Skint

  I tiptoed passed the rows of bunks, trying not to wake anybody.  I finally approached Moth's bed and leaned over her, grinning.  "Moth.  Hey Moth!" I whispered.

  She opened one eye, and as she recognized the hazy figure standing over her bed she replied, "Hey Skint.  What time is it?  Wait, what's that in your hand?"

  Before she had time to realize what it was and take cover, it was too late.  A glass of cold water had been poured all over her head.  "Skint!  Not again!"

  "I couldn't resist.  Besides, it's the only way to get you up early, and we're going down to Tibby's with Mush."

  Moth grabbed a towel and dried herself off, and we walked to the lobby and greeted Mrs Cook.  She knew we were getting up early, so she let us into the boy's bunkroom and left the others undisturbed.  I gently shook Mush and he opened his eyes, and smiled up at me.  "Good morning.  Is it time to get up already?"

  "Yeah, remember, we have to go down to Tibby's and plan the party."

  "Oh, right," he said, rubbing his eyes.  "Go wait in the lobby, I'll be ready in a minute."

Moth

As Skint and I waited in the lobby, I was formulating a plan for revenge. I had become quite good at revenge, seeing as how Skint often poured water on me.

Remembering a particularly interesting incident involving sauerkraut and Skint's shoes, I giggled out loud causing Skint to eye me suspiciously. "What?" I tried to sound innocent.

"No revenge this time. We have to plan Stress's one year anniversary!" She glared until I reluctantly nodded and made a show of pouting and heaving large sighs.

Luckily, Mush ran down the stairs just then before Skint could make me promise and we all left for Tibby's, brains hard at work, though for different reasons.

Skint

As Moth, Mush and I approached Tibby's; Moth opened the door to let me through.  I could see her debating whether or not to close in on my face, but she's more creative than that.  She did that last week.

  "So everybody knows about it except Stress."

  "That's right, oh but we didn't tell some of the younger newsies, they can't keep a secret."

  "Right.  Make sure nobody tells them."

  "So we're getting the food from here right?"

  "All except the cake.  Mrs Jacobs is making that."

  "So when does Tibby need to know what food we need?"

  "Today, that's why we're here.  He sends off his order every Tuesday at 6:30, so we had to let him know this morning.  I made a list."  And with that, I handed the list to Mush.

  "Looks good.  I'll take it to 'im."

  Meanwhile, Moth was looking at the menu, trying to decide what to have for breakfast.  "You decided yet?  I'd like to look at the breakfast menu before they start serving lunch," I teased.

Moth

I raised an eyebrow at Skint. "And what's wrong with the menu right in front of you?" I smirked as she looked at the table.

 "What menu?" It was Skint's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Are you hallucinating again Moth?"

"Naw; just thought I'd buy myself some more time." I grinned and slid the menu across the table. "Here."

Skint sighed dramatically "Finally! I thought I would have to write out my will or something!"

Mush slid into the seat next to her. "I gave the list to Tibby and he said he'd even pay for it all since we come here every day."

I grinned. "Some of that is the guilt trip I laid on him when the Delancy's stole my money." At Mush and Skint's raised eyebrows I smiled innocently. "What?? I was hungry!"

Skint rolled her eyes. "God forbid anyone get in the way of you and that stomach of yours."

I spotted someone out the window and ducked under the table. "Quick you guys! It's Stress and Jack!" Silence. I looked out from under the table to see Skint waving the couple over to our table. "You idiot!" I grabbed her arm. "It's STRESS! You know… STRESS!"

"Whaddya know! Moth can recognize people!" Skint patted me on the arm and hissed. "What do you think would be more suspicious? Avoiding her or acting like everything's normal?"

I thought for a moment. Well, when you put it that way…" As I was crawling from under the table, Stress and Jack walked up.

"Heya guys! Moth, I'm almost afraid to ask, but just what are you doing under the table? It's dark down there."

My eyes went wide at this and I scrambled out. "I forgot! I as so busy trying to hi-…"

  Skint clapped a hand over my mouth before I could say 'de from you'.

"She means FIND. She was trying to find her… shoe! It fell off." Skint smiled hopefully and shoved one of my feet back under the table as Stress looked at it.

"Alright, well you guys going to let us sit down?" Jack wanted to know.

I jumped up on the seat and scooted over. "Yeah, sit down." I bounced several times. "And welcome to the happy hour!"

  Skint groaned. "She's finally waking up."

Skint

I shot a look at Moth to tell her to calm down, and she just smiled sheepishly.  "So," said Stress, "what are you guys doing down here so early?"

  Moth looked over at me with a look that said she wasn't awake enough to figure out an excuse. Tibby brought over drinks for me, Moth and Mush.  "I was gonna ask you guys the same question," I blurted out, trying not to sound too strange.  It obviously didn't work, because Moth tried to suppress a laugh, which resulted in sprayed sarsaparilla all over Jack, who didn't look impressed.  "Sorry," she managed to get out.

  "What's with you two?  You're acting more crazy than usual."

  "Nothing's the matter," Moth started.  "Can't we just have breakfast in party… I mean peace?!"

  Stress and Jack looked at each other and then at Moth and me.  "Look," I said.  "Moth hasn't been feeling well.  She has a fever, which makes her a little loopy.  I should take her for some fresh air.  You coming Mush?"

  "Err, yeah."

  The three of us got up to leave, and left a very bewildered Stress and Jack behind.

  Mush and I couldn't stop laughing.  "Moth you bonehead, what go into you?"

 "I woke up."

Moth

A few days later, Skint and I were selling our papes when I got the perfect revenge idea. I planned it all perfectly and as we finished selling, I suddenly smacked my hand to my forehead. "AGH! I forgot my money at the LH! I'll meet ya at Tibby's alright?" Taking off before she could reply, I raced around the corner to the bakery.

"Heya Jim!" I waved to the boy behind the counter. "Spot me a bag of flour?" Jim looked at me suspiciously.

"Hey Moth. Whatcha planning? I ain't letting you have flour until you tell me what you're using it for. Or rather WHO." Quickly, I told him my plan and waited impatiently as he chuckled and grabbed me a bag of flour, placed it in a paper sack and handed it across the counter.

"Thanks Jim! I'll pay you back soon!" I ran out the door and arrived at Tibby's minutes later. A quick look inside confirmed that Skint hadn't yet arrived. Perfect timing.

I threw my bag of flour onto the roof and scrambled up after it, hauling the pail of water I'd filled. Now I just had to wait. The hard part…

5 minutes later, I was making flour castles on the roof when Skint appeared around the corner and began strolling up the street. Finally! I almost stood up and yelled at her, but realized just in time it would spoil my surprise.

As she reached the door, I let loose with the water and then grabbed the flour (which I'd gathered back into the bag) and dumped it, making a large walking… flour pile. Taking advantage of Skint's shock at suddenly being covered in flour, I scrambled down off the back of the roof and ran into the restaurant, reaching a seat just as she walked through the door.