Chapter 4: Tibby's

Spot got changed and glared at me as he came out. I was thinking about when I made him dress up, why he hadn't made a bigger fuss. *Maybe he's gay…*

I snapped back to reality when I heard the door close. I had remembered that I had promised Race that I'd meet him at Tibby's. I also wanted to get info. On the Kid Blink, since he was cute.

I walked out of the room after Spot and walked steadily toward Tibby's.

When I walked in the guys greeted me with smiles, all except Spot, who I guess was still a "little" Upset.

"Ey Boys…" I said taking a seat next to Race. I looked around Tibby's and noticed that Blink was at another table with a girl sitting on his lap. The girl had raven black hair and vibrant green eyes that seemed to take in everything, including me staring at her. I quickly guided my eyes to Race.

"What ya lookin at?" Race asked as he took a sip of his drink.

"Who's da goil wit Blink?" I asked him, staring at her again.

"Oh, ya mean da tough one wit da muscles? Yea, dats Sphinx, he met her when he saw her walking toward the lodgin house."

"Hmm…" I started thinking out loud. I wasn't really sure if I liked her…

"Why? Ya got somet'in fa Blink?" He laughed.

I elbowed him "No," I said "Its just.I don't know, she seems…" My voice trailed off since I couldn't think of the right words.

"Whats her Story?" I finally said.

"Blink was tellin' me bout hoir, said she ran away to become a Newsie, he jist didn't know what she ran away from."

"Whats her name again?" I questioned, looking over at him and breaking my gaze from watching hem kiss.

"Sphinx…you'se ok?" I looked into his eyes and saw concern and curiosity.

"I have a feelin dat I know hoir. I jist can't figure out from what…"

I looked down at the table trying to think. *She looks so familiar…I must have hated hoir cuz I aint likin hoir now….*

I looked up at Spot who had been too quiet, I found that he was starring right back at me with his fierce blue eyes. I quickly averted my eyes to Les, who was askin Itey's Goil, Ponine for a nickel to buy a drink.

She had said no only because she had given him the money for the past week.

"Les, hun, I already told you no, and you know I would if I hadn't been for so long, I jist don't want it ta become a routine." She spoke softly and looked directly into his eyes.

When he kept begging for the next few minutes, Ponine had to ignore him. So I slid a nickel across the table. He looked at it for awhile then looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back and Ponine mouthed a "thank you" at me.

"I'm gonna go…" I said to Race, as he turned to ask me something.

"Why? Ya jist got here?!"

"Yea, well…I'm not hungry…and I 'ave to t'ink…" I said, jerking my thumb toward Sphinx.

"Oh, uh, yea…"

"See ya Race, Bye Boys…" My voice was drained from the boys complaining that I had just gotten there, I told them what I had told Race and started walking toward the door.

"Wait, Stormy, hang on, ya gotta meet someone…" I t was Blink, he hadn't gotten up, but was shouting across the room.

I walked over regretfully, thinking I should have pretended not to hear him.

"Ey, Stormy, dis is me goil Sphinx, Sphinx, dis is Stormy…" I spit in my hand and held it out and she did the same. When we didn't even smile at each other I stole a glance at Blink and he looked confused.

So I smiled.

"Nice ta meet ya, but I'se gotta go."

I walked hastily out the door ignoring the yells I got from someone telling me to stay. I glanced back and saw Spot walking out the door.

"Hey, wait! I gotta talk to ya."

I stopped.

He sighed as if he had just run a mile.

"Look, I jist wanna know how ya do it?" He asked.

"Do what?!"

"Treat people like dat, ya know, like ya treat everyone da same, like de aint got…got…" He scratched his head as if trying to find the right words.

"Ranks?" I finished for him. (in the beginning, he said he was in a higher rank…)

We stared at each other for what seemed like hours until I turned on my heal and walked away.