Past Secrets and Present Times
Chapter33
By Hotshot
Kloppman was at her door early the next morning. He knocked and then opened the door quietly telling her to get up. "You want a shower before I wake all the boys up?"
"No," she told him, "Don't treat me any different Kloppman. I'm the same person as before and as soon as Specs gets over his ego I'll be back in the bunkroom with the fellas."
"Very good," the old man sad before shutting the door. Hotshot looked at her pocket watch, which lay open on the table next to her bed. It was barely five thirty. Most of the newsies would have protested until Kloppman poked them with his broom but she smiled at the thought of having to get up and work. She threw off the thin sheet and searched around on the floor for her clothes. She dug out the dark green shirt from under the bed and threw it on. Through some miracle she made it to the washroom before Kloppman came back up to wake everyone else.
The shouting was no more than the usual rate and soon they all began to file into the room, most still half-asleep. Dutchy's hair was sticking up at an odd angle as he stumbled in and absentmindedly began searching for an unknown object. Hotshot wet a comb and ran it through his hair before splashing him in the face. That woke him up immediately. She casually walked out of the room listening to him yell threats after her.
The boys got ready at their usual pace and were actually awake by the time they bounced out the doors of the lodging house. Hotshot was waiting outside as they came and joined the group on their trek to the distribution station.
Weasel was in a foul a mood as ever but the Delancy's seemed to be enjoying themselves a considerable amount. No one could probably ever really tell why the two were in a good mood, and no one really cared to find out either.
"Heya Sweetface," Oscar reached forward as Weasel handed her the hundred papers she'd asked for.
"Hey Oscar, let's make a deal." She smirked.
"Sure, what?"
"You touch me again an' I'll break your face." She turned and walked away as he stood there too shocked to speak. When he regained his thoughts he yelled after her.
She stopped again outside the gates, reading over what she had to work with. Her glance strayed from the headlines to the newsies around her. They landed on Dutchy and Specs, who seemed to be arguing over something. She stood near the wall until Bumlets came out. She caught his arm as he passed, "You sellin' at Bottle Alley today?"
He glanced quickly over at Specs and then returned his gaze to her, "Yeah, you up for it?" He jerked his head in Specs' general direction.
She knew exactly what he was implying and nodded, "The best way to get out your frustration is to scream at the top of your lungs for an hour or two."
"Let's go then."
The two started toward that end of Manhattan but were stopped when Oscar stepped in front of them. "Heya Hotshot, how ya doin'?"
She bit her lip to keep a retort from flying back at him. She shoved him out of the way and watched as he began to come after them.
"Hey!" A loud yell stopped them all in their tracks. "Lay off," Dutchy yelled at Oscar. Specs was standing next to him looking angrier than ever.
Hotshot took Bumlets' arm and pulled him along with her to get away from everyone. When they reached the crowded marketplace she began screaming headlines in both English and Spanish. Bumlets smirked as he watched her screaming headlines. It didn't take a genius to know she was pissed off. Specs needed to think about what he was doing. He would come to his senses eventually; Bumlets had known him long enough to know that. He yelled a headline loudly in German and began walking through the crowds after her.
They sold out in a few hours, trading their last few papers to a vendor for few cheap pencils. Bumlets stuck them in his pocket promising to give hers back at the lodging house. They started the walk to Tibby's joking about Race's poker game the night before. Obviously Race had lost almost all of his money while telling them several jokes, particularly horrible ones mostly.
Bumlets fell silent as they reached the door to the diner, "We can always go somewhere else if you want?"
As much as Hotshot appreciated the offer she didn't accept. If Specs wanted to be an ass toward her for the mistake she'd made, let him, but she wasn't going to let it ruin her life. "Nah, let's go in. If either of them say anything though I'se gonna tell 'em off."
Bumlets winced at the thought but reluctantly held a door open for her. The two made their way inside to find most of the other newsies were already there. Specs and Hummingbird were sitting together again, except that this time she was sitting in his lap. Hotshot made her way past them seeing Kid Blink and Mush waving to her from a nearby table. As she neared their table Hummingbird kissed Specs. Unfortunately the only seat at the table was near Specs' table, but she only waved Kid Blink's offer away when he stood to let her take his chair.
"Ya know," Race said a few minutes later, "we came here ta eat, not watch you two make out all afternoon."
"Just because you ain't getting' any doesn't mean we aren't allowed to enjoy ourselves," Hummingbirds voice held a superior tone that Hotshot hated, "Why don't you ask that slut to help you out in that department."
Hotshot balled her hands into fists and stood up slowly, turning to face the girl who was insulting her and her friends. She took two steps so that she was at the tables end and looked Hummingbird in the face, "What did you call me?"
"A slut, it's what you are. Why do you even bother trying to hide it anymore?"
"Hotshot," Spot had entered the diner just in time to see the beginning of the display, his voice held an authoritive tone. Hotshot shrugged him off and turned her attention back to the couple in front of her. She'd wanted to scream the both of them since she got back, and wasn't going to let herself be sidetracked. The comments she had were all surfacing.
"There is no I in slut, but there is a u." she smirked as Hummingbird caught the meaning, "Other than that I have absolutely no idea what your problem is?"
"Do you mean my hating people who are as ugly and as careless as you? Please, you just dropped two different guys without a second thought, and now come back here expecting everyone to love you again."
"From the girl who can't find her own guy that's particularly surprising," Hotshot raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me!"
"Well, let's think for a minute. The last two guys you've gone after have been ex-boyfriends of mine. And as for the hating ugly people you should probably avoid looking in mirrors if you're so hateful."
"Or I could just avoid looking at you."
"Go ahead, but it's only because you're jealous."
Hummingbird let out a laugh, "Why on earth would I be jealous of someone like you?"
Hotshot grinned as she heard several of the boys groan behind her. She'd been hoping Hummingbird would ask. "Listen and listen good Hummingbird, I have something that you will never have, respect. You see when I walk into a room people actually want my opinion on things, and want to know me. These guys notice me because I am one of them, not some girl selling herself to any guy who looks twice at her, but a girl who can think for herself. You on the other hand need to come in here with either a guy on your arm, or with that sad excuse for a dress, flocked by your entourage to even be noticed. And even then you're thrown aside as soon as a better-looking girl comes around. Then we factor in the fact that I am smart. Sure, you may have grown up on the streets but I did too, so we both have street smarts but only I still managed to graduate from school. You may be able to outdo me in fashion, but I can beat you in so much more. I could outrun or outfight you, and I could turn you into some kind of monster if I described you with one of your character flaws. Sure I left the newsies to go home with my father but I came back. If you had the chance to have that much money I bet you'd never be heard from again. At least I have some class."
"Well at least I've got you beat in the beauty department," Hummingbird sneered, "That's what guys are looking for, a wife to do housework, and wear a dress like any normal woman."
"I'm afraid not. I may not look like some picturesque wife in my newsie clothes but you were at the party the other night. You saw me. I walked into that room and everyone, even those who hated me, wanted to talk to me. How many even looked up when you came in? I have nothing to prove, but you should admit it, you're just scared."
"I have no reason to be scared of you." Hummingbirds scowl deepened.
Hotshot leaned closer to the couple, "You should be. Trust me I would have no problem informing everyone in this city of just how horrible and manipulative you are." She turned to Specs, "And as for you. Well, I have to say I'm disappointed. I didn't think you were the kind of guy who needed to get revenge on everyone who did something he didn't agree with. What the hell happened to standing up for your friends? When she just insulted Race, what did you do, absolutely nothing. At least when we were dating you'd stand up for them, if I insulted someone you'd tell me off unless you knew I was just joking. I don't know what the hell happened to you, but you need to grow up."
They both sat in silence staring at her. Specs' face looked calm, and his eyes only mirrored her reflections, not revealing any of what he was feeling. Hummingbird's sneer was probably the only thing that bothered her.
Hotshot turned back to the girl, "You need to get over your ego and as for what class and taste you may think you have, let me be the one to tell you, you don't. You frame your life around getting revenge on those people you don't agree with and don't act and look exactly like you. I will never be a carbon copy of something so awful, and eventually those friends of yours are going to leave. Overall, your ways are going to ruin your life. The last thing I have to say to you is that I hope I'm around when it finally happens." She turned on her heel and strode out the door, not once looking over her shoulder to see the looks on their faces. They all watched as she turned toward the distribution center and disappeared from sight.
The diner remained filled with a deafening silence for several minutes. Hummingbird was the first to speak. To Specs she said, "Don't worry, she's just jealous."
Specs turned and looked at her, a look of disgust on his face. Abruptly he stood up, sending her crashing to the ground. Specs didn't even seem to notice that she was there after that. He walked out the door and turned in the direction opposite of the one Hotshot had taken.
All the boys watched him go before turning back to where Hummingbird had stood up. She looked at all of them before walking out the door. A cheer of sorts chorused through the group, as they all began talking at once.
Racetrack was heard above everyone, "Specs an' Hotshot will be back together by tonight."
"How sure are you Race?" David asked, he'd never seen Hotshot as mad as she had been in that diner.
"I'd stake my life on it."
Hotshot sold papers by herself that afternoon, being very careful to avoid Specs, and Spot. She just didn't want to be around Specs and Hummingbird. And then Spot, well the last time she'd gone off on someone like she had in the restaurant Spot had been lecturing her for a week. She was not up for listening to him drone on about how important it was for her to be nice to everyone.
She walked through the streets of the city yelling headlines until she'd sold all of her papers. It was pretty late for the afternoon but it wasn't dark yet. She started back to the lodging house, knowing Race would probably have a poker game going when she got back.
Sure enough as soon as she entered she found Race and many of others surrounding a table in the lobby. She locked eyes with his for a second before breaking the gaze and heading up the stairs. She almost turned around when she entered the bunkroom; Spot was sitting on a bunk across form Jack as the two of them chatted quietly about something. Not only did she not want to put up with his lectures right now, but also it seemed that they were alone, meaning they were talking business.
Never the less living in Brooklyn for ten years had taught her never to back down once she'd started something. She walked through the room and had anyone else been around they would have mistaken her for having a part in the meeting. Purposely forgetting her manners she walked right past them and slipped out into the fire escape. She climbed up the ladders and platforms until she reached the roof.
The place was quite popular among the lodgers because of the solitude it offered from the world below. But chairs at the poker had the same magnetic effect and tonight they seemed to have a stronger pull. Hotshot was glad, as much as she loved the guys in the lodging house she didn't want to have them come up and tell her how sorry they were. She climbed up onto the ledge and watched the inhabitants of her city scurry about in the streets below.
The whole time she sat there she knew someone would come up to talk to her. Not Race, the poker tables were too hot tonight and it would be hours before he gave up his seat, either Blink or Spot. The sky was long past dark when she finally heard the sound of boots on the ladder, and someone climbing onto the roof and walking toward her. It was Spot she decided, but the only reason she could hear him was because he wanted her to. She could just picture his face, deathly serious, as it has been when she passed him to leave. A pair of hands dropped onto the ledge beside her but she didn't look over, not wanting to look him in the eye until she had to.
"Penny for your thoughts?" A voice offered.
She dug her fingers into the palm of her hands. It wasn't Spot after all. She still didn't want to meet his gaze, but it had to be done. She sighed heavily and turned to look at him, "My thoughts ain't worth a penny."
"Well, from what I hear downstairs most of the fellas would pay a lot more than a penny to hear your thoughts right now. I mean Spot thinks you're scared of him."
She laughed. It was the thing she wanted to do least around him but the thought of her being afraid of Spot, it was just to funny. "Yeah right, the day I'm scared of Spot Conlon is the day Jack takes over Brooklyn."
She turned completely to face him. Specs was standing with his hands leaning on the ledge, slouched slightly forward. He wanted to smile but the serious conversation that needed to happen seemed to dominate his mind and therefore he was frowning. His eyes shined with some untapped light, and his hair hung slightly in his face.
"Well, we know that isn't going to happen any time soon." A grin crossed his face and disappeared just as quickly. "Listen, Hotshot I'm…" he paused and looked out at the city, "How do I say this?"
"You're sorry," she supplied.
He looked at her, an unreadable expression masking his face, "I don't think I am."
She nodded; it was what she'd expected. If he had been apologizing she would have been in shock.
"I'm not sorry, Hotshot. I mean you're the one who left. You were saying that you wouldn't leave, and the minute it was all over you were gone."
"You think I wanted to leave. Specs I told you on the roof a few weeks ago that I wanted to keep being a newsie, and that I just didn't know where to go. I told you that I didn't want to go back to my father's life. But I had to Specs. I couldn't just abandon him; it was my responsibility to make sure he got settled again. I mean, when he sprung that on me at the party, what could I have said Specs!"
"No," he supplied.
"Matthew Edwards don't you dare pull that with me! You know very well that if your mother asked you to go back and live with your family again you'd do it in a heartbeat. Why should my decision be any different than yours?" She turned to him with a look that could kill. This would turn into a shouting match between them. While she'd hoped things would be easily resolved it was obvious that wasn't going to happen.
"Because you had a life in that other place! If I went home I wouldn't fit in and you know it. You had the newsies and you had me. That didn't have to be any different but you made it that way."
"I didn't want to Specs, believe me. I wanted to stay with you more than anything, but it was my family, and we both know something would have happened if I went back to Brooklyn." Her mind suddenly turned to another thought that had been plaguing her mind; "Anyway you seemed very content with your new girl. Hummingbird! Specs, what the hell were you thinking!"
"I was thinking that I wanted to be with someone who wasn't going to leave me the second they got a chance."
She stood to get off the ledge and he helped her down. As soon as her feet hit the roof she turned to face him directly, "Well then you sure chose the wrong person. You know that every single fact I said at Tibby's today was true."
He averted his gaze and said nothing. It was as close to getting him to admit he was right as she was going to get.
"Specs, I am sorry that I left. I'm sorry that I hurt you and the guys, and I'm sorry that you're angry, but I did come back. Nothing is going to keep me away from Manhattan. I don't care if you hate me for the rest of my life, but I'm not leaving. This is my home."
"What makes you think I have a problem with you staying here?"
"Let's see Specs. First, you refused to sleep in the bunkroom if I was there. Then you were arguing with Dutchy this morning, don't even get me started on Hummingbird. And Specs I swear every time I see you I want to tell myself off for putting you through this."
"Then why do you?"
"Because I don't know what to do. I thought going back home would make my dad happy and make my life perfect, but it didn't. My dad is trying to get his firm back on the ground so I spent almost every day with Pickpocket on the front steps of the house. I though we'd be a family again if we went back there."
"What you weren't a family?"
"No, we were, I mean I still love them, it's just…" she sighed, "My family is here Specs, the newsies are my family."
"If we're your family then why the hell did you leave?"
"I had to figure my life out Specs! I mean it's easy for you, you left home because you wanted to get away. I left to get away from something, and then all of a sudden it was all thrown back at me as soon as I felt free of it."
He suddenly looked tired and much older. He braced himself in a corner and crossed his arms over her chest, nodding for her to continue her rant.
"Do you know how many people I've lied to, Specs? Huh? I have lied to every single person I've ever met, every single one of my friends, even the ones who trusted me with everything. No one knows me Specs, not even Spot! How do you think it felt to have to lie to everyone about who I am? I mean, I was a Brooklyn newsie Specs, I had to be tough and I had to be a fighter, I could never be like other girls. I haven't cried in over five years Specs, at least that. I didn't even really cry when I thought Andres was dead, because I wouldn't let myself. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna cry over you."
"I wouldn't expect you to."
"I do care about you Specs, if you're gonna hold a grudge against me at you at least need to know that." She sat down against the wall, suddenly too tired to stand and yell at him. He sat as well, still staring at her.
"Hotshot," he licked his lips, "I'm sorry, about everything. I really care about you, and when you left I just needed someone and Hummingbird was right there. I should have come to see you."
"I wish you had," she said as calmly as possible, remembering how angry Roman had been with her at that time, "but I don't blame you for staying away."
"I want to have a relationship with you Hotshot, but is that all our relationship is going to be based on, past secrets?"
She met his eyes, "It would take you a lifetime to learn all my secrets Specs, so yes and no, it would be based on past secrets and present times."
"What if that ain't good enough?"
"Then we'll work on it until it is. That's one thing I never did with Spot. He had his secrets and I had mine. We had each other to lean on so it wasn't as bad, but I don't know, it was just like, like Spot didn't need a reason, but I did. Secrets suck, I promise to be as truthful as I can be from now on if you will."
"It's a promise."
As he took her hand Hotshot looked up and met his eyes again, "Damn, they were right?"
"Who was right about what?" he asked, confused.
"Rebel, Blackjack, Spot, Blink, I'm sure everyone else was thinking it too…" she trailed off, trying to avoid his gaze.
He took her chin in his hand and made her look at him, "What are you talking about?"
"Everyone told me the same thing Specs. Before and after I came back, I told them all that I was coming back because this is where I belong, and they insisted that it was for a different reason. When I heard what they thought I insisted they were wrong and told them that they were crazy, but I'm starting to think they were right. I can't believe they were right."
"Hotshot, what-"
"Do you love me Specs?"
He looked a bit taken back by the question but was quick to come up with an answer, "Of course I do. You're my best friend Hotshot."
"No, not like that, I mean do you love me like the fellas do their girls?"
He thought for a moment before responding this time, "Yes. Now Hotshot, what did all of them tell you?"
"They told me that I was in love with you Specs, and I told them they were crazy. I'd never been in love before and I guess I didn't believe that I could ever care about anyone. God, I screamed at Blink for saying it, he's gonna be pissed at me. They were right though," she paused, "I love you Specs."
Without a word he pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers, as passionately as he probably would have, had they been dating during the entire case. She was surprised to say the least but wouldn't have stopped him if her life depended on it. Instead of pulling away she shifted her body so she was facing him. He deepened the kiss and she slipped her arms around his neck, burying her fingers in his hair. His hands slid to her waist and under her shirt. His hands touching her bare skin sent a shiver down her spine and she happily moved closer to him.
Several moments later they broke apart, both breathing heavily as they each tried to catch their breath. She leaned against his chest, and his hand moved to glide through her hair. Neither of them dared to speak.
"So," Specs broke the deafening silence, "Brooke, will you be my girl."
She looked up at him in mild surprise. Every time one of the guys had called her Brooke she'd hit them, but for some reason specs calling her by her real name didn't bother her in the least. "Yes," she whispered, kissing him softly.
* * *
"They've been up there for a long time, an' it's been quite a while since we heard 'em yelling." Crutchy commented.
"I bet she killed him," Blink joked, but he was silenced by glances by a few of the others.
Race sighed, they were back together, he was sure of it. As much as Hotshot denied it she loved Specs, and Specs had openly confessed to several of the boys that he loved her. It wasn't like the fact hadn't been blatantly obvious before, but they needed to admit it. The entire room had heard the two of them yelling form the roof almost an hour before.
He smirked, they were probably making out up there. It wasn't like he minded. Race had known the two of them would be together since they'd shared their first kiss. Each one's personality fit the others perfectly, and if you watched the way they acted around each other you could see the chemistry. In fact he'd nearly gone off on Specs the first time he'd seen him with Hummingbird. He grinned to himself as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs through the less known entrance to the roof. The footsteps echoed into Hotshot's room and stopped for several minutes. He grinned as he turned to the other boys, still watching the window.
He should have been a Brooklyn newsie, he thought to himself. Sometimes his senses were sharper than Spot's. He looked up as the door opened and proclaimed loudly, "Well, if it ain't the lovebirds. When's the wedding you two?"
Everyone swung around to face the door in one motion. Specs stood with his arm wrapped securely around Hotshot's waist, a gesture that had a set meaning, she was his. Race smiled to himself, he'd been right again. He glanced over his shoulder to see Kid Blink's grin, which was even wider than his own.
* * *
Hotshot grinned at Race's remark, she wanted to hit him but, well, it was his nature. She dropped her things onto the bunk under Bumlets' and sat down. Nothing was going to ruin this night now. As soon as they'd entered the room had erupted in noise. Now the boys had spread out form the window and were in groups all around the room. Pie Eater, Swifty, Bumlets, Snoddy and Skitters were all gathered around Specs.
"So you two are back together?" the voice and the sound of someone tapping on her bunk made her turn from where she was sitting. Dutchy stood next to her bed with the usual lopsided grin covering his face.
"Yeah," she replied grinning, "we are."
"Well, y'know you made Race be right too, we ain't gonna hear the end a that any time soon."
"There's a first time for everything," she commented, and immediately after felt something hit her in the back of the head. She turned to find Race, Jack and Spot standing on the other side of her. Racetrack had an eyebrow raised and a smile across his face. "Oh please, you know I'm joking." Race shook his head with a smirk and excused himself to start a poker game with a few of the other boys. He never changes Hotshot thought to herself.
Spot just nodded to her, "Well it looks like you got everything under control here, guess I'll see you around, next Poker game in Brooklyn."
"I'll be there to kick your ass, just like old times," she said spitting in her hand and holding it out.
He repeated the act and they shook hands. "You wish," was all he said before turning and strolling out of the room as if he owned the place.
Blink was grinning at her from the next bunk, looking like he held the worlds biggest secret. "So, when are you and Sweets goin' out?" she asked.
His face fell, "You knew? Never mind, yeah, I was gonna ask you to come so you wouldn't feel so lonely 'round here but it looks like I won't have to. So, you told him, right?"
"Yes, and as much as I hate to admit it I have to say that your advise worked."
"Always does."
"Hey Race," Specs voice filled the room as he held out his hand and snapped his fingers, "Give it here."
Hotshot looked at the two of them completely confused and watched Race pull her knife out of his vest pocket. He handed specs the knife and in turn Specs handed it to her, "I believe you have something to finish."
She rolled her eyes and flipped it open, leaning back. It was so much easier to carve her name with the knife than it had been using the key. She closed the knife and threw it onto her bed stand when she was done. A few of the guys cheered but the rest were absorbed in Race's poker game. She moved through the crowd and let herself into the next game. Race was on a winning streak, again and she was in the mood to play. She watched him deal the cards and picked hers up. Everyone else quickly folded, knowing the game was between those two.
"Read 'em and weep," Race threw down his cards and reached for the money but her cards were laying on top of the pile, and unfortunately, they beat his."
"Pleasure doin' business with ya Race," she took the majority of the winnings, leaving him with only what he'd bet. The boys all yelled and cheered, seeing the look on Race's face.
"How the hell does she do that?" he questioned.
No one had time to answer. There was a pounding heard from the floor below, Kloppman was banging an old broom on the ceiling and yelling up for them all to go to bed. They all grumbled back knowing he couldn't hear and were sure to stomp extra loudly as they made their way to their bunks. Hotshot kicked off her boots and threw her buttoned shirt to the ground. Specs lay down next to her wrapping an arm around her waist. For once Racetrack didn't comment.
The next morning she woke up to the feeling of Kloppman's broom poking into her. "What're you two tryin' ta do, get me shut down?" the old man snapped, "Get up, you'se got papes to sell, an' don't you dare do that again.
The walk to the distribution center was closer to usual that morning. There was no sight of Hummingbird and all of the boys were yelling to each other and running all over the place.
Hotshot got a spot pretty close to the head of the line at the Distribution Center and started trying to think of a comment. When she reached the window though, she held her tongue. Oscar and Maurice's faces were bruised and cut, they'd been in a fight and lost horribly. She laughed out loud as she ordered her hundred papers. "What the hell happened to you two?" Neither of them was willing to supply an answer.
"Who did that?" she asked Specs as he met her at the entrance, "Who beat them up?"
"I did."
"What?"
"I don't want Oscar to think he can make a move on my girl anytime soon and get away with it. You know, some of those tricks you taught us came in pretty useful."
She kept laughing as they headed out into the streets. The headlines were good for once and they both sold out. Hummingbird was unsurprisingly absent at Tibby's, but all the jokes and ongoing stories and chatter were back in full swing.
In the afternoon they sold near the Brooklyn Bridge, and predictably Spot yelled at them for selling too close to Brooklyn territory. Hotshot yelled that she was half-Brooklyn which earned a few comments form Spot. After several minutes of unneeded banter the two moved to Central Park to finish selling.
As if to make up for losing to her the past night Racetrack won every game that he played that night. Hotshot almost happily lost to him several times and lost a fourth of her days earnings. David, surprisingly, found that he had a talent for playing Blackjack, and Hotshot promised him that she'd force him to play her brother the next time there was a poker night.
When Kloppman ordered them up to the bunkroom she sat on her bunk and watched as they began the same activities they'd been enjoying downstairs. Racetrack had Itey, Snitch, Jake, and Crutchy involved in his poker game. Race was lecturing his young cousin on why he shouldn't bet against him as he won the next game. The others only rolled their eyes, he'd never change, but as soon as he had a bad night they'd have their money back.
The younglings Les, Snipeshooter, and Boots were involved in some kind of conversation. You couldn't even begin to try and imagine what it was about. They were passing around Les' wooden sword and one of the cigars Snipeshooter had gotten for his birthday, not smoking it, just enjoying being able to hold it, and feel like they were older.
Jack, David, Kid Blink, and Mush were seated near them playing a leisurely game of Blackjack. David would loudly object whenever Les got hold of the cigar. Jack only laughed at these times and commented on how uptight Jack was. He wasn't like other leaders, she realized, he didn't take charge unless he needed to. Mush and Kid Blink were talking animatedly and joking around as they played. David won yet another round.
Pie Eater, Bumlets, Snoddy, Skittery, Swifty, and Dutchy filled the gaps between all the groups walking around and talking with everyone, well, except Dutchy. He was on the middle of everything trying to balance on a random chair that had come form somewhere in the room. Bumlets and Pie Eater were cracking jokes while Skittery tried to push Dutchy over. Swifty and Snoddy would stand behind one person at either table chanting for them to win, and changing their mind every several minutes.
She walked to the fire escape as soon as she realized he was missing. He hadn't even bothered to climb up to the roof. She grinned and climbed out onto the fire escape with him, "What're you doing?"
He looked at her and motioned for her to come and sit with him, which she happily did. After they'd just sat around for several minutes he finally spoke, "So is this as good as that part of the roof back at that mansion of yours?"
"Better," she said, "If I was there I couldn't hear all the guys yelling, and I wouldn't be with you." She looked up at the clear sky where the moon and stars were shining brightly. "I'm home." She said it almost absentmindedly.
"Yes you are," Specs said, "and no one is as happy about that as I am, but I'm sick of secrets at the moment so please don't share any more of yours with me for a while. Focus on now."
"That's New York," she smiled, "Especially for us, past secrets and present times."
He kissed her then. She did nothing to stop him and leaned closer to him to get the full effect. It just made the night all the more perfect. Nothing else would ever even come close. She could hear the voices of all of her friends either through the open window or in her head. The first man she could admit she loved was kissing her, and life was perfect. She pulled back from his kiss a moment later and sat as close to him as possible. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. She smiled and looked out over the city, which was strangely quiet, only adding to the perfection of the moment.
~~~~The End~~~~
An author note will follow in the form of a chapter very soon, thank all of you for reading, please, don't forget to review.
~Hotshot~~~