I was completely shocked when he didn't object to Raven's suggestion, and
could barely take the first steps back toward the Lodging House. He was
staying a few paces ahead of Raven and I, so I took this opportunity to
observe him. The dark gray pants he wore hung loosely around his legs and
waist. They must have been held up by suspenders, but I couldn't see them
because of the vest he had on. It was black in the back, and brown-and-tan
checkered in the front. Under the vest was a long-sleeved button-down white
shirt, and it was pretty clean compared to the other boys'. His hat was a
few shades darker than his pants, and rested sideways on his jet black
hair. He was a wondrous thing to look at from behind; his swagger made him
entertaining to watch, even if all he was doing was walking from place to
place.
We turned a corner and a young woman appeared, sitting on a wooden stool at the side of the road. She was painting on a small piece of canvas that rested on a small easel.
"'Eya, Runway!" Raven exclaimed, apparently glad to see her.
"Raven! Mornin' to ya!" She stood up and I saw that she was slim and petite - just a smidge taller than me. "Hi, Race - and who's'is?" She turned to me, smiling.
"Dis is Katie - she's new at da Lodge. We'ah headin' theah right now ta get hah some decent clothes."
"Oh, but I like her clothes," the girl stated, taking ahold of my sleeve. "Dis is really nice fabric...yaw not from around heah, are you?"
"No, I'm from Boston," I began distractedly, noticing her painting. "This is absolutely beautiful!"
It was a depiction of a hilly pasture, complete with grazing sheep and vibrant greens and blues. The contrast between the gorgeous colors and the dismal New York City background struck me. Runway blushed as I admired her piece. "Gee, thanks. 'T's just somethin' I whipped up dis mornin'- nothin' special." She sat down again on her stool, continuing her work. "Oh! I gots some mighty interesting news for ya, Rav," she added with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, yeah? An' wassat?" She tried to look unintrigued, but her curiosity was evident. I stole a glance at Racetrack to find him eyeing me the same way he had last night; his round face appeared even rounder when he was frowning. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
"Well," Runway went on, drawing out her news for all it was worth, "a little boid told me dat Spottie Boy's takin' a trip out heah." The expression on Raven's face turned from curious to hopeful. "Really?" she asked, her eyes opening wider with anticipation.
Runway smiled, satisfied. "Would I tell ya if I wasn't sure?" Her smile was apparently contagious.
"So, when's he comin'?" I thought Raven's eyes would pop out of her head.
"When's he COMin'? He's a'ready heah!" The girl set down her paintbrush, looking over her shoulder before turning back to her friend. "But no one's supposed to know yet - 'specially not you," she whispered excitedly.
"...Why not?" Raven was calculating something in her mind.
"Dis's all very interestin', ladies, but like I said, I got papes ta sell," Race spoke up. "I ain't got all day."
"Raven, y'know I could just - I don't want to -" I was positive that Raven's idea of me borrowing clothes from Race wasn't a good one, and I hated being a bother like this.
"Yeah, ya right, Race, we gotta go - I guess I'll tawk to ya tomorra, Run." She started to lead on, but stopped and pivoted to face Race and me.
"Atchally," she began, running a hand over her dark hair, "atchally I tink I'm gonna go...take care o' some'n - I'll see you'se guys latah - tanks, Race!" And with that, she was jogging in the direction from which we had come.
"Shoah, no pro'lem," was his sarcastic response. He waved a hand in front of his face. "All you goils, you go fa' Spot," he remarked, and shook his head. "When ya gonna loin?"
Runway had continued her work. "It's a fact o' life, Race, you know it." She then turned to me and smiled. "He's just bittah 'cause he ain't got as many as Spot has."
"As many? As many what? Girls, you mean?" I immediately felt stupid after saying it.
"Aw, put a lid on it, Run." He kicked a stone a few feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You know I don't caeh about dat."
Runway's eyes glittered as she grinned. "Oh, dat's right. You don't want lotsa goils - just one's enough fa you." I looked at him. He was staring at her furiously, but somehow imploring her. "Found da right one yet, Race?" she asked playfully, and suddenly glanced at me.
His expression grew in intensity.
"News travels fast," was her last comment. "Good lu-"
"We gotta go." His hands now out of his pockets, Race was walking away without so much as a look at Runway.
"Goo'bye! Nice to meet you!" I yelled to her, struggling to keep up with him.
"Same ta you," I heard as we walked around a corner and out of sight.
We turned a corner and a young woman appeared, sitting on a wooden stool at the side of the road. She was painting on a small piece of canvas that rested on a small easel.
"'Eya, Runway!" Raven exclaimed, apparently glad to see her.
"Raven! Mornin' to ya!" She stood up and I saw that she was slim and petite - just a smidge taller than me. "Hi, Race - and who's'is?" She turned to me, smiling.
"Dis is Katie - she's new at da Lodge. We'ah headin' theah right now ta get hah some decent clothes."
"Oh, but I like her clothes," the girl stated, taking ahold of my sleeve. "Dis is really nice fabric...yaw not from around heah, are you?"
"No, I'm from Boston," I began distractedly, noticing her painting. "This is absolutely beautiful!"
It was a depiction of a hilly pasture, complete with grazing sheep and vibrant greens and blues. The contrast between the gorgeous colors and the dismal New York City background struck me. Runway blushed as I admired her piece. "Gee, thanks. 'T's just somethin' I whipped up dis mornin'- nothin' special." She sat down again on her stool, continuing her work. "Oh! I gots some mighty interesting news for ya, Rav," she added with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, yeah? An' wassat?" She tried to look unintrigued, but her curiosity was evident. I stole a glance at Racetrack to find him eyeing me the same way he had last night; his round face appeared even rounder when he was frowning. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
"Well," Runway went on, drawing out her news for all it was worth, "a little boid told me dat Spottie Boy's takin' a trip out heah." The expression on Raven's face turned from curious to hopeful. "Really?" she asked, her eyes opening wider with anticipation.
Runway smiled, satisfied. "Would I tell ya if I wasn't sure?" Her smile was apparently contagious.
"So, when's he comin'?" I thought Raven's eyes would pop out of her head.
"When's he COMin'? He's a'ready heah!" The girl set down her paintbrush, looking over her shoulder before turning back to her friend. "But no one's supposed to know yet - 'specially not you," she whispered excitedly.
"...Why not?" Raven was calculating something in her mind.
"Dis's all very interestin', ladies, but like I said, I got papes ta sell," Race spoke up. "I ain't got all day."
"Raven, y'know I could just - I don't want to -" I was positive that Raven's idea of me borrowing clothes from Race wasn't a good one, and I hated being a bother like this.
"Yeah, ya right, Race, we gotta go - I guess I'll tawk to ya tomorra, Run." She started to lead on, but stopped and pivoted to face Race and me.
"Atchally," she began, running a hand over her dark hair, "atchally I tink I'm gonna go...take care o' some'n - I'll see you'se guys latah - tanks, Race!" And with that, she was jogging in the direction from which we had come.
"Shoah, no pro'lem," was his sarcastic response. He waved a hand in front of his face. "All you goils, you go fa' Spot," he remarked, and shook his head. "When ya gonna loin?"
Runway had continued her work. "It's a fact o' life, Race, you know it." She then turned to me and smiled. "He's just bittah 'cause he ain't got as many as Spot has."
"As many? As many what? Girls, you mean?" I immediately felt stupid after saying it.
"Aw, put a lid on it, Run." He kicked a stone a few feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You know I don't caeh about dat."
Runway's eyes glittered as she grinned. "Oh, dat's right. You don't want lotsa goils - just one's enough fa you." I looked at him. He was staring at her furiously, but somehow imploring her. "Found da right one yet, Race?" she asked playfully, and suddenly glanced at me.
His expression grew in intensity.
"News travels fast," was her last comment. "Good lu-"
"We gotta go." His hands now out of his pockets, Race was walking away without so much as a look at Runway.
"Goo'bye! Nice to meet you!" I yelled to her, struggling to keep up with him.
"Same ta you," I heard as we walked around a corner and out of sight.