(bounces in) Hello! I hope everyone caught the little conversation between Sam and Blink in the last chapter. If you don't remember, go back and read it and remember it because it will play a bigger role later on in the story. Okay, please enjoy!
"A hat?" Blink asked as if he hadn't heard me right. I nodded.
"Yes, Lucky's hat to be more precise. I forgot that I had it on this morning," I motioned for us to start walking back to the school. "Needless to say I got it taken up by that evil woman who calls herself a teacher."
"Teachers. I knew there was a reason I hated 'em. Which is why I dropped out." Blink said and I pursed my lips in a way reminiscent to Ms. Blackwell's.
"I know, don't remind me. You're perfectly capable of learning. You're just too lazy." Both of which are true.
"Aw, Siren, you're so good ta me," Blink said dramatically and poked my stomach. I gave a squeak of surprise and glared at Blink, who was laughing. "We should call ya Mouse instead of Siren. Fits ya bettah."
"No thanks. My swimming skills are much better than my ability to squeak, thank you very much. Which I only do when you poke me!" I added as an afterthought and pushed him playfully. That only made Blink laugh more and I soon joined in. I suddenly stopped when out of the corner of my eye I saw Allie watching the two of us. I turned to face her, but fear of being discovered made her turn away and walk back to the school. I sighed.
"Hey, you okay?" Blink asked, his laugh dying down and his tone changing completely. It was amazing how fast it took him to do that.
"It's my friend Allie. We got into a little fight this morning."
"About what?"
"It's better if you didn't know." I said. I know that if I told him, he would just blow it off and curse Allie, but something told me not to. Blink shrugged anyway.
"All right. Well, I'll let ya get back to...What was it? Oh yeah, commitin' a crime."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not 'committing a crime', Blink. I'm taking back what's rightfully mine...Lucky's, actually. Although, I'm really supposed to get it at the end of the day, so I guess it could be like a small act of theft. I'll tell you what is a crime, that teacher taking it up when she had no right to. There isn't even a rule written that hats of any kind aren't allowed!" Which was true! I scanned the rulebook inch by inch before school started, making sure that I knew everything in case something like this happens. I should wear it again just to make her angrier and when she asks for it, I'll repeat that section of the rulebook and show her. That would put her in her place.
"Tough break, kid. Good luck, though. Hey, I might come and bug ya at work later. Cat and Specs might come too if they can cut down on their little sessions." Blink said, smirking. I grinned.
"Okay. See you then." Blink and I hugged again, though this time it was different. We both lingered a while and our previous conversation popped into my head. I had never noticed before how strong his arms are, or how he always smells so nice. Wait a minute! I shouldn't be thinking like that! I guess he had the same thought because we both pulled away quickly and went our separate ways, Blink walking into the street while I jogged up the building steps.
After lunch ends, we the students usually gather our belongings and leave to go to our extracurricular class: Art, Theatre, Choir, or Musical Instrument. I was grateful that Allie and I parted here, she going to choir and I to theatre, because I don't think I could stand to be around her without bursting into a rage. I was still annoyed that she actually thought herself worthier than the newsies when in reality they were practically on the same society level.
David Jacobs, for example, was a newsie and had a home with loving parents, cute little brother, and- well had a sister after my sister and his moved to California together. I could understand if Allie came from a wealthy family, but she doesn't. So how could she even compare?
Leaving that problem alone for now I reached the school and acted normally, like I was waiting for the bell to ring. When it actually did I was close enough to my classroom to make a mad dash inside, take the hat from the desk drawer, and collect my books. On my way out the door I passed Ms. Blackwell, who gave me a stiff goodbye.
"Goodbye, see you tomorrow." I returned and pulled out the hat and deliberately put it on while still in plain view of Ms. Blackwell. Her eyes grew wide and she started to stutter and yell at me, but I just grinned casually as if nothing was wrong, turned around, and walked away, my grin turning into a triumphant smile. Like I said, no one took my best friend's hat and got away with it. No one.
School finally ended at three on the dot. I was so excited about the play that was coming up that I literally skipped my way to work and was even singing a tune under my breath. People have told me I am a very good singer. Whenever Les gets sick or is upset about something, David usually asks for me to sing to Les so that he could sleep easier throughout the night. I'm honestly not trying to sound arrogant, sometimes I get embarrassed when people ask me to sing for them. I remember one time, David and I had just met when I was fifteen, right after the strike ended and Les refused to go to sleep. He claimed that he was not even tired, but his cough was getting worse. Mrs. Jacobs grew extremely worried and told Les that he needed to rest if he ever wanted to get better and sell papers with David again. But the illness made him bitter and grumpy and he still refused sleep.
Finally, I said that I knew a song that my mother used to sing to me whenever I would get sick. Nothing big, just a small lullaby that always did the trick. So I had taken Les in my arms and rocked back and forth slowly while I sang, my soothing melodies making everyone within the vicinity drowsy. I saw David's eyes droop and snap back open, fighting it. When I finished, I looked down and saw that Les was fast asleep. From then on I was known as Siren for my incredible, as the boys have dubbed it, voice as well as my love for the water.
But all of the irony in this is that I chose to become an actress instead of a singer. I get so nervous when I have to sing that my hands start to shake and I get dizzy. Mother says it's a waste of my talent to not sing as well as act but she just doesn't understand.
"Well, little-miss-head-in-the-clouds decided to show up today. You're late, kid," a sharp voice interrupted my mind rant as I pushed open the back door of Amy's Lace Store. Amy's is where I work six days a week from three to nine. You would think that I would have time to do other things after work right? Wrong. I'm always so tired that all I want to do when I get home is sleep...after my hour of homework and dinner and bathing.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Don't apologize, Sam. Just get to work." The owner, Amy, snapped and shoved past me to the front of the store. I stumbled back and almost fell over a desk, but I caught a long silver pole above me that held already made clothes. Amy wasn't the nicest of people, she was right up there with Ms. Blackwell. But she was fair when it came to family emergencies and benefits, especially to us younger girls. That's something you don't come across everyday. This is only my third year here and at one fifty and hour my family was doing pretty well. Both of my parents worked too, Mother at the hospital across town and Father at a local bookstore. That's where I've received my immaculate book collection. Whenever the store has a sale, Father pays for a brand new book for me. I usually finish it within two days.
An hour of work got me nowhere. It was hot inside my cramped work area and a buzz was drifting through from the front desk. Those two mixed made me sleepy which was not a good combination, considering I was working with a sewing machine. The clock tower had just struck four and my progress had been slow. My mind kept wandering to places where it shouldn't. When Blink would be showing up with Cat and Specs...Going over my night's homework...The conversation with Blink about Amber...How hot it was, even for early April...Speaking of hot, so is Blink...Wait, what? That got me out of my sleepy state. I blinked and shook my head and bent over my work again.
No more than thirty minutes later, the back door creaked open and in bounced a girl hand in hand with a boy and another boy and girl just behind them. I smiled up at Blink, Lucky, Specs, and a girl with shoulder length black hair, tanned complexion, and dark brown eyes.
"Cat!" I said softly and I stood up from my desk and hugged my friend. Cat lived in Queens, quite ironic considering she was the leader of the girl newsies over there. She comes to visit about twice a week, sometimes three if she can get away. It's mostly because of Specs, everyone knows that, but she claims that she wants to see the others too. Lies, all lies.
"How are ya, Siren?" Cat asked, equally quiet.
"Great. I'm glad that you could come, that needle was starting to look pretty friendly." I joked and everyone attempted to keep their laughter muffled. The reason for everyone's quietness is because no one is permitted visitors during work hours, otherwise you would be fired on the spot. Amy always wants her employees to be focused on their job, not off chatting it up. I have no problem with this, except for days like today. I'm usually the hardest worker in here, something that Amy has made me observe, but something kept prodding at me to pay attention to. So, needless to say, a break was very welcomed.
"So, how's work?" Specs asked, still keeping his voice low. I shrugged.
"Boring today, I can't seem to focus."
"I have days like that sometimes. Where you're so concentrated on somethin' so much that nothin' else seems to mattah." Blink said wisely. I looked at him in surprise. He was full of knowledge today. Very odd for Blink.
"Yes, exactly," I agreed and turned to Lucky. "So did anything happen with You-Know-Who?" I asked eagerly. Cat and Specs wandered off to look at the different colored lace I was supposed to be sewing together and Blink still stood beside me and Lucky.
General POV
"Kinda." Lucky answered.
"Tell me!"
"Siren, can I talk to ya?" Blink asked.
"Can it wait, Blink? I really need to hear this," Samantha pleaded. Blink sighed and nodded and she beamed at him. "You're the best." She took Lucky to a small corner of the room and Blink reluctantly joined Cat and Specs, thinking of how he was going to tell her.
So what I just did with the switching of the POV's, was that weird?
Blink: No, not weird. Unique
Shut up
Blink: I'm serious!
Jack: Blink, shut up and let the girl talk
Blink: (mutters) Fine (crosses arms over chest and sulks)
(shakes head) ANYway, the last part, that's how it was written in my notebook and I liked it so much that I didn't want to change it. Plus how would Sam know what Blink wanted to talk to her about? Didn't make sense. I might be doing this a few more times throughout later chapters.
Hope you guys liked so REVIEW!
Newsies: Thank you!
What they said