(Note) I know it's got to be confusing not knowing what Skittery did, but sorry guys you don't get to find out till the last chapter. Just be grateful there will only be five chapters so after this one you only have to wait for 2 more chapters.
Part 3-2 months earlier than the first chapter
~Racetrack's POV~ age-16
"Who's bettin' dat Skit'll ask Nick ta be his goil?" I asked the nearly full lodging house, which Skittery and Nick hadn't entered yet.
There was laughter throughout the lodging house, but no one would take my offer. Seconds later Nick entered with her light brown hair several shades darker from the rain. The laughter died pretty quickly but she was still curious what they'd been laughing about. I shrugged her off and went to go join a poker game.
She followed me. Of course I knew she would. Nick was a poker person, she won some, she lost some, and it really didn't matter to her. It mattered to me though. I still wonder how she could not care when she lost a dollar that she would need the next day.
"Race, I'll take ya up on da offer," Blink informed me in the middle of our second game.
"Alright if he does den ya owe me 50 cents." I said and we shook on it.
"What offer?" Nick asked placing down a winning hand.
"Uh, It's nuthin'," I replied watching her take all the pot away. I needed to win this bet now. If necessary I would encourage Skittery a little.
Just then Icy stormed in to the bunkroom forcefully and immediately everyone in the room hoped that they weren't the reason she was mad. When Icy gets mad it's best to back up and let her vent from a distance or you could let Nick handle it. How the two polar opposites became best friends, no one has a clue.
"Nick, we was supposed to go to da tavern tonight and meet ya know who, but when I got dere, ya weren't dere and he wasn't dere. What are ya doing heah?" Icy growled and everyone let out a sigh of relief.
She was mad at Nick, so everything was good. Though I did have to feel for who ever 'you know who' was. Probably some guy Icy wanted Nick to meet, which would have probably ruined my bet, by the way.
"Neh, forgot," Nick replied continuing with our game.
"Neh forgot? How could ya forget? We always go dere… den we come back heah, there's no forgettin' involved."
"Sorry, I told Skit dat I'd meet him heah today instead of disappearing in de evening like usual." Nick's voice was still calm despite the level of anger Icy had obtained.
I smiled. If Skit had asked her to meet him here tonight then he was probably going to ask her to be his girl, which meant another 50 cents for me. Skittery was the kind of guy that you wanted to play poker with because he was so easy to read you'd know when to fold and when not to. The kid needed to learn to be less predictable.
"Ya know what, let's make the deal a little better Blink," I said getting a good idea. "If the answah is no den you get yeh money back, if the answah is yes den I get 75 cents."
Blink seemed to think it over as Icy continue to wage verbal war with the impartial Nick. He nodded.
"Yeah, yeh on Race," Blink challenged and we shook again. I was going to make 75 cents by the next morning, which was good because I'd lost all my earning at Sheep- head's earlier that day.
"Alright, but don't forget again. I was all alone dere. Now I'm wondahing where dat boy is," Icy said cooling down. They must have reached an agreement.
"Probably with one of his goils," Nick muttered.
"Naw he dumped his last one de oddah night, he always waits a week 'fore getting' a new one,"
"Why have I not heoid of dis boy 'fore?" I asked my curiosity growing. It was really obviously he wasn't a Manhattan newsie or they would have used his name.
"He's no one, so you haven't hoid of him," Nick replied.
"No really who is dis guy?" I pushed; I knew there was a chance with Icy still on verge of erupt.
"Yeah, sounds like he goes t'rough goils as quick as Spot Conlon," Blink added.
"No one," they chimed in perfect unison. We immediately dropped it. When they start acting like twins it's never a good sign. Last year Mush had pushed them past this warning and had seriously regretted it later. The poor boy is still a little scared and can't be in the same room as Icy without being on the opposite side.
"Is Nick here?" Skittery asked walking though the door several games later.
"Yeah," she answered herself. I swear Skit nearly skipped in after hearing her voice. I guess he hadn't believed that she would be here. Skittery just isn't a very trusting guy I guess.
"Ya well goil, can I tawk ta ya?" I smiled over at Blink knowingly. Blink just shrugged; it was still fifty, fifty if she said yes. Well okay Skittery hadn't asked her yet, but we all knew he was going to.
"Sure," Nick replied throwing her cards on the table.
"Hey Skit we're in the middle of a game here, can you wait till she wins." Blink protested.
Nick looked over at him agreeing. Skittery sighed and nodded. Blink was right; Nick won again. She had won two games this evening, which was pretty good for her, even though she didn't care. After the game finished Skittery stole her away to talk out on the fire escape.
Now we couldn't really hear what they were saying, but Boots was listening in a little and it seemed like I might just get my 75 cents. Kid Blink seemed pretty confident too though, which was bad for me. After a few minutes they returned as if they hadn't even left to 'talk'. We looked over at Boots, who shrugged in reply.
"So what did ya talk 'bout?" We seemingly teased, but really we were just dying to know the outcome of the bet.
"Nick's agreed to be me goil," Skittery announced beaming. I smirked over at Blink who produced the 75 cents when Nick wasn't looking. Unfortunately, Icy was looking and we got quite the death glares from her in the days that followed. She didn't rat on us though thank goodness.