The Raven and the Racetrack *** Chapter 7
That night Racetrack went to bed exhausted. He couldn't wait to hold Raven in his arms all night. That would be an experience. Earlier in the evening, Spot, Aces, King of Spades, and Tuesday had all come to visit Jack, and meet the three new girls for the first time. Racetrack's mind wandered off to earlier in the evening.
"Hey Jack," Spot had said as he spit into his hand. "Where's dis goyl Ise gotta meet?"
"Right over here." Jack said as he spit into his hand and shook hands with Spot. Jack introduced Raven, Alicat, and Sprite to Spot and Tuesday. Spot had tried to explain, about Tuesday being deaf, but Raven and Alicat were already talking to her.
Racetrack had noticed how Alicat and Aces had hit it off. He also had been observing the way that Dave looked at Alicat. He knew that Dave had eyes for her. More than once Raven and Alicat had asked Racetrack why Dave was so cruel to Jack about Sprite. Racetrack told them the story about how Jack had fallen in love with Sarah, the wench, last year right before the newsie strike. He also told them that she had died the night of the fire, right before Jack had saved Sprite.
Raven and Alicat, had come back to him, and asked why Dave couldn't be happy for his friend, since he seemed to be so happy with Sprite. But Racetrack couldn't answer that one. Racetrack also had to tell them that this wasn't the first time that Dave and Jack had been at odds with each other.
He told them about the time during the newsie strike when Jack had gone with the enemy to save his friends. Pulitzer had told him that if he didn't want his friends to end up in the Refuge like he did, then Jack should stop the strike. He also bribed Jack by saying that he would let him go anywhere if he stopped the newsie strike. But Racetrack knew that he did it for his friends, (well he knew this was true after Jack's two day absence from the strike to take the bribe) not the part about going anywhere. He knew that Jack wouldn't have done it for the bribe, even if Pulitzer had sent him to New Mexico, which is where Jack had wanted to go for years. Racetrack was about to get in bed, when he heard a voice.
"Excuse me, um ladies foist." It was Raven. She was already for bed, in a cotton nightdress that flowed down her thin body. She was beautiful, but in Racetrack's eyes, she was beautiful all the time.
"Of course, yous bed me lady." Racetrack said. He pulled the covers back, and got in after Raven. He pulled the covers over himself and Raven, whispering in her ear.
"Ise love ya sweethoyt." He said as he kissed her cheek.
"Ise love ya too." Raven replied as she snuggled into his arms.
Raven snuggled into Racetrack's arms. She had never been happier. She had never felt so safe as well. Racetrack quickly fell asleep, with his arms tight around Raven. She knew that he loved her. She tried to sleep, but couldn't. Tomorrow was her first day as a newsie with Race and Jack, and Kidblink, her friend Skye's man. They had all decided to be newsies. Skye had been one for awhile now, and told them that she loved it.
Earlier in the night, when the Brooklyn guests had come to visit, Raven had noticed how Alicat and Aces had hit it off. She hoped that something would come of it. Alicat needed someone to watch over her. She was always getting into trouble. Raven would never tell that to Alicat's face, but she really did need someone to make sure that she didn't get herself killed or something.
Raven had also noticed how Dave had really been taken with Alicat. But she knew that Dave wasn't Alicat's type. He was always so mean to Jack about his sister Sarah. Alicat wouldn't be happy with someone like Dave. And if was going to at odds with Jack again and again, that wouldn't be good for Alicat, since she was best friends with Sprite. After that, she fell asleep, knowing that she would have a busy day tomorrow.
Racetrack woke up, and noticed that Raven was still asleep. He silently got out of bed, and started getting ready for work. He had enjoyed holding Raven all night. And was slightly disappointed that it was morning. But he now had the pleasure of helping her learn the newsie business. That would be interesting.
Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him, he turned around to see Raven waking up. He went over to her.
"Hey sweethoyt. Hows did ya sleep?" He asked her.
"Jis fine Race, how aboit you?"
"Fine, is yous ready to learn how to become a newsie?"
"Yeah."
Racetrack went to finish getting ready for work.
Raven had woken up to find that Racetrack was already up. She couldn't wait to start work. She was really excited. This was going to be so fun. Her friend Skye had said that being a newsie was so much better than working in a factory. She was also a little nervous; she didn't know who was, and who wasn't dangerous on the street. She was a little afraid of getting mugged, but all that worry went away when she remembered that Race was going to be with her for as long as she wanted him to be.
After getting ready, they left to get their papes. That's when Racetrack started telling Raven what to do. At first, Raven was worried about Alicat, but then she saw that Alicat was with Crutchy and Boots, so she didn't worry anymore.
"What aboit dangerous people in da street ya know like gangs?" Raven asked.
"Well, if ya see anyone rough lookin', that doesn't live in dis boarding house, den yous jis stay away. Don't talk to dem, and don't go near dem. They only rough kids ya know would be Spot, and da Brooklyn people. But dey ain't gonna be down dis way dis time of day. Ya got that?"
"Yeah."
"Good, now follow me."
Raven followed Racetrack to get the papes. She got 50 papes to start out with. She was really getting the hang of it, and after a couple of hours, she told Racetrack that she wanted to try it by herself.
"Let me try on me own, OK?"
"If yous sure yous want to. Is ya sure?"
"Yeah."
Racetrack wasn't sure about letting her go out on her own. He knew that she could do it by herself, if she wanted to. He just didn't like the idea of leaving her by herself. He wanted to be there in case she needed him. But she had to learn how to survive out here on her own. He wouldn't be able to protect her all the time. So he walked toward Central Park after saying goodbye.
Raven was excited; she was out by herself. If she didn't sell all of her papes, she wouldn't care. Just as long as she sold one or two she would be happy. That would prove that she could be newsie all by herself. That she could survive on her own.
Raven had sold 30 out of her 50 papes. She was excited about the money that she was making. She only had 20 papes to sell, and then she could go home. It was only 2 p.m. She had time.
Raven did sell all of her papes that day. She was so proud of herself. She was a newsie. She really was a newsie. She started walking home. Race is probably there. She thought. But then he did have a bunch of papes to sell, since he was helping her, he didn't sell many of his.
When Raven got home, Race wasn't there, so she cleaned up, and started talking with her sister, and her friends.
Racetrack sold all of his papes, but his mind was on Raven. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He was so worried. Then, Raven was able to take care of herself. She was a big girl.
Racetrack ran into Jack in Central Park. They started talking about their women. Race asked why Dave was so mad about Jack and Sprite.
"Ise think dat its got sumthin' to do wid 'not bein' faithful' to her. Ise guess."
"Well, Raven and Alicat think dat its really rude of 'im. They seem ta think dat she poyfect foy ya. Ya know, so Ise was jis wonderin'."
"Well, Ise really couldn't tell ya. Do yous think dat Sprite is right foy me?"
"Yeah."
"What did ya think of Sarah?"
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
Racetrack was getting hot. It was really hot that summer afternoon. So he and Jack took their shirts off, and started walking towards the Lodging House, ignoring all the stares. They just kept talking about the girls. They finally got home.
Raven was talking with her sister and Sprite, when Race and Jack got home. Raven was listening to Sprite, and didn't hear them come in. All of a sudden, she felt strong arms wrap themselves around her waist. She realized that it was Racetrack. Then she realized that he had no shirt on. She started to blush. He felt wonderful.
Raven rested her arms on top of his. He bent his head down to kiss her neck, since her hair was pulled over to one side. She had pulled it over to one side since her neck was hot. She knew that she could never be as happy as she was at that moment.
Raven went upstairs to clean up again, while Race took a shower. After she was done, Race wasn't out of the shower, so she went up to the roof to look at the stars. She started thinking about her life, and how happy she was. She started thinking about how glad she was that God had put him in her life. She knew that she couldn't live without him.
"Hello, me sweet. Whats ya doin'?" A voice intruded her thoughts. It was Racetrack. She turned to him.
"Nothin'. How did ya find me?"
"Alicat said that she saw ya come up here."
"Oh."
Then Raven started to hear music. It was coming from an open window that was open down by the street. It wafted through the air, sweet and beautiful.
"Wanna dance?" Racetrack asked her.
"Here?"
"Yeah here."
"OK, Ise guess."
Raven went up to Racetrack and put her arms around his neck. He slid his arms around her waist. They started to dance. They didn't say anything. The music was enough. She didn't think about anything her and Racetrack. She thought about her dreams for the future with him. She loved him that would never change. She hoped to spend the rest of her life with him. But it was still way too early in the relationship with him to hope for that.
"Watchya thinkin' aboit?" He asked her.
"You."
"What about me?"
"Oh, just stuff. Ya know, hows much Ise in love wid ya."
"Youse really love me?"
"Yeah, Ise jis thinking aboit how Ise so glad dat yous in love wid me."
"Yeah, Ise love ya. Ise glad dat yous in love wid me."
Raven rested her head on Racetrack's chest, and they danced until the music stopped. Then they sat on the roof talking about everything. They talked a long while, and then Raven started to get cold. So they went inside.
That night Racetrack went to bed exhausted. He couldn't wait to hold Raven in his arms all night. That would be an experience. Earlier in the evening, Spot, Aces, King of Spades, and Tuesday had all come to visit Jack, and meet the three new girls for the first time. Racetrack's mind wandered off to earlier in the evening.
"Hey Jack," Spot had said as he spit into his hand. "Where's dis goyl Ise gotta meet?"
"Right over here." Jack said as he spit into his hand and shook hands with Spot. Jack introduced Raven, Alicat, and Sprite to Spot and Tuesday. Spot had tried to explain, about Tuesday being deaf, but Raven and Alicat were already talking to her.
Racetrack had noticed how Alicat and Aces had hit it off. He also had been observing the way that Dave looked at Alicat. He knew that Dave had eyes for her. More than once Raven and Alicat had asked Racetrack why Dave was so cruel to Jack about Sprite. Racetrack told them the story about how Jack had fallen in love with Sarah, the wench, last year right before the newsie strike. He also told them that she had died the night of the fire, right before Jack had saved Sprite.
Raven and Alicat, had come back to him, and asked why Dave couldn't be happy for his friend, since he seemed to be so happy with Sprite. But Racetrack couldn't answer that one. Racetrack also had to tell them that this wasn't the first time that Dave and Jack had been at odds with each other.
He told them about the time during the newsie strike when Jack had gone with the enemy to save his friends. Pulitzer had told him that if he didn't want his friends to end up in the Refuge like he did, then Jack should stop the strike. He also bribed Jack by saying that he would let him go anywhere if he stopped the newsie strike. But Racetrack knew that he did it for his friends, (well he knew this was true after Jack's two day absence from the strike to take the bribe) not the part about going anywhere. He knew that Jack wouldn't have done it for the bribe, even if Pulitzer had sent him to New Mexico, which is where Jack had wanted to go for years. Racetrack was about to get in bed, when he heard a voice.
"Excuse me, um ladies foist." It was Raven. She was already for bed, in a cotton nightdress that flowed down her thin body. She was beautiful, but in Racetrack's eyes, she was beautiful all the time.
"Of course, yous bed me lady." Racetrack said. He pulled the covers back, and got in after Raven. He pulled the covers over himself and Raven, whispering in her ear.
"Ise love ya sweethoyt." He said as he kissed her cheek.
"Ise love ya too." Raven replied as she snuggled into his arms.
Raven snuggled into Racetrack's arms. She had never been happier. She had never felt so safe as well. Racetrack quickly fell asleep, with his arms tight around Raven. She knew that he loved her. She tried to sleep, but couldn't. Tomorrow was her first day as a newsie with Race and Jack, and Kidblink, her friend Skye's man. They had all decided to be newsies. Skye had been one for awhile now, and told them that she loved it.
Earlier in the night, when the Brooklyn guests had come to visit, Raven had noticed how Alicat and Aces had hit it off. She hoped that something would come of it. Alicat needed someone to watch over her. She was always getting into trouble. Raven would never tell that to Alicat's face, but she really did need someone to make sure that she didn't get herself killed or something.
Raven had also noticed how Dave had really been taken with Alicat. But she knew that Dave wasn't Alicat's type. He was always so mean to Jack about his sister Sarah. Alicat wouldn't be happy with someone like Dave. And if was going to at odds with Jack again and again, that wouldn't be good for Alicat, since she was best friends with Sprite. After that, she fell asleep, knowing that she would have a busy day tomorrow.
Racetrack woke up, and noticed that Raven was still asleep. He silently got out of bed, and started getting ready for work. He had enjoyed holding Raven all night. And was slightly disappointed that it was morning. But he now had the pleasure of helping her learn the newsie business. That would be interesting.
Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him, he turned around to see Raven waking up. He went over to her.
"Hey sweethoyt. Hows did ya sleep?" He asked her.
"Jis fine Race, how aboit you?"
"Fine, is yous ready to learn how to become a newsie?"
"Yeah."
Racetrack went to finish getting ready for work.
Raven had woken up to find that Racetrack was already up. She couldn't wait to start work. She was really excited. This was going to be so fun. Her friend Skye had said that being a newsie was so much better than working in a factory. She was also a little nervous; she didn't know who was, and who wasn't dangerous on the street. She was a little afraid of getting mugged, but all that worry went away when she remembered that Race was going to be with her for as long as she wanted him to be.
After getting ready, they left to get their papes. That's when Racetrack started telling Raven what to do. At first, Raven was worried about Alicat, but then she saw that Alicat was with Crutchy and Boots, so she didn't worry anymore.
"What aboit dangerous people in da street ya know like gangs?" Raven asked.
"Well, if ya see anyone rough lookin', that doesn't live in dis boarding house, den yous jis stay away. Don't talk to dem, and don't go near dem. They only rough kids ya know would be Spot, and da Brooklyn people. But dey ain't gonna be down dis way dis time of day. Ya got that?"
"Yeah."
"Good, now follow me."
Raven followed Racetrack to get the papes. She got 50 papes to start out with. She was really getting the hang of it, and after a couple of hours, she told Racetrack that she wanted to try it by herself.
"Let me try on me own, OK?"
"If yous sure yous want to. Is ya sure?"
"Yeah."
Racetrack wasn't sure about letting her go out on her own. He knew that she could do it by herself, if she wanted to. He just didn't like the idea of leaving her by herself. He wanted to be there in case she needed him. But she had to learn how to survive out here on her own. He wouldn't be able to protect her all the time. So he walked toward Central Park after saying goodbye.
Raven was excited; she was out by herself. If she didn't sell all of her papes, she wouldn't care. Just as long as she sold one or two she would be happy. That would prove that she could be newsie all by herself. That she could survive on her own.
Raven had sold 30 out of her 50 papes. She was excited about the money that she was making. She only had 20 papes to sell, and then she could go home. It was only 2 p.m. She had time.
Raven did sell all of her papes that day. She was so proud of herself. She was a newsie. She really was a newsie. She started walking home. Race is probably there. She thought. But then he did have a bunch of papes to sell, since he was helping her, he didn't sell many of his.
When Raven got home, Race wasn't there, so she cleaned up, and started talking with her sister, and her friends.
Racetrack sold all of his papes, but his mind was on Raven. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He was so worried. Then, Raven was able to take care of herself. She was a big girl.
Racetrack ran into Jack in Central Park. They started talking about their women. Race asked why Dave was so mad about Jack and Sprite.
"Ise think dat its got sumthin' to do wid 'not bein' faithful' to her. Ise guess."
"Well, Raven and Alicat think dat its really rude of 'im. They seem ta think dat she poyfect foy ya. Ya know, so Ise was jis wonderin'."
"Well, Ise really couldn't tell ya. Do yous think dat Sprite is right foy me?"
"Yeah."
"What did ya think of Sarah?"
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
Racetrack was getting hot. It was really hot that summer afternoon. So he and Jack took their shirts off, and started walking towards the Lodging House, ignoring all the stares. They just kept talking about the girls. They finally got home.
Raven was talking with her sister and Sprite, when Race and Jack got home. Raven was listening to Sprite, and didn't hear them come in. All of a sudden, she felt strong arms wrap themselves around her waist. She realized that it was Racetrack. Then she realized that he had no shirt on. She started to blush. He felt wonderful.
Raven rested her arms on top of his. He bent his head down to kiss her neck, since her hair was pulled over to one side. She had pulled it over to one side since her neck was hot. She knew that she could never be as happy as she was at that moment.
Raven went upstairs to clean up again, while Race took a shower. After she was done, Race wasn't out of the shower, so she went up to the roof to look at the stars. She started thinking about her life, and how happy she was. She started thinking about how glad she was that God had put him in her life. She knew that she couldn't live without him.
"Hello, me sweet. Whats ya doin'?" A voice intruded her thoughts. It was Racetrack. She turned to him.
"Nothin'. How did ya find me?"
"Alicat said that she saw ya come up here."
"Oh."
Then Raven started to hear music. It was coming from an open window that was open down by the street. It wafted through the air, sweet and beautiful.
"Wanna dance?" Racetrack asked her.
"Here?"
"Yeah here."
"OK, Ise guess."
Raven went up to Racetrack and put her arms around his neck. He slid his arms around her waist. They started to dance. They didn't say anything. The music was enough. She didn't think about anything her and Racetrack. She thought about her dreams for the future with him. She loved him that would never change. She hoped to spend the rest of her life with him. But it was still way too early in the relationship with him to hope for that.
"Watchya thinkin' aboit?" He asked her.
"You."
"What about me?"
"Oh, just stuff. Ya know, hows much Ise in love wid ya."
"Youse really love me?"
"Yeah, Ise jis thinking aboit how Ise so glad dat yous in love wid me."
"Yeah, Ise love ya. Ise glad dat yous in love wid me."
Raven rested her head on Racetrack's chest, and they danced until the music stopped. Then they sat on the roof talking about everything. They talked a long while, and then Raven started to get cold. So they went inside.