**Disclaimer: Same as last chapter**
Chapter 3:
The next day I had ditched Skittles early and the day turned out to be slow, so I made my way to the nearest Irish pub. The barkeep was from Ireland to, so we switched to the native tongue and chatted while I drank back some Guinness.
"That man in the corner," Aidan, the barkeep, said in Gaelic. "He seems to think he's a big time drinker. He can hardly hold a pint. If you're looking for cash, that's where you go, faery." I smiled my thanks and started the show. I was playing myself up to being this big drinker, better than anyone, and I'd be willing to put money against it. I needed extra cash. I like the feel of coins lining my pockets. Sure enough the man in the corner stood up and challenged me to a game of "Pass out". Simple rules, really, drink and the first one to pass out loses. We ordered five rounds of whiskey and I started, me being the girl and all. That's what he said anyway. I rolled my eyes and shot back the drink. He barely lasted three rounds before he was on the floor, out cold. I collected my money and walked out. I was a little tipsy, but nothing worth speaking of. I moved through the crowds to The King. It was supper time and I was hungry and I now had enough to eat well for a week. And enough to send home.
I walked in to a loud greeting from the rest of the Newsies. I waved to all and sat in a booth in a corner by myself. Racetrack came over and sat with me.
"So, Lexus, where ya been?" He whispered leaning forward.
"Out making money, Track, same as you. What are you, Jack's spy now?" I asked. He looked shocked, as if he couldn't believe that I had figured it out and tried to deny it when I got up and walked out. Blink came running out after me. He didn't say anything, we just walked. I have had just about enough of Jack and his overbearing protectiveness. We walked back to the bar I had been in before and I saw the guy still lying on the floor. I looked at him and then at Aidan.
"Was he really that toasted?" I asked in Gaelic and Aidan answered with an "aye". I stepped over the sleeping form and moved toward the billiard tables at the back. There I placed a few bets with the men folk and we played a game. I won. A new group of men folk moved through and I played them too. By this time, Blink had disappeared and I wasn't about to run out on a game I was winning just to make sure the lad got home all right. I cleaned up that game too in a nice neat little package and had earned even more money when Jack burst through the door. He was just in time to see me swig back a mouthful of Guinness. He looked mad.
"Lexus, c'mon, we're going back to the house."
"No, I don't think I want to go with you, boyo."
"You're leaving, now!" He said grabbing my arm. The boys in the bar stood up.
"She's staying here," one burly man said reaching around my waist. "We're not done with her." He tried to grope me when I elbowed him in the groin and ran with Jack when he pulled me away. We stopped about two blocks away.
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Jack stormed.
"I thought I was making money," I said, "Until you showed up, boyo. But I'm glad you did," I added with a small smile. "God only knows what would've happened." He looked shocked for a second then smiled.
"Anytime," he answered. "It's a good thing I got Blink to follow you."
"Do you have all of them spying on me?" I fumed. He grinned.
"Yeah, ain't gonna take any chances with you. Fiery, auburn haired Irish girls like you always manage to have trouble following." He answered and I glowered at him.
The next day I had ditched Skittles early and the day turned out to be slow, so I made my way to the nearest Irish pub. The barkeep was from Ireland to, so we switched to the native tongue and chatted while I drank back some Guinness.
"That man in the corner," Aidan, the barkeep, said in Gaelic. "He seems to think he's a big time drinker. He can hardly hold a pint. If you're looking for cash, that's where you go, faery." I smiled my thanks and started the show. I was playing myself up to being this big drinker, better than anyone, and I'd be willing to put money against it. I needed extra cash. I like the feel of coins lining my pockets. Sure enough the man in the corner stood up and challenged me to a game of "Pass out". Simple rules, really, drink and the first one to pass out loses. We ordered five rounds of whiskey and I started, me being the girl and all. That's what he said anyway. I rolled my eyes and shot back the drink. He barely lasted three rounds before he was on the floor, out cold. I collected my money and walked out. I was a little tipsy, but nothing worth speaking of. I moved through the crowds to The King. It was supper time and I was hungry and I now had enough to eat well for a week. And enough to send home.
I walked in to a loud greeting from the rest of the Newsies. I waved to all and sat in a booth in a corner by myself. Racetrack came over and sat with me.
"So, Lexus, where ya been?" He whispered leaning forward.
"Out making money, Track, same as you. What are you, Jack's spy now?" I asked. He looked shocked, as if he couldn't believe that I had figured it out and tried to deny it when I got up and walked out. Blink came running out after me. He didn't say anything, we just walked. I have had just about enough of Jack and his overbearing protectiveness. We walked back to the bar I had been in before and I saw the guy still lying on the floor. I looked at him and then at Aidan.
"Was he really that toasted?" I asked in Gaelic and Aidan answered with an "aye". I stepped over the sleeping form and moved toward the billiard tables at the back. There I placed a few bets with the men folk and we played a game. I won. A new group of men folk moved through and I played them too. By this time, Blink had disappeared and I wasn't about to run out on a game I was winning just to make sure the lad got home all right. I cleaned up that game too in a nice neat little package and had earned even more money when Jack burst through the door. He was just in time to see me swig back a mouthful of Guinness. He looked mad.
"Lexus, c'mon, we're going back to the house."
"No, I don't think I want to go with you, boyo."
"You're leaving, now!" He said grabbing my arm. The boys in the bar stood up.
"She's staying here," one burly man said reaching around my waist. "We're not done with her." He tried to grope me when I elbowed him in the groin and ran with Jack when he pulled me away. We stopped about two blocks away.
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Jack stormed.
"I thought I was making money," I said, "Until you showed up, boyo. But I'm glad you did," I added with a small smile. "God only knows what would've happened." He looked shocked for a second then smiled.
"Anytime," he answered. "It's a good thing I got Blink to follow you."
"Do you have all of them spying on me?" I fumed. He grinned.
"Yeah, ain't gonna take any chances with you. Fiery, auburn haired Irish girls like you always manage to have trouble following." He answered and I glowered at him.