Yay! I finally got around to writing this! Hope you like it since it took
me forever to put it up. Soooo, on with the show.
Before opening the door, Laces peered inside through one of the windows. Mrs. Carlson looked pretty impatient. "Well," She thought. "It's now or never I guess. I just hope I'm not late." She took a deep breath and quickly opened a door. She snatched her apron hanging nearby on a chair in the kitchen and practically ran over to the sink where Mrs. O'Brien, the cook, was standing. Just as the old grandfather clock in the hall signaled the start of the hour, Laces tied her apron on and flashed a victorious grin at Mrs. Carlson. The schoolmistress simply snorted with disgust and walked away. Laces sighed with relief.
"Geez, it's a good thing Ise made it 'ere when Ise did."
"Better be careful, lassie or she'll have your head when you really are late o' of these days." The cook said in her thick Irish accent.
"Thank goodness Ise getting' outta dis place soon enough." Mrs. O'Brien simply smiled at the tomboy.
Laces immediately started peeling potatoes, sweeping the floors, filling the dormitories' fireplaces with wood, and other such jobs she performed five days a week around the Carlson's School for Girls. Although looked down upon by the girls attending school, Laces knew they weren't that much better off than she had been several years ago. The Carlson's School for Girls and the Carlson's School for Boys certainly wasn't the most respectable school in New York, but there at least you could get and education and three meals a day. Mrs. Carlson disliked everyone, with the possible exception of her husband. Mr. Carlson ran The Carlson's School for Boys across the street.
After Laces, and Mrs. O'Brien were done setting up dinner in the dining room, Laces hung her apron up and untied the ribbon from her hair. As she was about to leave, Mrs. O'Brien gave her a few rolls.
"I figured Mrs. Carlson wouldn't mind a few rolls missing from the tray. I'll see you next time, lassie." Mrs. O'Brien said. Laces immediately began munching as she walked down the alleyway into the street. By this time the sun had nearly set. After asking around to figure out where Irving Hall was, Laces made her way to the theatre smiling to herself. Mrs. Carlson would be surprised when she found out the sheets on her bed had been changed to the kind she was allergic to.
Once she arrived, Boots and the others were waiting.
"Heya Laces!" Boots smiled. "You met Skittery, Kid Blink, Snitch and Snipeshootah earliah. Dis is Itey n' Dutchy n' Specs."
"Heya." Laces responded. "So, where's Nel?" Boots blushed. He hadn't mentioned Nellie to the boys.
"Who's Nel, Boots?" Skittery asked.
"Well..she's.uhh."
"Lemme tell 'em. Nellie is dis daughter of dis pianah player over in Harlem. We would vist 'er quite a lot a few years ago!" Laces said as she nudged Boots in the ribs.
"Laces." Boots said embarrassedly
"When's da last time youse saw 'er, huh?" She laughed.
"It was sometime last week.." Boots smiled as well. He had had a feeling for Nellie for several years now. "She said she would be my goil then." "Way ta go Boots!" Snipeshooter said as they all gave Boots pats on the back.
"Well, wese bettah go in now before da show starts." Blink said. The others nodded as they headed through the stage door. Medda was waiting.
"Welcome boys! Oh, and girl too I suppose! I would love to make your acquaintance later, but I have to go on now!" Medda smiled as she headed onstage. The group stood in the wings, listening to Medda sing. Suddenly, half way through the show, they heard a groaning behind them. They turned around and saw Snitch vomiting on the floor. The whole group went over to him.
"How many licorice whips did dat candyman guy give ya, Snitch?" Specs said.
"Well, I." He stopped to hurl his stomach's contents once more. The others also started to groan.
"Hope Medda won't be too upset." Laces commented.
"Nah, she won't be upset. She'll just tell the candyman to limit Snitch next time!" Skittery laughed with the others, except for Snitch who only continued to groan.
"Wese bettah take him back before he floods the place. I'll take 'im back tah da Lodgin' House." Dutchy volunteered.
"Wese all go wid ya. Da shows almost ovah anyways. You can meet Medda next time, Laces." Boots said.
"Yeah, next time." Laces said almost quietly. The group headed out the door after cleaning up after Snitch with Laces and Dutchy supporting Snitch on both sides. On the way there, Snitch threw up once more, much to the disgust of the others.
"Aftah dis night is ovah, I don't tink wese should evah let him eat candy again!" Itey joked. The rest of the way home, Snitch was able to hold it all in and was eventually able to walk without someone on each side. Once inside the Lodging House, Kloppman helped Snitch up the stairs and began a lecture about not scarfing down food. The others laughed.
"Want us ta walk youse home, Laces?" Boots asked.
"Nah, I'se fine."
"You sure?" Boots asked again.
"Boots, I'se fine. Don't worry bout me, all right?" Laces said almost in an angry tone.
"Fine, just makin' sure. I'se see ya latah." Boots replied as he headed up the stairs.
"Aww, I'se sorry Boots. Really."
"It's all right." Boots smiled. He was used to his friend's temper. The others said their goodbyes and headed up the stairs. When Laces left, she sighed.
"Yeah, later." She thought. "That'll be much later, considering I don't plan to come around here more often. I'm not going to let him or any of the others figure out my family is a mess. With Mom and Dad gone and now Sam, I'm not going to let anyone find out. They'll just feel sorry for me and think I'm an emotional mess. Nope, not me. Sure, I'm real upset Sam is gone, but there's nothing I can do, is there?" Laces tried to convince herself as she made her way to Central Park. Once she arrived, she turned into an alleyway that several homeless people called home. She nodded to Tracks, another shoe shiner. He made his way to New York by sneaking on trains. He came from Chicago. "Heya Laces." Tracks said. He was only eleven and rather short for his age. "Youse go out tahnight or did da Carlsons give youse a lecture again 'bout propah lady behaviah?"
"I went out, Tracks. Sorry, but I'se real tired. I'll see youse tomorrow." Laces sleepily responded as she grabbed a coarse blanket and eventually fell asleep.
Yuppers, that was one of the longest, but not as long as I thought.
WeBuiltThisCityOnRockAndRoll: Thanks for reviewing! I appreciate it even if you are the only one doing it.
So, to all of you who haven't reviewed yet, please do! I'm always open to tips on writing and I won't cry if you only give me flames.(well, not TOO much) If you review, I just might give a shout out to you at the end of the next chapter! So, I'm asking again, please review!
Before opening the door, Laces peered inside through one of the windows. Mrs. Carlson looked pretty impatient. "Well," She thought. "It's now or never I guess. I just hope I'm not late." She took a deep breath and quickly opened a door. She snatched her apron hanging nearby on a chair in the kitchen and practically ran over to the sink where Mrs. O'Brien, the cook, was standing. Just as the old grandfather clock in the hall signaled the start of the hour, Laces tied her apron on and flashed a victorious grin at Mrs. Carlson. The schoolmistress simply snorted with disgust and walked away. Laces sighed with relief.
"Geez, it's a good thing Ise made it 'ere when Ise did."
"Better be careful, lassie or she'll have your head when you really are late o' of these days." The cook said in her thick Irish accent.
"Thank goodness Ise getting' outta dis place soon enough." Mrs. O'Brien simply smiled at the tomboy.
Laces immediately started peeling potatoes, sweeping the floors, filling the dormitories' fireplaces with wood, and other such jobs she performed five days a week around the Carlson's School for Girls. Although looked down upon by the girls attending school, Laces knew they weren't that much better off than she had been several years ago. The Carlson's School for Girls and the Carlson's School for Boys certainly wasn't the most respectable school in New York, but there at least you could get and education and three meals a day. Mrs. Carlson disliked everyone, with the possible exception of her husband. Mr. Carlson ran The Carlson's School for Boys across the street.
After Laces, and Mrs. O'Brien were done setting up dinner in the dining room, Laces hung her apron up and untied the ribbon from her hair. As she was about to leave, Mrs. O'Brien gave her a few rolls.
"I figured Mrs. Carlson wouldn't mind a few rolls missing from the tray. I'll see you next time, lassie." Mrs. O'Brien said. Laces immediately began munching as she walked down the alleyway into the street. By this time the sun had nearly set. After asking around to figure out where Irving Hall was, Laces made her way to the theatre smiling to herself. Mrs. Carlson would be surprised when she found out the sheets on her bed had been changed to the kind she was allergic to.
Once she arrived, Boots and the others were waiting.
"Heya Laces!" Boots smiled. "You met Skittery, Kid Blink, Snitch and Snipeshootah earliah. Dis is Itey n' Dutchy n' Specs."
"Heya." Laces responded. "So, where's Nel?" Boots blushed. He hadn't mentioned Nellie to the boys.
"Who's Nel, Boots?" Skittery asked.
"Well..she's.uhh."
"Lemme tell 'em. Nellie is dis daughter of dis pianah player over in Harlem. We would vist 'er quite a lot a few years ago!" Laces said as she nudged Boots in the ribs.
"Laces." Boots said embarrassedly
"When's da last time youse saw 'er, huh?" She laughed.
"It was sometime last week.." Boots smiled as well. He had had a feeling for Nellie for several years now. "She said she would be my goil then." "Way ta go Boots!" Snipeshooter said as they all gave Boots pats on the back.
"Well, wese bettah go in now before da show starts." Blink said. The others nodded as they headed through the stage door. Medda was waiting.
"Welcome boys! Oh, and girl too I suppose! I would love to make your acquaintance later, but I have to go on now!" Medda smiled as she headed onstage. The group stood in the wings, listening to Medda sing. Suddenly, half way through the show, they heard a groaning behind them. They turned around and saw Snitch vomiting on the floor. The whole group went over to him.
"How many licorice whips did dat candyman guy give ya, Snitch?" Specs said.
"Well, I." He stopped to hurl his stomach's contents once more. The others also started to groan.
"Hope Medda won't be too upset." Laces commented.
"Nah, she won't be upset. She'll just tell the candyman to limit Snitch next time!" Skittery laughed with the others, except for Snitch who only continued to groan.
"Wese bettah take him back before he floods the place. I'll take 'im back tah da Lodgin' House." Dutchy volunteered.
"Wese all go wid ya. Da shows almost ovah anyways. You can meet Medda next time, Laces." Boots said.
"Yeah, next time." Laces said almost quietly. The group headed out the door after cleaning up after Snitch with Laces and Dutchy supporting Snitch on both sides. On the way there, Snitch threw up once more, much to the disgust of the others.
"Aftah dis night is ovah, I don't tink wese should evah let him eat candy again!" Itey joked. The rest of the way home, Snitch was able to hold it all in and was eventually able to walk without someone on each side. Once inside the Lodging House, Kloppman helped Snitch up the stairs and began a lecture about not scarfing down food. The others laughed.
"Want us ta walk youse home, Laces?" Boots asked.
"Nah, I'se fine."
"You sure?" Boots asked again.
"Boots, I'se fine. Don't worry bout me, all right?" Laces said almost in an angry tone.
"Fine, just makin' sure. I'se see ya latah." Boots replied as he headed up the stairs.
"Aww, I'se sorry Boots. Really."
"It's all right." Boots smiled. He was used to his friend's temper. The others said their goodbyes and headed up the stairs. When Laces left, she sighed.
"Yeah, later." She thought. "That'll be much later, considering I don't plan to come around here more often. I'm not going to let him or any of the others figure out my family is a mess. With Mom and Dad gone and now Sam, I'm not going to let anyone find out. They'll just feel sorry for me and think I'm an emotional mess. Nope, not me. Sure, I'm real upset Sam is gone, but there's nothing I can do, is there?" Laces tried to convince herself as she made her way to Central Park. Once she arrived, she turned into an alleyway that several homeless people called home. She nodded to Tracks, another shoe shiner. He made his way to New York by sneaking on trains. He came from Chicago. "Heya Laces." Tracks said. He was only eleven and rather short for his age. "Youse go out tahnight or did da Carlsons give youse a lecture again 'bout propah lady behaviah?"
"I went out, Tracks. Sorry, but I'se real tired. I'll see youse tomorrow." Laces sleepily responded as she grabbed a coarse blanket and eventually fell asleep.
Yuppers, that was one of the longest, but not as long as I thought.
WeBuiltThisCityOnRockAndRoll: Thanks for reviewing! I appreciate it even if you are the only one doing it.
So, to all of you who haven't reviewed yet, please do! I'm always open to tips on writing and I won't cry if you only give me flames.(well, not TOO much) If you review, I just might give a shout out to you at the end of the next chapter! So, I'm asking again, please review!