"Blink, Blink." Blink stirred when her heard someone call his name. Slowly
he opened his eyes, and came face to face with Jack. "Blink, are youse
okay?" Blink groaned, and then remembered the reason that he was there. "Oh
God, Smudge!" he exclaimed turning to her. Frantically he felt her
forehead. She was still hot, but the fever had come down considerably.
"Would ya mind tellin' me whats going on?" Jack asked a getting slightly annoyed.
"Nothin', everything's fine. Smudge jist ain't feelin' dat great." Blink replied.
"Fine, well Spot an' a couple of 'is newsies are comin' ovah fer a pokah game tanight so wese needs ta git ready." Jack said giving Blink a look that you just don't argue with. He glanced over at Jade and gave Blink a thoughtful look. "Do ya think dat she'll be in da mood ta play tanight?" Jack asked Blink. Blink looked back at Jade. She still didn't look that well, but he doubted if she would let herself stay in bed with company coming over. "She wouldn't miss it fer da woild." He said confidently, although inside he was worried.
It didn't take long for Jack, and the other newsies to clean up the bunkroom and set up a few makeshift tables.
"Smudge!" Blink leaned down to her ear and yelled in it, making Jade jump and quickly sit upright in bed, her eyes wide. When she realized what Blink had done she groaned and lay back down. "Whats da mattah wit ya Blink. Ise ain't feelin' dat great." She whined.
"Soiry. but Spot an' a coupla 'is newsies are comin' ovah. Ise didn't think dat ya wanna be in bed when 'e comes." Jade quickly jumped out of bed at that, then sat back down holding her head. "Oooooohhh." Jade groaned. Blink laughed at the sight of Jade, but stopped when she gave him the death glare. "Is there any spare clothes around heah?" she asked, standing up a little slower this time.
Blink laughed, "What? Ya don't wanna wear dose rags?" and he earned yet another glare from Jade.
"Stuff it Blink." Blink faked a gasp, and fell to the floor as though he had fainted. Jade, getting somewhat frustrated, kicked him in the stomach. "Jist git da clothes would ya, Demetri." She said, stressing his real name.
"Fine, fine," Blink said while laughing, "Ise gots dem." He pulled a clean set of clothing from under the bed and tossed them up to her. Jade caught the clothes that Blink had tossed her, and then stepped over him and headed for the washroom.
When she came back out Blink snickered. Jade glared at him, "What? Ya nevah seen a goil dressed like a guy?" she asked.
Blink snickered again, "No, I jist ain't nevah seen YOU dressed like a guy."
Jade sniffed and stuck her nose in the air, but it quickly came back down when she fell into another fit of coughing. Jade dropped to her knees holding her stomach, her body shaking from the force of the cough.
"Smudge?" Blink's face turned from one of humor to one of shock and worry.
"Ise. fine." Jade managed to gasp out. Blink shook his head. "No, youse ain't fine, an' youse is going ta bed. Now." Jade quickly stood up.
"I am not going to bed." She said, determined. Blink just shook his head and muttered, "Yeah, you are. Even if I hafta carry youse dere." Jade's eyes widened when she heard this.
"Don't you dare touch me." She said menacingly. Blink just frowned. Jade slowly realized that Blink meant what he had said.
"Awww come on Blink." Fake tears started to form in her eyes. "Jist le'me stay up ta meet Spot. Please." she pleaded with him. Blink looked at her and wasn't fooled by the tears forming in her eyes, but he still looked at the ground.
"Fine, but den youse hafta ta go back to bed. no gamblin' tanight." Blink conceded, against his better judgment. A cocky grin spread across Jade's face, and Blink thought that for just a second she looked just like Spot Conlon. "Don't you go givin' me no smirks, or I'll jist put ya in bed right now." Jade's smirk immediately disappeared, and was replaced by a blank look.
"Dat bettah?" Blink laughed. Suddenly the door opened and in sauntered a somewhat short and skinny newsie, followed by five other Brooklyn newsies.
Jade watched as Spot smirked at Jack and then spit shook with him. "Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick."
"They always do dat." Blink whispered in Jade's ear. Jade just nodded in affirmation, her eyes never leaving the skinny little boy. There was something in him that Jade recognized. Something from her past. But no, she thought, Ise can't live in da past.
"So Jacky boy, me boids 'ave been choipin' in me ear. Ya gots a new goil 'round heah, Smudge sumtin' or odder." It was a statement, not a question. Spot knew, and he didn't need to ask. His birds, as they were called, always gave him correct information. Jack glanced back at Jade.
"Yeah, so? Youse can't have 'er if dats what ya want." Spot's eyes narrowed who was Jack to say what he could and couldn't have. "Sides she ain't to healthy right now." Jack continued.
"An' where did youse find dis goil Jack?" Spot remarked as he walked over to inspect Jade. Jade's face stayed blank, even as Spot circled her, looking her up and down. "So, she yours Blink, or what?" Blink shook his head.
"No, she ain't mine, but dat don't mean dat youse kin take advantage of 'er, Spot." This remark startled Jade, but she didn't let it show, instead she smirked and gave a short laugh.
"Ya don't hafta worry 'bout dat Blink. I cin take care of meself. 'Sides, I could take dis little guy on any day." This made Spot really mad and he got right up in Jade's face.
"Yeah, Yeah. In case youse didn't notice, Ise jist as tall as you, an' if soaking goils weren't against me morals I'd soak ya on da spot, anyway, ya ain't good enough fer me ta git me hands doity wit'." He spat at her, then he backed down, but gave Jade a little poke with his cane to remind her who was in charge. "Where'd ya find dis goil anyway, Jacky boy?" he asked with out taking his eyes off of Jade.
Jack shifted his position and sent Jade a glare. What did she think she was doing! "Well, actually, Spot, Blink found 'er." All eyes turned to Blink.
"Well, she was in da alley, 'alf dead. Hey, what was I supposed ta do? Leave 'er ta die?" He said in defense of himself. Jade looked at Blink. Was that the only reason he'd been so nice to her? Was that really the way he felt? Well, fine, if that's the way he felt she could take of 'erself.
Jade glared at Blink, hatred showed plainly on her face. Then with out one glance back she turned and ran out of the bunkroom, down the stairs, and out of the Lodging House. She ran down the streets of Manhattan, not caring where she was going, or what could happen to her. After a while she turned into an alleyway and sank down to the ground.
"Ise shoulda known dat 'e would do dat ta me." She whispered to herself. "Everyone else in me life betrayed me so why did Ise 'spect it ta be different heah?"
"Because it is different." Jade jumped up and turned around. There standing in front of her was one of the girls that had come with Spot. "Ise Pate, short for Patriot." Pate said introducing herself. Jade turned away.
"Jist go away, let me die in peace." Pate took a step towards her, and when Jade didn't move she walked to her and lay a hand on Jade's shoulder.
"Look Smudge, Blink didn't mean ta hoit ya, 'e was jist defenedin' 'imslef against Spot. Ya two didn't start out too good in case ya didn't notice, an' Blink didn't want ta git in da middle of it." Jade turned to look at Pate. Satisfied that Jade was listening to her Pate went a step further, " ya should come back to da Lodgin' 'ouse, if only 'cause ya needs a place ta stay."
Jade shook her head, "I can't go back dere now. Dey'll think dat Ise. I dunno. Okay, fine, I'll go back." She relented. "But not right now. You go back, I'll come back a little latah." Pate stood there a moment longer, before leaving. She knew that she shouldn't leave her alone in the streets, but what else could she do? Nothing, so Pate left, hoping that the Delancey brothers weren't out tonight.
"Would ya mind tellin' me whats going on?" Jack asked a getting slightly annoyed.
"Nothin', everything's fine. Smudge jist ain't feelin' dat great." Blink replied.
"Fine, well Spot an' a couple of 'is newsies are comin' ovah fer a pokah game tanight so wese needs ta git ready." Jack said giving Blink a look that you just don't argue with. He glanced over at Jade and gave Blink a thoughtful look. "Do ya think dat she'll be in da mood ta play tanight?" Jack asked Blink. Blink looked back at Jade. She still didn't look that well, but he doubted if she would let herself stay in bed with company coming over. "She wouldn't miss it fer da woild." He said confidently, although inside he was worried.
It didn't take long for Jack, and the other newsies to clean up the bunkroom and set up a few makeshift tables.
"Smudge!" Blink leaned down to her ear and yelled in it, making Jade jump and quickly sit upright in bed, her eyes wide. When she realized what Blink had done she groaned and lay back down. "Whats da mattah wit ya Blink. Ise ain't feelin' dat great." She whined.
"Soiry. but Spot an' a coupla 'is newsies are comin' ovah. Ise didn't think dat ya wanna be in bed when 'e comes." Jade quickly jumped out of bed at that, then sat back down holding her head. "Oooooohhh." Jade groaned. Blink laughed at the sight of Jade, but stopped when she gave him the death glare. "Is there any spare clothes around heah?" she asked, standing up a little slower this time.
Blink laughed, "What? Ya don't wanna wear dose rags?" and he earned yet another glare from Jade.
"Stuff it Blink." Blink faked a gasp, and fell to the floor as though he had fainted. Jade, getting somewhat frustrated, kicked him in the stomach. "Jist git da clothes would ya, Demetri." She said, stressing his real name.
"Fine, fine," Blink said while laughing, "Ise gots dem." He pulled a clean set of clothing from under the bed and tossed them up to her. Jade caught the clothes that Blink had tossed her, and then stepped over him and headed for the washroom.
When she came back out Blink snickered. Jade glared at him, "What? Ya nevah seen a goil dressed like a guy?" she asked.
Blink snickered again, "No, I jist ain't nevah seen YOU dressed like a guy."
Jade sniffed and stuck her nose in the air, but it quickly came back down when she fell into another fit of coughing. Jade dropped to her knees holding her stomach, her body shaking from the force of the cough.
"Smudge?" Blink's face turned from one of humor to one of shock and worry.
"Ise. fine." Jade managed to gasp out. Blink shook his head. "No, youse ain't fine, an' youse is going ta bed. Now." Jade quickly stood up.
"I am not going to bed." She said, determined. Blink just shook his head and muttered, "Yeah, you are. Even if I hafta carry youse dere." Jade's eyes widened when she heard this.
"Don't you dare touch me." She said menacingly. Blink just frowned. Jade slowly realized that Blink meant what he had said.
"Awww come on Blink." Fake tears started to form in her eyes. "Jist le'me stay up ta meet Spot. Please." she pleaded with him. Blink looked at her and wasn't fooled by the tears forming in her eyes, but he still looked at the ground.
"Fine, but den youse hafta ta go back to bed. no gamblin' tanight." Blink conceded, against his better judgment. A cocky grin spread across Jade's face, and Blink thought that for just a second she looked just like Spot Conlon. "Don't you go givin' me no smirks, or I'll jist put ya in bed right now." Jade's smirk immediately disappeared, and was replaced by a blank look.
"Dat bettah?" Blink laughed. Suddenly the door opened and in sauntered a somewhat short and skinny newsie, followed by five other Brooklyn newsies.
Jade watched as Spot smirked at Jack and then spit shook with him. "Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick."
"They always do dat." Blink whispered in Jade's ear. Jade just nodded in affirmation, her eyes never leaving the skinny little boy. There was something in him that Jade recognized. Something from her past. But no, she thought, Ise can't live in da past.
"So Jacky boy, me boids 'ave been choipin' in me ear. Ya gots a new goil 'round heah, Smudge sumtin' or odder." It was a statement, not a question. Spot knew, and he didn't need to ask. His birds, as they were called, always gave him correct information. Jack glanced back at Jade.
"Yeah, so? Youse can't have 'er if dats what ya want." Spot's eyes narrowed who was Jack to say what he could and couldn't have. "Sides she ain't to healthy right now." Jack continued.
"An' where did youse find dis goil Jack?" Spot remarked as he walked over to inspect Jade. Jade's face stayed blank, even as Spot circled her, looking her up and down. "So, she yours Blink, or what?" Blink shook his head.
"No, she ain't mine, but dat don't mean dat youse kin take advantage of 'er, Spot." This remark startled Jade, but she didn't let it show, instead she smirked and gave a short laugh.
"Ya don't hafta worry 'bout dat Blink. I cin take care of meself. 'Sides, I could take dis little guy on any day." This made Spot really mad and he got right up in Jade's face.
"Yeah, Yeah. In case youse didn't notice, Ise jist as tall as you, an' if soaking goils weren't against me morals I'd soak ya on da spot, anyway, ya ain't good enough fer me ta git me hands doity wit'." He spat at her, then he backed down, but gave Jade a little poke with his cane to remind her who was in charge. "Where'd ya find dis goil anyway, Jacky boy?" he asked with out taking his eyes off of Jade.
Jack shifted his position and sent Jade a glare. What did she think she was doing! "Well, actually, Spot, Blink found 'er." All eyes turned to Blink.
"Well, she was in da alley, 'alf dead. Hey, what was I supposed ta do? Leave 'er ta die?" He said in defense of himself. Jade looked at Blink. Was that the only reason he'd been so nice to her? Was that really the way he felt? Well, fine, if that's the way he felt she could take of 'erself.
Jade glared at Blink, hatred showed plainly on her face. Then with out one glance back she turned and ran out of the bunkroom, down the stairs, and out of the Lodging House. She ran down the streets of Manhattan, not caring where she was going, or what could happen to her. After a while she turned into an alleyway and sank down to the ground.
"Ise shoulda known dat 'e would do dat ta me." She whispered to herself. "Everyone else in me life betrayed me so why did Ise 'spect it ta be different heah?"
"Because it is different." Jade jumped up and turned around. There standing in front of her was one of the girls that had come with Spot. "Ise Pate, short for Patriot." Pate said introducing herself. Jade turned away.
"Jist go away, let me die in peace." Pate took a step towards her, and when Jade didn't move she walked to her and lay a hand on Jade's shoulder.
"Look Smudge, Blink didn't mean ta hoit ya, 'e was jist defenedin' 'imslef against Spot. Ya two didn't start out too good in case ya didn't notice, an' Blink didn't want ta git in da middle of it." Jade turned to look at Pate. Satisfied that Jade was listening to her Pate went a step further, " ya should come back to da Lodgin' 'ouse, if only 'cause ya needs a place ta stay."
Jade shook her head, "I can't go back dere now. Dey'll think dat Ise. I dunno. Okay, fine, I'll go back." She relented. "But not right now. You go back, I'll come back a little latah." Pate stood there a moment longer, before leaving. She knew that she shouldn't leave her alone in the streets, but what else could she do? Nothing, so Pate left, hoping that the Delancey brothers weren't out tonight.