The next two weeks went by fast for the two girls. Melody would always wake up before Emily, coming back with food and clothes just like she had done the first day. Emily never questioned where she got it from, but knew that Melody didn't have the money to afford all of the things she brought back.
One morning, Emily got up just in time to see Melody walk out the door. She quickly threw on her clothes and ran after her. The girl walked briskly through the morning air, never expecting that someone was following her.
Emily followed her at a distance, making sure not to lose her in the crowds that were beginning to form. She jumped as a newsboy yelled out a headline. She soon lost Melody in the crowd and cursed, searching the crowd for her friend. She had almost given up when she saw her.
But what she saw Melody doing shocked her. She was working her way through the crowd, accidentally bumping into a few people. Change purses appeared in her hand as she apologized to each person and she slipped it into a small bag she had with her.
Emily gaped at the sight of her friend stealing from these people and didn't know what to do. She was about to do it again when Emily decided to stop her.
"Melody!" she called out. Melody, at the time had been in the process of pick-pocketing a tall, lanky girl that had her hair under a newsie cap. She was shocked at the sight of Emily and dropped the girl's money accidentally on the ground, right in front of her.
"Shit," Melody muttered as the girl turned around slowly, a glare in her eyes that would frighten anyone. Melody wasn't the bit scared. She smirked at the girl, swiped the money off the ground and ran through the crowd, the girl right behind her.
Emily watched with huge eyes as they made their way towards the mixture of alleys that were familiar to her and Melody. She saw them disappear and ran after them. She looked and looked. They were nowhere to be found. She had basically gotten herself lost and she wandered around, trying to find a recognizable area. She soon heard some noise in the next alley over and knew who it must be.
She ran until she found them. The two girls were fighting each other. Neither had many bruises or was bleeding. She had no idea that Melody could fight that well and even stopped to watch a little before she stepped in the middle of the two girls, holding her hands up.
Emily had to dodge some flying fists and yelled for them to stop. The two girls backed off slowly, their breathing being heavy and neither of them taking eyes off the other. Emily looked at Melody fiercely. "Give her back her money," she said.
Melody looked at her surprised and before she could protest, Emily grabbed the money and threw it into the other girl's hands. The girl looked at Emily with a smile and after putting the money in her pocket she spit in her hand and stuck it out to her. Emily looked at her strangely for a moment and then followed suit. "De name's Shootah," the girl said.
Emily rose an eyebrow, "What kind of a name is dat?" she asked.
Shooter laughed at the girl's statement. "It's a nickname, honey, all de newsies got one, we don't use our real names," she said.
Emily nodded, "Well, I'se Emily and dis heah is . . .," she said, Melody cutting her off.
"I don't share me name wit nobody," she said with a glare.
Emily looked at her strangely.
"Well ain't ya bittah!" Shooter exclaimed.
Melody rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, I'se a real bittersweet kinda goil," she said.
Shootah smiled, "I think dat'll woik fer a name, Bittahsweet," she said.
"Oh yeah, Bittersweet Harmony, dat's what I'll go by," Melody said with a laugh.
Emily gave her a smile, "I like it," she said.
Melody shrugged, "Fine, it woiks fer me, jist let's shorten it ta Bittah, airight," she said, pleased by the fact that from now on she wouldn't hafta tell anyone her real name.
"So what should we call ya, Emily?" Bitter asked with a smirk.
Emily smiled, "Dey used ta call me Topsy when I was a kid, cause I always seemed drunk to the kids at the factory, but none of them could say 'tipsy' right," she said.
"What's yer last name, though?" Shooter asked.
"Brown, Topsy Brown," Emily said, practicing her name. Shooter laughed as the two girls repeated their names over and over again.
"Hey, listen, now dat ya got some nicknames, why don't ya become newsies, it's a better way to make money and ya could live at de lodging house with me and de other goils," Shooter said.
The two girls looked at each other, both smiling. "Suah," they said at the same time. Shooter laughed, "Ya got some stuff ya gotta get?" she asked.
Bitter smiled, "Yeah, ya wanna come wit us so we kin find the lodging house afterwards?" she asked, glad that she had met this girl.
Shooter nodded, "Suah," she said and the three of them headed off.
They gathered their things from the old, abandoned apartment building and, with the help of Shooter, made their way to the lodging house that Shooter seemed so found of. She led them to a lit up building that had 'Brooklyn Girl's Lodging House" written on it and opened the door for the two girls. "Nobody should be around at this hour," she said, explaining to them about selling times and other various things that involved being a newsie.
She showed them to the desk in the main area and told them to sign in, using their new nicknames and told them that they would be able to sleep here for free for the first night, but would have to pay to lodge after that.
The price being quite cheap, the two girls smiled at one another and proceeded to sign their names into the old, musty book. Shooter then led them up the old, rickety stairs and through a door. The room was filled with bunks and was quite messy, clothing found all over the ground and none of the beds made. Shooter showed them to an empty looking set of bunks and Bitter threw her stuff upon the top bunk and Topsy put her stuff on the bottom bunk.
Shooter then showed them to the bathroom and gave them some time to fix themselves up and arrange their things. As the girls finished, she sat on her bunk patiently.
"Well, since you'se ready, I guess I'll hafta introduce ya ta Spot, our leader," she said, with a bit of a grimace on her face.
Bitter laughed, "Yer leadah's name is Spot?" she said laughing. "Dat's a dog's name," she exclaimed, grinning at Topsy, who had also burst out laughing.
Shooter just smiled and sighed as the two finally stopped their hollering. "Jist don't let Spot heah ya say dat, he may sound like a little puppy, but he's got a bad temper and not to mention an ego de size a' Montana," she said with a grin.
Bitter laughed, "I'll be suah ta try not ta," she said, knowing that she most likely would not get along with this guy.
Topsy nodded too, trying to get quite serious, knowing that she was too shy to actually insult anyone.
Shooter motioned for them to follow her and she bounded down the stairs. They smiled at each other as they reached the boys' lodging house and Shooter opened the door, yelling, "Spot, we'se got some new recruits."
A skinny boy approached, "Well, well, what have we got heah," he said, looking the two girls up and down.
"Spot, be nice ta dem, dey'se new at dis an' don't need ya ta insult 'em," Shooter said with authority.
Spot went up to Shooter, "I'll do jist as I please," he said, with an angry look, "Spot Conlon don't take orders from a goil."
Shooter rolled her eyes as he turned around. Bitter laughed as he said those words and he looked at her angrily, "What ya laughing at?" he asked.
"De fact dat you talk in third po'son," she said with a grin.
Spot looked at her menacingly and said, "I'll let dat one slip, sweetheart, but I don't want ya insultin' me again."
"Don't ya dare call me sweetheart," Bitter said, "Or I'll soak ya so bad dat ya won't be able ta talk."
Spot laughed, "Suah ya will," he said. Bitter was about to pounce on him when Topsy put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look.
"So, what's dere names?" he asked Shooter.
"De quiet one's Topsy Brown an' de one next ta her is Bittersweet Harmony, but I'se call her Bittah," she said, as she fought a laugh at the words that were just dealt.
"A fittin' name," he said, with a grin. Bitter glared at him and wished she could soak his sorry ass. Topsy made sure to keep an eye on her, not wanting to get on bad terms with their new leader.
"Well, I guess I'll leave ya ta introducin' dem to de others, but we gotta get 'em fightin' lessons, if dere gonna be selling in Brooklyn," he said.
Shooter smiled, "I think dat Bittah don't need fightin' lessons," she said, remembering the fight they had earlier that day.
Spot raised an eyebrow and said, "I'll be de judge of dat."
Shooter rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, I'll teach Topsy and if ya want ta, I'll let ya judge fer yerself whether Bittah needs lessons or not."
Spot nodded in agreement and said, "We'll start tomorrow aftah selling." Shooter nodded in agreement.
"Well, we'se gonna go find de others," Shooter said, not being able to stand being in Spot's presence for too long, especially when it dealt with such things as introducing people, him always having to make an impression that would dissolve over time. She remembered the first time she had met him. She was scared of him and then when she learned he was basically harmless she became more accustomed to his attitude. She hoped that Topsy wasn't afraid of him and hoped that Bitter learned to watch her mouth.
Spot nodded and turned to go to the bunkroom to get some rest, not to mention to try to get thoughts of Bitter out of his mind. He somehow felt attracted to her and couldn't figure out why, she was almost annoying, but he felt fond of her. His feelings were driving him crazy, and was glad when they had left.
Shooter led them to a quiet looking place in the middle of nowhere it seemed. Bitter gave her a strange look as she saw the sign on the top saying, "Bobby's Bar." Topsy raised the question before Bitter could, "A bar?" she asked Shooter, who was leading them around to the other side of the building.
Shooter smiled as they neared an old wooden door that said, 'no trespassing' on it. "None of de goil's drink, but de guys heah do, oh an' I think we have some company tanight," she said with a smile as she knocked on the door. "De Manhattan boys' have come ta visit dere goils'," she said with a smirk.
The door opened and a bashful looking boy appeared, his shirt open to show off his muscles and he blushed heavily as he greeted them, "Heya Shootah, bringin' in strays again?" he asked, obviously checking Shooter out.
Shooter ignored that fact and smiled, "Heya Mush, glad ya came, even tho ya ain't got a girl to gush all ovah," she said and then looked back at the two girls. "Dese are me new recruits, dey even got de pleasure of meetin' Spot," she said with a short laugh.
Mush smiled and turned his attention to the two girls. "Do you'se got names fer 'em too?" he asked, waiting to be introduced.
Shooter smiled, "I was gettin' dere," she said. "De shorter one is Topsy an' de one next ta her is Bittah," she told him, "an' dis is Mush, goils, don't be shy, you especially Bittah, I know ya's kin talk, just don't be as rude as ya were ta Spot, dese guys are nicer anyways," she said to them, brushing past Mush and leading them inside. "I'll see ya latah Mush, I gotta introduce dese goils ta everyone," she said with a smirk.
Mush waved as he made his way back to a table full with other guys that Mush had convinced to join him.
"He likes ya," Bitter said as she watched Shooter glow, watching him walk away.
"I got a feeling she likes him too," Topsy whispered to Bitter.
Bitter smiled and Shooter just ignored her statement, leading them over to a table full of people. Bitter almost fell over as a newsie that had a cigar hanging out of his mouth basically ran her over. "Watch where you'se goin'!" Bitter yelled at him.
He smirked turning around and facing the angry girl. "An' who are you, doll face?" he asked.
Bitter's eyes narrowed and she raised a fist saying, "Don't ya dare call me doll face," she said with a flare in her eyes. Topsy saw her friend getting angry and grabbed her arm quickly.
She looked at Race with an apologetic smile, "Sorry, she don't like being called things like dat, " she said, nudging Bitter who was busy grinding her teeth so as not to lunge at the annoying boy. She just walked away, heading towards the nearest bathroom to cool down. Topsy sighed, watching her leave. She turned to Race with a smile, "I'se Topsy, by the way, an' dat was Bittah, don't mind her, she's been in a foul mood all day," she said, her face lighting up with worry as she saw Shooter trail after the angry, moody girl.
