"What did we tell ya about keeping ya trap shut?" Blink cried in irritation
as Mush pulled me into the crowd and away from Spot's ever burning gaze. I
could feel his eyes on my back even as I was being lead away. I knew he'd
find me later, I had won the first round thanks to Glimmer, but I was sure
there would be more to come. I took the glass Mush shoved in my hands and
peered into it old habits dying hard. There are not date rape drugs yet I
reminded myself; I doubted the boys would even think about it if there
were. At least the Manhattan boys, the Brooklyn ones eyed me and I stared
boldly back, but I didn't like the gleam in their eyes. I figured though
even then they would just wait for the girl to get hammered. The girls
didn't look like they would object to being carted off into another room at
least those that weren't newsies. There were a few other girls dressed, as
I was a handful of us in all. I learned the only other boroughs that had
girls were the Queens and Harlem. Mush let me wonder off, Blink keeping a
close watch until a seamstress he had a previous acquaintance with pulled
him off. Alone I moved through the crowd sipping my ale, which tasted
worse than the cheap beer we had drank in high school. I tried not to
grimace as I took another sip watching those around me intently. I seemed
to be alone, I was surrounded by people, but my own little island. I felt
like an outsider looking, I had never really gone to parties in high
school, because invariably I got this feeling. That and I usually ended up
having to hold my best friends head over the toilet while she puked. I got
sick of being the responsible one. At least at the Renaissance Festival I
had been around people who spoke my language. We were all misunderstood
misfits and we all understood what it was like to be different. I heard
the cry go up as a fight began. I rolled my eyes as the crowd streamed in
the direction.
No things really didn't change that much I thought as I let the crowd move me along with it. Somehow I ended up pretty close, close enough to see that it was an older boy beating on a younger one. I looked around Spot was nowhere to be seen, Jack off with that twit that looked like Little Beau Peep and tittered like a deranged debutant. She was a girly girl to the core and I had no patience for it. Mush and Blink were heaven only knew where doing, doing heaven only knew what. I didn't even know if they would do something if they were there. Looking around at all the faces I knew I would get no help from the crowd, I didn't even see a Manhattan Newsie I knew. Looking back at the fight I could see the younger boy buckling and sighed knowing it would be up to me to stop it. Call me a sucker, but I wasn't about to let this over grown ape take his aggression out on a kid that looked like he was scared of his own shadow. My expression hardened for a moment and I saw Blink across the crowd his arm around the seamstress. He dropped his arm as he saw the boy. His eyes met mine and he shook his head seeing in my face what I meant to do. I gave him my best devilish grin and took a deep breath schooling my features into what I hoped was a coy look.
"Masks don't fail me now." I muttered as I raised my head and entered the ring that had been formed by the other newsies eager to see the fight.
"A woman's best weapon is her body." I heard my mother's voice in my head " Use it for all it's worth."
"Hey big boy." I said lowering my voice a few octaves. Batting my eyelashes in a way that I hoped didn't make me look like an idiot. The older boy looked at me his face holding that blank look of someone who had been pulled away from something that took concentration. What kind of an idiot needed to concentrate on beating a helpless kid to a bloody pulp. "I saw you fighting and well you just took my breath away."
It was so hard to get those words out; I had to force myself to lay a hand on his arm in a suggestive manner. He looked at me for a moment then he did exactly what I expected him to do. He dropped the kid, who gave me a thankful look through the one eye that wasn't swollen shut. Offer them sex and they'll forget a fight almost every time.
"Yeah sweet cheeks." He said huskily as he turned his sweaty unwashed body toward me. "I'se do that a lot to the girls."
I wanted to gag, I half expected him to kiss his own biceps in self- appreciation. I smiled shamelessly flirting. I forced myself to run my hand up his chest into his hair and pull his head down to mine. He kissed like a dog, all tongue and slobber. Not that I've kissed a dog, but I have pretty good imagination. I fought down the bile that rose to the back of my throat, as I tasted stale cigars and sour ale. I heard the catcalls and the whistles, but I forced myself to concentrate only on what I was about to do. My knee gently rubbed against his inner thigh and just as I expected he parted his legs for what he thought he was going to get. Instead I jammed my knee as hard as I could into his groin. As he was gasping for air and groaning I fisted the hand that was in his hair and slammed it into my knee with a satisfying crunch. He flew back and hit the ground as I shoved him off balance and I gave him a swift kick in the stomach for good measure. I felt the anger I usually kept a tight reign on flooding through me making the adrenaline rush. My blood pumped through my body at an intoxicating speed. I rolled him over and straddled his chest. Not the best move looking back on it. I should have just kept kicking him, but I choose the hard way just as I have always done. As my fist collided with his face I felt my blood singing in my veins. I felt the iron control I had worked so hard over the years snap and I lost myself in my rage. I saw every person I who had ever hurt me and allowed all my anger to be funneled into the boy who lay beneath me. He took a few pretty good hits before he could even think to react. I was stupid though and allowed myself to become so blinded by my rage I didn't see him move his head until it was too late. My fist slammed into the hard wood floor with enough force to break the skin across all my knuckles and cause pain to explode into my hand. A part of me registered an ache that wound it's way up my arm to my shoulder. With a growl he threw me off of him, I flew back, my head connecting painfully with the floor. I saw stars, I could hear him coming, but I couldn't clear my head enough to see the kick that that made me fly back again and knocked the breath from my body. I wanted to writhe in agony, my eyes watered with tears of pain as my lungs worked to get air back in. I managed to roll as he aimed another kick toward my stomach. Shakily I struggled to my feet noticing the silence of the room. It must have been at least a few minutes since my initial attack, but the faces I saw as I stumbled to my feet looked stunned. I ducked as his fist flew toward my face, but I wasn't quick enough and felt it graze off my cheek. From the ache that was a mere sting right now I knew it would bruise. He moved in and I felt arms slide through mine from behind. I panicked expecting as any right-minded person would, that I was being held so the jerk could keep pounding on me. I reacted before he could reach me by pushing myself back against the rock hard chest of my captor and kicking my leg up high enough to catch him in the jaw. His teeth snapped together with audible force and I hoped his tongue had been in between his teeth. My captor was pulling me away from the fight and turning me to keep me from being hurt, but I had thrown him far enough off balance we fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. The crowd had begun to murmur angrily before my kick and I hoped it wasn't directed at me. I vaguely registered a cry of rage as I saw a heavy shot glass hit the bully square between the eyes. I saw a blur run past me and land a stunning blow before tackling my assailant to the ground. I caught sight of red suspenders and dark blonde hair as I disentangled myself from the person who had pulled me from the fray. Mush glared at me with an anger I had never seen in his soft brown eyes.
"You are mad." He hissed as Glimmer helped me to my feet. He ignored the hand I offered to him to help him up.
"Ya didn't have to prove yaself like that." Glimmer said with reluctant approval. I had a feeling her hands would be clapping out a rhythm of congratulations if she hadn't been so busy checking me over for broken limbs. " Ya did good Kid."
"Kid?" I asked wryly as I did a double take on the man who had come to my rescue. "I'm older than you."
"Yeah, but I've got seniority." She replied grinning at me, I looked in awe at my protector shocked to find it was Spot. My pride was pricked knowing that now I owed him. Don't get me wrong, I knew I was way over my head and I had needed some help, but why of all people did it have to be Spot? He was wailing on the kid though and I knew now why Spots name could make all the newsies nervous.
"You lay a hand on her again and I'll kill ya ." I heard Spot promise in a voice that gave even me a shiver. Spot waited a moment for the words to sink in.
"This was nothing." He continued giving the kid a feral grin. "Get him outta here."
"My pleasure." Jack said stepping from the crowd, Blink at his side.
I didn't watch them go, my attention was already on the kid who had been the cause of all the commotion. He looked all of nine or ten and I felt the anger boiling in me again as I looked him over. He was bruised, and bloody, but it looked like I had intervened before he was really hurt. We passed a red-head who glared at me. I glanced her over, her shirt was buttoned crookedly, her hair was mused, and the rouge on her lips was smeared. From the way she looked at Spot then at me it didn't take any stretch of the imagination what she had gotten called away from. I felt the green monster that calls itself jealousy rear it's ugly head. I swatted the feeling back down and ignored her trying to focus everything I had into the kid.
"Are you okay?" I whispered as Glimmer helped me pick him up. He nodded trying to look brave and not as if his body had just been used for a punching bag. The newsies cleared out of our way and I could hear the mummers beginning as they all began discussing what had just happened. Shame filled me, I hadn't allowed my anger to get that out of control in years. Sure the punk deserved it, but I didn't like loosing control. I didn't like what happened.
"Ya did what ya had to do." Glimmer said over the boy's head as we helped him up onto a long wooden table surrounded by chars. I looked at her startled and she looked back in understanding. What was with me? Ever since I had come here my masks were slipping. I had always been able to keep my thoughts from anyone at anytime. I seemed to be an open book to people I didn't know if I could trust. Trying to ignore my thoughts I pushed one of the chairs out of the way so I could stand in front of the boy. I took the bowl of warm water from a newsie I recognized, but didn't remember a name for and set it on the table next to my patient. I dipped a rag into water and gently dabbed at the cut at the corner of the boy' mouth. Glimmer and I said nothing more as we cleaned him up. Glimmer and the other newsie took him upstairs to bunk room above. He had been a Midtown Newsie, but as far as Glimmer was concerned he was hers now.
"If they can't take care of him then he's ours now." She had said as she had disappeared up the stairs just to my right. I sighed in relief I was really getting sick of the hero worship look. Racetrack watched me from a safe distance away his look not any lighter than Mush's had been when he had pulled me from the fight. I had heard Jack tell him to keep an eye on me until they were done with the Neanderthal I had foolishly attacked.
"The kids gonna sleep now." Glimmer told me as she returned with a fresh bowl of water and a bottle of something that smelled alcoholic. "Now ya need to take care of yaself."
I looked at my bleeding bruised knuckles and hissed as the pain really hit. Why is it that something never hurts until you look at it? Blink rounded the corner, Mush hot on his heels, Jack not far behind all of them with looks of utter fury.
"Out of the pan inta the fire." I heard Glimmer mummer as she caught sight of them. I gave her a wan look and sat waiting knowing I was going to get yelled at. I tried to ignore them by tending to my fist. I had bruises all over my body, my head ached dreadfully, and my ribs were protesting to every breath I took. I figured I had been given enough of a lesson. They waited for a moment expecting me to acknowledge them. I continued on as if they weren't in the room hoping they'd go away. No such luck.
"What the hell did ya think ya was doin?" Mush cried, he surprised me at the venom I heard in his voice. Mush was sweet, naïve and even tempered, but he looked ready to explode.
"Kicking butt." I replied nonchalantly as I crossed a leg over the other and gave them a look that told them I didn't really care what they thought.
"Ya coulda gotten yaself killed." Blink snapped "Ox isn't known for goin easy on anyone."
"Ox that sounds about right." Was my response as I looked up at Glimmer who nodded and grinned her eyes glittering with a mischievous look. I had found an ally for the moment at least.
"This isn't a joke Cameo." Jack growled. " Ya coulda gotten yaself really hurt, ya lucky Spot bailed ya out."
"You think I didn't know going into that fight that it was loosing battle?" I asked my anger still too close to the surface for me to care that it probably would be best for me not to open my mouth at that moment. "You think I didn't know that I wasn't going to get my ass kicked? I'm may not act like most females you know, I may act a little too manly for your tastes sometimes, but I know that men are stronger than women. I know that unless the "mama grizzly" effect comes into play that men have predisposition to violence that women don't generally have. I know physically I was no match for that guy, but what was I supposed to do let him kill that kid?"
"Let a man handle it." Blink told me bluntly, I stiffened even though I knew I should have done what he had said. I just hadn't been sure any of them would have handled it. I hadn't been born into a time of femi-nazi's without some of it rubbing off on me. My father had raised me to know a woman's limitations. Not that he was a chauvinistic pig, it's just that when it comes to a fistfight men generally have upper arm strength and a blood thirst that we women don't. Unless you're talking about a woman's children, then the "mama grizzly" effect comes in. Mother Grizzly bears are more dangerous than the males if they feel their offspring are being threatened. If a woman's family is being threatened then beware, they would die if they thought it would give their loved ones a chance. The stakes change when someone is ready to die in a fight. A woman's greatest weapon is her body, my mother had often told me, her second greatest was her mind. Testosterone can make a man forget all rationality.
"Yeah, you looked like you were really going to handle it Blink." I retorted. He seemed to puff up more in anger. "I may not be as strong as any of you, but obviously I must be smarter, because only an idiot would have missed the fact that that kid was going to die if something wasn't done."
"Women are always smarter." Glimmer chuckled as she took over cleaning my hand. "Men may have the brawn, but we got the brains."
I gasped in pain as she poured some of what I now knew to be whisky on my hand. There is nothing that burns more on an open wound than alcohol.
"Get a skirt." Jack snapped. Glimmer glared and raised her fists challengingly.
"I soaked ya when we was kids and I'll do it again Jack," she the caution in her voice would have taken a fool to mistake. He didn't look too impressed.
"Ya think ya could do it now?" He challenged, not willing to be cowed at a threat he had obviously often heard since the incident in question. "An you haven't grown all that much. I could hold ya down with one hand."
Glimmer glared at him, but I could see she was weighing her options. She was a petite girl and if he wanted to I had no doubt Jack could do as he said. Finally she settled for shooting him poisonous looks and cleaning my hand.
"Ya would be in for a fight." She muttered.
"I bet I would." Jack told her seriously, he meant it, he knew she would place some well aimed blows that would hurt. They were both willing to call a momentary truce though as neither of them looked ready to fight.
"Ox would have wiped the floor with ya." He continued turning on me.
"But did he?" I asked "What's the matter Jack am I challenging your masculinity because I took care of it myself instead of running to you like a frightened child. You weren't there I took care of it. I'm not a child Jack, I'm a big girl who can obviously take care of myself."
"Amen to that." Glimmer replied slapping me on the back. "We ain't Sarah, we ain't gonna sit in the corner and scream when someone comes along that might hurt us."
"Don't look to me like you was takin care of yaself so well." Mush said. "If ya had been we wouldn't have had to step in."
"Ya acted like a hussy." I hadn't noticed Spot until he spoke, breaking into the conversation like he owned it. He was leaning against the wall watching us with an unreadable expression. His eyes glittered in anger, I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. His word stung, I had never been called such a name seriously before. I raised my chin in defiance. I felt Glimmer stiffen as her brother pushed himself from the wall and joined the group of angry boys that were still glaring daggers at me.
"You're one to talk." I snapped " I seem to remember a floozy hot on your heels and there wasn't doubt to anyone as to what you'd been doing."
"Who ya callin a floozy?" I almost laughed at the girl, her shirt was still buttoned crooked, her make-up not in any better repair, her shoulder peeking through the collar of her shirt. Her face was set in an angry scowl and I knew I would have no choice other than to put her in her place or there would be another fight. I was pretty sure my knuckles were out of service, so I 'd have to rely on intimidation.
"Ah the lost puppy." I sighed dramatically; I couldn't stop myself from getting a little dig in before I put her in her place. " What didn't get enough of old Spotty boy the first time? I'm not surprised..."
I trailed off and looked him up and down giving her a significant look. Spot's face looked like a storm ready to break as he caught my meaning. I wanted to smack myself in the forehead at my stupidity. Once I got started though often I attacked anyone who opened their mouth in argument to me. There are a few things you can do when faced with an angry male and insulting his manhood usually isn't the best bet. Glimmer put a hand on my shoulder in warning letting me know without words that there was only so far I could insult her brother before she would feel obligated to step in.
"I otta.." the girl trailed off as I stood swiftly and looked at her warningly. I knew I moved much like Glimmer had earlier, predator to prey. I felt the look come over my face that I had worked so hard to keep down. I had a temper, one that I was not proud of. I had done things in the past I was not proud of because of that temper.
"You want me to shut you up I will." I advised, she shivered and took a step back hiding behind Spot as if he would protect her, which by looking at his face I knew he didn't care enough to.
"It's vulgar for a woman to be fighting." A new voice chimed in. I hadn't seen Bo Peep enter, Glimmer snorted in disgust as I sighed in irritation. Bo Peep looked at me disdainfully, her eyes turned up at Jack as if she expected him to congratulate her. She couldn't see Jacks irritated look at her words, but I could.
"Shut up." I rounded on her. " Women are not mean to be some parrot to recite stupid propaganda set out by the male race to keep us under control. You have a brain use it."
I could see it was useless trying to teach her what a real woman was, so I settled for mocking her.
"A lady ought never raise her voice above the gentle hum of a whispering wind." I said in a falsely sweet tone batting my eyes comically. Jack rolled his eyes having a hard time keeping up his glare. I knew I was breaking through the ice that seemed to have covered all of these boys. Mush snickered and Blink turned away so I wouldn't see his smile. She just looked at Jack expecting him to put me in my place, she seemed to get flustered when Jack didn't. The only one who was not amused was Spot who's face held a frighteningly emotionless look. He watched me for a moment longer then turned on his heel and walked away, the red-head flounced off after him. Shooting me a triumphant look as she went, I watched her catch up to him. She put a hand on his shoulder that he shrugged off. I felt a moment's elation that I quickly beat down. What was wrong with me? I couldn't even begin to like the arrogant Brooklyn leader. I refused to let myself, I knew what kind of guy he was. Handsome and devastatingly charming when he chose to be, I had no doubt. I hadn't seen the charming side yet, but I was sure it was there. He was a ladies man, a cad, a man who enjoyed seducing women for the shear challenge of it. I wasn't about to let myself be schmoozed.
"You are going home." Blink said grabbing my arm. I was tired, too tired to object as he dragged me toward the front door of the Lodging House.
"See ya around Cameo." I heard Glimmer call, I looked back and waved at her, I knew I had at least made a friend in her tonight. I may have caused World War III to do it, well actually I guess it would be World War I since the first two hadn't happened yet. David was arriving as we were leaving and Jack thrust Bo Peep, into his arms.
"Take Sarah home Davy." Jack told him, "I've got business to attend to."
David looked at Blink and Mush who had attached himself to my other side and nodded.
"That's not fair." Sarah cried. " She stupidly almost gets herself killed and it ruins our night."
"Look sorry," Jack said spreading his hands in the universal gesture of helplessness. I knew he was looking for a way to get rid of her. I could tell from David's look that he knew. He wasn't very happy about it, but he understood. " I gotta deal with this."
Sarah pouted and I smiled sweetly at her wondering how she had ever caught Jacks attention. She didn't seem like the type of girl he needed at all. She glared at me her expression a mixture of irritation and disgust. I didn't get to antagonize her more because I was roughly pulled out the door of the Brooklyn Lodging House. We were silent the first couple of blocks until finally I could take it no longer.
"So why are you with the milk-sop?" I asked expecting to get a retort.
"Because I didn't know she was a milk-sop." Jack replied tiredly. " During the strike I saw a fire in her that burned out too quickly, ya know?"
I nodded and let the matter drop, I'd give Sarah maybe another week. Blink pulled me up as I stumbled and I yelped in pain.
"Careful." I snapped "I'm a patchwork quilt of bruises."
"Ya fault not mine." Blink muttered, but he loosened his grip.
"Look," I growled stopping and effectively attracting their undivided attention. "I'm sorry I never meant for you to get involved. I thought he would stop after the groin shot and the knee in the face. I thought I would stop there, but I couldn't let him keep hurting that boy."
"Ya heart is too soft." Mush said giving me the first smile since we had left the Manhattan Lodging House.
"Well if I'm too soft then you have a lump of ice for a heart." I sighed.
"Someone would've stopped it." Jack told me and I shook my head knowing in my heart someone would have made an attempt when it was too late and then berated themselves for not acting sooner. Most of the boys in Manhattan had soft hearts they had learned to hide behind tough exteriors. Soft hearted meant they were weak, weak meant an easy target.
"You were brave." Mush said for my ears only as we climbed the steps of our Lodging House. I smiled at him gratefully, trying not to wince in pain as we climbed up the stairs.
"How was the shin dig?" Crutchy asked from where he sat reading by the light of a small kerosene lamp.
"Don't ask." Jack sighed.
"Where did ya get the bruise?" Crutch's voice was alarmed as he caught sight of my face.
"She jumped into a fight Ox was having with a younger kid." Jack said giving Crutchy a pained look. "Spot broke it up."
"More like pummeled the poor kid's face in." Blink added " I ain't never seen him that mad and I've seen him get into some pretty good fights."
I tried not to look too deeply into that comment as Crutchy just frowned thoughtfully.
"Crutchy I need to go to sleep." I sighed smiling at him and waving as I headed for bed, too tired to talk, too tired to even think.
"'Night Cameo." He called giving me an understanding look "We'll talk tomorrow."
"I promise." I said as I opened my door.
Mimic lay curled up in my bed the shirt I had worn earlier tightly clutched in his small hands. I smiled; I took my shoes off and lay down next to him, too tired to undress. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Thank you for the all the reviews from the last chapter. I'm sorry to anyone who I didn't personally thank, but consider yourself, personally thanked as of now.
JP: I hope you love it. I know I let you read a few lines here and there, but I don't think I ruined if for you. Tell me how you like it. E-mail me the first chapter to your book again. for some reason it won't let me read it.
Falco: I expect my waffles, and you don't get anymore pixi stix until I get more story.
Chelci: Here you go, more.. Well... you!
Spider Chick: Thank you for your review. Here's the next chapter you requested.
Jessica: Thank you as well.
Cards: Thank you for you review on the last chapter. I missed your review.
No things really didn't change that much I thought as I let the crowd move me along with it. Somehow I ended up pretty close, close enough to see that it was an older boy beating on a younger one. I looked around Spot was nowhere to be seen, Jack off with that twit that looked like Little Beau Peep and tittered like a deranged debutant. She was a girly girl to the core and I had no patience for it. Mush and Blink were heaven only knew where doing, doing heaven only knew what. I didn't even know if they would do something if they were there. Looking around at all the faces I knew I would get no help from the crowd, I didn't even see a Manhattan Newsie I knew. Looking back at the fight I could see the younger boy buckling and sighed knowing it would be up to me to stop it. Call me a sucker, but I wasn't about to let this over grown ape take his aggression out on a kid that looked like he was scared of his own shadow. My expression hardened for a moment and I saw Blink across the crowd his arm around the seamstress. He dropped his arm as he saw the boy. His eyes met mine and he shook his head seeing in my face what I meant to do. I gave him my best devilish grin and took a deep breath schooling my features into what I hoped was a coy look.
"Masks don't fail me now." I muttered as I raised my head and entered the ring that had been formed by the other newsies eager to see the fight.
"A woman's best weapon is her body." I heard my mother's voice in my head " Use it for all it's worth."
"Hey big boy." I said lowering my voice a few octaves. Batting my eyelashes in a way that I hoped didn't make me look like an idiot. The older boy looked at me his face holding that blank look of someone who had been pulled away from something that took concentration. What kind of an idiot needed to concentrate on beating a helpless kid to a bloody pulp. "I saw you fighting and well you just took my breath away."
It was so hard to get those words out; I had to force myself to lay a hand on his arm in a suggestive manner. He looked at me for a moment then he did exactly what I expected him to do. He dropped the kid, who gave me a thankful look through the one eye that wasn't swollen shut. Offer them sex and they'll forget a fight almost every time.
"Yeah sweet cheeks." He said huskily as he turned his sweaty unwashed body toward me. "I'se do that a lot to the girls."
I wanted to gag, I half expected him to kiss his own biceps in self- appreciation. I smiled shamelessly flirting. I forced myself to run my hand up his chest into his hair and pull his head down to mine. He kissed like a dog, all tongue and slobber. Not that I've kissed a dog, but I have pretty good imagination. I fought down the bile that rose to the back of my throat, as I tasted stale cigars and sour ale. I heard the catcalls and the whistles, but I forced myself to concentrate only on what I was about to do. My knee gently rubbed against his inner thigh and just as I expected he parted his legs for what he thought he was going to get. Instead I jammed my knee as hard as I could into his groin. As he was gasping for air and groaning I fisted the hand that was in his hair and slammed it into my knee with a satisfying crunch. He flew back and hit the ground as I shoved him off balance and I gave him a swift kick in the stomach for good measure. I felt the anger I usually kept a tight reign on flooding through me making the adrenaline rush. My blood pumped through my body at an intoxicating speed. I rolled him over and straddled his chest. Not the best move looking back on it. I should have just kept kicking him, but I choose the hard way just as I have always done. As my fist collided with his face I felt my blood singing in my veins. I felt the iron control I had worked so hard over the years snap and I lost myself in my rage. I saw every person I who had ever hurt me and allowed all my anger to be funneled into the boy who lay beneath me. He took a few pretty good hits before he could even think to react. I was stupid though and allowed myself to become so blinded by my rage I didn't see him move his head until it was too late. My fist slammed into the hard wood floor with enough force to break the skin across all my knuckles and cause pain to explode into my hand. A part of me registered an ache that wound it's way up my arm to my shoulder. With a growl he threw me off of him, I flew back, my head connecting painfully with the floor. I saw stars, I could hear him coming, but I couldn't clear my head enough to see the kick that that made me fly back again and knocked the breath from my body. I wanted to writhe in agony, my eyes watered with tears of pain as my lungs worked to get air back in. I managed to roll as he aimed another kick toward my stomach. Shakily I struggled to my feet noticing the silence of the room. It must have been at least a few minutes since my initial attack, but the faces I saw as I stumbled to my feet looked stunned. I ducked as his fist flew toward my face, but I wasn't quick enough and felt it graze off my cheek. From the ache that was a mere sting right now I knew it would bruise. He moved in and I felt arms slide through mine from behind. I panicked expecting as any right-minded person would, that I was being held so the jerk could keep pounding on me. I reacted before he could reach me by pushing myself back against the rock hard chest of my captor and kicking my leg up high enough to catch him in the jaw. His teeth snapped together with audible force and I hoped his tongue had been in between his teeth. My captor was pulling me away from the fight and turning me to keep me from being hurt, but I had thrown him far enough off balance we fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. The crowd had begun to murmur angrily before my kick and I hoped it wasn't directed at me. I vaguely registered a cry of rage as I saw a heavy shot glass hit the bully square between the eyes. I saw a blur run past me and land a stunning blow before tackling my assailant to the ground. I caught sight of red suspenders and dark blonde hair as I disentangled myself from the person who had pulled me from the fray. Mush glared at me with an anger I had never seen in his soft brown eyes.
"You are mad." He hissed as Glimmer helped me to my feet. He ignored the hand I offered to him to help him up.
"Ya didn't have to prove yaself like that." Glimmer said with reluctant approval. I had a feeling her hands would be clapping out a rhythm of congratulations if she hadn't been so busy checking me over for broken limbs. " Ya did good Kid."
"Kid?" I asked wryly as I did a double take on the man who had come to my rescue. "I'm older than you."
"Yeah, but I've got seniority." She replied grinning at me, I looked in awe at my protector shocked to find it was Spot. My pride was pricked knowing that now I owed him. Don't get me wrong, I knew I was way over my head and I had needed some help, but why of all people did it have to be Spot? He was wailing on the kid though and I knew now why Spots name could make all the newsies nervous.
"You lay a hand on her again and I'll kill ya ." I heard Spot promise in a voice that gave even me a shiver. Spot waited a moment for the words to sink in.
"This was nothing." He continued giving the kid a feral grin. "Get him outta here."
"My pleasure." Jack said stepping from the crowd, Blink at his side.
I didn't watch them go, my attention was already on the kid who had been the cause of all the commotion. He looked all of nine or ten and I felt the anger boiling in me again as I looked him over. He was bruised, and bloody, but it looked like I had intervened before he was really hurt. We passed a red-head who glared at me. I glanced her over, her shirt was buttoned crookedly, her hair was mused, and the rouge on her lips was smeared. From the way she looked at Spot then at me it didn't take any stretch of the imagination what she had gotten called away from. I felt the green monster that calls itself jealousy rear it's ugly head. I swatted the feeling back down and ignored her trying to focus everything I had into the kid.
"Are you okay?" I whispered as Glimmer helped me pick him up. He nodded trying to look brave and not as if his body had just been used for a punching bag. The newsies cleared out of our way and I could hear the mummers beginning as they all began discussing what had just happened. Shame filled me, I hadn't allowed my anger to get that out of control in years. Sure the punk deserved it, but I didn't like loosing control. I didn't like what happened.
"Ya did what ya had to do." Glimmer said over the boy's head as we helped him up onto a long wooden table surrounded by chars. I looked at her startled and she looked back in understanding. What was with me? Ever since I had come here my masks were slipping. I had always been able to keep my thoughts from anyone at anytime. I seemed to be an open book to people I didn't know if I could trust. Trying to ignore my thoughts I pushed one of the chairs out of the way so I could stand in front of the boy. I took the bowl of warm water from a newsie I recognized, but didn't remember a name for and set it on the table next to my patient. I dipped a rag into water and gently dabbed at the cut at the corner of the boy' mouth. Glimmer and I said nothing more as we cleaned him up. Glimmer and the other newsie took him upstairs to bunk room above. He had been a Midtown Newsie, but as far as Glimmer was concerned he was hers now.
"If they can't take care of him then he's ours now." She had said as she had disappeared up the stairs just to my right. I sighed in relief I was really getting sick of the hero worship look. Racetrack watched me from a safe distance away his look not any lighter than Mush's had been when he had pulled me from the fight. I had heard Jack tell him to keep an eye on me until they were done with the Neanderthal I had foolishly attacked.
"The kids gonna sleep now." Glimmer told me as she returned with a fresh bowl of water and a bottle of something that smelled alcoholic. "Now ya need to take care of yaself."
I looked at my bleeding bruised knuckles and hissed as the pain really hit. Why is it that something never hurts until you look at it? Blink rounded the corner, Mush hot on his heels, Jack not far behind all of them with looks of utter fury.
"Out of the pan inta the fire." I heard Glimmer mummer as she caught sight of them. I gave her a wan look and sat waiting knowing I was going to get yelled at. I tried to ignore them by tending to my fist. I had bruises all over my body, my head ached dreadfully, and my ribs were protesting to every breath I took. I figured I had been given enough of a lesson. They waited for a moment expecting me to acknowledge them. I continued on as if they weren't in the room hoping they'd go away. No such luck.
"What the hell did ya think ya was doin?" Mush cried, he surprised me at the venom I heard in his voice. Mush was sweet, naïve and even tempered, but he looked ready to explode.
"Kicking butt." I replied nonchalantly as I crossed a leg over the other and gave them a look that told them I didn't really care what they thought.
"Ya coulda gotten yaself killed." Blink snapped "Ox isn't known for goin easy on anyone."
"Ox that sounds about right." Was my response as I looked up at Glimmer who nodded and grinned her eyes glittering with a mischievous look. I had found an ally for the moment at least.
"This isn't a joke Cameo." Jack growled. " Ya coulda gotten yaself really hurt, ya lucky Spot bailed ya out."
"You think I didn't know going into that fight that it was loosing battle?" I asked my anger still too close to the surface for me to care that it probably would be best for me not to open my mouth at that moment. "You think I didn't know that I wasn't going to get my ass kicked? I'm may not act like most females you know, I may act a little too manly for your tastes sometimes, but I know that men are stronger than women. I know that unless the "mama grizzly" effect comes into play that men have predisposition to violence that women don't generally have. I know physically I was no match for that guy, but what was I supposed to do let him kill that kid?"
"Let a man handle it." Blink told me bluntly, I stiffened even though I knew I should have done what he had said. I just hadn't been sure any of them would have handled it. I hadn't been born into a time of femi-nazi's without some of it rubbing off on me. My father had raised me to know a woman's limitations. Not that he was a chauvinistic pig, it's just that when it comes to a fistfight men generally have upper arm strength and a blood thirst that we women don't. Unless you're talking about a woman's children, then the "mama grizzly" effect comes in. Mother Grizzly bears are more dangerous than the males if they feel their offspring are being threatened. If a woman's family is being threatened then beware, they would die if they thought it would give their loved ones a chance. The stakes change when someone is ready to die in a fight. A woman's greatest weapon is her body, my mother had often told me, her second greatest was her mind. Testosterone can make a man forget all rationality.
"Yeah, you looked like you were really going to handle it Blink." I retorted. He seemed to puff up more in anger. "I may not be as strong as any of you, but obviously I must be smarter, because only an idiot would have missed the fact that that kid was going to die if something wasn't done."
"Women are always smarter." Glimmer chuckled as she took over cleaning my hand. "Men may have the brawn, but we got the brains."
I gasped in pain as she poured some of what I now knew to be whisky on my hand. There is nothing that burns more on an open wound than alcohol.
"Get a skirt." Jack snapped. Glimmer glared and raised her fists challengingly.
"I soaked ya when we was kids and I'll do it again Jack," she the caution in her voice would have taken a fool to mistake. He didn't look too impressed.
"Ya think ya could do it now?" He challenged, not willing to be cowed at a threat he had obviously often heard since the incident in question. "An you haven't grown all that much. I could hold ya down with one hand."
Glimmer glared at him, but I could see she was weighing her options. She was a petite girl and if he wanted to I had no doubt Jack could do as he said. Finally she settled for shooting him poisonous looks and cleaning my hand.
"Ya would be in for a fight." She muttered.
"I bet I would." Jack told her seriously, he meant it, he knew she would place some well aimed blows that would hurt. They were both willing to call a momentary truce though as neither of them looked ready to fight.
"Ox would have wiped the floor with ya." He continued turning on me.
"But did he?" I asked "What's the matter Jack am I challenging your masculinity because I took care of it myself instead of running to you like a frightened child. You weren't there I took care of it. I'm not a child Jack, I'm a big girl who can obviously take care of myself."
"Amen to that." Glimmer replied slapping me on the back. "We ain't Sarah, we ain't gonna sit in the corner and scream when someone comes along that might hurt us."
"Don't look to me like you was takin care of yaself so well." Mush said. "If ya had been we wouldn't have had to step in."
"Ya acted like a hussy." I hadn't noticed Spot until he spoke, breaking into the conversation like he owned it. He was leaning against the wall watching us with an unreadable expression. His eyes glittered in anger, I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. His word stung, I had never been called such a name seriously before. I raised my chin in defiance. I felt Glimmer stiffen as her brother pushed himself from the wall and joined the group of angry boys that were still glaring daggers at me.
"You're one to talk." I snapped " I seem to remember a floozy hot on your heels and there wasn't doubt to anyone as to what you'd been doing."
"Who ya callin a floozy?" I almost laughed at the girl, her shirt was still buttoned crooked, her make-up not in any better repair, her shoulder peeking through the collar of her shirt. Her face was set in an angry scowl and I knew I would have no choice other than to put her in her place or there would be another fight. I was pretty sure my knuckles were out of service, so I 'd have to rely on intimidation.
"Ah the lost puppy." I sighed dramatically; I couldn't stop myself from getting a little dig in before I put her in her place. " What didn't get enough of old Spotty boy the first time? I'm not surprised..."
I trailed off and looked him up and down giving her a significant look. Spot's face looked like a storm ready to break as he caught my meaning. I wanted to smack myself in the forehead at my stupidity. Once I got started though often I attacked anyone who opened their mouth in argument to me. There are a few things you can do when faced with an angry male and insulting his manhood usually isn't the best bet. Glimmer put a hand on my shoulder in warning letting me know without words that there was only so far I could insult her brother before she would feel obligated to step in.
"I otta.." the girl trailed off as I stood swiftly and looked at her warningly. I knew I moved much like Glimmer had earlier, predator to prey. I felt the look come over my face that I had worked so hard to keep down. I had a temper, one that I was not proud of. I had done things in the past I was not proud of because of that temper.
"You want me to shut you up I will." I advised, she shivered and took a step back hiding behind Spot as if he would protect her, which by looking at his face I knew he didn't care enough to.
"It's vulgar for a woman to be fighting." A new voice chimed in. I hadn't seen Bo Peep enter, Glimmer snorted in disgust as I sighed in irritation. Bo Peep looked at me disdainfully, her eyes turned up at Jack as if she expected him to congratulate her. She couldn't see Jacks irritated look at her words, but I could.
"Shut up." I rounded on her. " Women are not mean to be some parrot to recite stupid propaganda set out by the male race to keep us under control. You have a brain use it."
I could see it was useless trying to teach her what a real woman was, so I settled for mocking her.
"A lady ought never raise her voice above the gentle hum of a whispering wind." I said in a falsely sweet tone batting my eyes comically. Jack rolled his eyes having a hard time keeping up his glare. I knew I was breaking through the ice that seemed to have covered all of these boys. Mush snickered and Blink turned away so I wouldn't see his smile. She just looked at Jack expecting him to put me in my place, she seemed to get flustered when Jack didn't. The only one who was not amused was Spot who's face held a frighteningly emotionless look. He watched me for a moment longer then turned on his heel and walked away, the red-head flounced off after him. Shooting me a triumphant look as she went, I watched her catch up to him. She put a hand on his shoulder that he shrugged off. I felt a moment's elation that I quickly beat down. What was wrong with me? I couldn't even begin to like the arrogant Brooklyn leader. I refused to let myself, I knew what kind of guy he was. Handsome and devastatingly charming when he chose to be, I had no doubt. I hadn't seen the charming side yet, but I was sure it was there. He was a ladies man, a cad, a man who enjoyed seducing women for the shear challenge of it. I wasn't about to let myself be schmoozed.
"You are going home." Blink said grabbing my arm. I was tired, too tired to object as he dragged me toward the front door of the Lodging House.
"See ya around Cameo." I heard Glimmer call, I looked back and waved at her, I knew I had at least made a friend in her tonight. I may have caused World War III to do it, well actually I guess it would be World War I since the first two hadn't happened yet. David was arriving as we were leaving and Jack thrust Bo Peep, into his arms.
"Take Sarah home Davy." Jack told him, "I've got business to attend to."
David looked at Blink and Mush who had attached himself to my other side and nodded.
"That's not fair." Sarah cried. " She stupidly almost gets herself killed and it ruins our night."
"Look sorry," Jack said spreading his hands in the universal gesture of helplessness. I knew he was looking for a way to get rid of her. I could tell from David's look that he knew. He wasn't very happy about it, but he understood. " I gotta deal with this."
Sarah pouted and I smiled sweetly at her wondering how she had ever caught Jacks attention. She didn't seem like the type of girl he needed at all. She glared at me her expression a mixture of irritation and disgust. I didn't get to antagonize her more because I was roughly pulled out the door of the Brooklyn Lodging House. We were silent the first couple of blocks until finally I could take it no longer.
"So why are you with the milk-sop?" I asked expecting to get a retort.
"Because I didn't know she was a milk-sop." Jack replied tiredly. " During the strike I saw a fire in her that burned out too quickly, ya know?"
I nodded and let the matter drop, I'd give Sarah maybe another week. Blink pulled me up as I stumbled and I yelped in pain.
"Careful." I snapped "I'm a patchwork quilt of bruises."
"Ya fault not mine." Blink muttered, but he loosened his grip.
"Look," I growled stopping and effectively attracting their undivided attention. "I'm sorry I never meant for you to get involved. I thought he would stop after the groin shot and the knee in the face. I thought I would stop there, but I couldn't let him keep hurting that boy."
"Ya heart is too soft." Mush said giving me the first smile since we had left the Manhattan Lodging House.
"Well if I'm too soft then you have a lump of ice for a heart." I sighed.
"Someone would've stopped it." Jack told me and I shook my head knowing in my heart someone would have made an attempt when it was too late and then berated themselves for not acting sooner. Most of the boys in Manhattan had soft hearts they had learned to hide behind tough exteriors. Soft hearted meant they were weak, weak meant an easy target.
"You were brave." Mush said for my ears only as we climbed the steps of our Lodging House. I smiled at him gratefully, trying not to wince in pain as we climbed up the stairs.
"How was the shin dig?" Crutchy asked from where he sat reading by the light of a small kerosene lamp.
"Don't ask." Jack sighed.
"Where did ya get the bruise?" Crutch's voice was alarmed as he caught sight of my face.
"She jumped into a fight Ox was having with a younger kid." Jack said giving Crutchy a pained look. "Spot broke it up."
"More like pummeled the poor kid's face in." Blink added " I ain't never seen him that mad and I've seen him get into some pretty good fights."
I tried not to look too deeply into that comment as Crutchy just frowned thoughtfully.
"Crutchy I need to go to sleep." I sighed smiling at him and waving as I headed for bed, too tired to talk, too tired to even think.
"'Night Cameo." He called giving me an understanding look "We'll talk tomorrow."
"I promise." I said as I opened my door.
Mimic lay curled up in my bed the shirt I had worn earlier tightly clutched in his small hands. I smiled; I took my shoes off and lay down next to him, too tired to undress. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Thank you for the all the reviews from the last chapter. I'm sorry to anyone who I didn't personally thank, but consider yourself, personally thanked as of now.
JP: I hope you love it. I know I let you read a few lines here and there, but I don't think I ruined if for you. Tell me how you like it. E-mail me the first chapter to your book again. for some reason it won't let me read it.
Falco: I expect my waffles, and you don't get anymore pixi stix until I get more story.
Chelci: Here you go, more.. Well... you!
Spider Chick: Thank you for your review. Here's the next chapter you requested.
Jessica: Thank you as well.
Cards: Thank you for you review on the last chapter. I missed your review.