Chapter
15
When
I went into the bunkroom, I saw no one. But then I heard someone call out my
name. To my surprise, it was a female voice. I whirled around, and when I spied
the dark brown hair, I cried out.
"Hope!"
She
wrapped her arms around me tightly.
"I'm
so glad dat you're heah! I was afraid dat you wouldn't be heah!"
I
suddenly stopped hugging her and my face grew hot.
"I'm
really sorry, Hope…I…"
She
stopped me quickly and gave me a faint smile.
"I
knows why you'se heah, ya don't need ta tell me,"
My
eyes welled up with tears. I turned away from Hope and sat down on the bunk.
She quickly walked over to me and sat down also.
"Bristles,
Sunny and I think dat it would be a good idea dat you'd stay heah in
Manhattan,"
I
looked up and stared at Hope. Seeing my face, she quickly told me that since I
didn't really want to see Spot right now, I should stay here. And since my
birthday was coming up, I could just have a party here with the Manhattan
newsies. Of course, the Brooklyn newsies would be here too. I asked if Spot was
coming, and Hope said she didn't know. Although I was upset, I knew I was
feeling disappointed that I wasn't going to see him.
"What
about you guys though?"
"wese'll
miss ya, alright, but we'll still come ta see ya every week. Every day even.
Weah still heah for ya, in case you're worryin. But do ya wanna stay heah in
Manhattan?"
I
thought about this. Staying in Manhattan would be different from Brooklyn. And
I wouldn't see Sunny or Hope that often either…but the thought of Spot still
troubled me. And so I said that I would stay here. I could sense disappointment
in Hope's voice when she told me that would be fine, but I did not want to
think about it. I quickly changed the subject and asked Hope a question.
"So,
uh, why didn't Sunny come to see me?"
"Well,
she, uh, went to discuss sumpthin wit Spot…don't warry, it's nutin bout you,"
"Oh…well,
why are you here?"
"ta
see you, of course!"
"Anyone
else?" I could see Hope starting to blush, but she didn't answer my question. I
started smiling and said, "he went out, but he'll be back, he might've been
headed for Brooklyn…I wonder why?" She looked at me quickly and asked me if I
had said anything. Seeing that I was still smiling and hadn't replied to her,
she pinned me down and said she was gonna soak me.
"relax,
I haven't said a thing. Besides, what're you worrying about? He likes you, and
you know that, now let me go,"
Hope
loosened her grip and quickly and looked at me with some suspicion, but did not
pursue the subject. We started talking about how my birthday party was going to
be planned out. She wouldn't stop asking me about what I wanted for my
birthday, but I wouldn't tell her anything. Because I did not want her to do
something like give up a week's salary just to get me a present.
"Aw,
c'mon, dere's gotta be sumpthin u want…I promise dat I won't do anytin stupid
about it if ya tell me,"
I
firmly answered no, and Hope flopped on the bed and sighed in frustration.
"youse
and stubborn as a kid dat's gonna be given a bath, Bristles…well, I guess I'd
betta be leavin now, cuz I don't wanna be distoibin nobody."
"wait!
Don't you wanna stay for a while? Maybe you could spend the night. I betcha
that there's an extra bunk, and you could share with me if there isn't,"
Hope
seemed to ponder this over, but only after ten seconds did she agree, and I
didn't bother to ask why. We sat on the bunk for a while, and then I heard Jack
call from downstairs. I suddenly realized that I was starving; all the talking
must have stirred up my hunger. Hope seemed to have the same feeling, for she
flew down the stairs long before I did, but I did hear Jack greet Racetrack
before he called us down….
