Willow laid in her uncomfortable bed and stared at the wood, holding the
bed above her, she had stared at it long enough so that if she squinted and
turned her head sideways this certain pattern in the wood looked like
Bumlets' face. She had got back from their date at 1:30 and had to sneak
in the back window because there was a 12:00 curfew at the lodging house.
Even the "naughty" boy's usually made it back by at least 12:30.
As soon as Bumlets had helped her through the window she heard quiet clapping and whistles. As she looked around the room she noticed all the Newsies were awake and staring at them.
"oooh!" whispered KidBlink, "what did you guys do that made you so late?"
"Shut up!" hissed Willow, trying to look mad but failing miserably. "Good night Bumlets!" she whispered, and went into the girls lodging room.
"Good night!" Bumlets had whispered after her. And now she was laying on her bed, wishing it were morning so she could see Bumlets again. She laid that way a little longer but finnially fell into a fitful sleep. She had a strange dream, everyone kept asking her why she was called willow and she didn't know. She went to ask bumlets but he didn't answer, she ran to Brook and asked her, but she wouldn't answer either. She went to everyone and no one would answer.
***
Willow woke with a start. She glanced at the other girls. Brook was up and was shaking Myth. "You better get up or Kloppman will let the boys in here to wake us up and they do cruel things!" she whispered to Willow, "They dumped cold water on me last time and tied my clothes in knots!" Willow had hesitated, savoring the warmth of her blankets, but after she heard Brook, she jumped out of bedand ran to the bowl of water to wash her hair and face. She ran a washcloth down her arms and legs and then went and dressed into her overalls, shirt, and shoes. She glanced in a small, and slightly cracked, mirror and noticed her hair. She wanted to look perfect. She ran and grabbed an old brush and tried to arrange it nicely, she didn't braid it this time. As soon as she walked out of the room she looked for Bumlets. She spotted him in a tangle of blankets , same as the other boys.
Kloppman cam into the room then and began to shake them awake. "Up! Get up!" he yelled hoarsly, "Bumlets! I heard you go in the window last night!Where were you? Boots! Get up! Jack! You boys'll sleep your life away! C'mon! Up, up, up!"
Groans filled the room and the girls giggled at them and called them slowpokes and other names before Koppman made them leave so the boys could dress. As willow was leaving she looked back one more time and thought she saw Bumlets wink at her.
***
Willow bought her own papes that day. She sold all 60 of them but no extras. She met Brook on the way. She was jogging and holding a bag too. "Where are you going?" asked Willow, falling into step with Brook.
"I'm going back home" said Brook, "I don't live here, I thought you knew that. I come here about once every three weeks and stay the night, but I live in Brooklyn. That's were my guy is."
"Oh" said Willow, a little sad, she liked Brook's friendly smile and how she talked to her as if they were already really good friends.
"It's a good thing you found me" said Brook, "Because I was about to go look for you, we're meeting some of the guys at the Brooklyn Bridge, you need to come to Brooklyn."
"Why?" asked Willow.
"Well, it's complicated, but you need to meet someone, you need to be approved."
"But Jack thinks I'm okay and he's the leader isn't he?"
"Yeah, but dis is different. Dis is more important. far more important."
***
"Dere it is" said Jack with a grin, "Da Brooklyn lodging house. but we ain't goin' dere, we'se gonna meet him at the dock."
"Meet who?" asked Willow, for the millionth time.
"You'll see" said Brook. Willow looked around, there were hundreds of newsies swimming as she reached the dock. Blink and Race had come with her, along with Brook and Jack. Brook stopped to talk to a newsie named Tricks, Willow looked back at Brook nervously wishing she were still next to her.
Jack stopped and looked up, "Well her she is" he said, pointing to Willow, "Dis, is Willow" at first Willow didn't know who he was taking to, then she looked up too and noticed a newsie that wasn't wet from swimming. He was perched on a pier pillar and staring down at her.
"So" he said, furrowing his brow so that Willow couldn't tell if he was angry or if he was thinking, he jumped down from the pillar and landed on a crate next to her so that she still had to look up to him, "You're finally here."
Willow watched him nervously, "umm" she stuttered, "I-I'm Willow, who are you?"
The newsie looked at her sharply, "Why do you wanna know?"
Willow was starting to get more annoyed than scared, "I like to know who I'm talking to!" she snapped.
"Yeah, well, I'se Spot" he snapped back, "And watch yer mouth or I'll send da' boys afta' ya." Turning to Jack he grinned and said sarcastically, "You bring me a lot of mouths, not Newsies, rememba' Davey? And now this Pussy-"
"Pussy?!" screeched Willow, bringing back her hand she slapped him as hard she could. Spot stared at her and she stared back. There was a white mark on his face where she had slapped him. Slowly Spot raised his sling shot, loaded it, and shot. Willow turned to see where it was going. It whistled through the air like a tiny rocket and and hit a small rock on the top of a crate that was stacked high in the air. Impressive, but even more impressive was that the rock didn't really just bounce back, it broke in two, exploded. Willow gulped and turned back to Spot.
"Ok" she said, "I'll be polite, but I won't stand being called a Pussy or any other wimpy name." Spot stared at her, expressionless and unmoving. Suddenly he grinned with a cocky bob of his head, "you'se got a deal" he said, and spit in his hand. Willow didn't know why he was doing that and looked over at Jack, Blink and Race for help. Blink and Race both spit in their hands and shook hands, Willow got the clue. She spit in her hand and shook Spot's.
Spot grinned and said, "ok, well, it's been great meetin' Walkin Mouth da' second but I gotta go find me goil." Willow watched him walk of down the dock, to her surprise he stopped next to brook and put his arm over her shoulder. Brook smiled at him and gave him a quick hug, then they walked toward the boarding house together.
"Brook is Spot's girl?!" she gasped in disbelief, "But she's so nice and he's so. sarcastic!"
"Hey" reproached Jack, "You guys made a deal, you're supposed ta' watch yer mouth."
"Right" said Willow, "Sorry" There was a silence for a while, like, no one knew quite what to say or do next.
"Well" said Racetrack sarcastically, finally breaking the silence "I hate to break up this exciting moment, but I'se gotta git back to Tibby's in time ta' meet Ivy."
"Wait a second!" said Willow, "Ivy is you're girl?!"
"Yeah. " said Racetrack.
"Wat else am I missing out on?" asked Willow.
"Well" said Blink, "We gotta go git My goil Smudge and Mush's goil Jewels. they came up hea to visit they're Brooklyn friends. you'se betta like dem." "I'll like who I want" said Willow haughtily, and began to walk away then she paused and looked back, "Ummm, what way back to Manhattan?"
The boys snickered, "We ain't telling ya" said Race, "You'se gotta come wid us and meet da' other goils."
Willow sighed, she'd met enough people to last her for the day but she followed them, grudgingly. As they walked towards the lodging house they heard someone calling them.
"Wait up!" yelled a girl.
"Hey Tricks!" called Jack, "What's goin' on?"
"I haven't seen Myth or Mickey or Ivy for a while" she said, "I'm goin' wid ya to Manhattan."
"ok" said Jack, "Just don't start complainin' dat yer feet hurt and make me carry ya."
"I never made ya carry me!" she yelled, kicking Jack hard in the shin "I had ta carry you ya lazy scab!"
"Aww!" yelled Jack, grabbing his leg, "ease off!"
Tricks snickered, "Just be glad dat I didn't kick ya a little higher up!" Tricks laughed and walked over to Willow, "I'm Tricks" she said spitting in her hand, "are you'se da new goil?"
"Yeah" said Willow hesitantly. Tricks laughed, "Don't worry, I won't kick ya in da shins" she said, looking over at Jack with a smug smile. Willow laughed too and shook Tricks' hand.
~*~
Okay now for the Shoutouts!!!
Jaede Loriele Conlon: Well, sis, sorry that I'm not taking your advice about the updates, but I ddin't wanna leave everyon in confusion. Thanx for your update though! Oh and Thanx again for helping me out!!!
StupidChocolateGurl: Great!!! Glad you liked it so far, sorry if your confused, hopefully things will clear up here soon!
Seraph: Well you got your wish!!! Hope you liked the date and stuff. Bumlets is awesome, but I prefer Racetrack, such as says in my story!!!
As soon as Bumlets had helped her through the window she heard quiet clapping and whistles. As she looked around the room she noticed all the Newsies were awake and staring at them.
"oooh!" whispered KidBlink, "what did you guys do that made you so late?"
"Shut up!" hissed Willow, trying to look mad but failing miserably. "Good night Bumlets!" she whispered, and went into the girls lodging room.
"Good night!" Bumlets had whispered after her. And now she was laying on her bed, wishing it were morning so she could see Bumlets again. She laid that way a little longer but finnially fell into a fitful sleep. She had a strange dream, everyone kept asking her why she was called willow and she didn't know. She went to ask bumlets but he didn't answer, she ran to Brook and asked her, but she wouldn't answer either. She went to everyone and no one would answer.
***
Willow woke with a start. She glanced at the other girls. Brook was up and was shaking Myth. "You better get up or Kloppman will let the boys in here to wake us up and they do cruel things!" she whispered to Willow, "They dumped cold water on me last time and tied my clothes in knots!" Willow had hesitated, savoring the warmth of her blankets, but after she heard Brook, she jumped out of bedand ran to the bowl of water to wash her hair and face. She ran a washcloth down her arms and legs and then went and dressed into her overalls, shirt, and shoes. She glanced in a small, and slightly cracked, mirror and noticed her hair. She wanted to look perfect. She ran and grabbed an old brush and tried to arrange it nicely, she didn't braid it this time. As soon as she walked out of the room she looked for Bumlets. She spotted him in a tangle of blankets , same as the other boys.
Kloppman cam into the room then and began to shake them awake. "Up! Get up!" he yelled hoarsly, "Bumlets! I heard you go in the window last night!Where were you? Boots! Get up! Jack! You boys'll sleep your life away! C'mon! Up, up, up!"
Groans filled the room and the girls giggled at them and called them slowpokes and other names before Koppman made them leave so the boys could dress. As willow was leaving she looked back one more time and thought she saw Bumlets wink at her.
***
Willow bought her own papes that day. She sold all 60 of them but no extras. She met Brook on the way. She was jogging and holding a bag too. "Where are you going?" asked Willow, falling into step with Brook.
"I'm going back home" said Brook, "I don't live here, I thought you knew that. I come here about once every three weeks and stay the night, but I live in Brooklyn. That's were my guy is."
"Oh" said Willow, a little sad, she liked Brook's friendly smile and how she talked to her as if they were already really good friends.
"It's a good thing you found me" said Brook, "Because I was about to go look for you, we're meeting some of the guys at the Brooklyn Bridge, you need to come to Brooklyn."
"Why?" asked Willow.
"Well, it's complicated, but you need to meet someone, you need to be approved."
"But Jack thinks I'm okay and he's the leader isn't he?"
"Yeah, but dis is different. Dis is more important. far more important."
***
"Dere it is" said Jack with a grin, "Da Brooklyn lodging house. but we ain't goin' dere, we'se gonna meet him at the dock."
"Meet who?" asked Willow, for the millionth time.
"You'll see" said Brook. Willow looked around, there were hundreds of newsies swimming as she reached the dock. Blink and Race had come with her, along with Brook and Jack. Brook stopped to talk to a newsie named Tricks, Willow looked back at Brook nervously wishing she were still next to her.
Jack stopped and looked up, "Well her she is" he said, pointing to Willow, "Dis, is Willow" at first Willow didn't know who he was taking to, then she looked up too and noticed a newsie that wasn't wet from swimming. He was perched on a pier pillar and staring down at her.
"So" he said, furrowing his brow so that Willow couldn't tell if he was angry or if he was thinking, he jumped down from the pillar and landed on a crate next to her so that she still had to look up to him, "You're finally here."
Willow watched him nervously, "umm" she stuttered, "I-I'm Willow, who are you?"
The newsie looked at her sharply, "Why do you wanna know?"
Willow was starting to get more annoyed than scared, "I like to know who I'm talking to!" she snapped.
"Yeah, well, I'se Spot" he snapped back, "And watch yer mouth or I'll send da' boys afta' ya." Turning to Jack he grinned and said sarcastically, "You bring me a lot of mouths, not Newsies, rememba' Davey? And now this Pussy-"
"Pussy?!" screeched Willow, bringing back her hand she slapped him as hard she could. Spot stared at her and she stared back. There was a white mark on his face where she had slapped him. Slowly Spot raised his sling shot, loaded it, and shot. Willow turned to see where it was going. It whistled through the air like a tiny rocket and and hit a small rock on the top of a crate that was stacked high in the air. Impressive, but even more impressive was that the rock didn't really just bounce back, it broke in two, exploded. Willow gulped and turned back to Spot.
"Ok" she said, "I'll be polite, but I won't stand being called a Pussy or any other wimpy name." Spot stared at her, expressionless and unmoving. Suddenly he grinned with a cocky bob of his head, "you'se got a deal" he said, and spit in his hand. Willow didn't know why he was doing that and looked over at Jack, Blink and Race for help. Blink and Race both spit in their hands and shook hands, Willow got the clue. She spit in her hand and shook Spot's.
Spot grinned and said, "ok, well, it's been great meetin' Walkin Mouth da' second but I gotta go find me goil." Willow watched him walk of down the dock, to her surprise he stopped next to brook and put his arm over her shoulder. Brook smiled at him and gave him a quick hug, then they walked toward the boarding house together.
"Brook is Spot's girl?!" she gasped in disbelief, "But she's so nice and he's so. sarcastic!"
"Hey" reproached Jack, "You guys made a deal, you're supposed ta' watch yer mouth."
"Right" said Willow, "Sorry" There was a silence for a while, like, no one knew quite what to say or do next.
"Well" said Racetrack sarcastically, finally breaking the silence "I hate to break up this exciting moment, but I'se gotta git back to Tibby's in time ta' meet Ivy."
"Wait a second!" said Willow, "Ivy is you're girl?!"
"Yeah. " said Racetrack.
"Wat else am I missing out on?" asked Willow.
"Well" said Blink, "We gotta go git My goil Smudge and Mush's goil Jewels. they came up hea to visit they're Brooklyn friends. you'se betta like dem." "I'll like who I want" said Willow haughtily, and began to walk away then she paused and looked back, "Ummm, what way back to Manhattan?"
The boys snickered, "We ain't telling ya" said Race, "You'se gotta come wid us and meet da' other goils."
Willow sighed, she'd met enough people to last her for the day but she followed them, grudgingly. As they walked towards the lodging house they heard someone calling them.
"Wait up!" yelled a girl.
"Hey Tricks!" called Jack, "What's goin' on?"
"I haven't seen Myth or Mickey or Ivy for a while" she said, "I'm goin' wid ya to Manhattan."
"ok" said Jack, "Just don't start complainin' dat yer feet hurt and make me carry ya."
"I never made ya carry me!" she yelled, kicking Jack hard in the shin "I had ta carry you ya lazy scab!"
"Aww!" yelled Jack, grabbing his leg, "ease off!"
Tricks snickered, "Just be glad dat I didn't kick ya a little higher up!" Tricks laughed and walked over to Willow, "I'm Tricks" she said spitting in her hand, "are you'se da new goil?"
"Yeah" said Willow hesitantly. Tricks laughed, "Don't worry, I won't kick ya in da shins" she said, looking over at Jack with a smug smile. Willow laughed too and shook Tricks' hand.
~*~
Okay now for the Shoutouts!!!
Jaede Loriele Conlon: Well, sis, sorry that I'm not taking your advice about the updates, but I ddin't wanna leave everyon in confusion. Thanx for your update though! Oh and Thanx again for helping me out!!!
StupidChocolateGurl: Great!!! Glad you liked it so far, sorry if your confused, hopefully things will clear up here soon!
Seraph: Well you got your wish!!! Hope you liked the date and stuff. Bumlets is awesome, but I prefer Racetrack, such as says in my story!!!