Chapter 9: The Ponine and Chewy
Chewy dragged me into the Lodging House where Ponine was sitting on her bed, Itey beside her.
"Itey, can you'se uh...leave? Its gonna be a goil ta goil thing." I asked him while pointing to the door.
"Huh?" He broke off from gazing into Ponine's eyes. "Oh, uh yea, see ya lata Ponine." He said as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Ponine, this is me best friend Stormy, Stormy, this is me sistah Ponine." She introduced us but said the word sister hesitantly.
"Heya, nice ta meet ya Ponine" I spit in my hand and held it out to her. She looked at it for awhile but then did the same.
"So, ya's dating Itey over dere?" I said as I jerked my thumb toward Itey.
"Yea," she said, blushing "he's sweet and funny. I really, really like him!" She said, her smile growing too big for her face.
"Well, if you'se two don't mind I'se gotta get going, me and Crutchy are gonna go talk." Chewy said on her way over to Crutchy.
"Yea, I'se gotta get back to Racetrack, you never know what he'll do if your gone too long." I winked at Ponine and ushered toward Race.
I heard Ponine sigh and walk over to Itey. (It was one of the good sighs, like, I cant believe hes mine kinda sighs lol)
Race and I decided to talk on the roof, while Crutchy and Chewy were sitting in the bunkroom. "Their so cute!" I whispered to Race as we passed them to get up to the window. "Oh, and we aint?" he said, and put his hand over his heart like he was shocked.
I laughed.
'God I love him...' I thought to myself, 'but does he know that?'
"Whatcha t'inkin (thinkin) about?" He asked me, as we sat down on the roof beside each other.
"About you...me...us" I spoke softly, resting me head on his shoulders.
"Yea?" he laughed "What about us?" I looked down on me.
"I was jist wonderin if you knew how much I loved ya is all..." I broke away from his gaze but held onto him tighter.
I knew he was smiling, just like me.
"I hoped ya loved me, I'se was waitin for da right time ta tell ya, I knew I loved ya since we went on da walk." I didn't even have to look at him to know he blushed a light pink.
"Ya know your cute when ya blush like dat right?" He turned to look down on me but I just laughed.
"I want ya ta know," he said slowly, as if trying to find the right words to use, "I aint neva gonna let anyone touch ya ok? I mean, I cares about ya so much, I dunno what I'd do if anyting (anything) happened to ya, I mean..." He said, going yet again, another shade of pink, "When you'se is hoit, I'se hoit, when ya happy, I'se happy, and dats how I'se always want it ta be."
"Thanks Race, I know you wanna look out fa me, and I love ya for it, I really do, but I'se can almost always take care of meself."
"I know, I just love ya is all" I laughed at this, and smiled up at him to tell him I understood.
I'se love ya too."
*~*........:........_Meanwhile, Back Inside_........:........*~*
"Crutchy, I know we'se jist met, but, I gotta tell ya, I'se like ya alot." Chewy said as she was sitting beside Crutchy on a bunk bed.
"I know whatcha mean, I like ya's so much, I jist didn't know how ta tell ya. I feel like I'se know ya all me life."
"Well, I've kinda know you for...awhile..." Chewy said cautiously.
"Huh? Whatcha mean?"
"Well, please dont get mad, but I'se was kinda following ya around a little bit. I guess I didn't want to uh...ask about how ta be a newsie, so if I followed one I'd learn quicker. So, when you'se was gettin hoit in da ally, I jist had ta help cause I felt so much closer to ya."
Crutchy laughed. "why would I be mad, look, if ya need anything, anything, jist come ta me." He said, right before he kissed her.