oscar, what do we'se 'ave heah?" One of the boys asked his companion.
"Well, Ise dunno Creepah, why don't we'se find out?" said, Oscar, stepping forward.
Jade took a step back into her normal fighting stance and said, "It would be in yoah own interest ta not come near me."
""Ay," said Oscar, "Ise recognize dat voice! Youse is da goil dat broke my bruddah's noise, ain't ya?"
"Yeah, an' maybe I am," said Jade plaintively.
"Youse little bitch, youse'll pay foah messin' with my family!" Growled Oscar running at her and throwing a punch at her face.
Jade quickly ducked low to the ground and hooked her leg around Oscar's ankle, jerking forward and making him fall on his back. Oscar's head fell back and hit the road, knocking him out cold.
Creeper charged at her like Oscar, but when she ducked to the ground to trip him he jumped, and her leg hooked around nothing but air.
Jade sprung up from the ground so Creeper couldn't do something like step on her.
Creepah, Jade thought, now wheah 'ave Ise hoid dat name before?
Jade's train of thought was cut off as Creeper came at her again, moving as if to tackle her. When Jade stepped out of the way he grabbed her wrists and pinned them up above her head against the nearest building to them.
She struggled violently and Creeper pressed his body against her, making it impossible for her to move.
"Now, Oscah over dere, 'e may 'ave wanted ta soak ya, but Ise jist want ta have a little fun. What do youse say?" Creeper said, smirking.
"Fuck you!" Jade yelled head banging Creeper and making him stumble back, swearing loudly.
He raised his face and she punched him in the eye, making him unconscious.
"It pays ta 'ave a hard head," spat Jade, walking away.
Now I remembah! She thought, Creepah is dat one guy dat Jack didn't like! Huh, Ise can see why.
'E was kinda good lookin', doe. It's to bad dat 'e was a jackass, thought Jade.
And he was good looking, by most girls standards. He was tall, but not too tall, and he had short black hair that he kept tied together with a string in the back of his head. (AN: In other words, he has a really short ponytail, but that sounded too fruity to associate with a guy named Creeper)
He had ice blue eyes that never showed anything. Creeper was well built, and the only physical flaw that he had was a jagged scar that ran for three inches on the upper forearm of his left arm.
Jade rubbed her forehead. She may have had a hard head, but hitting Creeper like that had still given her a headache.
Jade kept walking until she saw a sign that simply said "Bronx Lodging House."
So, Ise is in da Bronx, she thought, well, maybe dis lodgin' house ain't only fer newsies, 'cause Ise still need a place ta stay.
She walked inside and looked around. There were a few guys playing poker, some with girls on their lap, others who were alone.
She made her way over to what looked like to be the front desk, trying to ignore the fact that everyone was staring at her.
Seated behind the desk was a bitter looking old man. He was probably around Kloppman's age, but while Kloppman was nice this guy looked mean and nasty.
Jade cleared her throat. The man looked up asking rudely, "Yeah, an' what do youse want, goil?"
Jade, answering in the same tone, said, "Ise want ta know how much it is ta stay heah per night. An' Ise want ta know if only newsies can stay heah."
"It's six cents per night, an' anybody who pays can stay," the man said, looking back down to what he was working on.
"Good," said Jade, putting six cents from the change purse down on the desk in front of the man.
"Da bunkrooms upstairs," said the man, pointing to a rickety old stairwell, "Go up dere an' ask fer Blade, 'e'll give youse a bunk."
Jade nodded and walked up the stairs, coming to a large bunkroom that looked much more rundown than the Manhattan one.
"Can we'se help youse, sweet face?" Asked a guy around Jade's age, walking up to her.
"Yeah," said Jade, "Numbah one, don't call me sweet face unless youse is lookin' ta die an' numbah two Ise is lookin foah Blade."
"Shoah," the guy said, obviously not to put off.
"Blade!" he yelled, in the direction of a little room connected to the bunkroom by a solid wooden door.
"Yeah, what?" Asked a boy, after opening the door from inside the room and stepping out.
"Dis goil's lookin' foah youse," the first boy said, gesturing to Jade.
"Who are you?" Blade asked, walking over to Jade, looking her up and down and grinning slyly.
"Jade," she said, not liking the way Blade was looking at her.
Well, okay, she didn't mind all that much. He was pretty good looking after all. He was medium height and build, with dark brown hair and piercing gray eyes.
"How can Ise help ya?" Asked Blade, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Jade slipped out from under his arm and said, "Ise need a bunk."
"Foah how long?" Asked Blade, irritated that she would disrespect him like that. Every girl he met wanted him, so what was wrong with this one?
"Dat's my own business," Jade said pushily.
Blade grinned at her attitude despite himself. "Heah," he said pointing to a bunk, "Dis one's free."
"Tanks," said Jade, going over and sitting on it.
It wasn't a top bunk, but hey, she would live.
"Do youse want ta come play pokah with me downstairs?" Asked Blade.
"Shoah," said Jade.
They walked down the stairs and Blade introduced Jade to everyone.
"Hey everybody!" Blade yelled over all the talking, "Dis is Jade. Jade," he said addressing her, "Dis is Jay," a tough looking boy with blue eyes grunted some sort of greeting, "Dis is Red, Ice, Owl, Dice, Jokah, Scarlett, Prints, an' Jackal."
Owl, Joker, and Scarlett were all girls. None of them smiled at Jade and they looked her over with scorn and suspicion.
Jade returned their looks with one of her own, looking haughty, confident, and unafraid.
The guys looked at Jade with a more *cough* appreciative manner, especially the ones who had no lap ornaments of their own, particularly Ice and Jackal.
Ice looked a lot like creeper, with the exception of the long hair and the scar. Jackal, on the other hand had tan skin and light brown-blond hair.
Jade sat down in one of the empty chairs around the table, while Blade took the other one.
Scarlett immediately got up and sat in Blade's lap, sending Jade a look which clearly stated, "Hands off."
Owl, who had large brown eyes and blond hair, was seated in Red's lap while Joker was in Jay's.
The cards were dealt and everyone's faces went totally blank.
Good, thought Jade, at least it looks like dese guys can all play pokah.
After the game, Blade won, much to Jade's chagrin, the old man behind the desk told them all that if they didn't all go upstairs to the bunkroom and shut up he would kick them out.
Grudgingly they all climbed up the stairs and Jade went to her appointed bunk, trying to ignore the fact that the couples were all engaging in certain activities that usually occur behind closed doors.
It didn't come as that much of a shock, though, because she had heard plenty of things about the Bronx. And this was one of those things.
Girls just had a reputation for being easy there. Jade didn't care as long as none of the guys tried anything with her that she didn't like.
If they did she had a number of ways to cause them extreme pain for the rest of her life.
She closed her eyes and tried not to think about Angel because she always felt a stab of guilt when she did.
She lay in her bed and tried to convince herself that Angel was happier where she was, until Jade was deep in the arms of Morpheus.
AN: Okay. I didn't mean Morpheus from the Matrix. Morpheus was the Greek god of sleep and "to be in the arms of Morpheus" is an idiom that means to be asleep. Anyway, sorry for the chapter before this, it was really sucky, but I was tired and I couldn't think of anything to write. BUT, this chapter is a whole lot better so I think you should write a review telling me how much better it is. Really, it would be for the best. Really, really.