Chapter 13 Raven
"Guv'nah of Kentucky wanted foah murdah!" Jack shouted and waved his last two papes above his head.
Chloe smiled at him and yelled, "Eight killed in oil well explosion!"
Jack sold out and walked across the street to where Chloe stood. "Ya wanna go get some moah aftah ya sell dat one? Oah should we take the extra time an go ta da pahk or sommat?"
They'd sold together each day for the week following the night on the roof. Jack wanted to protect her, true, but he also liked her company. They joked a bit and talked about lots of different things, some as silly as their favorite sweet or color. They hadn't really been too serious or intense since her revelations about her family. Jack just wasn't sure what to say, so they kept to small talk. But it was still enjoyable.
"Do ya mind if we sell while it's good and tak' the time later for play?" She replied in her Scottish lilt, flashing a bright dimpled grin that reached all the way to her emerald eyes.
"Shoah." Jack shrugged and smiled back. "Its still early, a few moah days like dis an we'se gonna have a nice bit of savin's." He knew, from Hope, that Chloe's birthday was in a few days. She'd be sixteen and he was determined to get her something nice, if not expensive, for a gift.
*
Whistles blared behind her, spurring her on. She sprinted down the side street and through a narrow alley. Raven could hear Jack Kelly's deep voice calling out headlines close by. She ran faster, her worn boots clapping against the pavement. Six bulls chased her, the dumb-asses. She hadn't meant to hit the cop in the rear end with her slingshot. Hell, under normal circumstances she couldn't hit the broad side of a building if she were more than five feet away, Spot even teased her about being the worst shot in Brooklyn, so how could she possibly have expected to hit the fat old bull as he bent over to pick up a coin he found in the street? She'd been aiming for the wagon on the other side of him.
Rounding the corner, she saw Kelly and a new kid. They looked bored. She turned her head as the first bull headed down the alleyway and slammed full force into the new kid's side, knocking him sprawling and their hats both tumbled to the ground.
"Woah, Rave, wheah's da fiah!?" Jack cried out as he grabbed her shoulders to keep her from joining the tall newbie on in the dirt.
"Hi Jack!" She panted. "Bye Jack!" She made a move to run again but Jack had hold of her arm. "Jack really lemme go!" He kept hold of her arms. "BULLS!" She yelled when it became evident he wasn't planning to let her go without further explanation. The outburst had it's desired effect and he let go of her arm. She took off again at a dead runm but not before scooping up her hat from the ground.
*
"You awright kid?" Jack reached down and pulled Chloe to her feet then snapped up the tattered cap left behind. He smacked it on his thigh, sending a puff of dust into the air. She brushed the dust off her self and nodded. He handed her the cap. She looked at it oddly. "What is it?" Jack asked.
"Uh, this is no' me hat." She shook her head, a little perturbed.
A second later, the bulls rounded the corner, whistles blaring, heading right for them. Jack grabbed her hand and took off running, pulling her behind him. Chloe's legs were quite long, though not as long as Jack's, so she had to work to keep up with him. She trailed behind him, her legs pumping so hard she was grateful for the lack of skirts to tangle around her legs. Jack darted down a side alley and they pressed up against the wall silently, watching the bulls pass them by.
"What was that!?" Chloe panted, bent over, her hands on her knees, clutching the foreign newsie cap in her hand.
"That," Jack smirked as he caught his breath, "is Raven." He leaned back against the alley wall. "You awright?"
"Aye." She replied, rubbing her side where she'd been hit. Her pocket felt oddly heavy. Her brows knitted together as she slid her hand into her pocket and pulled the bulky object from her pocket. She frowned down and the gold pocket watch. "What in the world?"
Jack shook his head. "Who knows wit her?" He mumbled.
"Uh, Jack...ya might wanna see this." Chloe held out the watch by its broken chain.
Jack turned his hand palm up and Chloe placed it into his hand, letting the chain pool down into his hand. He studied the watch closely. "She's somethin else."
"Is she a newsie?" Chloe arched a dark brow in question. She didn't remember meeting her at the LH when introductions were made.
"Yeah, but she's from Brooklyn. This must be why Rave was runnin' from da bulls." He explained as he turned the watch over. "Nice woik." He mused at the expensive craftsmanship on the item. "She'll be wantin' ta reclaim dis."
Chloe looked from it to the dark cap she clutched. "Good, I'll be wantin' ta claim back me 'at." She raised the cap to show Jack. "'ow do we get it back to 'er?"
"We gotta go ta Brooklyn." He shrugged as if it were the only obvious choice.
A sing-songy whistle came from above them. "No ya don't" The small Italian girl with dark auburn hair smiled down at them from the rooftop.
Jack chuckled. "Ya know Rave, you're gonna get yerself killed one of dese days."
Raven smirked.
"May I 'ave me hat back, please?" Chloe squinted up at her, the early afternoon sun glaring off a window and blinding her a bit.
"Shoah kid!" Raven shimmied down the drainpipe and dropped to her feet just a few feet from Chloe.
Chloe offered the hat to her. She was a bit miffed that the smaller girl would drop stolen property into her pocket.
Raven switched hats with her then spat in her hand and held it out to her.
Chloe hesitated a moment, then spat in her own hand and accepted the shake.
"Good choice." Raven smirked. "I like this one Jack."
"You would." He grinned in response. "Dis is Scrappah."
The smaller girls face twitched. She raised a brow and her lip curled up into a look of sheer disapproval. "Dat is an ugly goils name."
Chloe's nervous smile faded.
"Don't worry kid, I won't say nuttin." Raven winked. "Uh, da watch Kelly?" She held out her hand.
He placed the watch in her palm.
"T'anks." She tipped her hat. "Well, bettah be gettin back, wouldn't want Conlon ta flip his lid." She rolled her eyes, scurried up the fire escape, and disappeared onto the rooftop.
Sage gaped after her, completely unsure as to what just occured.
"You awright? She slammed inta ya pretty hard." He brushed some dust from her shoulder. His touch lingered just a beat too long.
Chloe gulped and nodded. "Aye."
Jack dropped his hand.
"She doesnae like me name." Chloe frowned.
"Apparently not."
"Do I need a different one?"
Jack shrugged. "Scrappah is kinda guyish..."
"But that's kinda the point, is it no?" She looked up at him.
"Yer right...so keep it." Jack looked into her eyes. "But uh...if ya was ta change it...I'd call ya Sage."
"Sage?" She cocked her dark brow. "Why sage?"
"Cuz dat's da collah of yer eyes." His brown eyes twinkled from the smile that curved his lips.
"You...you noticed the colour of me eyes?" Her cheeks flushed and she was sure he could hear her heart pounding it was so loud.
"Yeah." He nodded, blushed slightly and hurriedly looked away."
"Uh...Jack?" She blushed fiercely and ground her booted toe into the dirt floor. "What should I go by then?"
Jack considered this for a moment. "Scrappah to da guys, I guess. Foah now...but when it's just us I'll call ya Sage." He smirked. "If dat's awright?"
Sage smiled back. "Aye, that's fine."
"Right then, Sage," he helped her tuck her hair back under the cap. "Let's go get some moah papes befoah dey's all gone."
**
end chapter 13
**
SOs
Ok, not long ones this time cos I just want to get this story going again. Sorry guys
Raven - I would be soooo stuck on this without your help. Thanks man you are a star! 143
Rye - I need my kilted muse back! *sobs* I miss you!
Stretch
Ershey
Hope
Sparks Runaway
Tree
BoogityWhup14
Gamester Cladsl
Moon
Zippy
"Guv'nah of Kentucky wanted foah murdah!" Jack shouted and waved his last two papes above his head.
Chloe smiled at him and yelled, "Eight killed in oil well explosion!"
Jack sold out and walked across the street to where Chloe stood. "Ya wanna go get some moah aftah ya sell dat one? Oah should we take the extra time an go ta da pahk or sommat?"
They'd sold together each day for the week following the night on the roof. Jack wanted to protect her, true, but he also liked her company. They joked a bit and talked about lots of different things, some as silly as their favorite sweet or color. They hadn't really been too serious or intense since her revelations about her family. Jack just wasn't sure what to say, so they kept to small talk. But it was still enjoyable.
"Do ya mind if we sell while it's good and tak' the time later for play?" She replied in her Scottish lilt, flashing a bright dimpled grin that reached all the way to her emerald eyes.
"Shoah." Jack shrugged and smiled back. "Its still early, a few moah days like dis an we'se gonna have a nice bit of savin's." He knew, from Hope, that Chloe's birthday was in a few days. She'd be sixteen and he was determined to get her something nice, if not expensive, for a gift.
*
Whistles blared behind her, spurring her on. She sprinted down the side street and through a narrow alley. Raven could hear Jack Kelly's deep voice calling out headlines close by. She ran faster, her worn boots clapping against the pavement. Six bulls chased her, the dumb-asses. She hadn't meant to hit the cop in the rear end with her slingshot. Hell, under normal circumstances she couldn't hit the broad side of a building if she were more than five feet away, Spot even teased her about being the worst shot in Brooklyn, so how could she possibly have expected to hit the fat old bull as he bent over to pick up a coin he found in the street? She'd been aiming for the wagon on the other side of him.
Rounding the corner, she saw Kelly and a new kid. They looked bored. She turned her head as the first bull headed down the alleyway and slammed full force into the new kid's side, knocking him sprawling and their hats both tumbled to the ground.
"Woah, Rave, wheah's da fiah!?" Jack cried out as he grabbed her shoulders to keep her from joining the tall newbie on in the dirt.
"Hi Jack!" She panted. "Bye Jack!" She made a move to run again but Jack had hold of her arm. "Jack really lemme go!" He kept hold of her arms. "BULLS!" She yelled when it became evident he wasn't planning to let her go without further explanation. The outburst had it's desired effect and he let go of her arm. She took off again at a dead runm but not before scooping up her hat from the ground.
*
"You awright kid?" Jack reached down and pulled Chloe to her feet then snapped up the tattered cap left behind. He smacked it on his thigh, sending a puff of dust into the air. She brushed the dust off her self and nodded. He handed her the cap. She looked at it oddly. "What is it?" Jack asked.
"Uh, this is no' me hat." She shook her head, a little perturbed.
A second later, the bulls rounded the corner, whistles blaring, heading right for them. Jack grabbed her hand and took off running, pulling her behind him. Chloe's legs were quite long, though not as long as Jack's, so she had to work to keep up with him. She trailed behind him, her legs pumping so hard she was grateful for the lack of skirts to tangle around her legs. Jack darted down a side alley and they pressed up against the wall silently, watching the bulls pass them by.
"What was that!?" Chloe panted, bent over, her hands on her knees, clutching the foreign newsie cap in her hand.
"That," Jack smirked as he caught his breath, "is Raven." He leaned back against the alley wall. "You awright?"
"Aye." She replied, rubbing her side where she'd been hit. Her pocket felt oddly heavy. Her brows knitted together as she slid her hand into her pocket and pulled the bulky object from her pocket. She frowned down and the gold pocket watch. "What in the world?"
Jack shook his head. "Who knows wit her?" He mumbled.
"Uh, Jack...ya might wanna see this." Chloe held out the watch by its broken chain.
Jack turned his hand palm up and Chloe placed it into his hand, letting the chain pool down into his hand. He studied the watch closely. "She's somethin else."
"Is she a newsie?" Chloe arched a dark brow in question. She didn't remember meeting her at the LH when introductions were made.
"Yeah, but she's from Brooklyn. This must be why Rave was runnin' from da bulls." He explained as he turned the watch over. "Nice woik." He mused at the expensive craftsmanship on the item. "She'll be wantin' ta reclaim dis."
Chloe looked from it to the dark cap she clutched. "Good, I'll be wantin' ta claim back me 'at." She raised the cap to show Jack. "'ow do we get it back to 'er?"
"We gotta go ta Brooklyn." He shrugged as if it were the only obvious choice.
A sing-songy whistle came from above them. "No ya don't" The small Italian girl with dark auburn hair smiled down at them from the rooftop.
Jack chuckled. "Ya know Rave, you're gonna get yerself killed one of dese days."
Raven smirked.
"May I 'ave me hat back, please?" Chloe squinted up at her, the early afternoon sun glaring off a window and blinding her a bit.
"Shoah kid!" Raven shimmied down the drainpipe and dropped to her feet just a few feet from Chloe.
Chloe offered the hat to her. She was a bit miffed that the smaller girl would drop stolen property into her pocket.
Raven switched hats with her then spat in her hand and held it out to her.
Chloe hesitated a moment, then spat in her own hand and accepted the shake.
"Good choice." Raven smirked. "I like this one Jack."
"You would." He grinned in response. "Dis is Scrappah."
The smaller girls face twitched. She raised a brow and her lip curled up into a look of sheer disapproval. "Dat is an ugly goils name."
Chloe's nervous smile faded.
"Don't worry kid, I won't say nuttin." Raven winked. "Uh, da watch Kelly?" She held out her hand.
He placed the watch in her palm.
"T'anks." She tipped her hat. "Well, bettah be gettin back, wouldn't want Conlon ta flip his lid." She rolled her eyes, scurried up the fire escape, and disappeared onto the rooftop.
Sage gaped after her, completely unsure as to what just occured.
"You awright? She slammed inta ya pretty hard." He brushed some dust from her shoulder. His touch lingered just a beat too long.
Chloe gulped and nodded. "Aye."
Jack dropped his hand.
"She doesnae like me name." Chloe frowned.
"Apparently not."
"Do I need a different one?"
Jack shrugged. "Scrappah is kinda guyish..."
"But that's kinda the point, is it no?" She looked up at him.
"Yer right...so keep it." Jack looked into her eyes. "But uh...if ya was ta change it...I'd call ya Sage."
"Sage?" She cocked her dark brow. "Why sage?"
"Cuz dat's da collah of yer eyes." His brown eyes twinkled from the smile that curved his lips.
"You...you noticed the colour of me eyes?" Her cheeks flushed and she was sure he could hear her heart pounding it was so loud.
"Yeah." He nodded, blushed slightly and hurriedly looked away."
"Uh...Jack?" She blushed fiercely and ground her booted toe into the dirt floor. "What should I go by then?"
Jack considered this for a moment. "Scrappah to da guys, I guess. Foah now...but when it's just us I'll call ya Sage." He smirked. "If dat's awright?"
Sage smiled back. "Aye, that's fine."
"Right then, Sage," he helped her tuck her hair back under the cap. "Let's go get some moah papes befoah dey's all gone."
**
end chapter 13
**
SOs
Ok, not long ones this time cos I just want to get this story going again. Sorry guys
Raven - I would be soooo stuck on this without your help. Thanks man you are a star! 143
Rye - I need my kilted muse back! *sobs* I miss you!
Stretch
Ershey
Hope
Sparks Runaway
Tree
BoogityWhup14
Gamester Cladsl
Moon
Zippy