"Ya don't seem too upset, Ginger," Autumn told her as they walked around the docks. It was nearly evening the day after Spot broke it off with Ginger.
"I was at foist," she started, "but I then I noticed the new guy workin' at Sonny's." She twirled a few locks of her hair around her fingers. Her head pointed up toward the sky with a dreamy look in her eyes. "Did ya see 'im?"
"No." Autumn sighed. Ginger always got herself involved in short relationships, so sure that this guy would be the guy. But they all ended the same way; they used her and dumped her. She didn't seem to care or notice it at all. "Maybe you'se should take it easy fer a lil' while. Ya know?"
Ginger looked at her with a dumb expression on her face. "That's no fun."
"Sorry." They took a seat on a few crates as they watched everyone head back to their homes for the night. Tired and worn out workers wiped away the sweat from a hard day's work. Policemen patrolled the streets with absent eyes. A few young adults were starting to emerge for the night.
"I thinks we'se should stay in tonight," Autumn suggested as she kicked her feet around at the bottom of her crate.
"Why?" Ginger asked quickly.
"I'se just not in da mood ta go out. We go out every night."
"So?" Ginger's eyes grew to a fake sad look with puppy dog effect.
"Ging, don't do dat! It's hard livin' with you!" Autumn referred to the fact that they just moved in together at Ginger's aunt's apartment after each living with their families. Ginger's aunt, Kathryn, was young and lively, and for some reason had allowed them to coexist with her. They lived in a small, one-bedroom apartment near the bridge. Kathryn worked as a showgirl at a theatre and made just enough for them to stay with her.
"You pooper," Ginger insulted, pouting. She brought her hand up to her neck and scratched it a little. Her fingers felt a long, silver chain necklace around it. At the end, which reached just below her chest, was a small skeleton key. "Oh, shit!"
"What's 'a matta?"
Ginger pulled out the necklace and held it front of her face. "I forgot ta give dis back at Spot."
"You stole it?"
"NoâI took it from him when he was sleepin' and he doesn't know. At least I don't think so." A sudden look of terror ran across her face. "He's gonna kill me!"
Autumn let out a small laugh. "Sucks ta be you right now."
"Autumn, I'm serious! He's gonna hunt me down and murda me!"
"Ginger, relax," she said between giggles. "Just go give it back to 'im. Betta ya do it now so he doesn't 'hunt you down'."
The necklace dangled there innocently as the key swayed in the small breeze. Ginger didn't move as she stared at it, her face pale white. Suddenly it looked like a spark went off in her mind. "Will you'se go give it to him for me?" she pleaded.
"No! No, no, no," protested Autumn. "It's ya own damn fault for gettin' mixed up with him. I told yas he was a bad idea."
Ginger got up from her seat and stood in front of her, her hand gripping her friend's shoulders. "Please! Please, do dis for me and I won't eva ask ya for a single thing again!" she begged.
"Yeah, I'se believe that."
"Don't make me beg!"
"Ya already are!" she laughed. "And it's pretty pathetic, too."
Ginger stuck out her bottom lip and looked at her intensely.
Autumn sighed heavily and snatched the necklace from her. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "But you owe me big time."
Ginger smiled and wrapped her arms around her tightly, providing no air or room for Autumn to breathe.
"Okay, okay, let go 'a me!" Autumn pushed her back. "Ya like a little kid!" She got up from the crate and stretched her back out. "What d'you wants me ta say to him?"
"Um, just say dat I found it," Ginger answered hesitantly. "No! Say I was going through all da things dat remind me of him and dat was one 'a them! It'll make him feel bad for dumpin' me."
Autumn looked at her, wondering if Ginger was joking or not. "I'll go wit da foist one. I doubt tha second will work." She started toward the place where Spot was usually found, near the lodging house in the docks.
I do so much fer her, Autumn thought to herself. She looked at the piece of jewelry that must have had some sort of special meaning in the palm of her hand. Does he think he can get goils dis way? She shook her head to herself and let her arm fall to her side. Not at all, in any way whatsoever, was she impressed with Spot Conlon. To her, he was a cocky, power-hungry dictator with an ego as long as the Brooklyn Bridge.
She wrapped the necklace twice around her wrist, just in case anything should happen to it. It wasn't that she really cared about it; she just didn't want Spot to lash out at Ginger. So really she was just concerned about her best friend.
Out of nowhere a man carrying a big box on his shoulders bumped right into her, causing her to lose her balance completely and plunge into the river. She let out a high-pitched scream as she went under the water and popped back up again. The temperature was cold and her teeth chattered immediately. Her arms flailed as she started to panic. It was almost dark and she couldn't find where the ledge was. She checked her wrist to make sure the key was still there and rubbed the water out of her eyes.
"Ova heah!" a voice came from above her.
Autumn blinked and swam slowly toward a rope ladder that lead to the dock. The weight of her skirt made it practically impossibly to get there, but she managed to as the boy held out his hand for her. Finally she go to the ladder and put a death grip on the stranger's hand as he heaved her up with all of his strength.
Once safe on the dock, she laid there for a few moments, trying to catch her breath.
"You'se all right?" the boy asked, bent over her. "Ya must be freezin'."
She brushed her dripping brown hair away from her eyes and got to her feet. She felt as though she had on about twenty pounds of clothes as she wrung out her clothes. A shiver shot up her spine, causing her to shake a little bit.
"C'mere," he said and wrapped his arms around her, sliding his hands up and down her hands to keep her warm.
Autumn leaned against his strong chest as she let the body heat rush over her. She felt his muscle flex with every caring stroke. A few moments later, she realized she had absolutely no idea who the hell this person was and she instinctively jumped back. He came into view as he stood in front of her, the front of his shirt wet from being so close.
"We meett again," he smirked famously. "'Course not in da best situations, but I ain't about ta pass up a pretty face."
Shit, why did dis happen?! Autumn thought. She shook her wrist and felt the necklace still in tact. "Not heah to visit, Conlon, I just came by ta drop somethin' off." She brought her hand out in front of him.
Spot's smirk disappeared as she grabbed it from her. "Where'd ya get dis?"
"Ginger had it."
"Bitch," he muttered under his breath.
"Hey, don't say dat!" She gave him a quick punch to the arm.
Spot smiled, surprised. "Well, you twos are definitely different! Not a problem, though. I can handle a rough goil."
Autumn scoffed and turned around defiantly.
"Sure you'se don't wanna come inside to dry off a little bit?" he asked suggestively.
"I am not impressed by you, Spot," she protested. "So, don't go actin' all sweet and innocent. Everyone knows your reputation with goils."
Spot moved toward her and stood a foot from her. "Is dat right?"
Autumn looked up at him with pursed lips. "Goodbye, Mistah Conlon." Again, she turned around.
"Just so ya knows, I can see right through your shirt," he called. "I ain't complainin'."
Autumn pretended she didn't hear that as her face burned with embarrassment. The two parted in different directions for the night, subconsciously with each other on their minds.