After my encounter with Crutchy I pushed everyone away. I began leaving
before they got up and getting home after they were in bed. I wondered the
streets, not a very healthy habit I know, but I had a feeling the newsies
weren't leaving me unprotected. If they were then I hoped I would be able
to get free of any attacker. No one bothered me though, I kept my hat
pulled low over my hair and practiced my best male swagger. Kloppman was
usually awake when I got home, he never said a word, he just locked the
door after me and headed to bed. I threw myself into selling and started
skipping lunch at Tibby's. Mimic followed me my constant shadow, he kept
quiet attempting occasionally to make me smile. I tried for him, I was in
a funk and I couldn't shake it. I had hoped my past or rather the future
would go unnoticed until I could find a way for me to go home, but I hadn't
been so lucky. Now the best friend I had had in a while thought I was
crazy. I hated those looks, the ones that told me they weren't sure
whether to be afraid or to roll their eyes. I wondered if Crutchy had told
them, I hadn't said anything to him about keeping it to himself. Finally
one morning Blink, Mush, and Crutchy cornered me as I tried to sneak out
the door before anyone woke. Mush was sitting at the bottom of the stairs,
Blink on the counter and Crutchy leaning back in a chair. Mimic followed
me down and I cursed at myself for not using the fire escape, as I had been
tempted to. I turned to tell Mimic to head back up and almost ran into
Jack.
"What's wrong with you Cameo?" Crutchy asked as I backed down the stairs knowing they had trapped me.
"What do you mean what's wrong?" Damn it I sounded shaky. I struggled for the control I knew was fraying as rapidly as a rope in an action movie. Damn it , damn it, damn it.
"Ya been avoidin us all week what's got ya spooked?" Mush said, as I looked around at them. I felt like I was back in high school and had just been cornered by the jocks.
"I'm not avoiding you, I've just been busy." I stammered hating the way I seemed to have lost my cool. I tried to dredge up the anger that I had used for a shield for so long and couldn't.
"Busy, so busy one of us gots to follow you at night?" Blink questioned raising the eyebrow above his good eye. "And ya ain't doin nothing, but walking."
I looked at Crutchy who just looked back with a calm demeanor. He knew what was wrong I could see it in his eyes. He hadn't' told anyone, at least for that I would be eternally grateful.
Not that he believed any of it, he had probably kept it to himself because he was afraid they would lock me up. I thought bitterly. I was going to have to find a way home soon, at least there I my friends thought I was eccentric rather than wacky. They all looked at me waiting for some kind of response, Mimic put his hand in mine a comforting gesture, I must have looked like a cat backed into a corner. I squeezed it and let go, my hands clenching and unclenching into fists as I watched each of them for a moment. There was no way out. Jack stood on the stairs, Mush sat just below him, Blink was on the counter too close to the door for me to reach it first, and Crutchy sat next to the window. I wanted to scream, the last thing I wanted was to talk about the hopeless feeling that was filling me more and more each day. I hadn't felt like this since I had come here. I felt hot anger burst up and I welcomed it, my face smoothed taking on what Morai had named the porcelain doll look. My face often would become smooth and take on the calmness of a china doll when I didn't want my emotions to show. She said I got that look only for the few minutes it took pull up the emotions I wanted to show.
"I don't want to talk about it." I growled relieved to finally be able to get a handle on the situation. I saw Crutch look away a defeated look on his face we both knew they almost had me. He had almost been able to peel away all the layers I had almost broken down. I had a feeling that this confrontation had been a way for him to try to get me to tell the "Truth". Mush brightened seeing it for what he wanted to see it as, I was pulling out of my self imposed solitude.
"So ya sellin with us today?" Blink asked holding a look of relief himself. Jack watched me intently, Crutchy not even looking at me, the taste of defeat still a bitter taste in his mouth. I looked back at Jack boldly silently challenging him to try to get more out of me. He returned my gaze his look promising me he would find out whatever this had been about. I shivered fear settling in the pit of my stomach. If Crutchy's reaction was anything to go by I hoped Jack never found out. I had removed my bracelet and hidden it under a loose board in the floor of my room. I had replaced it careful to make sure it looked like it had never been moved. Just to be safe though I moved the bed over it. I had checked carefully making sure that there were no other clues left about my person.
"Sure." I replied nonchalantly still looking into Jacks eyes. He turned away and started up the stairs the promise still in his eyes. Blink fell into step beside me as I started for the door. Mush trailed behind saying something to Mimic who skipped happily. Now that I seemed to be getting beyond what ever had been upsetting me he was happy. I didn't like how the kids emotions seemed to hang on me.
"Did you hear about the about the carnival they's having down in Central Park in a few days?" Mush asked as we neared the distribution center
"No," I replied absently digging into my pockets for the change he needed for my share of the papers. Mush and Mimic got in line next to Skittery while Blink lit a cigarette and I leaned against the gateway.
"Give me one of those." I said holding my hand out for a cigarette.
"Girls don't smoke." Blink responded taking a long drag, making no move to hand me one. "It ain't ladylike."
"I'm not like most girls, I haven't tried to be ladylike, now give it." I demanded irritated, I had watched these boys smoking and hadn't once given into the temptation. I had quit nearly a year ago, but I needed one, the stress of the past few days had been wearing on me.
"Ya ain't never smoked before." Blink told me taking another long drag and blowing it in my face.
"Damn it Blink" I warned "Give me a damn smoke."
He chuckled around the cigarette held between his lips as he reached into his pocket and produced one. I held it between two of my fingers as he lit a match and held it up for me to light my prize. I gave a few puffs to get it started then took a long drag. I'm sure I looked like a man who had been in the desert without water for days and had stumbled upon an oasis. I took another drag, my head leaning back against the wall, my eyes closed in pleasure as the cigarette began working its calming effect.
"Don't you know woman do not smoke?" I heard a prim voice ask, my eyes flew open and I found myself face to face with Sarah, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"How are you doing Bo Peep looking for your lost little lamb?" I sneered, she glared at me and I smiled. I took an especially long drag and blew it in her face. She waved her hand about and coughed. Even her coughs were prim little gestures hidden behind a handkerchief. If this was an example of femininity in this time I was glad I had been raised in the future. I saw Jack turning from the distribution center office and stop dead when he saw Sarah shielding her hand from the early morning light and looking for him. Quickly he hid behind the wagon that carried the papers.
"Ya ain't gonna find him." I said in my best imitation of the boys accents. "He's hidin from ya."
I could still see Jack from where I was, he glared at me as my words floated across the courtyard to him.
"That's ridiculous, he's just been busy." She cried dropping her hand and turning to me. "Take it back."
"Not on your life cupcake." I laughed, her face turned an incredible shade of red when she got angry I found. "He loves me I know he does and no one will take him away from me, not an ignorant little hussy like you, not anyone." She told me her voice rising with every word. "He's mine and no one can have him."
I tried not to laugh at her rant and was not entirely successful. I didn't expect her to raise her hand and slap me hard enough to whip my head around. I didn't feel the sting on my still bruised cheek I saw red. I backhanded her with enough force she fell back hitting the other side of the gateway before sliding down. I wasn't much for cat fighting, but I couldn't bring myself to punch the ninny.
"You worthless slut." She cried, now there are many names I can take, but slut is my weakness. Maybe it was because I had never been the type, or maybe it had to do with the times my father had told me I looked like one. Or my stepmother had forced me to tell her I looked like one before allowing me to change. I usually just through a shirt over whatever I was wearing until I was out of sight just to spite her. It was a sore spot that always brought a reaction. I never reached her though, strong arms wrapped around my waist locking, struggling was useless though I tried for all I was worth.
"Get out of here." Jack cried pushing Sarah along, she watched me with a look of intense hatred.
"Just cut him loose you lying witch." I yelled as Jack and David pulled her off. "You don't want him, you just don't want anyone else to either."
Her face turned redder as she glared at me, but she didn't dispute it. It hadn't been a shot in the dark. Call it intuition or what ever, but often I saw things as they were. Often I could see to the bottom of things as people never expected. I had watched her a little a few nights ago as I was wondering what Jack had seen in her. I watched her look at him adoringly and I knew there was something off about it. She her action tugged at me irritating me. I had asked Glimmer a little about it before the boys had come storming into dress me down for my behavior, she didn't get Sarah at all, but I had started to realize what was going on in that bonneted head of hers. The one time I had come home earlier than lights out this week I had found her in the common room sitting on Kloppman's counter tittering as the boys lavished her with attention. From what I had seen and what I had heard it hadn't taken any imagination to realize Sarah was a Scarlet O'Hara. A girl who had this need to be wanted by every male within a 20-mile radius, a girl who based her whole self worth upon whether or not the male population swooned when she entered the room. I didn't see Jack as the swooning type so I would have bet money on the fact she had seen him as a challenge. She wanted to see if she could wrap him around her finger like all the other men, I had seen her smile in a flirting manner at any number of boys since, when she thought Jack wasn't looking. I saw Jack's look of surprise and the flash of hurt. He may not have loved her, but he had cared and to hear that she never did was a hit to his ego.
"Go ahead tell him what a wonderful little actress you are." I snapped still struggling to get free and having to take a breath between each word as my ribs hit up against an iron grip. "Tell him about how you were tugging him along on a rope like those little ducks children play with. Tell him how he was a challenge a way to see if you could wrap a real man around your finger. Something a little more challenging than those good little boys your father and mother introduce you to knowing Jack is just a phase you will grow out of. "
She spit at me and I felt my captors arms tighten as David grabbed her arm and roughly hauled her away. He gave me a look I couldn't comprehend and Jack just leaned against the wall his eyes far away. I stopped struggling, but didn't turn to see who was holding me. Instead my eyes were focused on the cigarette that had fallen from my hand and was lying broken on the pavement. I wondered if there was enough left to relight. Then it hit me I had been striking out at Sarah, but I never thought about what kind of an effect my words might have had on Jack.
"Jack?" I asked softly I could hear the apology in my voice. I felt bad, I really did as I looked at him, he looked like someone had popped him. I knew I had given his ego a tough blow to make matters worse it had been in front of all the boys who looked up to him. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright." He said reacting as I had earlier, his face going emotionless for a moment then a smirk coming to his face. " It wasn't as if I really cared anyway."
Mush patted him on the back and I finally turned to see who had held me from pulverizing poor defenseless Sarah. I turned in his arms instead of swinging my head around expecting Blink. He had been the closest when Sarah had started in on me.
"You!" I scowled at my captor who was giving me that arrogant grin that was legendary. His eyes glittered as he looked into mine, his lips only a breath away from my own. " Don't you have Brooklyn to run? Can't you stay on your own side of the fence?"
"I like 'em feisty." He said grinning suggestively at me. I squirmed, but it only made him tighten his grip and bring me more firmly against him.
"Oh gag me with a pitchfork." I replied. "Can't you come up with anything more original?"
"Ya know ya want me." He whispered his lips were so close I could practically feel the words as they left his mouth.
"Like hell I do." I whispered as I fought myself. "That isn't very original either where'd you get it from the DeLanceys?"
I heard the boy's gasps of surprise; referring to anyone, as a DeLancey was highly insulting I had learned. I knew the anger that would flash through him, but I wanted out of his grip before it was too late. He smirked his eyes telling me he knew exactly what I was doing. My body was betraying me as I kept the urge to move the last few centimeters and close my eyes in surrender at bay. I felt my eyelids flutter, I felt my body softening and forming to his body as if I were made to be there. I felt the pulling toward him unlike anything I had ever felt, it was as if I had no choice and my heart was taking over my body. I wanted him all right, I wanted him like I had never wanted anyone and it frightened me. I'm not talking about sex though the feelings were definitely there too. No I wanted to trust him, to fall into those baby blues and never come back. I wanted to give him everything. There was a connection there I couldn't deny and one he was fully willing to exploit I was sure. I was knew I wasn't the first girl who had wanted to give everything and to want everything in return either, probably not the last, but I wouldn't let myself become another notch on his bed post. I closed my eyes and quickly put my hands on his shoulders pushing with all my might. I couldn't do this I wouldn't do this. My eyes flew open as his lips brushed mine.
"Damn you Conlon, quit manhandling me and let me go." I snapped my voice muffled against his mouth. He pulled back in surprise and I was sure that he had never been denied before. The look of shock that was in his eyes if only for a moment filled my heart with triumph. I took the cigarette that had been tucked behind his ear and put it between my lips as he dropped his arms.
"Anyone got a light?" I struggled to keep my voice steady as I looked around at the gawking boys. They had never seen Spot turned down before I supposed, it made my triumph all that much sweeter.
"Here." I heard Spot say softly, I turned his mouth was quirked up in a small little smile. His hand held a match that he deftly struck. Looking into his eyes I saw that he knew what he did to me, the arrogance in that making a small flame of anger ignite, one that was no match for the fire he invoked with his touch. I tried to keep my hands from shaking as I answered the challenge in his eyes and lit the cigarette. My eyes never left his and I could see a glimmer of something in the fearless leader of Brooklyn's incredible icy orbs. Could it be the same confusion and fear that I knew was in my own? No it couldn't be, I turned to saunter off, but he was too quick. His hand shot out as I turned my back, grabbing my wrist, knocking me off balance and back into his chest. He lifted my hand to his mouth, his lips caressing the fingers that held the cigarette as he took a drag from it. I felt a shiver go down my spine in reaction to his soft lips on my hand. Then he pulled away leaving cold where there once was warmth.
"Was me last one." He said coolly as he sauntered to Jack. I watched as the two of them left. I knew I was the one who looked shocked now. Blink and Mush chuckled softly and I glared at them. They shut up, but looked ready to burst as they tried to keep from laughing. Crutchy was only few feet away watching the retreating leader of Brooklyn with a fiercely protective look on his face.
"Ain't nobody that get's the best of Brooklyn." Specs told me patting my shoulder as he tried not to laugh. My cheeks were burning with embarrassment and defeat. I had almost won that battle damn it. He was getting used to my game, he was even starting to win at it. I looked at the cigarette in my hand, and held it out to Blink. Since Spot had put his lips on it I had lost my taste for it.
Okay more thank yous!
JP: Here you go what do you think, I'm rather proud of it! I can't wait for your next chapter and I love your book.
Falco: Here's more Sexy Spot just for you! Hope it you like it. Do I get more waffles? I want cherries and whip cream too!
Ali: I couldn't have suspense if I didn't let them know she was from the future. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chelci: Sorry no Glimmer in this chapter, but wait until next. Now was it Skittery that you wanted or was there another guy?
Dreamer: I find it nice to find a fellow faerie too. Thank you for your review! I hope this doesn't get too predictable.
Thank you all!
"What's wrong with you Cameo?" Crutchy asked as I backed down the stairs knowing they had trapped me.
"What do you mean what's wrong?" Damn it I sounded shaky. I struggled for the control I knew was fraying as rapidly as a rope in an action movie. Damn it , damn it, damn it.
"Ya been avoidin us all week what's got ya spooked?" Mush said, as I looked around at them. I felt like I was back in high school and had just been cornered by the jocks.
"I'm not avoiding you, I've just been busy." I stammered hating the way I seemed to have lost my cool. I tried to dredge up the anger that I had used for a shield for so long and couldn't.
"Busy, so busy one of us gots to follow you at night?" Blink questioned raising the eyebrow above his good eye. "And ya ain't doin nothing, but walking."
I looked at Crutchy who just looked back with a calm demeanor. He knew what was wrong I could see it in his eyes. He hadn't' told anyone, at least for that I would be eternally grateful.
Not that he believed any of it, he had probably kept it to himself because he was afraid they would lock me up. I thought bitterly. I was going to have to find a way home soon, at least there I my friends thought I was eccentric rather than wacky. They all looked at me waiting for some kind of response, Mimic put his hand in mine a comforting gesture, I must have looked like a cat backed into a corner. I squeezed it and let go, my hands clenching and unclenching into fists as I watched each of them for a moment. There was no way out. Jack stood on the stairs, Mush sat just below him, Blink was on the counter too close to the door for me to reach it first, and Crutchy sat next to the window. I wanted to scream, the last thing I wanted was to talk about the hopeless feeling that was filling me more and more each day. I hadn't felt like this since I had come here. I felt hot anger burst up and I welcomed it, my face smoothed taking on what Morai had named the porcelain doll look. My face often would become smooth and take on the calmness of a china doll when I didn't want my emotions to show. She said I got that look only for the few minutes it took pull up the emotions I wanted to show.
"I don't want to talk about it." I growled relieved to finally be able to get a handle on the situation. I saw Crutch look away a defeated look on his face we both knew they almost had me. He had almost been able to peel away all the layers I had almost broken down. I had a feeling that this confrontation had been a way for him to try to get me to tell the "Truth". Mush brightened seeing it for what he wanted to see it as, I was pulling out of my self imposed solitude.
"So ya sellin with us today?" Blink asked holding a look of relief himself. Jack watched me intently, Crutchy not even looking at me, the taste of defeat still a bitter taste in his mouth. I looked back at Jack boldly silently challenging him to try to get more out of me. He returned my gaze his look promising me he would find out whatever this had been about. I shivered fear settling in the pit of my stomach. If Crutchy's reaction was anything to go by I hoped Jack never found out. I had removed my bracelet and hidden it under a loose board in the floor of my room. I had replaced it careful to make sure it looked like it had never been moved. Just to be safe though I moved the bed over it. I had checked carefully making sure that there were no other clues left about my person.
"Sure." I replied nonchalantly still looking into Jacks eyes. He turned away and started up the stairs the promise still in his eyes. Blink fell into step beside me as I started for the door. Mush trailed behind saying something to Mimic who skipped happily. Now that I seemed to be getting beyond what ever had been upsetting me he was happy. I didn't like how the kids emotions seemed to hang on me.
"Did you hear about the about the carnival they's having down in Central Park in a few days?" Mush asked as we neared the distribution center
"No," I replied absently digging into my pockets for the change he needed for my share of the papers. Mush and Mimic got in line next to Skittery while Blink lit a cigarette and I leaned against the gateway.
"Give me one of those." I said holding my hand out for a cigarette.
"Girls don't smoke." Blink responded taking a long drag, making no move to hand me one. "It ain't ladylike."
"I'm not like most girls, I haven't tried to be ladylike, now give it." I demanded irritated, I had watched these boys smoking and hadn't once given into the temptation. I had quit nearly a year ago, but I needed one, the stress of the past few days had been wearing on me.
"Ya ain't never smoked before." Blink told me taking another long drag and blowing it in my face.
"Damn it Blink" I warned "Give me a damn smoke."
He chuckled around the cigarette held between his lips as he reached into his pocket and produced one. I held it between two of my fingers as he lit a match and held it up for me to light my prize. I gave a few puffs to get it started then took a long drag. I'm sure I looked like a man who had been in the desert without water for days and had stumbled upon an oasis. I took another drag, my head leaning back against the wall, my eyes closed in pleasure as the cigarette began working its calming effect.
"Don't you know woman do not smoke?" I heard a prim voice ask, my eyes flew open and I found myself face to face with Sarah, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"How are you doing Bo Peep looking for your lost little lamb?" I sneered, she glared at me and I smiled. I took an especially long drag and blew it in her face. She waved her hand about and coughed. Even her coughs were prim little gestures hidden behind a handkerchief. If this was an example of femininity in this time I was glad I had been raised in the future. I saw Jack turning from the distribution center office and stop dead when he saw Sarah shielding her hand from the early morning light and looking for him. Quickly he hid behind the wagon that carried the papers.
"Ya ain't gonna find him." I said in my best imitation of the boys accents. "He's hidin from ya."
I could still see Jack from where I was, he glared at me as my words floated across the courtyard to him.
"That's ridiculous, he's just been busy." She cried dropping her hand and turning to me. "Take it back."
"Not on your life cupcake." I laughed, her face turned an incredible shade of red when she got angry I found. "He loves me I know he does and no one will take him away from me, not an ignorant little hussy like you, not anyone." She told me her voice rising with every word. "He's mine and no one can have him."
I tried not to laugh at her rant and was not entirely successful. I didn't expect her to raise her hand and slap me hard enough to whip my head around. I didn't feel the sting on my still bruised cheek I saw red. I backhanded her with enough force she fell back hitting the other side of the gateway before sliding down. I wasn't much for cat fighting, but I couldn't bring myself to punch the ninny.
"You worthless slut." She cried, now there are many names I can take, but slut is my weakness. Maybe it was because I had never been the type, or maybe it had to do with the times my father had told me I looked like one. Or my stepmother had forced me to tell her I looked like one before allowing me to change. I usually just through a shirt over whatever I was wearing until I was out of sight just to spite her. It was a sore spot that always brought a reaction. I never reached her though, strong arms wrapped around my waist locking, struggling was useless though I tried for all I was worth.
"Get out of here." Jack cried pushing Sarah along, she watched me with a look of intense hatred.
"Just cut him loose you lying witch." I yelled as Jack and David pulled her off. "You don't want him, you just don't want anyone else to either."
Her face turned redder as she glared at me, but she didn't dispute it. It hadn't been a shot in the dark. Call it intuition or what ever, but often I saw things as they were. Often I could see to the bottom of things as people never expected. I had watched her a little a few nights ago as I was wondering what Jack had seen in her. I watched her look at him adoringly and I knew there was something off about it. She her action tugged at me irritating me. I had asked Glimmer a little about it before the boys had come storming into dress me down for my behavior, she didn't get Sarah at all, but I had started to realize what was going on in that bonneted head of hers. The one time I had come home earlier than lights out this week I had found her in the common room sitting on Kloppman's counter tittering as the boys lavished her with attention. From what I had seen and what I had heard it hadn't taken any imagination to realize Sarah was a Scarlet O'Hara. A girl who had this need to be wanted by every male within a 20-mile radius, a girl who based her whole self worth upon whether or not the male population swooned when she entered the room. I didn't see Jack as the swooning type so I would have bet money on the fact she had seen him as a challenge. She wanted to see if she could wrap him around her finger like all the other men, I had seen her smile in a flirting manner at any number of boys since, when she thought Jack wasn't looking. I saw Jack's look of surprise and the flash of hurt. He may not have loved her, but he had cared and to hear that she never did was a hit to his ego.
"Go ahead tell him what a wonderful little actress you are." I snapped still struggling to get free and having to take a breath between each word as my ribs hit up against an iron grip. "Tell him about how you were tugging him along on a rope like those little ducks children play with. Tell him how he was a challenge a way to see if you could wrap a real man around your finger. Something a little more challenging than those good little boys your father and mother introduce you to knowing Jack is just a phase you will grow out of. "
She spit at me and I felt my captors arms tighten as David grabbed her arm and roughly hauled her away. He gave me a look I couldn't comprehend and Jack just leaned against the wall his eyes far away. I stopped struggling, but didn't turn to see who was holding me. Instead my eyes were focused on the cigarette that had fallen from my hand and was lying broken on the pavement. I wondered if there was enough left to relight. Then it hit me I had been striking out at Sarah, but I never thought about what kind of an effect my words might have had on Jack.
"Jack?" I asked softly I could hear the apology in my voice. I felt bad, I really did as I looked at him, he looked like someone had popped him. I knew I had given his ego a tough blow to make matters worse it had been in front of all the boys who looked up to him. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright." He said reacting as I had earlier, his face going emotionless for a moment then a smirk coming to his face. " It wasn't as if I really cared anyway."
Mush patted him on the back and I finally turned to see who had held me from pulverizing poor defenseless Sarah. I turned in his arms instead of swinging my head around expecting Blink. He had been the closest when Sarah had started in on me.
"You!" I scowled at my captor who was giving me that arrogant grin that was legendary. His eyes glittered as he looked into mine, his lips only a breath away from my own. " Don't you have Brooklyn to run? Can't you stay on your own side of the fence?"
"I like 'em feisty." He said grinning suggestively at me. I squirmed, but it only made him tighten his grip and bring me more firmly against him.
"Oh gag me with a pitchfork." I replied. "Can't you come up with anything more original?"
"Ya know ya want me." He whispered his lips were so close I could practically feel the words as they left his mouth.
"Like hell I do." I whispered as I fought myself. "That isn't very original either where'd you get it from the DeLanceys?"
I heard the boy's gasps of surprise; referring to anyone, as a DeLancey was highly insulting I had learned. I knew the anger that would flash through him, but I wanted out of his grip before it was too late. He smirked his eyes telling me he knew exactly what I was doing. My body was betraying me as I kept the urge to move the last few centimeters and close my eyes in surrender at bay. I felt my eyelids flutter, I felt my body softening and forming to his body as if I were made to be there. I felt the pulling toward him unlike anything I had ever felt, it was as if I had no choice and my heart was taking over my body. I wanted him all right, I wanted him like I had never wanted anyone and it frightened me. I'm not talking about sex though the feelings were definitely there too. No I wanted to trust him, to fall into those baby blues and never come back. I wanted to give him everything. There was a connection there I couldn't deny and one he was fully willing to exploit I was sure. I was knew I wasn't the first girl who had wanted to give everything and to want everything in return either, probably not the last, but I wouldn't let myself become another notch on his bed post. I closed my eyes and quickly put my hands on his shoulders pushing with all my might. I couldn't do this I wouldn't do this. My eyes flew open as his lips brushed mine.
"Damn you Conlon, quit manhandling me and let me go." I snapped my voice muffled against his mouth. He pulled back in surprise and I was sure that he had never been denied before. The look of shock that was in his eyes if only for a moment filled my heart with triumph. I took the cigarette that had been tucked behind his ear and put it between my lips as he dropped his arms.
"Anyone got a light?" I struggled to keep my voice steady as I looked around at the gawking boys. They had never seen Spot turned down before I supposed, it made my triumph all that much sweeter.
"Here." I heard Spot say softly, I turned his mouth was quirked up in a small little smile. His hand held a match that he deftly struck. Looking into his eyes I saw that he knew what he did to me, the arrogance in that making a small flame of anger ignite, one that was no match for the fire he invoked with his touch. I tried to keep my hands from shaking as I answered the challenge in his eyes and lit the cigarette. My eyes never left his and I could see a glimmer of something in the fearless leader of Brooklyn's incredible icy orbs. Could it be the same confusion and fear that I knew was in my own? No it couldn't be, I turned to saunter off, but he was too quick. His hand shot out as I turned my back, grabbing my wrist, knocking me off balance and back into his chest. He lifted my hand to his mouth, his lips caressing the fingers that held the cigarette as he took a drag from it. I felt a shiver go down my spine in reaction to his soft lips on my hand. Then he pulled away leaving cold where there once was warmth.
"Was me last one." He said coolly as he sauntered to Jack. I watched as the two of them left. I knew I was the one who looked shocked now. Blink and Mush chuckled softly and I glared at them. They shut up, but looked ready to burst as they tried to keep from laughing. Crutchy was only few feet away watching the retreating leader of Brooklyn with a fiercely protective look on his face.
"Ain't nobody that get's the best of Brooklyn." Specs told me patting my shoulder as he tried not to laugh. My cheeks were burning with embarrassment and defeat. I had almost won that battle damn it. He was getting used to my game, he was even starting to win at it. I looked at the cigarette in my hand, and held it out to Blink. Since Spot had put his lips on it I had lost my taste for it.
Okay more thank yous!
JP: Here you go what do you think, I'm rather proud of it! I can't wait for your next chapter and I love your book.
Falco: Here's more Sexy Spot just for you! Hope it you like it. Do I get more waffles? I want cherries and whip cream too!
Ali: I couldn't have suspense if I didn't let them know she was from the future. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chelci: Sorry no Glimmer in this chapter, but wait until next. Now was it Skittery that you wanted or was there another guy?
Dreamer: I find it nice to find a fellow faerie too. Thank you for your review! I hope this doesn't get too predictable.
Thank you all!