Clippie and Pennie sat on the steps to the Manhattan Lodging House and sighed. Where was Prospect when you needed her? Not only were the boys acting like crazy ever since Prospect left for school but Kloppman demanded the next three months pay in advance. It was nuts!
"I say we just live on the streets," Clippie sighed. She was the braver of the two friends, the one who stood up to whatever or whoever was scary. She was tall with long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She wasn't bossy but liked to be the leader and ended up seeming bossy in the long run. "We're tough! I mean all the creeps spend their time at the brothel anyways!"
"Yeah but when Prospect...erm... when Caitlyn does come back she'd flip if she knew we'd been sleeping on the streets! I mean it—you heard her! She told us she'd send money once she got a couple parts in plays." Pennie didn't feel as confident as she felt. She was slightly shorter than Clippie with long black hair and brown eyes as well. She was very shy, except when she sold papers, and didn't mind being bossed. She did grow up with Prospect, after all.
"Yeah but that could be months!" Clippie groaned. "I know Prospect meant well but she really chose a bad time to leave." Prospect was Pennie's older sister and just like a sister to Clippie. She was a total flirt and always got on Pennie and Clippie's nerves when they'd like a boy only to lose his attention to the fingertips of Prospect.
"Shhh, hold your tongue here comes Skittery," Pennie hissed. "Hey Skitts how's it rollin'?"
"O.K." Skittery shrugged, his eyes distant.
"OK, please tell me it's not Prospect again." Clippie sighed, rolling her eyes. "I can't believe it Skittery! She didn't leave you she left here!"
"It's not that," Skittery snapped. He glanced down at Pennie and hesitated. "It's nothing." Then he quickly walked into the Lodging House.
"Um OK..." Clippie said slowly.
"Hey Clips," a deep voice said. Two hands were placed over Clippie's eyes and Pennie laughed.
"Ohh, I hate guessing games!" Clippie cried. "OK...um...Kid Blink? Wait...no...Jack!"
"Aw that was too easy," Jack laughed. "So what are you two ladies up to? Rejoicing in the departure of your pesky older sister?" He asked Pennie.
"Not exactly," Pennie sighed. "Actually we weren't rejoicing at all."
"Listen if you two need something just let me know," Jack said as he walked past them and entered the Lodging House.
"Yeah right," Pennie sighed. "He never means it."
"Come on," Clippie said, standing up and jumping off the stairs. "We gotta go meet Bumlets at Central Park."