Heart Of Jade Part Two
Jaden woke the next morning at the sound of Kloppman coming up the stairs. It had been a long restless night and she wasn't in the mood to get up. Oh well, early hours were part of the job. "I'll get used to it," she thought to herself. Suddenly the door swung open with an irritating squeak as the caretaker entered. When he saw that Jaden was already awake a grin spread across his face. "At least one person in here isn't sleeping their life away." "Well, they say that too much sleep isn't good for you." she replied as she slowly sat up and watched Kloppman rouse the four other girls. "Come on, get up. Your papes aren't going to sell themselves. Let's move it!" His yelling brought groans from around the room. Finally Kloppman left as each of the girls began to wake and tell him to go away. Jaden looked around and chuckled when she saw Wings' case of bed-head. "Wings, you look like Frankenstein's monster." she called as the blond crawled out of bed. "Shut up, Worm. I'm not a morning person." Wings grumbled at her. "Yeah," Emerald cut in with a yawn. "Don't pick on her this early, she'll bite your head off. Oh and, by the way, the washroom's through that door." she pointed toward a door on the left side of the room. "Thanks." Jaden followed the others into the washroom and pumped water into one of the basins. Then she splashed her face and dipped her hair in the ice-cold liquid. Looking around she saw the others were still only half awake. Why was that? She was the one who hadn't slept last night. Just then the door flew open and the boys piled in all at once. "Cheese it!" Angel yelled to the others as the guys started tossing towels around. Quickly the girls retreated to their own room. "I'd hate to see that place when they get done." Jaden thought aloud as she put on the clothes she'd packed the day before. "I have seen it when they get out. It looks like the sewer tossed its cookies." Angel told her. Jaden rolled her eyes at the younger girl's choice of words. "She's not joking." Winter told her. "By the way, Worm. You ever sell papes before?" "Never in my life." "It's simple. All you've got to do is 'improve the truth a little'." Angel informed her. "You know, exaggerate the headlines a little." "It's the part of the job that I don't agree with." Wings cut in as she pulled her shirt on. "Why?" Jaden asked raising an eyebrow. " 'Because God wouldn't lie.' ", The three others gave her the answer in unison as Wings glared at them. "Well, He wouldn't." she protested as she tied her long blond hair back into a ponytail. "Wings, we know what you believe already. Now can we please get out there and get to work?" Emerald asked pulling her hat onto her head and starting for the door. "Sure, Em." Wings said with a sigh. "Let's go." They headed down the stairs and into the hall, which was crowded with boys. "I don't get it. We get up first and they beat us to the door." Jaden told the four other girls. "Face it, we talk too much." Winter told her as she scanned the faces around them. "Hey, there's Pie. I'll see you guys at the Distribution Center." Quickly she made her way through the sea of bodies that was moving out the door. "And she tries to tell us that she doesn't have a crush on him." Emerald commented as they walked onto the street. "We'll get breakfast from a group of nuns a few blocks away from here. Though they don't really like it when girls make their living being Newsies." With that Emerald and the others melted into the wave of Headline Hawkers. After the other girls joined the crowd Jaden followed at the back. She wasn't used to being with such a carefree and rowdy group. Once again she struggled to understand them. Their lives had to stink as much as her's did, a least every once and a while. "Hey! Worm!" Jaden looked to see Blink waving at her over Mush's head. Turning, he made his way to the back to walk beside her. "You've got to get closer if you want to eat breakfast." he told her. "Well then, I'll get my rear moving." picking up the pace she closed the space between herself and the rest of the Newsies. They turned a corner and then stopped walking about half way down the street. Jaden looked around and saw why. Before them stood four nuns handing out food. Blink, who had shown up standing beside her once more, reached out and took a piece of bread. After tipping his hat toward the woman he broke the bread in half and handed a piece of it to her. "Thanks." she said as she took a bite. It was slightly stale, as she'd expected. "Probably left over from yesterday." Jaden thought to herself. Once again they started off towards the square. "Worm, you want to sell with me today?" Blink asked glancing at her. "I mean, since all the girls have partners already." "Uh, sure. But I'd think that if everyone else has someone to sell with so would you." "Oh, I can leave Mush to sell with Race, he won't be hurt too bad." Blink said, sarcasm echoing in his voice. When they reached the square Jaden noticed that the Newsies suddenly became uptight and rather quiet. Moving closer she saw the reason. Two boys of about twenty and eighteen were looking intently at the faces in the crowd. Turning to Blink she asked, "Who are they?" "The Delancey Brothers. They used to help their uncle out when he ran the Distribution Center before the strike. He paid them to keep us in line. Can't believe they're still around, not after the last time we soaked them." She noticed how carefully the Newsies kept an eye on the two. Finally Cowboy stepped out in front of them. "Did you lose something boys?" Jack asked with mischief in his eyes. "Yeah, they did lose something." Racetrack said, turning to face the others. "It's called their brains." Jaden thought the joke to be a little corny but everyone else broke into a wave of laughter. Jack raised his hand to tell the Newsies to cool it for a minute. Then he told the brothers something she couldn't make out. Suddenly Jack turned around and began to run, the Delanceys on his tale and the Newsies chanting his nickname. The chase lasted only a few minutes before the bell rang and the group began to form a line that Jack soon cut to the front of. Jaden found herself third in line, between Angel and Blink. She watched as Jack and Angel bought their papers, then stepped up to the window and slapped down two quarters. "Hundred papes." she said. Picking up her stack of papers Jaden stuck them under her arm and walked down the steps to wait while Blink bought his own stack. As she watched him something inside her rose up. It was just enough strange emotion to worry her. She had felt this only once before. "John Thortan." the name was her first thought. Her second told her that it was impossible; she didn't even really know the Newsie with the eye patch. "It's not that you do like him," she told herself. "It's that someday you could find yourself liking him. But that scares you, Jade. Doesn't it?" "Shut up." she scorned herself with a whisper for even thinking about involving her emotions in anyone or anything.
***
The afternoon sun beat down on Manhattan as Blink stood selling his papers on Bottle Alley. Using his sleeve he wiped the drops of sweat off his forehead, wishing he was at Tibby's. "Excuse me, sir..." he stopped a well dressed man who was passing by. "Do you have the time?" Without turning to look at Blink the man checked his pocket watch. "One thirty." His voice told the boy he was irritated at being stopped. "Thank you, mister." Blink doubted the man had heard him. He was already moving as quickly as he possibly could with dignity to get away from the Newsie. "One thirty." Blink mumbled. "Oh boy." The Newsies didn't normally meet at Tibby's until around two. It gave them more time to sell. The problem was that, today, he didn't want more time to sell. He wanted a glass of water and a table beneath a ceiling fan. Looking toward the other end of the alley he saw Book Worm hawking headlines like a pro. He wasn't sure what he thought of the girl. She was quiet, but not shy. It was more like she was afraid of something, or maybe someone. Sure, he knew he was no Sherlock Holmes but there was something that Worm was afraid of. "Kid, you're getting a little paranoid. You know how it is out here, you don't ask unless they tell." his mind was telling him what he already knew, but something inside him was saying different.
***
Jaden finished selling her last paper just as Blink reached her end of the alley. "You ready to cool off?" he asked as she turned to face him. "What do you think?" she replied sarcastically. "I'm boiling!" "Good," he said laughing a little at her behavior. "Because it's time to head for Tibby's to get some lunch." "Yes! I'm starving!" Jaden's stomach growled to confirm her statement. "I thought you said you were boiling." Blink said as he began to head for the restaurant. "I'm both, okay?" "Well then, madam. Both your problems will be solved shortly, but only if you get moving." Smiling the boy looked behind him to see if she had caught up, and, of course, she had.
***
When the two reached Tibby's most of the Newsies were already there, including one Jaden didn't recognize. "Hey, Blink. Who's that?" she asked indicating a boy wearing pink suspenders. "Oh, that's Spot Conlon." Blink answered. "Ahh...the famous leader of the Brooklyn Newsies. Yeah, read about him in the paper during the strike. The Sun I Think." "If you read anything about the strike it was in the Sun. But enough with the facts. Let me introduce you." Making their way through the crowded restaurant, and numerous greetings, the two finally reached Spot who was talking to Jack and a few others. "Well, if it isn't Brooklyn himself." Blink cut in. "Hi, Kid." Spot greeted Blink as he turned away from his conversation to offer a spit-shake. Then he noticed Jaden standing slightly behind the taller boy. "Who's this?" "Oh, this is our latest Newsie recruit, Book Worm." Blink said, pulling her out from behind him. "Nice to meet you, I'm Spot Conlon." spitting in his hand the Brooklyn Newsie offered a handshake. "So I was told." Jaden replied as she spit in her own palm and accepted Spot's outstretched hand. "Hey, Worm!" a voice called out. She turned around to see who had cut in this time. It was Angel offering her a seat. "Well anyway, good to meet you." Jaden told Spot before taking the chair the other girls had saved for her. "There is no way you sold all your papers already!" Emerald exclaimed when she noticed Jaden's empty arms. "All one hundred." she told them. "You're sure you've never sold papes before?" Winter asked with a raised eyebrow. Jaden just smiled and nodded in answer. As the others continued talking Jaden looked out the large front window. What she saw made her wish she hadn't. Just then a young man with coal black hair walked by with a girl of about seventeen. "John..." she mouthed the name as she felt so many things all over again, betrayal, fear, pain. It had only been three days and... Jaden shook her head. Now was not the time to remember or worry. "Worm, you okay?" it was Wings. "Yeah, I'm fine." Jaden answered. "You sure? You looked kind of out of it for a minute." "I'm fine, Wings." The younger girl nodded and turned back to the conversation with the other three. Just then Blink walked up. "Are you going to eat? You told me you were starving in the alley." "Well, I lost my appetite." Jaden said standing. "You ready to go back out then?" he asked. Swallowing hard she nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
***
That night as they walked back to the Lodging House Blink watched the girl he'd spent the day with. She walked just a little ahead of him, taking quick, short, steps. He couldn't help but think that something was wrong. After they'd left Tibby's she'd hardly said two words. Not that she talked a lot anyway. But now she was more...melancholy. "It's like she's lost inside her own mind or something," he thought to himself. "And you would know this how?" his mind returned. He didn't know the answer. But what he did know was that Worm's attempts to cover her fear were just making it more obvious, to him at least. And what on earth had made him become so attached to her? He'd only known her for a night and a day. Finally they reached the Lodging House. Quickly he sped up to beat her to the door. After he did so he held it open for the girl. "Thanks." she mumbled as she entered. After they were in, Blink noticed, she went straight to the girls' room. Looking at the clock he saw it was only eight thirty. Thinking for a minute, he followed her. When he reached the girls' bunkroom Blink saw that Book Worm was laying on her bed, staring at the bunk above her. "A little early to be going to bed." he said, leaning against the doorframe. Startled at the sound of his voice she sat up, hitting her head on the upper bed. "Ouch! That hurts!" she exclaimed glaring at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make you hurt yourself." Blink smiled apologetically. His smile made it hard to stay mad at him for frightening her. "It's alright. And yeah, I guess it's a little early. I just needed to think." "About what?" he asked walking into the room and sitting on one of the beds. "About..." she stopped short. He could tell she wouldn't spill. "Never mind." she finished. "Let's go downstairs." With that she got up and walked out the door. Standing to follow Blink shook his head. What was it about her that made him care more than usual?
***
Jaden sat on her bed thinking as she wrote. It was about ten minutes until lights out and she wanted to finish before bed. So many thoughts were going through her head right now, she had to get them out. Biting one of her fingernails she allowed words to fill her mind. "Worm, you alive?" Emerald asked, breaking into Jaden's thoughts. Apparently the other girl had come in without Jaden noticing. "Yeah, I'm still living, just thinking." Emerald could see how involved Jaden was in her writing so she left her to it. Jaden could hear the others coming upstairs and knew it was time to call it quits for now. "I'll finish tomorrow," she thought to herself, sliding the poem into the cover of "Oliver Twist".
***
It wasn't as hot today as it had been, Jaden noticed as she stood on her end of Bottle Alley. It was near the end of August and the weather had decided to play games. "Extry! Extry! Corpse found in Mayor's office!" she yelled the headline to people passing by. "Nice headline. Where'd you get it?" a voice asked from behind her. Jaden turned to find Blink standing there. "Page five. The Mayor's dog died." "You're pretty good." he told her. "Aren't you supposed to be selling?" she asked right before yelling her headline again. "Yeah, well I..." he stopped for a moment. "You what?" Jaden prompted. "Ah...never mind. I'll come grab you when it's lunch time." Turning he walked back the way he'd come. "That was weird." Jaden thought. "It seemed like something was on his mind." She continued watching the boy for a minute before her logic caught up with her mind. "Now don't you go getting yourself messed up in other people's business." She realized that keeping to herself had been the original plan but it was proving hard to carry out. Even after only a week she was finding it difficult to keep the Newsies at arms length. They were warm and friendly toward her and each other for the most part. Silly as it seemed to her she thought they acted a bit like a family.
***
Blink was going to talk to Book Worm about the paper that Kloppman had handed him that morning, but it hadn't been as easy as he'd thought. There was something defensive in the way she acted and he could hear it in her voice too. Reaching into his pocket Blink pulled out that paper Kloppman had said Worm dropped. Normally he would've just given it back to her without reading a word of it, but the caretaker had strongly suggested that the boy did. Scanning through the poem one more time he suddenly noticed the name signed at the bottom. "So that's what Kloppman meant when he said Jade was a soft stone." Blink mumbled to himself. Looking around he realized he'd better get back to work. He would think about it later when he had time.
Jaden woke the next morning at the sound of Kloppman coming up the stairs. It had been a long restless night and she wasn't in the mood to get up. Oh well, early hours were part of the job. "I'll get used to it," she thought to herself. Suddenly the door swung open with an irritating squeak as the caretaker entered. When he saw that Jaden was already awake a grin spread across his face. "At least one person in here isn't sleeping their life away." "Well, they say that too much sleep isn't good for you." she replied as she slowly sat up and watched Kloppman rouse the four other girls. "Come on, get up. Your papes aren't going to sell themselves. Let's move it!" His yelling brought groans from around the room. Finally Kloppman left as each of the girls began to wake and tell him to go away. Jaden looked around and chuckled when she saw Wings' case of bed-head. "Wings, you look like Frankenstein's monster." she called as the blond crawled out of bed. "Shut up, Worm. I'm not a morning person." Wings grumbled at her. "Yeah," Emerald cut in with a yawn. "Don't pick on her this early, she'll bite your head off. Oh and, by the way, the washroom's through that door." she pointed toward a door on the left side of the room. "Thanks." Jaden followed the others into the washroom and pumped water into one of the basins. Then she splashed her face and dipped her hair in the ice-cold liquid. Looking around she saw the others were still only half awake. Why was that? She was the one who hadn't slept last night. Just then the door flew open and the boys piled in all at once. "Cheese it!" Angel yelled to the others as the guys started tossing towels around. Quickly the girls retreated to their own room. "I'd hate to see that place when they get done." Jaden thought aloud as she put on the clothes she'd packed the day before. "I have seen it when they get out. It looks like the sewer tossed its cookies." Angel told her. Jaden rolled her eyes at the younger girl's choice of words. "She's not joking." Winter told her. "By the way, Worm. You ever sell papes before?" "Never in my life." "It's simple. All you've got to do is 'improve the truth a little'." Angel informed her. "You know, exaggerate the headlines a little." "It's the part of the job that I don't agree with." Wings cut in as she pulled her shirt on. "Why?" Jaden asked raising an eyebrow. " 'Because God wouldn't lie.' ", The three others gave her the answer in unison as Wings glared at them. "Well, He wouldn't." she protested as she tied her long blond hair back into a ponytail. "Wings, we know what you believe already. Now can we please get out there and get to work?" Emerald asked pulling her hat onto her head and starting for the door. "Sure, Em." Wings said with a sigh. "Let's go." They headed down the stairs and into the hall, which was crowded with boys. "I don't get it. We get up first and they beat us to the door." Jaden told the four other girls. "Face it, we talk too much." Winter told her as she scanned the faces around them. "Hey, there's Pie. I'll see you guys at the Distribution Center." Quickly she made her way through the sea of bodies that was moving out the door. "And she tries to tell us that she doesn't have a crush on him." Emerald commented as they walked onto the street. "We'll get breakfast from a group of nuns a few blocks away from here. Though they don't really like it when girls make their living being Newsies." With that Emerald and the others melted into the wave of Headline Hawkers. After the other girls joined the crowd Jaden followed at the back. She wasn't used to being with such a carefree and rowdy group. Once again she struggled to understand them. Their lives had to stink as much as her's did, a least every once and a while. "Hey! Worm!" Jaden looked to see Blink waving at her over Mush's head. Turning, he made his way to the back to walk beside her. "You've got to get closer if you want to eat breakfast." he told her. "Well then, I'll get my rear moving." picking up the pace she closed the space between herself and the rest of the Newsies. They turned a corner and then stopped walking about half way down the street. Jaden looked around and saw why. Before them stood four nuns handing out food. Blink, who had shown up standing beside her once more, reached out and took a piece of bread. After tipping his hat toward the woman he broke the bread in half and handed a piece of it to her. "Thanks." she said as she took a bite. It was slightly stale, as she'd expected. "Probably left over from yesterday." Jaden thought to herself. Once again they started off towards the square. "Worm, you want to sell with me today?" Blink asked glancing at her. "I mean, since all the girls have partners already." "Uh, sure. But I'd think that if everyone else has someone to sell with so would you." "Oh, I can leave Mush to sell with Race, he won't be hurt too bad." Blink said, sarcasm echoing in his voice. When they reached the square Jaden noticed that the Newsies suddenly became uptight and rather quiet. Moving closer she saw the reason. Two boys of about twenty and eighteen were looking intently at the faces in the crowd. Turning to Blink she asked, "Who are they?" "The Delancey Brothers. They used to help their uncle out when he ran the Distribution Center before the strike. He paid them to keep us in line. Can't believe they're still around, not after the last time we soaked them." She noticed how carefully the Newsies kept an eye on the two. Finally Cowboy stepped out in front of them. "Did you lose something boys?" Jack asked with mischief in his eyes. "Yeah, they did lose something." Racetrack said, turning to face the others. "It's called their brains." Jaden thought the joke to be a little corny but everyone else broke into a wave of laughter. Jack raised his hand to tell the Newsies to cool it for a minute. Then he told the brothers something she couldn't make out. Suddenly Jack turned around and began to run, the Delanceys on his tale and the Newsies chanting his nickname. The chase lasted only a few minutes before the bell rang and the group began to form a line that Jack soon cut to the front of. Jaden found herself third in line, between Angel and Blink. She watched as Jack and Angel bought their papers, then stepped up to the window and slapped down two quarters. "Hundred papes." she said. Picking up her stack of papers Jaden stuck them under her arm and walked down the steps to wait while Blink bought his own stack. As she watched him something inside her rose up. It was just enough strange emotion to worry her. She had felt this only once before. "John Thortan." the name was her first thought. Her second told her that it was impossible; she didn't even really know the Newsie with the eye patch. "It's not that you do like him," she told herself. "It's that someday you could find yourself liking him. But that scares you, Jade. Doesn't it?" "Shut up." she scorned herself with a whisper for even thinking about involving her emotions in anyone or anything.
***
The afternoon sun beat down on Manhattan as Blink stood selling his papers on Bottle Alley. Using his sleeve he wiped the drops of sweat off his forehead, wishing he was at Tibby's. "Excuse me, sir..." he stopped a well dressed man who was passing by. "Do you have the time?" Without turning to look at Blink the man checked his pocket watch. "One thirty." His voice told the boy he was irritated at being stopped. "Thank you, mister." Blink doubted the man had heard him. He was already moving as quickly as he possibly could with dignity to get away from the Newsie. "One thirty." Blink mumbled. "Oh boy." The Newsies didn't normally meet at Tibby's until around two. It gave them more time to sell. The problem was that, today, he didn't want more time to sell. He wanted a glass of water and a table beneath a ceiling fan. Looking toward the other end of the alley he saw Book Worm hawking headlines like a pro. He wasn't sure what he thought of the girl. She was quiet, but not shy. It was more like she was afraid of something, or maybe someone. Sure, he knew he was no Sherlock Holmes but there was something that Worm was afraid of. "Kid, you're getting a little paranoid. You know how it is out here, you don't ask unless they tell." his mind was telling him what he already knew, but something inside him was saying different.
***
Jaden finished selling her last paper just as Blink reached her end of the alley. "You ready to cool off?" he asked as she turned to face him. "What do you think?" she replied sarcastically. "I'm boiling!" "Good," he said laughing a little at her behavior. "Because it's time to head for Tibby's to get some lunch." "Yes! I'm starving!" Jaden's stomach growled to confirm her statement. "I thought you said you were boiling." Blink said as he began to head for the restaurant. "I'm both, okay?" "Well then, madam. Both your problems will be solved shortly, but only if you get moving." Smiling the boy looked behind him to see if she had caught up, and, of course, she had.
***
When the two reached Tibby's most of the Newsies were already there, including one Jaden didn't recognize. "Hey, Blink. Who's that?" she asked indicating a boy wearing pink suspenders. "Oh, that's Spot Conlon." Blink answered. "Ahh...the famous leader of the Brooklyn Newsies. Yeah, read about him in the paper during the strike. The Sun I Think." "If you read anything about the strike it was in the Sun. But enough with the facts. Let me introduce you." Making their way through the crowded restaurant, and numerous greetings, the two finally reached Spot who was talking to Jack and a few others. "Well, if it isn't Brooklyn himself." Blink cut in. "Hi, Kid." Spot greeted Blink as he turned away from his conversation to offer a spit-shake. Then he noticed Jaden standing slightly behind the taller boy. "Who's this?" "Oh, this is our latest Newsie recruit, Book Worm." Blink said, pulling her out from behind him. "Nice to meet you, I'm Spot Conlon." spitting in his hand the Brooklyn Newsie offered a handshake. "So I was told." Jaden replied as she spit in her own palm and accepted Spot's outstretched hand. "Hey, Worm!" a voice called out. She turned around to see who had cut in this time. It was Angel offering her a seat. "Well anyway, good to meet you." Jaden told Spot before taking the chair the other girls had saved for her. "There is no way you sold all your papers already!" Emerald exclaimed when she noticed Jaden's empty arms. "All one hundred." she told them. "You're sure you've never sold papes before?" Winter asked with a raised eyebrow. Jaden just smiled and nodded in answer. As the others continued talking Jaden looked out the large front window. What she saw made her wish she hadn't. Just then a young man with coal black hair walked by with a girl of about seventeen. "John..." she mouthed the name as she felt so many things all over again, betrayal, fear, pain. It had only been three days and... Jaden shook her head. Now was not the time to remember or worry. "Worm, you okay?" it was Wings. "Yeah, I'm fine." Jaden answered. "You sure? You looked kind of out of it for a minute." "I'm fine, Wings." The younger girl nodded and turned back to the conversation with the other three. Just then Blink walked up. "Are you going to eat? You told me you were starving in the alley." "Well, I lost my appetite." Jaden said standing. "You ready to go back out then?" he asked. Swallowing hard she nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
***
That night as they walked back to the Lodging House Blink watched the girl he'd spent the day with. She walked just a little ahead of him, taking quick, short, steps. He couldn't help but think that something was wrong. After they'd left Tibby's she'd hardly said two words. Not that she talked a lot anyway. But now she was more...melancholy. "It's like she's lost inside her own mind or something," he thought to himself. "And you would know this how?" his mind returned. He didn't know the answer. But what he did know was that Worm's attempts to cover her fear were just making it more obvious, to him at least. And what on earth had made him become so attached to her? He'd only known her for a night and a day. Finally they reached the Lodging House. Quickly he sped up to beat her to the door. After he did so he held it open for the girl. "Thanks." she mumbled as she entered. After they were in, Blink noticed, she went straight to the girls' room. Looking at the clock he saw it was only eight thirty. Thinking for a minute, he followed her. When he reached the girls' bunkroom Blink saw that Book Worm was laying on her bed, staring at the bunk above her. "A little early to be going to bed." he said, leaning against the doorframe. Startled at the sound of his voice she sat up, hitting her head on the upper bed. "Ouch! That hurts!" she exclaimed glaring at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make you hurt yourself." Blink smiled apologetically. His smile made it hard to stay mad at him for frightening her. "It's alright. And yeah, I guess it's a little early. I just needed to think." "About what?" he asked walking into the room and sitting on one of the beds. "About..." she stopped short. He could tell she wouldn't spill. "Never mind." she finished. "Let's go downstairs." With that she got up and walked out the door. Standing to follow Blink shook his head. What was it about her that made him care more than usual?
***
Jaden sat on her bed thinking as she wrote. It was about ten minutes until lights out and she wanted to finish before bed. So many thoughts were going through her head right now, she had to get them out. Biting one of her fingernails she allowed words to fill her mind. "Worm, you alive?" Emerald asked, breaking into Jaden's thoughts. Apparently the other girl had come in without Jaden noticing. "Yeah, I'm still living, just thinking." Emerald could see how involved Jaden was in her writing so she left her to it. Jaden could hear the others coming upstairs and knew it was time to call it quits for now. "I'll finish tomorrow," she thought to herself, sliding the poem into the cover of "Oliver Twist".
***
It wasn't as hot today as it had been, Jaden noticed as she stood on her end of Bottle Alley. It was near the end of August and the weather had decided to play games. "Extry! Extry! Corpse found in Mayor's office!" she yelled the headline to people passing by. "Nice headline. Where'd you get it?" a voice asked from behind her. Jaden turned to find Blink standing there. "Page five. The Mayor's dog died." "You're pretty good." he told her. "Aren't you supposed to be selling?" she asked right before yelling her headline again. "Yeah, well I..." he stopped for a moment. "You what?" Jaden prompted. "Ah...never mind. I'll come grab you when it's lunch time." Turning he walked back the way he'd come. "That was weird." Jaden thought. "It seemed like something was on his mind." She continued watching the boy for a minute before her logic caught up with her mind. "Now don't you go getting yourself messed up in other people's business." She realized that keeping to herself had been the original plan but it was proving hard to carry out. Even after only a week she was finding it difficult to keep the Newsies at arms length. They were warm and friendly toward her and each other for the most part. Silly as it seemed to her she thought they acted a bit like a family.
***
Blink was going to talk to Book Worm about the paper that Kloppman had handed him that morning, but it hadn't been as easy as he'd thought. There was something defensive in the way she acted and he could hear it in her voice too. Reaching into his pocket Blink pulled out that paper Kloppman had said Worm dropped. Normally he would've just given it back to her without reading a word of it, but the caretaker had strongly suggested that the boy did. Scanning through the poem one more time he suddenly noticed the name signed at the bottom. "So that's what Kloppman meant when he said Jade was a soft stone." Blink mumbled to himself. Looking around he realized he'd better get back to work. He would think about it later when he had time.