Learning Magic
Chapter Four
Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies, or the characters, only Andra, and Milkshake, Kait, and Marbles. Relay owns herself. Please excuse any errors!
"Better get going huh?" Marbles suggested at the end of the night. Caught off guard by this statement, I whirled around and looked out the window. It was dark. Pitch black dark. This disappointed me greatly because it meant that the party was just about ending. I had gotten so wrapped up in the conversations these girls were having, that I totally forgot about my plan.
"I'm heading off to Queens." Kait said, waving as she walked away, soon accompanied by a dark haired boy. I watched her leave. Soon, the rest of the left too. I went to the table Race had been at, but found it empty. Muttering under my breath, I went to find them.
"Hey dollface." A voice addressed me. I turned around, finding myself face to face with Spot. He didn't really look like himself. In fact I am most sure that he was drunk. The way he walked, well he wobbled, grabbing onto me for support. I couldn't think of anything to say to him. Finally, something sparked and I said it.
"Conlon, wha' da hell are ya doin?" I asked, swatting his hand off my shoulder. He looked at me funny, then smiled, dragging me into a nearby room, which was more of a closet. Without hesitating, he leaned into me and smacked his lips into mine. I tried to scream, but couldn't. I tried to push him off, but he countered and shoved me into the wall. I stared at him, horrified as he came in again. This time though, I was ready. I slapped his face, sobering him a bit. He recoiled and stared at me.
"Wha' was dat for."
"Fer tryin' ta rape me dat's what!" I screamed at him.
"Rape, you?" He asked, sizing me up. I slapped him again. Bad move. He grabbed me by my wrists and pulled me up to his face. "Don't get so smart wit me." He told me, tightening his grip. I almost kicked him, but knew this would be fatal. "Look at me goil." He told me, forcing my face to look at his. "I won't tolerate dis no longah. Ya 'ave pissed me off too much. I don't care if ya is a goil or not. I will beat ya down, ya hear?" He asked, letting go of me and pushing me into the wall again. He looked at me with fire blazing in his eyes.
"Ya ain't da boss of me." I yelled at him. He seemed a little shocked by my response, but said nothing. He was about to leave, but then he turned around.
"Speak of dis ta anyone, an', well ya don't wanna know what'll happen." He said dangerously. "Yes I do." I retorted, making him spin around quickly. He walked back to me, almost pressing his nose against mine.
"Oh no you don't little miss Magic. No you don't." With that, he left for good, leaving me in the darkened closet. I waited a bit before I left. I didn't want to talk to him again, ever.
When I finally did come out, Race was standing outside the closet door, Kid Blink was with him.
"What was ya doin' in dere?" He asked jokingly. I didn't answer his question.
"Can we jus' go home?" I asked them, walking out the door of the warehouse, headed for Manhattan. They shrugged and followed me.
We were halfway there when Race caught up to me and grabbed my arm. I winced as he did this, and he backed off.
"Doll, what's wrong?" He asked. I insisted that I was fine. He raised an eyebrow at me, but believed me. When we got back to the Lodging House, I walked straight up to my room, and started to change into a new outfit. While I was lifting my shirt off, someone barged in the door. I instantly jumped on my bed and threw the covers over my chest.
"Who is it, an' wha' da hell do ya want?" I yelled at the intruder. It was Jack. He closed the door a little bit, but once I was safely under my covers, he came back in.
"Wha' was dat?" He asked me, concerned. I stared at him with wide eyes.
"My breast, why?" I asked, offended greatly. He chuckled.
"No, not that, that, that scar thingy." He indicated to my side. I blushed.
"Jus' dat. A scar thingy." I responded irritably. He wouldn't take that for an answer.
"I mean how did ya get it?" He asked.
"Dat's none of ya busniess." I told him angrily. "I don't like ya prying into my personal life."
"Sorry. Jus' curious." He said, not moving from my bed.
"Could ya knock next time?" I asked him, losing a bit of my anger as he nodded.
"So, why is ya heah wit us again?" He asked, turning to face me. I was a little shocked at this question, but didn't think twice about answering it.
"Well, my life was always rough at home. I grew up wit 9 siblings. My father was abusive, an' me muddah didn't really care. So much happened. Me, my sister Alisa, and my bruddah Jason had ta care of all da younger kids. While my oldest brother, Griffin did his own thing, wit his girlfriend. Finally, he got her pregnant. Only took him 4 months. A new record."
"Anyways, he was too distressed, because her parents were furious an' forbid dere daughter ta see him again. I t'ink he ended up killin' himself because of it. I don't know da details anymore. I wasn't paying attention ta him." I paused, not wanting to continue. He didn't expect me to. He just nodded his understanding, patted my back, and left the room.
"You'll clean around den tamorrow?" He asked me. I nodded, furious with him. I may or may not. It depended on what my mood was the next morning. If it was anything like it was now, then I would refuse.
"Hey, dollface, time ta get up." I heard Jack's voice in my ear the next morning, and felt his hand nudging me awake. I groaned. Morning already, impossible. I rolled over on my stomach and groaned some more. "Quit ya moanin' an' get up." He told me, rolling me onto my back and pulling the covers off. I reluctantly opened my eyes, and rubbed the crusty stuff out of them.
"Wha do ya want?" I asked him irritably.
"Get up! Time ta start dis wonderful day. Plus, ya get ta clean." He told me smirking, ruffling my hair around. I managed a slight smile as he did. "C'mon now, get up!" He said, putting his hands on my hips and hoisted me up.
"Calm down Cowboy. I'm goin'." I said, walking slowly, trying to aggravate him. It didn't work. Throwing my hands up in defeat, I walked out the door and headed to the wash room. Most of the boys were already up. Jack must have gotten to them too. I moved to the sink next to Racetrack, the only other boy I really trusted, other than Jack.
"Why's Jack so happy?" I asked him.
"Ya can neva really tell wit dat boy." He told me, shrugging. I splashed water in my face, savoring the feel of it.
"Ya 'ave no idea. Nuttin dat could lead ta such happiness?" I asked again.
"Nope. He musta had a good dream or somet'ing." He started. "I've got reason ta be happy though." He said, hinting that he wanted to tell me about it.
"Why are ya so happy?" I asked, grinning, as I washed my face.
"I'se got a hot tip taday. Old man Jordan told me bout numba t'ree. Dere ain't no way he can lose!" Race said, almost jumping up and down.
"An' ya believe dis guy?" I asked him. He nodded, wiping his face with a towel and left. I stared after him, laughing.
"Wha's so funny Magic?" I turned around and saw Kid Blink.
"Nuttin." I responded, crawling back into my shell. I wiped my face dry with a towel, and walked away, in search of Jack. I found him talking with Snipeshooter right outside the lodging house door. Not caring what they were talking about, I interrupted.
"Wheah should I start cleanin'?" I asked, putting a protective hand over my hair. Laughing at me, he pointed to the other side of the room.
"Da boys, dey wanna play truth or dare tanight. Make dat room shine!" He told me, patting Snipeshooter on the back, and left the lodging house. Snipes offered an encouraging smile, then he too, left.
I couldn't help but smile as I walked over to the room, and found a broom. I started to sweep up some of the dirt that had been collecting over a few months. Next, I straightened the chairs that were in the room. They had once been scattered around the room at various positions. Now they were neatly organized. I'm sure that within five minutes of the boys tromping around, they would again become scattered, but, it would be nice until then. Next, I dusted the mantel that was in the back of the room. Nothing was on it, except a couple cigars, some playing cards, and empty alcohol bottles. A nickel was also laying up there, so I took the liberty of putting it in my pocket. I decided I would give it to Jack for his fee this week.
After a couple of hours of cleaning, I was finally satisfied with the result. The wood flooring was not full of dirt, and I had tried my hardest to scrub the fingerprints off of the walls and mantel. I left the card and cigars where they were, to give the room the feeling of being clean, but not so clean. It would be more natural for them anyways. I finally gave in, and sat down on one of the chairs, exhausted. Just then I heard the front door open, and slam loudly. I instantly stood up. None of the boys should be back yet, this was the time they would go to Tibby's or something.
"It's not fuckin' fair!" I heard a voice yell.
"Hey now Higgins, keep ya language ta a minimum. Ya've got a lady in da house, an' she did a mighty fine job cleanin' for ya'se tanight." Kloppman told the boy, he groaned and trudged upstairs. I walked out to see Kloppman.
"T'anks, but it's fine. Let 'im say wha' he wants." I told him.
"Nah. It wasn't really fer your sake anyways, I hate it when dey do dat, but I live." He winked. "Who was that anyways?" I asked.
"Racetrack." He answered softly, walking back to his little room, next to the room I had just cleaned. I supposed he lodged there every night. I had never really paid attention to the man. Sighing, I decided to see what was the matter. I was dying to talk to someone, and if I could pick, I would have picked Race or Jack.
Quietly, I walked up the steps and opened the door to his bunkroom. He was sitting on his bunk, punching his pillow furiously, muttering profanities all the while. I hated to see people wallow in self-pity, and would take no more of it.
"Stop dat." I told him, putting my hands on my hips, glaring at him. He stopped suddenly, surprised that I had been watching him, but recovered quickly.
"Get da hell outta heah." He responded bitterly, clenching his fists. I didn't move.
"Why? Why are ya so upset?" I asked him, trying to keep my cool.
"It's really none of ya business." He told me, his face getting redder, a vain in his neck bulged. "Get da hell outta heah! I can't gurauntee I won't hurt ya!" He said, shouting now.
"Would ya jus' calm down!" I said, equaling his volume.
"It's not so easy ta do!" He yelled, standing up. I was fuming by now, my temper had gone sky high.
"Well make it easy ta do! Sit down for God's sake!" I shouted at him, putting my hands on his shoulder, forcing him down on his bed. "Now shut up an' calm down dammit!" I told him, sitting next to him, a firm grip on his shoulders. I could hear him muttering even more profanities. Some towards me, and some towards life, and even others toward a man and his hot tip. After a couple of minutes of waiting, I tried to talk to him again.
"Now, wha' is da problem?" I asked, rubbing his shoulders, trying to make him stay calm.
"Da problem is you! You'se is tryin' ta get me ta tell ya my problems." He said, still clenching his fists until his knuckles went white.
"Would ya jus' calm down an' tell me what da problem is. It's betta ta talk anyways." I told him. He sighed, finally giving in.
"Dat dumb man Jordan lied ta me. I wasted three days of sellin' cause of wha' he told me. Damn horse was da slowest dere." He said, his voice cracking. "I should've known ta check da odds anyways, but I was too excited. Didn't t'ink bout none of dat." He confessed bitterly to me. We sat in silence for a couple minutes more, until we heard more of the boys coming in. I stopped rubbing his shoulders, and removed my hands entirely from his back. I stood up, ready to leave him in solitude for awhile. To my surprise he stood up with me.
"I heah Jack wants ta play Truth or Dare tanight, an' I'se gotta see how well ya tidied up before it's ruined all over again tanight." He winked at me.
"Hey Race, heah, I found it. Ya can have it." I said, handing him the nickel I had found on the mantel. He took it, grinning at me.
Halfway down the steps, he waved to Skittery, running to join him as if nothing had happened. It amazed me. If I were in his position, I would have kicked him angrily out of the room, and sulked around the rest of the day.
"Hey Magic! Nice job taday!" I heard Jack calling to me from the floor below. Eagerly jumped down the stairs to join him.
"Ya t'ink so?" I asked him, smirking. He nodded, leading me into the already newsie filled room. They brought in dirt, and the chairs and the two tables were already strewn about the room, but I didn't care. I sat down on the floor, next to Jack and Boots, since all the chairs were taken. Race pulled out a cigar, and began chewing on it. The chatter began to die down a little, and soon it was awkwardly silent. Finally someone spoke.
"So we jus' gonna sit 'round heah all night? I could be hangin' wit some pretty ladies righ' bout now." Skittery said matter- of-factly. There were a few snickers coming from various spots in the room.
"All righ', since Skitts heah axed, we'se is gonna play a game of truth or dare."
a/n
Right, I know I have LOTS of explaining to do. I bet I have lost reviewers because of my lack of updating. I'm sorry. I had no inspiration for this story at all. I tried, I even rewrote the beginning of this chapter like two times! Finally, just the other day, I got some inspiration! I know how it's all gonna go now, so hopefully it won't take so long to update! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Shoutouts!
uninvisible: You crack me up! I love your reviews, they make me all warm inside! I hope you come back and review this! I know it's been a long time, but hopefully it won't be from now on!
Naughteelady: Thanks for reviewing. I know its been a long time! I hope you enjoyed this chapter though! Sorry for the llooongg wait!
Dimonah Tralon: Thank you for the review! Hope you like this one, and I hope you aren't mad about the long wait! Thanks again!
iaintgottaname: I'm sooo glad that you love my story! I hope you come back and review this chapter! I'm sooo sorry for the long wait. I hope it won't be so long in the future! Thanks again for the review!
Coin: I know you is in Ireland, so I'm not expecting a review right away! Hope you are having fun. And I hope you like this chapter when you get around to reading it!