Warning: extremely boring chapter ahead (in my opinion). If ya want to skip
and just wait for chappie 4, go ahead, there's nothing important going on
here.... I don't think.
Ahhhhh! Reviews! This is so exciting! And these review aren't from me, I
feel so darn special! Any ways:
Brooklyn's Miracle: Do you really like it? Oh and btw, I read your story, 'Headlines don't sell papes, Newsies sell papes" and I thought it was really funny.
NaughteeLady: Thnx for saying its 'pretty good' (, now I feel special!
Wisecracker88: ok, comic relief. Hmmm.... I guess I'm just real used to having to write serious stories for English. I'll try and work some comic relief into this chappie, k?
Ducks-go-quack-00: I just had to say that I love your name!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Newsies except for those who were not in the movie. Disney owns the Newsies and as much as I wish I owned them, I
do not and I am not making any money off this.
Lessons
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Wake up!" Jenna bolted upright in her bed when she heard Terry yelling in her ear. She was used to being woken up gently and this...this was just disturbing. Spot, who had been awake long before the other newsies, sauntered over to her bed. Jenna had gone to sleep with her cap on to hide her long hair and touched her head to be sure it was still there. She had subconsciously held her breath, but began breathing again when she felt that the hat was still there and her hair was still hidden.
"You'se ready for ya foist day of lessons?" Spot was standing by her bed and she realized then that for being sixteen years old, he was rather short, only about 5' 8".
Jenna had taken off her corset the night before and decided that she would get rid of it the next day. She had gone to bed in only her underwear, and it was kind of easy to tell that she was female, if one was looking in that area. She crossed her arms and looked down at Spot who was looking at her eyes and not her chest (AN: I can't believe it! Spot actually looking a girl in the EYES!).
"I think." Jenna made sure to keep her voice a bit lower than normal. Spot laughed turned to walk away.
"You'se betta get dressed, Dogs already ready and he's waitin' outside, you'se learnin' to sell foist. Afta dat, you'se gonna fight, then woik on ya sling shootin'" Jenna nodded her understanding and went to get dressed.
She had been given a drawer to keep her clothes in. She hopped of her bed, opened the drawer, took out her clothes and began to get dressed for the day.
The night before, Jenna had learned to play poker. It seemed to be a favorite game of the newsies. It only took her a few minutes to learn because Spot, who claimed he was the best poker player in Brooklyn, had helped her. Of course, just to be mean, during the first hand he told her that she was sure to win because almost nothing beat what she had (a pair of fours). So she put in twenty cents and played her hand. Of course she lost, but the experience taught her not to trust Spot too much. In the middle of the game, Flash turned to Spot and asked him what Jenna considered to be a strange question.
"So Spot, why didn't ya bring home a goil tonight?" someone on the other side of the table snickered.
"If you'se hadn't noticed, it ain't technically toNIGHT yet. I've also been kind of busy with," He turned to Jenna, "What's ya name again?"
"Jaron." He looked back to Flash
"Jaron. And when did it become your business whether or not I'se bring home a goil?" apparently, Spot didn't like people getting into his personal business. Flash looked surprised at his reaction.
"I didn't mean nuthin by it. I was jist wonderin'" The rest of the conversation was about how Spot was a total ladies-man.
"Spot heah has almost every goil in New Yawk aftah him."
"Almost? Ha, there ain't no almost. I'se got EVERY goil in New Yawk." He shrugged suddenly 'modest' "I dunno what it is, they jist go crazy ovah me." Someone to his left smacked him on the back in an encouraging manner. Every one laughed and they continued the poker game. Hours later, they all went to bed.
Jenna had all her clothes on and was waiting outside the washroom when Dog walked out, furious with his face and hair all wet.
"Spot said you was waitin' outside!" Jenna told the wet Dog.
"I was, but you'se was taking so long dat I came up here, walked into the washroom and into a watah fight." He began walking away mumbling to himself, "I'se ill KILL Smalls!"
When Jenna was done in the washroom, she went outside to see the still angry Dog waiting with a stack of papers. There seemed to be about 150 papers sitting on the ground next to him.
"Are we supposed to sell ALL of those?" Jenna asked in disbelief. Dog nodded and handed her a handful of them.
"Let's go." Dog began to walk away and Jenna followed close behind. The street was swarming with people of all kinds, some beggars, some of those highfalutin snobs that Jenna used to live with, and some bulls just for good measure. Bobbing above the rest of the heads, Jenna spotted a familiar hat. Jenna was surprised that Maria's new purple hat hadn't already been thrown in the back of her closet for a bigger and prettier one; after all it had been an entire week since she had bought it.
"Oh no!" Jenna turned and ducked behind Dog, who turned towards her with a confused look on his face.
"What's wrong wid you?"
"It's me sistah!" Jenna peeked out now and Maria was walking down the street giving disgusted looks in the direction of every street rat in view. She also seemed to be looking for someone and Jenna assumed she was looking for her.
"You'se a run away?" Jenna nodded and Dog blocked her view of Maria, but she knew that she was probably glaring at Dog by then. "I understand why you'se ran away jist by lookin' at her! She's gone now, let's get movin'."
Jenna stood up straight and listened to what Dog had to say.
"You'se know how to read, right?" Jenna nodded, "Good. See dis headline? 'Family Soiches for Missing Daughter'?" Jenna's heart caught in her throat, they were looking for her. Her picture was right below the headline, but she didn't say anything about it. "It's a good headline, but da people won't care as much unless it affects them. Can you think of anything to spice up da story?" Jenna grabbed the paper from his hand.
"Young goil kidnapped! Are your kids next?" she yelled. Immediately, two women came up to her and bought papers.
"Dat's pretty good! But hows about we jist kill dis pretty little goil?" he raised a paper above his head and shouted, "Authorities suspect serial killah in da case of a missin' goil! Watch out for ya children!" just as quickly as before, four women, two of which had children with them came up and bought papers.
Jenna took fifty of the papers and began to sell, while Dog sold the rest. Three hours passed and Jenna was on her last few papers. She was about to yell out a headline when Dog stopped her.
"At dis point, if you'se evah havin' trouble sellin' ya last papes, den do dis." Jenna set down her few papers and Dog did as well. He then took a handful of dirt and wiped it on his cheeks. His eyes filled with tears and some fell down his cheeks leaving clean trails where the water had washed away the dirt. Dog grabbed a paper, walked up to a lady walking down the street and pulled on her skirt. She looked at him with angry eyes.
"What do you want?"
Dog looked up at her with tears in his eyes and held out the one paper. "Please miss, buy me last paper. I only need a little more money for me sistah's medication." The woman's eyes turned sympathetic.
"Oh, well if you need the money for medication..." she pulled out a penny and handed it to him in exchange for his 'last' paper.
"Thank you miss!" Dog ran back to where Jenna stood clapping and bowed.
Both Jenna and Dog finished selling their papers and headed over to Jake's Diner for lunch. When they got there, Spot and a few other newsies were already there sitting and laughing with a few girls that Jenna didn't recognize.
"Jaron, right?" Spot seemed to be having a lot of trouble with Jenna's name.
"Yeah." She answered.
"I'm assumin' you'se got money for food?" when she nodded he turned to Dog, "How'd you'se two sell?"
Jenna sat with the boys for a few hours talking like they had been friends forever. Over time, more newsies walked in and joined the conversation. Jenna learned a lot about everyone during that time, and everyone learned a lot about her, or who she was pretending to be.
"Socks! It's time for you two to go." Socks stood up and motioned for Jenna to go with him, she assumed it was for her next lessons: fighting.
While they walked, Socks told Jenna where they were going and why. They were headed for a section of the docks that was supposedly closed, but the newsies still went there occasionally. It was an open area where they could be left alone. Jenna knew they were there when they came to a high gate. Socks began to climb and Jenna followed. Once over the gate, they began immediately. "Ok den. Da foist thing we should do is see what you already know. I want you'se to jump me." Jenna looked at him like he was nuts. "Jist do it!" She took a deep breath and stepped forward. Socks took a fighting stance and Jenna mimicked it.
'What was I thinking? I don't wanna do dis! I'm not cut out to be a newsie! Oh god, oh god!' Jenna stepped forward one more time and thought 'Ok, what do I know 'bout fightin'? I'se watched boxing matches before. Let's see...'
And she swung. It wasn't very good, and Socks avoided it easily.
"Dat's a good start. But what you'se need to do is put more energy into it." Socks went around to her backside and took her hands. "Ball ya hands inta fists. Not dat tight, jist a little loosa, good. When you'se swing it needs strength, you'se looked like a goil when you'se did dat." Jenna tensed. Socks felt it and laughed, "I ain't callin' you a goil, calm down." When she relaxed, they continued. Two hours later, Jenna had left hook, right hook, fakes and blocks all down pat.
"Now, lets see if you'se got it. Make like you'se gonna hit me." This time Jenna didn't hesitate to step forward. She thought about all she had learned in the past two hours and took a fighting stance. Jenna faked a left punch and Socks skillfully sidestepped to the right only to be caught with a right hook on his cheekbone. Socks was knocked onto his butt and he had his hand to his face. "You'se have one hell of a hook!" he winced, "I think we'se done enough for today." Jenna nodded and walked over to help him up. There was still few hours until the sun would set, leaving time for her first slingshot lesson.
They walked off the docks towards the Lodging house and ran into Smalls.
"Spot's lookin' for you, Jaron. He's comin' down 'ere for you. 'Ey Socks, what 'appened to you'se face?" He put his hand up to his cheek where a purple and brown bruise was already forming. He looked slightly uncomfortable with the question.
"Well, Hook here," he jabbed his thumb towards Jenna, "Has quite a right hook." He mumbled.
As if on cue, Spot walked out of the shadows and laughed.
"That's a nice bruise there Socks. You'se supposed to be this great fighta and he ain't nevah fought before, how'd it happen? Naw don't tell me, we'se gotta go and work on Hook's slingshot skills." He began to walk away and Jenna realized that she was Hook. Socks had referred to her as Hook before and now Spot, so that made it her new name.
Hook ran to catch up with Spot, who was now walking into the lodging house. They walked together without talking until they reached the bunkroom.
"Climb out the fire escape and wait for me on the roof, I'se gotta get you a slingshot." Hook obliged.
When she got up to the roof, she looked around and saw a pile of bottles about five feet away. Also, on the ledge of the roof sat the bottoms of broken bottles and one whole one. She assumed that the bottles were used for practice.
"Hook!" she turned and barely reached up in time to catch the wooden slingshot the Spot had thrown to her. "Nice catch." Spot's light brown hair was shining in the sunlight. His blue-grey eyes pierced her own dark blue ones and she had to look away, afraid that he might be able to read her thoughts if she continued to make eye-contact. Her stomach was tying itself in knots at the mere sight of him. 'No, Jen- Hook. Hook. You can't do dis. You cant like him. He thinks you're a boy, and you might at strange 'round him if ya like him. Get over it!' He trotted over to wear she stood, took a marble from his pocket, loaded his slingshot, aimed and shot the marble. She gaped at his grace while doing this, as he had seemed to do it in one flowing motion and had barely taken any time to aim. Hook jumped when she heard the glass bottle shatter behind her. Spot handed her a marble and replaced the one he had just hit. "You try." She fumbled to put the marble in the pocket, closed her right eye, and took her sweet time aiming. She pulled back on the slingshot and released. It would have been a good shot had it been about five feet lower, and three feet to the right.
"Damnit." She mumbled. She looked to Spot for another marble to try again. He shook his head and began to explain the art of using a slingshot.
"Foist of all, you wanna keep both eyes open, it makes for betta aimin'. Second, you'se shakin' like crazy. Relax." Hook looked down and noticed that she was indeed shaking. Spot seemed to have that effect on girls; even the ones dressing and acting like a boy. Hook closed her eyes and concentrated on calming down. The shaking slowed to a near stop and the butterflies in her stomach ceased flying. She opened her eyes and Spot was standing just to her left holding out a marble to her. Again her stomach tightened, but she kept breathing steadily and it stayed a small knot.
Hook loaded the slingshot and aimed. She wasn't shaking as much and she remembered to keep both eyes open. She released the marble and nearly hit the brown bottle.
"Better." Hook had forgotten that she wasn't alone and she turned to see Spot standing there with a handful of marbles. He walked up to her and handed them over. "you'se should take ya hat off, it'll be easiah to see." Spot reached for the hat and Hook jerked away nearly losing her marbles.
"Um...I prefer to have it on." Spot gave her a funny look and stepped back.
"Whatever. Keep shootin' and when you'se finally hit, get anudda bottle." He turned and walked behind her.
"Wait!" Hook stopped at that and took the time to fix her voice so she didn't sound like a girl, "Are you'se jist gonna leave me 'ere?"
"Course I aint jist gonna leave ya 'ere! But you'se seem to do bettah when I aint 'ere so was jist gonna sit behind ya, if dat's alright wid you."
"I guess dat's alright..." Hook turned back towards the bottle and aimed.
About ten minutes later, while Hook was aiming at the bottle she felt gentle hands grasping her elbow. She jumped at the touch and looked to see Spot straightening her arm.
"It was makin' me go off me trolley. You'se gotta keep the arm that's holdin' the slingshot straight when you'se shoot." Hook nodded her acknowledgement. She began shaking again his touch and tried to relax. 'He touched me. Oh gawd, calm down Hook! He's jist a boy. Jist. A. Boy. Plus even if he knew you was a goil the relationship that prolly wouldn't happen would only be one night long.' Hook regained her concentration after a moment and aimed for maybe the hundredth time.
The little marble flew through the air and hit the bottle. The brown glass looked as though it had exploded.
"I did it!" Hook whipped around to face Spot who was clapping and laughing.
"Alright, we'se done enough tonight, it's time for dinnah and I'se stahved." He began to walk back to the fire escape and Hook followed, still excited about having hit the bottle.
Brooklyn's Miracle: Do you really like it? Oh and btw, I read your story, 'Headlines don't sell papes, Newsies sell papes" and I thought it was really funny.
NaughteeLady: Thnx for saying its 'pretty good' (, now I feel special!
Wisecracker88: ok, comic relief. Hmmm.... I guess I'm just real used to having to write serious stories for English. I'll try and work some comic relief into this chappie, k?
Ducks-go-quack-00: I just had to say that I love your name!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Newsies except for those who were not in the movie. Disney owns the Newsies and as much as I wish I owned them, I
do not and I am not making any money off this.
Lessons
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Wake up!" Jenna bolted upright in her bed when she heard Terry yelling in her ear. She was used to being woken up gently and this...this was just disturbing. Spot, who had been awake long before the other newsies, sauntered over to her bed. Jenna had gone to sleep with her cap on to hide her long hair and touched her head to be sure it was still there. She had subconsciously held her breath, but began breathing again when she felt that the hat was still there and her hair was still hidden.
"You'se ready for ya foist day of lessons?" Spot was standing by her bed and she realized then that for being sixteen years old, he was rather short, only about 5' 8".
Jenna had taken off her corset the night before and decided that she would get rid of it the next day. She had gone to bed in only her underwear, and it was kind of easy to tell that she was female, if one was looking in that area. She crossed her arms and looked down at Spot who was looking at her eyes and not her chest (AN: I can't believe it! Spot actually looking a girl in the EYES!).
"I think." Jenna made sure to keep her voice a bit lower than normal. Spot laughed turned to walk away.
"You'se betta get dressed, Dogs already ready and he's waitin' outside, you'se learnin' to sell foist. Afta dat, you'se gonna fight, then woik on ya sling shootin'" Jenna nodded her understanding and went to get dressed.
She had been given a drawer to keep her clothes in. She hopped of her bed, opened the drawer, took out her clothes and began to get dressed for the day.
The night before, Jenna had learned to play poker. It seemed to be a favorite game of the newsies. It only took her a few minutes to learn because Spot, who claimed he was the best poker player in Brooklyn, had helped her. Of course, just to be mean, during the first hand he told her that she was sure to win because almost nothing beat what she had (a pair of fours). So she put in twenty cents and played her hand. Of course she lost, but the experience taught her not to trust Spot too much. In the middle of the game, Flash turned to Spot and asked him what Jenna considered to be a strange question.
"So Spot, why didn't ya bring home a goil tonight?" someone on the other side of the table snickered.
"If you'se hadn't noticed, it ain't technically toNIGHT yet. I've also been kind of busy with," He turned to Jenna, "What's ya name again?"
"Jaron." He looked back to Flash
"Jaron. And when did it become your business whether or not I'se bring home a goil?" apparently, Spot didn't like people getting into his personal business. Flash looked surprised at his reaction.
"I didn't mean nuthin by it. I was jist wonderin'" The rest of the conversation was about how Spot was a total ladies-man.
"Spot heah has almost every goil in New Yawk aftah him."
"Almost? Ha, there ain't no almost. I'se got EVERY goil in New Yawk." He shrugged suddenly 'modest' "I dunno what it is, they jist go crazy ovah me." Someone to his left smacked him on the back in an encouraging manner. Every one laughed and they continued the poker game. Hours later, they all went to bed.
Jenna had all her clothes on and was waiting outside the washroom when Dog walked out, furious with his face and hair all wet.
"Spot said you was waitin' outside!" Jenna told the wet Dog.
"I was, but you'se was taking so long dat I came up here, walked into the washroom and into a watah fight." He began walking away mumbling to himself, "I'se ill KILL Smalls!"
When Jenna was done in the washroom, she went outside to see the still angry Dog waiting with a stack of papers. There seemed to be about 150 papers sitting on the ground next to him.
"Are we supposed to sell ALL of those?" Jenna asked in disbelief. Dog nodded and handed her a handful of them.
"Let's go." Dog began to walk away and Jenna followed close behind. The street was swarming with people of all kinds, some beggars, some of those highfalutin snobs that Jenna used to live with, and some bulls just for good measure. Bobbing above the rest of the heads, Jenna spotted a familiar hat. Jenna was surprised that Maria's new purple hat hadn't already been thrown in the back of her closet for a bigger and prettier one; after all it had been an entire week since she had bought it.
"Oh no!" Jenna turned and ducked behind Dog, who turned towards her with a confused look on his face.
"What's wrong wid you?"
"It's me sistah!" Jenna peeked out now and Maria was walking down the street giving disgusted looks in the direction of every street rat in view. She also seemed to be looking for someone and Jenna assumed she was looking for her.
"You'se a run away?" Jenna nodded and Dog blocked her view of Maria, but she knew that she was probably glaring at Dog by then. "I understand why you'se ran away jist by lookin' at her! She's gone now, let's get movin'."
Jenna stood up straight and listened to what Dog had to say.
"You'se know how to read, right?" Jenna nodded, "Good. See dis headline? 'Family Soiches for Missing Daughter'?" Jenna's heart caught in her throat, they were looking for her. Her picture was right below the headline, but she didn't say anything about it. "It's a good headline, but da people won't care as much unless it affects them. Can you think of anything to spice up da story?" Jenna grabbed the paper from his hand.
"Young goil kidnapped! Are your kids next?" she yelled. Immediately, two women came up to her and bought papers.
"Dat's pretty good! But hows about we jist kill dis pretty little goil?" he raised a paper above his head and shouted, "Authorities suspect serial killah in da case of a missin' goil! Watch out for ya children!" just as quickly as before, four women, two of which had children with them came up and bought papers.
Jenna took fifty of the papers and began to sell, while Dog sold the rest. Three hours passed and Jenna was on her last few papers. She was about to yell out a headline when Dog stopped her.
"At dis point, if you'se evah havin' trouble sellin' ya last papes, den do dis." Jenna set down her few papers and Dog did as well. He then took a handful of dirt and wiped it on his cheeks. His eyes filled with tears and some fell down his cheeks leaving clean trails where the water had washed away the dirt. Dog grabbed a paper, walked up to a lady walking down the street and pulled on her skirt. She looked at him with angry eyes.
"What do you want?"
Dog looked up at her with tears in his eyes and held out the one paper. "Please miss, buy me last paper. I only need a little more money for me sistah's medication." The woman's eyes turned sympathetic.
"Oh, well if you need the money for medication..." she pulled out a penny and handed it to him in exchange for his 'last' paper.
"Thank you miss!" Dog ran back to where Jenna stood clapping and bowed.
Both Jenna and Dog finished selling their papers and headed over to Jake's Diner for lunch. When they got there, Spot and a few other newsies were already there sitting and laughing with a few girls that Jenna didn't recognize.
"Jaron, right?" Spot seemed to be having a lot of trouble with Jenna's name.
"Yeah." She answered.
"I'm assumin' you'se got money for food?" when she nodded he turned to Dog, "How'd you'se two sell?"
Jenna sat with the boys for a few hours talking like they had been friends forever. Over time, more newsies walked in and joined the conversation. Jenna learned a lot about everyone during that time, and everyone learned a lot about her, or who she was pretending to be.
"Socks! It's time for you two to go." Socks stood up and motioned for Jenna to go with him, she assumed it was for her next lessons: fighting.
While they walked, Socks told Jenna where they were going and why. They were headed for a section of the docks that was supposedly closed, but the newsies still went there occasionally. It was an open area where they could be left alone. Jenna knew they were there when they came to a high gate. Socks began to climb and Jenna followed. Once over the gate, they began immediately. "Ok den. Da foist thing we should do is see what you already know. I want you'se to jump me." Jenna looked at him like he was nuts. "Jist do it!" She took a deep breath and stepped forward. Socks took a fighting stance and Jenna mimicked it.
'What was I thinking? I don't wanna do dis! I'm not cut out to be a newsie! Oh god, oh god!' Jenna stepped forward one more time and thought 'Ok, what do I know 'bout fightin'? I'se watched boxing matches before. Let's see...'
And she swung. It wasn't very good, and Socks avoided it easily.
"Dat's a good start. But what you'se need to do is put more energy into it." Socks went around to her backside and took her hands. "Ball ya hands inta fists. Not dat tight, jist a little loosa, good. When you'se swing it needs strength, you'se looked like a goil when you'se did dat." Jenna tensed. Socks felt it and laughed, "I ain't callin' you a goil, calm down." When she relaxed, they continued. Two hours later, Jenna had left hook, right hook, fakes and blocks all down pat.
"Now, lets see if you'se got it. Make like you'se gonna hit me." This time Jenna didn't hesitate to step forward. She thought about all she had learned in the past two hours and took a fighting stance. Jenna faked a left punch and Socks skillfully sidestepped to the right only to be caught with a right hook on his cheekbone. Socks was knocked onto his butt and he had his hand to his face. "You'se have one hell of a hook!" he winced, "I think we'se done enough for today." Jenna nodded and walked over to help him up. There was still few hours until the sun would set, leaving time for her first slingshot lesson.
They walked off the docks towards the Lodging house and ran into Smalls.
"Spot's lookin' for you, Jaron. He's comin' down 'ere for you. 'Ey Socks, what 'appened to you'se face?" He put his hand up to his cheek where a purple and brown bruise was already forming. He looked slightly uncomfortable with the question.
"Well, Hook here," he jabbed his thumb towards Jenna, "Has quite a right hook." He mumbled.
As if on cue, Spot walked out of the shadows and laughed.
"That's a nice bruise there Socks. You'se supposed to be this great fighta and he ain't nevah fought before, how'd it happen? Naw don't tell me, we'se gotta go and work on Hook's slingshot skills." He began to walk away and Jenna realized that she was Hook. Socks had referred to her as Hook before and now Spot, so that made it her new name.
Hook ran to catch up with Spot, who was now walking into the lodging house. They walked together without talking until they reached the bunkroom.
"Climb out the fire escape and wait for me on the roof, I'se gotta get you a slingshot." Hook obliged.
When she got up to the roof, she looked around and saw a pile of bottles about five feet away. Also, on the ledge of the roof sat the bottoms of broken bottles and one whole one. She assumed that the bottles were used for practice.
"Hook!" she turned and barely reached up in time to catch the wooden slingshot the Spot had thrown to her. "Nice catch." Spot's light brown hair was shining in the sunlight. His blue-grey eyes pierced her own dark blue ones and she had to look away, afraid that he might be able to read her thoughts if she continued to make eye-contact. Her stomach was tying itself in knots at the mere sight of him. 'No, Jen- Hook. Hook. You can't do dis. You cant like him. He thinks you're a boy, and you might at strange 'round him if ya like him. Get over it!' He trotted over to wear she stood, took a marble from his pocket, loaded his slingshot, aimed and shot the marble. She gaped at his grace while doing this, as he had seemed to do it in one flowing motion and had barely taken any time to aim. Hook jumped when she heard the glass bottle shatter behind her. Spot handed her a marble and replaced the one he had just hit. "You try." She fumbled to put the marble in the pocket, closed her right eye, and took her sweet time aiming. She pulled back on the slingshot and released. It would have been a good shot had it been about five feet lower, and three feet to the right.
"Damnit." She mumbled. She looked to Spot for another marble to try again. He shook his head and began to explain the art of using a slingshot.
"Foist of all, you wanna keep both eyes open, it makes for betta aimin'. Second, you'se shakin' like crazy. Relax." Hook looked down and noticed that she was indeed shaking. Spot seemed to have that effect on girls; even the ones dressing and acting like a boy. Hook closed her eyes and concentrated on calming down. The shaking slowed to a near stop and the butterflies in her stomach ceased flying. She opened her eyes and Spot was standing just to her left holding out a marble to her. Again her stomach tightened, but she kept breathing steadily and it stayed a small knot.
Hook loaded the slingshot and aimed. She wasn't shaking as much and she remembered to keep both eyes open. She released the marble and nearly hit the brown bottle.
"Better." Hook had forgotten that she wasn't alone and she turned to see Spot standing there with a handful of marbles. He walked up to her and handed them over. "you'se should take ya hat off, it'll be easiah to see." Spot reached for the hat and Hook jerked away nearly losing her marbles.
"Um...I prefer to have it on." Spot gave her a funny look and stepped back.
"Whatever. Keep shootin' and when you'se finally hit, get anudda bottle." He turned and walked behind her.
"Wait!" Hook stopped at that and took the time to fix her voice so she didn't sound like a girl, "Are you'se jist gonna leave me 'ere?"
"Course I aint jist gonna leave ya 'ere! But you'se seem to do bettah when I aint 'ere so was jist gonna sit behind ya, if dat's alright wid you."
"I guess dat's alright..." Hook turned back towards the bottle and aimed.
About ten minutes later, while Hook was aiming at the bottle she felt gentle hands grasping her elbow. She jumped at the touch and looked to see Spot straightening her arm.
"It was makin' me go off me trolley. You'se gotta keep the arm that's holdin' the slingshot straight when you'se shoot." Hook nodded her acknowledgement. She began shaking again his touch and tried to relax. 'He touched me. Oh gawd, calm down Hook! He's jist a boy. Jist. A. Boy. Plus even if he knew you was a goil the relationship that prolly wouldn't happen would only be one night long.' Hook regained her concentration after a moment and aimed for maybe the hundredth time.
The little marble flew through the air and hit the bottle. The brown glass looked as though it had exploded.
"I did it!" Hook whipped around to face Spot who was clapping and laughing.
"Alright, we'se done enough tonight, it's time for dinnah and I'se stahved." He began to walk back to the fire escape and Hook followed, still excited about having hit the bottle.