Chapter 19:

"So, are ya gonna say anytin'?" Coffee asked after the long silence that happened after we'd finished selling. I had no intention of it, but since he asked, I have to.

"Well, is there really that much ta be said?" I question as my response.

"No, I guess not." There's a long pause while he thinks of something to say. "'Ave I mentioned that you're a natural when it comes ta sellin?"

"Only 'bout fifty times in the last twenty minutes!" I say, breaking off at the end laughing. I like Coffee. He's nice and sweet, and always knows what to say. He's two years older than me, and two years is too much of an age difference. I can't look at him that way, but he makes for a wonderful friend. Besides, Pig boy and I aren't officially un-official just yet. I won't sink to his level. "Is there a reason you haven't introduced me to any of the oder newsboys here yet?"

"I told ya earlier, I don't think you shout stay here long enough ta really git ta know anybody." Sure, I believe him. "What you say about lunch at Tibby's?"

"There's a Tibby's in Queens?" I ask, hoping the answer is a yes. I know of two Tibby's, Manhattan and Brooklyn. Neither of which would be too smart at the moment.

"Nah, Brooklyn's, I mean." Fudge, how do I tell him I don't want to/can't go back to Brooklyn just yet? I mean, without having to explain the whole situation.

"No. Not Brooklyn," I say. I pause to think up a good reason. "I can't go back ta Brooklyn just now."

"So a piece of the mysterious story is revealed," Coffee announces triumphantly. "I knew that if I kept at it long enough you'd reveal something about yourself." He chuckled at his recent discovery. "Now I's got material dat I can use for bribery." I look at him, confused.

"What are you gonna bribe me for?" I ask after a moment. He just grins in response. I don't think I like that grin. "Seriously, what are ya gonna do?"

"Well, if ya don't tell me da rest of your story, I'll bring you ta Brooklyn." His grin widens. "Da best part is, you won't know till we're dere." I knew there was a reason I didn't like that grin.

"Fine, on ta Brooklyn!" I say. What the hell am I doing? I can't do this. I make a note of the weight of the coins in my pocket. I'd suppose there was a dollar and some other change. Not bad. "But foist," I start, bumping him towards a hat shop, "I need ta buy somethin'."

After browsing the selection, which isn't too much for my budget, I settled on a not-so-used black and maroon cabby hat. It cleaned me out completely.

"So you needed a hat why?" Coffee asked as we were walking out of the store. I was busy tucking my long-ish blonde hair under it. No hair, no recognition, right?

"I don't want ta be recognized, so I'm hiding my most distinguishing feature." No comprende. "I'm hiding my hair ta make me less recognizable." Now he gets it!

"So your guy is in Brooklyn?" I nod a yes.

"Guys, actually. There's two of them," I begin. "With my luck, though, they'll both show up while I'm there."

"Are ya sure ya wanna go? I was jist kidding about forcing you." Aw, he does care. That's cute. But he's not allowed to be cute. Stop that!

"Yeah. I's gonna have ta face dem someday." I'm having doubts, though. "Why Brooklyn, though? Do ya know somebody there?"

"Yeah. A guy named Ink." I paled. "He used ta live in our LH. He moved ta Brooklyn because he got inta too many fights an' ended up expelled from our LH." He finally made a note of my lack of color. "You know 'im?"

"Uh, yeah," I just barely squeak.

"Aw, don't tell me he's da one you's runnin' from?" I nod. "Well, I can't make ya do dis if ya really don't wanna. I don't want ta put you in a situation that makes you uncomfortable."

"N-no, it's fine." Great, stuttering. That's great.

"OK, I's jist makin' sure." Gosh, he keeps on making himself look better and better. Now I can't get out of the inevitable.

"Why's you bein' so nice ta me?" I ask, stepping in front of him to make sure he stops. "Not even Spot acted like this when I foist met him."

"I dunno, maybe I's jist a nice guy."

"Maybe." That was the end of any real conversation until we got just outside of Brooklyn.

"Coffee, I ain't so sure of this."

"Sorry, Mandy, we's too close ta turn back now."

We walked off the bridge and into the danger zone. If everything's gonna be OK, then why can't I get rid of this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach?

___________________~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~____________________ Ok, so the chapter's short. Sue me. May I point out the fact that I am grounded? So, I don't got much to say today. Just that everything I had planned for this has completely gone to hell. This could be interesting.

Thanks to all those who review. And to those who wonder what will happen next, I'm right there with you. And, if anyone has an MST of my story, I'd love to read it. More reviews, but you all know that. TTFN