A.N.- Muchas gracious to Reffy, Spark, and Kicker for reviewing the last
chapter! Sorry this one took so long to get up *hides head guiltily*
Anyways, enjoy!
Chapter 4:
Brooke ran her fingers through her short hair and placed her knapsack on the bed. The boys huddled at the doorway, trying to squeeze into the narrow opening and claim her attention without stepping inside.
One of the only few rules Kloppman had for the Lodging House was that the boys were not allowed in the girls' bunkroom. Any boy caught even a foot inside was banned from the House for a week.
Calli sat on the windowsill across the room, looking out quietly. None of the boys seemed to notice her lack of enthusiasm, instead chattering away to Brooke quite happily. Brooke glanced over at her and sighed. Calli was definitely going to be the hardest newsie to get along with, even though she was the only other girl.
Brooke could understand her jealousy though. Apparently Calli had lived in the Lodging House for 6 months assuming she was the main girl in all the Manhattan boys' life. And now not only was she finding out that they had another close girl friend they had known longer than Calli, but that this new girl was also invading number one, the Lodging House, and number two, her ROOM.
Mush, Blink and Race kept a steady stream of talk until Brooke finally went up to the door and gently pushed the boys back a few steps.
"I really need some sleep you guys, an' I'm shoah Calli does too. I'll see ya in da mornin'."
A chorus of goodnights followed, and fortunately Blink leaned in and called "Goodnight, Charm!" to Calli, though she pretended she hadn't heard. Brooke silently closed the door and padded softly over to her bed.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Later that night Calli was still seated on the windowsill with her legs pulled up against her chest. She stared at the sleeping girl in the bottom bed of the bunk next to hers for several moments.
Slowly she got up and closed the windows, pulling the curtains across to block out the bright moon. This problem would be more easily solved in the daylight.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
"Ok, Brooke, show us how you sell a pape."
Blink, Mush, Race, Brooke and Calli were in a group near Till's Photography Shop. Brooke glanced at them warily, wondering what the catch was, but obediently lifted a newspaper and shouted a headline,
"New buildin' design for uppah class restaurant! Bigger an' better!"
Brooke waited expectantly a moment, but when the usual zero customers came over, she turned back to them with slumped shoulders. "What'm I doin' wrong?"
Blink blinked at her (author's note: hehe, I've always wanted to say that! () and turned to Race blankly. Race had the same horrified expression on his face. "Brooke.I hate ta say it, but dat was one a da worst headlines I've evah hoid!"
Calli chuckled and smirked at Brooke, "I guess the girl just doesn't have the art." With that said, Calli raised a paper and called out headlines randomly, a crowd of people swallowing her up in their excitement to buy a newspaper.
Kid Blink frowned in her direction, muttering, "I wondah what's gotten inta her dis mornin'."
Brooke sighed. "Don't worry about it. So what'm I doin' wrong?"
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Calli breathed out deeply. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so nasty earlier. It wasn't Brooke's fault that the guys liked her better than Calli. And it wasn't fair of Calli to feel protective of the boys and the Lodging House, after all, they had been in Manhattan longer than she had. Brooke hadn't done anything wrong intentionally to Calli.
Calli took off her hat and wiped her forehead, annoyed with the inevitable trail her thoughts were following. She should go apologize and try to make friends with the girl.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
"Brooke, ya wanna eat now? It's lunchtime."
Brooke looked down at the remaining five papes in her hands proudly, remembering her utter failure at selling papers yesterday. "Sure, where?"
Racetrack glanced down the street. "I'm bored of Tibby's. You two wanna get some food from a vendor and go to Central Park?"
"Sounds good to me."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Calli scanned the street for the 3rd time, not believing it. Not once in the past six months had they ever deserted her. Even when the three- Race, Blink, and Calli- were selling in different areas, they always met near the Jacob's home at noon, before heading off for lunch together. But today no newsies were in sight, and it was already one o'clock.
Calli scowled, her previous thoughts about apologies to Brooke gone. She ruined everything, and now Calli felt like the outsider. She couldn't even go to Tibby's, they were sure to be there, and Calli didn't want to have to sit by herself and feel pathetic.
*Where can I go now to get away from Manhattan? Somewhere where noone will feel sympathy towards me. I can't stand that right now.* Calli grinned suddenly, adjusting her hat and heading off in a long overdue visit to Brooklyn.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
"Why if it ain't da charmer of Manhattan. Long time no see blondie."
Calli scowled up at Spot momentarily, then grinned cheekily again. It was nice to see him again, annoying as he was. "Hey almighty leader of Brooklyn, where's your better side?"
Spot gestured with his cane towards the Brooklyn Lodging House. "She's back at da House, gettin' food."
Calli nodded and sat down cross-legged on the docks, watching the Brooklyn newsies swim in the water expertly. "Ya know, Spot, it seems every time I come here all you guys are ever doing is swimming and hanging out here."
She didn't look up his perch, but she knew he was smirking as he replied, "Dat's da common belief of New York's newsies; all Brooklyn ever does is swim and intimidate."
He didn't say anything else, and Calli shook her head at his half-answer. Spot never just gave a full explanation, he had to make things complicated.
"Hey Charm!" Spinz swam up to the docks and pulled himself up to sit next to her. "What're you doin' heah?"
Calli sighed, "Do I need a reason to come visit Brooklyn?"
Spot laughed, overhearing her, "If you're going to take our generosity towards you so lightly then yes, you do."
Calli rolled her eyes, "I wanted-"
"Here she comes."
Michaela walked up with a basket and sat down on the other side of Calli. "I figured you'd be comin' ovah today, so I packed a picnic lunch for us."
Calli cocked an eyebrow, "How'd you know?"
Spot jumped down and grabbed a bread roll from the basket before his sister could slap his hands. "We heard about the new girl at the Lodging House. Brooke, right?"
Calli nodded and Spinz glanced over at her in concern. "Is she mean to you?"
"Nah, she's fine, I just-"
Spot looked at her knowingly. "She's friends with Blink."
Calli scowled at the second interruption then turned to Spinz. She opened her mouth to finish her sentence but when she met his eyes, stopped. There was a flash of something in his blue eyes, something like anger.but it was gone just as quickly, replaced with his usual twinkle.
"Well, it'll all work out." Spinz smiled at her briefly and slid back into the water to join the rest of the newsies.
Calli watched him swim away hurriedly before looking questioningly at Michaela, "What's he so upset about?"
Michaela sighed and handed her a sandwich, saying softly, "He likes you."
Calli swallowed and averted her eyes, feeling a sense of guilt and sadness immediately, "Oh."
*Darn it, why do things like this always have to happen? *
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Note: 'tis finished!!!! Well, at least this chapter is. I didn't even start writing it til like 3 days ago. It's so hard to get a good idea going. But I think the next couple of chapters should be up really fast because I've finally got an actual plan for the entire story. I know what's gonna happen, but you don't! hehehe. Yay!!! Well, send a review, and read the below Uptown LH thing, though you've probably read it before.
UPTOWN LH!!!!! For those of you who don't know, me and Spark are starting up a website, called the Uptown Lodging House. We can't post it up until we get more lodgers, so if yer interested in joinin', send me a review and ask for the application. Include your email address please! So far, the lodgers are: Vix, Kicker, Slick, Moods, Reffy, Spark, and myself. Send a review!
Chapter 4:
Brooke ran her fingers through her short hair and placed her knapsack on the bed. The boys huddled at the doorway, trying to squeeze into the narrow opening and claim her attention without stepping inside.
One of the only few rules Kloppman had for the Lodging House was that the boys were not allowed in the girls' bunkroom. Any boy caught even a foot inside was banned from the House for a week.
Calli sat on the windowsill across the room, looking out quietly. None of the boys seemed to notice her lack of enthusiasm, instead chattering away to Brooke quite happily. Brooke glanced over at her and sighed. Calli was definitely going to be the hardest newsie to get along with, even though she was the only other girl.
Brooke could understand her jealousy though. Apparently Calli had lived in the Lodging House for 6 months assuming she was the main girl in all the Manhattan boys' life. And now not only was she finding out that they had another close girl friend they had known longer than Calli, but that this new girl was also invading number one, the Lodging House, and number two, her ROOM.
Mush, Blink and Race kept a steady stream of talk until Brooke finally went up to the door and gently pushed the boys back a few steps.
"I really need some sleep you guys, an' I'm shoah Calli does too. I'll see ya in da mornin'."
A chorus of goodnights followed, and fortunately Blink leaned in and called "Goodnight, Charm!" to Calli, though she pretended she hadn't heard. Brooke silently closed the door and padded softly over to her bed.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Later that night Calli was still seated on the windowsill with her legs pulled up against her chest. She stared at the sleeping girl in the bottom bed of the bunk next to hers for several moments.
Slowly she got up and closed the windows, pulling the curtains across to block out the bright moon. This problem would be more easily solved in the daylight.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
"Ok, Brooke, show us how you sell a pape."
Blink, Mush, Race, Brooke and Calli were in a group near Till's Photography Shop. Brooke glanced at them warily, wondering what the catch was, but obediently lifted a newspaper and shouted a headline,
"New buildin' design for uppah class restaurant! Bigger an' better!"
Brooke waited expectantly a moment, but when the usual zero customers came over, she turned back to them with slumped shoulders. "What'm I doin' wrong?"
Blink blinked at her (author's note: hehe, I've always wanted to say that! () and turned to Race blankly. Race had the same horrified expression on his face. "Brooke.I hate ta say it, but dat was one a da worst headlines I've evah hoid!"
Calli chuckled and smirked at Brooke, "I guess the girl just doesn't have the art." With that said, Calli raised a paper and called out headlines randomly, a crowd of people swallowing her up in their excitement to buy a newspaper.
Kid Blink frowned in her direction, muttering, "I wondah what's gotten inta her dis mornin'."
Brooke sighed. "Don't worry about it. So what'm I doin' wrong?"
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Calli breathed out deeply. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so nasty earlier. It wasn't Brooke's fault that the guys liked her better than Calli. And it wasn't fair of Calli to feel protective of the boys and the Lodging House, after all, they had been in Manhattan longer than she had. Brooke hadn't done anything wrong intentionally to Calli.
Calli took off her hat and wiped her forehead, annoyed with the inevitable trail her thoughts were following. She should go apologize and try to make friends with the girl.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
"Brooke, ya wanna eat now? It's lunchtime."
Brooke looked down at the remaining five papes in her hands proudly, remembering her utter failure at selling papers yesterday. "Sure, where?"
Racetrack glanced down the street. "I'm bored of Tibby's. You two wanna get some food from a vendor and go to Central Park?"
"Sounds good to me."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Calli scanned the street for the 3rd time, not believing it. Not once in the past six months had they ever deserted her. Even when the three- Race, Blink, and Calli- were selling in different areas, they always met near the Jacob's home at noon, before heading off for lunch together. But today no newsies were in sight, and it was already one o'clock.
Calli scowled, her previous thoughts about apologies to Brooke gone. She ruined everything, and now Calli felt like the outsider. She couldn't even go to Tibby's, they were sure to be there, and Calli didn't want to have to sit by herself and feel pathetic.
*Where can I go now to get away from Manhattan? Somewhere where noone will feel sympathy towards me. I can't stand that right now.* Calli grinned suddenly, adjusting her hat and heading off in a long overdue visit to Brooklyn.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
"Why if it ain't da charmer of Manhattan. Long time no see blondie."
Calli scowled up at Spot momentarily, then grinned cheekily again. It was nice to see him again, annoying as he was. "Hey almighty leader of Brooklyn, where's your better side?"
Spot gestured with his cane towards the Brooklyn Lodging House. "She's back at da House, gettin' food."
Calli nodded and sat down cross-legged on the docks, watching the Brooklyn newsies swim in the water expertly. "Ya know, Spot, it seems every time I come here all you guys are ever doing is swimming and hanging out here."
She didn't look up his perch, but she knew he was smirking as he replied, "Dat's da common belief of New York's newsies; all Brooklyn ever does is swim and intimidate."
He didn't say anything else, and Calli shook her head at his half-answer. Spot never just gave a full explanation, he had to make things complicated.
"Hey Charm!" Spinz swam up to the docks and pulled himself up to sit next to her. "What're you doin' heah?"
Calli sighed, "Do I need a reason to come visit Brooklyn?"
Spot laughed, overhearing her, "If you're going to take our generosity towards you so lightly then yes, you do."
Calli rolled her eyes, "I wanted-"
"Here she comes."
Michaela walked up with a basket and sat down on the other side of Calli. "I figured you'd be comin' ovah today, so I packed a picnic lunch for us."
Calli cocked an eyebrow, "How'd you know?"
Spot jumped down and grabbed a bread roll from the basket before his sister could slap his hands. "We heard about the new girl at the Lodging House. Brooke, right?"
Calli nodded and Spinz glanced over at her in concern. "Is she mean to you?"
"Nah, she's fine, I just-"
Spot looked at her knowingly. "She's friends with Blink."
Calli scowled at the second interruption then turned to Spinz. She opened her mouth to finish her sentence but when she met his eyes, stopped. There was a flash of something in his blue eyes, something like anger.but it was gone just as quickly, replaced with his usual twinkle.
"Well, it'll all work out." Spinz smiled at her briefly and slid back into the water to join the rest of the newsies.
Calli watched him swim away hurriedly before looking questioningly at Michaela, "What's he so upset about?"
Michaela sighed and handed her a sandwich, saying softly, "He likes you."
Calli swallowed and averted her eyes, feeling a sense of guilt and sadness immediately, "Oh."
*Darn it, why do things like this always have to happen? *
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Note: 'tis finished!!!! Well, at least this chapter is. I didn't even start writing it til like 3 days ago. It's so hard to get a good idea going. But I think the next couple of chapters should be up really fast because I've finally got an actual plan for the entire story. I know what's gonna happen, but you don't! hehehe. Yay!!! Well, send a review, and read the below Uptown LH thing, though you've probably read it before.
UPTOWN LH!!!!! For those of you who don't know, me and Spark are starting up a website, called the Uptown Lodging House. We can't post it up until we get more lodgers, so if yer interested in joinin', send me a review and ask for the application. Include your email address please! So far, the lodgers are: Vix, Kicker, Slick, Moods, Reffy, Spark, and myself. Send a review!
