"Kelly! Wake-up!" My Uncle Dave shouted through the door into the bedroom I was sleeping in.
"Five more minutes!" I shouted as I rolled over onto my stomach and stuffed my pillow over my head. When Uncle Dave didn't say anything back I had figured that he had actually decided to let me sleep in. Just as I was getting comfortable again I felt someone jump onto the bed.
"Ahhhhh!" I shouted both angry and surprised. I pulled the pillow off of my head and sat up. I saw Eric sitting on the bed grinning at me like the mad man he was and Cards was leaning up against the doorframe.
"Mornin' Sunshine," Eric said. I looked at him and lunged at him.
"You dolt! I'se was havin' a NICE dream!" I shouted as I pinned him down onto the bed.
"Yeah, well, it was getting pretty late and we hadn't seen you'se around," Cards commented. "Do you even know what time it is?" I shook my head in reply. What did he think I was? A human clock? I had only been up for two minutes and he's askin' me what time it is.
"It's about one thirty," Eric answered; his voice was muffled by the fact that I had shoved the pillow over his face.
"Really?" I asked. "Wow, I'se neva slept dat late before in me life."
"What time did you'se get ta bed last night?" Cards asked.
"More like what time did she go to bed this morning," Dave said as he passed the doorway to his own room. Cards looked over at me his eyebrows arched and Eric struggled from underneath my hold on him.
"Uhhhh…. I donno, four maybe five dis mornin'. Davy had me runnin' around all last night," I explained climbing off of Eric, who gasped for breath as soon as the pillow left his face. "Shouldn't you'se be in school?" I asked Eric. Eric grinned at me wolfishly as he sat up on the bed.
"I skipped," He answered. "I went for about half an hour and then asked if I could go to the bathroom and never came back."
"I think you'se finally startin' to rub off on him Fingers." Cards came and joined Eric and me on the bed. "So do you want to go and get your pop alone or can we come too?"
"Uhhhh, I'd rather go an' pick him up me self and just bring him by later if dat's ok wid youse guys." Eric shrugged and said, "Hey, he's your dad."
"Alright, well den I'll bring him by yours sellin' spot later. See you two den?" I was hoping my two friends would get the message and leave me alone to get ready and eat. Cards, being the smarter of the two got the message, but Eric being my best buddy wanted to stick around for a few more minutes.
"So what'll you do before you have to go and pick you dad up?" He asked.
"Get dressed, eat, and den maybe go ova ta Brooklyn an' make sure dat Rover told his dad." Eric gave me a look and his face darkened like a shadow had swept over it. "I'se know youse don't like Brooklyn and I'se know what your thinkin'."
"You do, do you?" Eric asked crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Hey, Rusty, I'll met youse outside ok?" Cards asked feeling that this was a moment between Eric and myself…which it was. Cards didn't wait for an answer and disappeared out of the room.
"Yes I'se know exactly what your thinkin', but I'se can handle meself youse know. I mean when you'se go ta Brooklyn wid me it's not like you do anythin' ta stop da guys from flirting."
"Oh I know you can handle yourself but none of the Brooklyn boys are good enough for you," Eric said under his breath. I shot him a questionable look.
"Oh really? And I'se sure you'se know who's perfect for me?" I stood up off the bed and began to make myself look fairly descent. I was brushing my hair when Eric answered me.
"Well…no…maybe…"
"Maybe? Oh so you'se have an idea? Please do tell," I said resting my hands on my hips. Eric looked up at me and I swear something flashed through his eyes.
"Never mind," He muttered. "Well I should go and let you get ready."
"Yeah," I muttered under my breath. "Hey, where youse sellin' taday?"
"I'll take your spot for today," Eric answered as he stood up from the bed. For some reason I think he just wanted to be near Brooklyn.
"Alright, just don't think it's gonna be a forever thing…got dat?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm not trying to take your spot," Eric muttered. "So I'll see you later?"
"You'se betta count on it. Now if you'se don't mind I'd like ta bathe and change clothes."
"Oh…right! I'll go now," Eric said, I slight blush crept up into his cheeks. I couldn't help but smile, sometimes having all guy friends got kind-a awkward. Eric disappeared out of my bedroom and I gathered my stuff to take a bath. I looked out the window towards Brooklyn. Brooklyn, I loved it there, and I would have been a newsie their but two things stopped me. First off not matter how close to Rover I was, no girls were allowed to be newsies and secondly this is where my Dad grew-up and this is where he left me. I grin crept onto my face and I threw my stuff onto the floor.
"Hay, Uncle Dave!" I shouted as I walked over to the window. "I'm goin' ta Brooklyn! I'll bring Dad by da Sun later!" I didn't wait for an answer before I slipped out onto the fire escape. Soon my feet hit the ground and I was off running towards Brooklyn. Yes, Brooklyn was far away but I wanted to get there with plenty of time to get in a short swim at the docks. On my way to Brooklyn I ran into Eric, I mean seriously ran into Eric.
"Hey Kelly," He greeted smiling. "Weren't you going to take a bath?"
"Uhhh…change of plans," I said as I sidestepped around him and began to walk backwards towards Brooklyn. "I'se decided ta take a swim wid Rover at da docks." I smiled at Eric and turned and began to run across the bridge.
"SWIM? IN BROOKLYN?" Came Eric's surprised voice. Soon I heard feet pounding against the bridge behind me. I stopped running and turned to face my all time best friend.
"Yes, I'se gonna swim in Brooklyn," I answered and walked to the side of the bridge and looked at the water rushing underneath it. "Why do you'se care so much…I'se mean why do you'se care if I do hang wid Brooklyn?"
"Come on Kelly, you know I don't like those boys flirting with you," Eric answered darkly as he stood next to me.
"Yeah, I know," When Eric and I would actually start to have a deepish conversation I would usually drop my accent. I mean, if he used my real name why shouldn't I use my real voice? "But I don't get why. I mean why shouldn't they flirt with me? You do know at one point I will start dating again. And I mean it's not like we're going to turn into anything." I turned and looked over at Eric. "Are we?" Eric looked up at me. He looked into my eyes and for the first time ever I realized that Cards was right; I was in love with my best friend. Eric's face came closer to mine, his eyes now looking from my lips to my own eyes. Then he stopped and straightened.
"So tonight I was thinking of taking Annie to your Dad's welcome home party," Eric said nervously. He pulled his gaze away from me and looked out over the churning water.
I couldn't believe it. His words stung. They hurt ten times as bad as getting decked in the face. I was crazy to even think, or believe that for a second that Eric liked me over all the other girls. I was crazy to think I was the one he loved.
"Go ta Hell," I said scowling, my voice dripping with scorn as I shoved Eric to the ground. I then turn and ran into Brooklyn and didn't stop when I heard Eric yelling after me. I didn't stop running till I reached the docks. At least there I could let the water wash away my anger…and my hurt.
"Light Fingers, what are you'se doin' here?" Rover asked from his perch.
"I'se come ta swim, I'se mean if you'se is ok wid dat."
Rover shrugged as I pulled off my top shirt and tossed to the ground along with my hat. I then dove into the water and felt my body relax a bit. I was in Brooklyn, where I belonged. No one made me think about my actions here, no on (like Eric) told me what to do…er…well more of told me what not to do. I broke the surface of the water smiling.
"Hey Fingers," A voice said from above me. I looked up and saw Jed sitting on the dock, his legs dangling over the edge. "Where's your guard dog?"
I gave him a wolfish grin and shrugged. "You'se mean Rusty? He ain't here. I'se left him on da othea side." The other side meaning Manhattan. "Why don't you'se join me?" I asked grinning. Hey I'd been a player before, but Eric had told me it was 'wrong'. Screw that. Jed gave me a devil like smile and pulled his shirt off. Holy Cow the Brooklyn boys were…well to but it simply…sexy. Jed jumped into the water and surfaced behind me. I looked over my shoulder and pulled his arms around my waist. He was so close now and, his skin felt so good and slid against mine in the water. Jed's heavy breathing tickled my neck and sent chills through me. I then realized how much fun this was. "Hey Jed?" I turned around in his arms and looked into his eyes. "Do you want me?" I asked as I trailed a finger down his chest.
"Yeah," He whispered huskily.
"Then have me," I said and pulled his face down towards mine. My lips then captured his in a hot kiss. Sure, I admit, I was doing this out of anger towards Eric but at the moment I didn't care. All there was was Jed and I. Jed's tongue part my lips and wander into my mouth. I wrapped my arms around him and felt out feet kicking against each other as we tried to stay afloat. The bottom of the harbor wasn't to far beneath us and every now and then my foot would scrape the mucky bottom.
I pulled my head back for a breath and Jed began to trail fiery kisses down my neck. He pulled me closer and a small moan escaped my lips. Soon my mouth was captured by Jed's lips in another kiss. His hands were wandering all over my back and my sides. From on the deck I heard shouting, angry shouting, but I didn't care, I was to content on where I was to pay attention. But it wouldn't stay that way for long.
"Bastard! You get your hands off of her!" A voice shouted. The voice ran clear in my mind and…. aww shit! That was Eric's voice, and he didn't sound too happy to see that I was…er…busy with a boy. A boy from Brooklyn none the less.
"It's Rusty," I muttered against Jed's mouth.
"Yeah I know," He said but didn't show any sign of stopping. All right, fine by me, maybe if we just ignored Eric he'd go away.
"Kelly Ester Sullivan!" Eric shouted. That made Jed and I stop at once. No one used a newsie's real name…not ever.
"Looks like your guard dog gots a bone ta pick wid you'se," Jed muttered as he began to swim to the latter that led up to the dock. We climbed the latter and when we reached the top we found a very angry Eric and the Brooklyn newsies who seemed to be interested on what was going on. I looked over at Rover who flashed me a rare and real smile and flashed me thumbs up sign. He'd been telling me for the longest time that I should just get over Eric and start playing the field again.
"You are coming with me," Eric said to me, his voice like stone. "And you," He said to Jed, his voice carrying the same tone. "Keep your mother fucking hands off of her."
"But what if I'se don't want ta go?" I asked Eric as I leaned up against Jed. "What if I want to stay right here?" I saw Jed flash a smirk at Eric that basically said, with out words, HAHAHA! I never expected Eric to do what he did next.
(Hey everyone…sorry it's taken me like FORVER to update but I've been busy. Well just wanted to remind you that Fingers is a street kid and does what she wants…so don't blame her for doing what she's doing…she doesn't know better. Alright well please review! Thanks!)