Chapter 11
Blink impatiently wiped away the beads of water that ran down his forehead. The pounding of his feet against the hard ground penetrated his ears making him run at a quicker pace. Reaching the lodging house he sprinted through the lobby disregarding Kloppman's concerned glance, and ascended the wood stairs three at a time.
Entering the bunkroom, he leaned against the wall trying to regain some air into his lungs. Most of the boys questioned him before they left, but he shrugged them off and shuffled his way to the washroom, where he hoped Jack and maybe Race were. His eyes scanned the small area and attempted to sigh, but it quickly turned into a cough due to his lack of oxygen.
Jack, who had just finished shaving turned, surprised by the sudden sound. He frowned at his friends flushed appearance. "Blink, you okay? Where ya been?"
His eyes searched the room looking for any sign of anyone else. "Have you seen Race?" he asked ignoring Jack's question. "We found Nick in Central Park in a tree and she refuses to get down---Spot ain't too happy about it either. They both look like they are going to murder eachother---"
"And how does Race fit into this whole thing?"
Blink wiped away a few strands of hair that stuck to his forehead. "Spot thought maybe Race could talk her into coming down, but like I said Spot ain't too happy and if I don't get back with Race he is going to get her down with force."
Jack chewed his lip thoughtfully figuring out the situation out in his head. He was reluctant to tell his friend what he knew, because the fact was he hadn't seen Race since yesterday at Tibby's, and didn't have the slightest idea of where he was at the moment.
"Sorry, Blink. I haven't seen Race. Maybe he left to get his papes early." Jack offered.
Blink rubbed the remaining perspiration from his face in frustration. His mind instantaneously mulled over other possibilities. He could stay here and look for Race, and risk Nichole and Spot getting into a fight, or---- MARY, why didn't he think of it before?
Jack jumped at Blink's sudden strike of movement. "Did Mary leave yet?" Jack eyebrows raised questionably. Shrugging he pointed towards her room. "She's probably in her room. She was up half the night, so I told her she could rest today." He shook his head and watched Blink run out of the room before he could finish.
"Mary…Mary…WAKE UP MARY!"
Grunting, Mary lifted the blanket off her head and squinted at the blurry figure shaking her. Blinking her eyes owlishly a few times, her eyes focused on her boyfriend. Moaning, she groped for the disregarded blanket and pulled it back over her head.
She yelped in shock as she was suddenly tickled. Curling her knees to her stomach, she swiftly kicked Blink off the edge of the bunk with a thud. Sitting up, she pulled the blanket from her head, only causing her mused hair to become even more unruly, and glared at Blink through heavily lidded eyes.
For that one moment, Blink completely forgot why he woke her up in the first place. God her loved her. He snapped back into reality realizing she was speaking.
"What the hell, Blink."
He had to lower his chin to his chest to hide the grin that spread over his face. Everything from the way she looked to the way she spoke was beyond hilarious. "Sorry, but one of Spot's newsies found Nick."
Mary woke up immediately at the sound of her friend's name. She leaned forward pulling Blink onto the bed intrigued. "Really, where is she?"
"In Central Park. Up a tree."
"Figures" Mary mumbled. She smiled knowingly at her hopeful looking boyfriend. "And let me guess, you can't get her down and you want me to talk to her?"
Nodding, he grabbed her hand dragging her off the bed. "Yup, so come on. We got to get back to Central Park before something happens between her and Spot."
Mary halted and eyed him skeptically. "Hold on. You didn't say anything about Spot. It's too damn early to get into anything with famous leader of Brooklyn." She proclaimed sarcastically.
"Well, Nick didn't think so." Blink mumbled under his breath, his eyes anywhere but on her face.
"Whoa, whoa." She grabbed the taller boy by the shoulders and pushed him back on the bed. "What do you mean Nick didn't think so. Did the two of them get in a fistfight or something? Cause I ain't in any kind of mood to get caught in the middle of anything."
Realizing she wasn't going to leave the room until he provided her with an explanation, he sighed and gave in. "No, they did hit each other YET. Nick just told Spot to fuck off and he flipped. If you don't get down there and talk her in to coming down Spot is going to get her down with force." He shook his head. "Either way the moment her feet touch the ground Spot is going to be all over her."
Mary nodded knowing Spot all too well. She sighed making a decision. "Come on. Lets get this over with so I can get back and go to sleep." So, saying she laced her fingers through Blink's and headed out towards Central Park, ready for the worst.
Upon entering Central Park Blink noted nothing had drastically changed. Nichole was still perched high up into the tree, and Spot still stood at the base of the tree hollering any threats and profanities that came to his mind.
Mary and Blink stood watching, taking in the scene before them. Blink raised a hand and tapped Spot on the shoulder. "Uhhh…Spot, Mary is here."
"I thought I told you to get Race." Spot snapped. "What good is she going to do?"
Mary raised her eyebrows at the insult. Grabbing his shoulder, she threw him into Blink's arms, and away from the base of the tree. "Nick, stop being an idiot and get down here." She ordered ignoring Spot's threatening grunts behind her.
A few leaves fell from the tree and to the ground followed by a yelp of pain. Mary tilted her head back to get a clearer view. "You okay, Nick?"
Nick lowered herself to the ground, rubbing her forearm, which now was branded with the markings of the bark. "Fine." She glared at Spot who was now struggling wildly in Blink's grip. "Lets get the hell out of here."
Both Mary and Blink's jaw dropped and their eyes followed her incredulously. Mary ran after her grabbing her by the arm before she left the park. "Whoa! You keep us up all night, put Spot and Blink through hell to get you out of that tree and all you can say is "Lets get the hell out of here!" Mary cried.
Nick's eyes moved rapidly between her friends fired up eyes and to the hand that was cutting the circulation off in her arm. Removing Mary's fingers harshly, she backed away an incomprehensible look on her face. Without a word said she turned her face from the three and shoved her way through the throng of people.
With Blink in an immobile state, Spot easily struggled free and took off at full speed after Nichole. Mary held out a hand discontinuing Blink's movement to get Spot. She shook her head slowly, her eyes locked on the path Nichole ran. "Let him go, Blink. The worst he's going to do is yell at her."
Her petite hand could hardly hold back his hundred fifty pound body, he realized this, but he didn't attempt to push by. He surveyed the path the two took one last time, only to see they were lost in the crowd. "Come on." He sighed. "Lets go get out papes before they sell out."
HR
Nichole weaved through the lines of people swiftly, unaware of the figure following close behind her. She groaned. Pushing the curls from her eyes, she looked up at the person she bumped into before shoving them aside. She stalked away, unwavered from the man's screams of how corrupt today's youth was.
A small smile started on her lips as the lodging house came into view. She was home free. However, her joy was short lived. A voice from behind yelled her name and she grimaced when she recognized the voice as Spot's. She quickened her pace in some hope she would lose him in the crowd, but before she could move he popped up beside her, his eyes ablaze.
"Where the hell do you think you're going? I want to talk to you!" He demanded. "Would you stop walking." Spot grabbed her arm.
Ripping her arm from his grasp, she crossed them over her chest. "What is there to talk about! I told you to fuck off! It's in the past, get over it!"
"Nobody talks to Spot Conlon that way. Not you not anybody."
"How fucking arrogant can you be?" Nichole scoffed, shaking her head slowly side to side.
Spots temper fumed. His fist clenched at his sides and he kept reminding himself she was just a girl. His instinct took over his body when she turned to continue her way to lodging house. He grabbed her arm roughly, bring her crashing into his scrawny frame. He opened his mouth to say something, but his head flew back; Nichole's fist contacting with the side of his face, giving him what would soon be a shiner.
Smirking in satisfaction, Nichole left Spot in the street a hand over his already bruising face, shocked.
Brushing past Kloppman, who sat asleep in a chair in the middle of the lobby, she sluggishly shuffled up the stairs. Slamming her door closed, she fell onto her bed. Pulling the blankets over her head, she shut herself off from the outside world and everyone in it.
Blink impatiently wiped away the beads of water that ran down his forehead. The pounding of his feet against the hard ground penetrated his ears making him run at a quicker pace. Reaching the lodging house he sprinted through the lobby disregarding Kloppman's concerned glance, and ascended the wood stairs three at a time.
Entering the bunkroom, he leaned against the wall trying to regain some air into his lungs. Most of the boys questioned him before they left, but he shrugged them off and shuffled his way to the washroom, where he hoped Jack and maybe Race were. His eyes scanned the small area and attempted to sigh, but it quickly turned into a cough due to his lack of oxygen.
Jack, who had just finished shaving turned, surprised by the sudden sound. He frowned at his friends flushed appearance. "Blink, you okay? Where ya been?"
His eyes searched the room looking for any sign of anyone else. "Have you seen Race?" he asked ignoring Jack's question. "We found Nick in Central Park in a tree and she refuses to get down---Spot ain't too happy about it either. They both look like they are going to murder eachother---"
"And how does Race fit into this whole thing?"
Blink wiped away a few strands of hair that stuck to his forehead. "Spot thought maybe Race could talk her into coming down, but like I said Spot ain't too happy and if I don't get back with Race he is going to get her down with force."
Jack chewed his lip thoughtfully figuring out the situation out in his head. He was reluctant to tell his friend what he knew, because the fact was he hadn't seen Race since yesterday at Tibby's, and didn't have the slightest idea of where he was at the moment.
"Sorry, Blink. I haven't seen Race. Maybe he left to get his papes early." Jack offered.
Blink rubbed the remaining perspiration from his face in frustration. His mind instantaneously mulled over other possibilities. He could stay here and look for Race, and risk Nichole and Spot getting into a fight, or---- MARY, why didn't he think of it before?
Jack jumped at Blink's sudden strike of movement. "Did Mary leave yet?" Jack eyebrows raised questionably. Shrugging he pointed towards her room. "She's probably in her room. She was up half the night, so I told her she could rest today." He shook his head and watched Blink run out of the room before he could finish.
"Mary…Mary…WAKE UP MARY!"
Grunting, Mary lifted the blanket off her head and squinted at the blurry figure shaking her. Blinking her eyes owlishly a few times, her eyes focused on her boyfriend. Moaning, she groped for the disregarded blanket and pulled it back over her head.
She yelped in shock as she was suddenly tickled. Curling her knees to her stomach, she swiftly kicked Blink off the edge of the bunk with a thud. Sitting up, she pulled the blanket from her head, only causing her mused hair to become even more unruly, and glared at Blink through heavily lidded eyes.
For that one moment, Blink completely forgot why he woke her up in the first place. God her loved her. He snapped back into reality realizing she was speaking.
"What the hell, Blink."
He had to lower his chin to his chest to hide the grin that spread over his face. Everything from the way she looked to the way she spoke was beyond hilarious. "Sorry, but one of Spot's newsies found Nick."
Mary woke up immediately at the sound of her friend's name. She leaned forward pulling Blink onto the bed intrigued. "Really, where is she?"
"In Central Park. Up a tree."
"Figures" Mary mumbled. She smiled knowingly at her hopeful looking boyfriend. "And let me guess, you can't get her down and you want me to talk to her?"
Nodding, he grabbed her hand dragging her off the bed. "Yup, so come on. We got to get back to Central Park before something happens between her and Spot."
Mary halted and eyed him skeptically. "Hold on. You didn't say anything about Spot. It's too damn early to get into anything with famous leader of Brooklyn." She proclaimed sarcastically.
"Well, Nick didn't think so." Blink mumbled under his breath, his eyes anywhere but on her face.
"Whoa, whoa." She grabbed the taller boy by the shoulders and pushed him back on the bed. "What do you mean Nick didn't think so. Did the two of them get in a fistfight or something? Cause I ain't in any kind of mood to get caught in the middle of anything."
Realizing she wasn't going to leave the room until he provided her with an explanation, he sighed and gave in. "No, they did hit each other YET. Nick just told Spot to fuck off and he flipped. If you don't get down there and talk her in to coming down Spot is going to get her down with force." He shook his head. "Either way the moment her feet touch the ground Spot is going to be all over her."
Mary nodded knowing Spot all too well. She sighed making a decision. "Come on. Lets get this over with so I can get back and go to sleep." So, saying she laced her fingers through Blink's and headed out towards Central Park, ready for the worst.
Upon entering Central Park Blink noted nothing had drastically changed. Nichole was still perched high up into the tree, and Spot still stood at the base of the tree hollering any threats and profanities that came to his mind.
Mary and Blink stood watching, taking in the scene before them. Blink raised a hand and tapped Spot on the shoulder. "Uhhh…Spot, Mary is here."
"I thought I told you to get Race." Spot snapped. "What good is she going to do?"
Mary raised her eyebrows at the insult. Grabbing his shoulder, she threw him into Blink's arms, and away from the base of the tree. "Nick, stop being an idiot and get down here." She ordered ignoring Spot's threatening grunts behind her.
A few leaves fell from the tree and to the ground followed by a yelp of pain. Mary tilted her head back to get a clearer view. "You okay, Nick?"
Nick lowered herself to the ground, rubbing her forearm, which now was branded with the markings of the bark. "Fine." She glared at Spot who was now struggling wildly in Blink's grip. "Lets get the hell out of here."
Both Mary and Blink's jaw dropped and their eyes followed her incredulously. Mary ran after her grabbing her by the arm before she left the park. "Whoa! You keep us up all night, put Spot and Blink through hell to get you out of that tree and all you can say is "Lets get the hell out of here!" Mary cried.
Nick's eyes moved rapidly between her friends fired up eyes and to the hand that was cutting the circulation off in her arm. Removing Mary's fingers harshly, she backed away an incomprehensible look on her face. Without a word said she turned her face from the three and shoved her way through the throng of people.
With Blink in an immobile state, Spot easily struggled free and took off at full speed after Nichole. Mary held out a hand discontinuing Blink's movement to get Spot. She shook her head slowly, her eyes locked on the path Nichole ran. "Let him go, Blink. The worst he's going to do is yell at her."
Her petite hand could hardly hold back his hundred fifty pound body, he realized this, but he didn't attempt to push by. He surveyed the path the two took one last time, only to see they were lost in the crowd. "Come on." He sighed. "Lets go get out papes before they sell out."
HR
Nichole weaved through the lines of people swiftly, unaware of the figure following close behind her. She groaned. Pushing the curls from her eyes, she looked up at the person she bumped into before shoving them aside. She stalked away, unwavered from the man's screams of how corrupt today's youth was.
A small smile started on her lips as the lodging house came into view. She was home free. However, her joy was short lived. A voice from behind yelled her name and she grimaced when she recognized the voice as Spot's. She quickened her pace in some hope she would lose him in the crowd, but before she could move he popped up beside her, his eyes ablaze.
"Where the hell do you think you're going? I want to talk to you!" He demanded. "Would you stop walking." Spot grabbed her arm.
Ripping her arm from his grasp, she crossed them over her chest. "What is there to talk about! I told you to fuck off! It's in the past, get over it!"
"Nobody talks to Spot Conlon that way. Not you not anybody."
"How fucking arrogant can you be?" Nichole scoffed, shaking her head slowly side to side.
Spots temper fumed. His fist clenched at his sides and he kept reminding himself she was just a girl. His instinct took over his body when she turned to continue her way to lodging house. He grabbed her arm roughly, bring her crashing into his scrawny frame. He opened his mouth to say something, but his head flew back; Nichole's fist contacting with the side of his face, giving him what would soon be a shiner.
Smirking in satisfaction, Nichole left Spot in the street a hand over his already bruising face, shocked.
Brushing past Kloppman, who sat asleep in a chair in the middle of the lobby, she sluggishly shuffled up the stairs. Slamming her door closed, she fell onto her bed. Pulling the blankets over her head, she shut herself off from the outside world and everyone in it.