Chapter 5: Pleased to meet you
"I don't see why you go after Davey anyway. He's taken. You have other options; Preach, Kiwi, and even Oscar Delancey like you," Spin said to Venus when she came back with our food.
"Preach is too..." she paused, searching for the right word,
"passionate about religion. That's fine for him, but its just not right for me. He's actually taking Latin classes at night so he can understand the mass. Kiwi is…well he's Kiwi. And how could I like a Delancey? They tried to rape Soleil the other day. Davey's cute, mature, and smart," she continued, as a guy walked up behind her.
"I never knew you thought I was all that," the guy said from behind her. I didn't know who it was, but I knew it wasn't Davey. Venus turned around, putting her hands on her hips.
"What do you want Kiwi?" She asked bluntly. He just answered with a smile. She shook her head and walked to the backroom.
After lunch, Spin went to talk to Jack. Kid Blink, the guy I'd been introduced to earlier, came to sit with me.
"Heya, Soaker right?" I meekly nodded, unsure how to talk to a guy. "Everyone's leaving, do you want to go back to the lodging house with me?" He paused for a second. "Spin will know to look for you there." Once again I merely nodded answer. He smiled, a huge, happy smile, and got out of the booth. Unable to mistrust that smile, I quickly followed. When we'd left the restraunt, he tried talking to me.
"So, how'd you get your nickname?"
"Hit someone. Dawn said it would fit me." I whispered.
"You hit someone!?" He exclaimed, surprised.
"I have a temper," I replied, speaking a little bit louder this time, and smiling as well. He smiled again, shaking his head. We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we entered into the lodging house, there seemed to be twenty boys just waiting for us.
"Soaker, can I introduce you to the guys?" Kid Blink asked. I squeaked and hid behind him. He turned around. "You'll have to meet them eventually." I nodded my consent, moving away from his shadow.
"Her nickname should be Shadow not Soaker," a short Italian joked. I smiled slightly.
"What, you don't think I could soak you?" I asked, speaking louder than I had with Kid Blink. The Italian back smiled at me.
"Nah, I don't think you could. The names Racetrack." All the other boys introduced themselves as well. My mind swam with names; Mush, Jake, Boots, Itey, Snoddy, Dutchy, Preach, Skittery, Crutchy, Ten Pin, Swifty, Specs, Pie Eater, Kiwi, Bumlets, and Snipeshooter. I knew the names, but I didn't know who they belonged to; at least all but Racetrack and Kid Blink.
"So…Blink, where'd you find the girl?" Race asked.
"Tibby's. Spin brought her. This here is Spin's new roommate."
"Oh, a Van Wyck girl. But how did you of all people end up with her?" I didn't know who this was. He was tall, had floppy black hair, and carried a stick with him.
"Easy," I answered for Kid Blink, "He said, 'Wanna go to the lodge?' And I followed. Now, I'm sleepy, where can I take a nap?"
Blink took me upstairs, and showed me to his bunk. He asked if it was ok for him to go back downstairs and I said that was fine. When he'd left, I got up, and walked away from the bed.
