Mizu-chan's Notes: Back to a longer chapter! Thanks again to everyone who has been reviewing, it means a lot!
Bitemytoemrmoe – Hehe, thanks, I love putting up those questions for some reason. They make me think of old B-horror movies. Oh! And about Spot being a total ass last chapter… mwahaha, don't worry, Selece is going to make him regret that very soon.
Pancakes – Here is the next chapter! I hope you like it! Thanks for reviewing!
Lestat – I hope you enjoy chapitre fourteen, let me know what ya think!
Venice – Thanks for the review, I'm glad you enjoyed the Story of Uhm so far. But don't worry, there are a few more chapters left. I would never leave ya hanging!
All righty, well, on with the fic!
Chapter 14
Selece nearly collapsed. She had been running for so long, barely stopping to rest, with no idea of where she was going. The girl took a few more steps until she reached the nearest building. With a moan of despair, she slammed her fist into the rough wall. As the blood slowly trickled from her knuckles, she slithered to the ground; tears beginning to fall slowly down her pale face. At that moment, she didn't care about the looks she was getting. She didn't care what happened to her. She just had to cry. Nothing was making sense anymore.
"Uhm? Uhm from Manhattan? Is that you?"
Selece growled. Who was bothering her now? Couldn't they see she was having a 'session'? With another growl, the girl lifted her blurred gaze from the concrete to a familiar female face. Her eyes went wide as she murmured out a low, "KaaKaa?"
"Yep, that's me. What ya doing here?" Kaa said, tilting her head as she held out a hand. Selece accepted and was helped to her feet. Kaa felt the warmth of blood seeping onto her fingers and she took a closer look at the hand she was holding. "What ya do to that?"
"I.. punched the wall," Selece replied, looking down.
"Aw, that wall didn't do nothing to you," Kaa gently teased, her face bright with a soft smile. She patted the brick wall softly, "Uhm is sorry, she didn't mean to!"
Selece blinked a few times, watching Kaa pat the wall. She couldn't help but giggle through her tears at such a ridiculous sight. Kaa released Selece's hands, grinning broadly.
"So, why ya way out here?"
"Where am I?"
"Why.. you're in the great Midtown!" Kaa said, swinging her arms around as though to show-off the district. "Well, you on the border. Lucky for you I was on the way to Manhattan."
"Oh, well, I'm not headed for Manhattan."
"Then I'll show ya where the bridge to Brooklyn is," Kaa informed, giving a quick nod.
"No, that's alright."
Kaa narrowed her eyes. She had known something was wrong before. But she had brushed it off, thinking Selece must have just gotten lost. Now, though, she knew it was something more.
"Hey, Uhm, something wrong?"
"No, of course not. Why would you ask such a silly question?" Selece sniffled out as she frantically wiped at her sudden tears with her fragile hands.
Kaa sighed; it must be guy troubles. She knew Spot was a bad seed from the beginning. Kaa slung her arm around Selece's shaking shoulders, a lopsided grin taking over her face, "You wanna stay in Midtown for a little while 'til you're feeling better?"
"Yes!" Selece nearly shouted as she pounced on Kaa, giving the girl one of the tightest hugs she had ever experienced in her life. Once she was released, Kaa coughed a few times, regaining her breath with a chuckle.
"I'll show ya to the lodging house then," Kaa said, turning back and headed in the opposite direction of where she had originally been going. Oh well, Dave could be stood up for a day. It wouldn't scar him that much.
"Okay, Uhm, tell me what happened," Kaa said softly as she watched potential customers pass her by. The woman set the papers down on the street corner, sitting on one half and urging Selece to sit on the other half, which Selece did.
"Uhm, we had a fight," Selece said, twiddling her thin thumbs around each other. She watched the two limbs for a while before looking over to Kaa.
"Eh, boyfriend and girlfriend always have fights. Don't let it bother ya that much," Kaa said, with a smile.
"Oh, Spot and I aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. We were just pretending," Selece said, a small chuckle escaping her lips.
"Really!" Kaa's eyes nearly bulged from her head. She stared at Selece as if she had grown an extra head. "Why were you pretending!"
"Oh, to escape all that immature 'Spot and Uhm sitting in a tree' stuff," Selece said, waving it off like it was nothing. "Spot thought of the idea."
"Hmm," a grin lit up Kaa's face. She waved a finger in Selece's face, tapping her lightly on the nose. "Maybe it wasn't an act like ya think it was."
"W.. what!" Selece said, backing her head away from Kaa's tapping. A bright crimson had engulfed most of her pale face as her heart raced with that one small question repeating itself over and over. Was Kaa right? "S.. s.. s.. uhm.. so, tell me about you and Dave," Selece quickly said, changing the subject.
"Heh!" Kaa gave Selece a quick playful smack on the head before straightening up, her eyes gleaming like fire. "Davey.. Davey is.. well, he's my guiding light in an ocean of darkness. No one can take him away from me!"
Selece stared on, watching the girl as she spoke. There was such happiness to her face and in her voice. Kaa loved Dave. It was apparent and there was nothing anyone could do to shake that. Selece smiled, wishing she could love someone that much then spoke again, "How did you two meet?"
"During the strike. I think that's when everyone who's together now met. When I first saw him, at that rally, I thought what a wuss. And then," Kaa sighed as the words drifted dreamily from her mouth. "And then he looked at me. I dunno how he saw me through all those newsies but he did. And our eyes met. Our fate was sealed." Kaa's words fell off in a breathless sort of way.
Selece smiled, watching the girl land from her emotional high. "That's beautiful, KaaKaa. You two must really love each other."
"Of course we do! And my names Kaa!" laughed Kaa as she good-humoredly shoved Selece off the papers. "Listen, Uhm, I know how funny love is. Sometimes ya dun realize that's what you're feeling. Sometimes ya dun wanna feel what you're feeling. Sometimes ya wish ya never met the person. But, Uhm, if ya never met that person.. ya wouldn't be fulfilled. Do you understand?"
Selece let the words of this older girl sink in slowly. And she nodded for that was the only thing she figured she could do at the moment. Kaa smiled, pulling Selece closer to her. "I know it hurts, Uhm. But ya gotta do what ya heart tells ya to," the older girl ran her fingers through Selece's rough hair, smiling softly.
"Thanks, KaaKaa," Selece murmured, listening to the older girl laugh at the name again. The two then remained sitting there on the papers, each lost in their thoughts. Selece realized she had found comfort in one of the least expected places…Midtown.
"So den Davey says 'Kaa, I think I like ya. And I say 'I think I knew that'."
Selece laughed her head off as Kaa finished one of her many humorous David tales. It was later that evening. They had retired early to the bunkroom instead of going out somewhere that night. They didn't have the money to! Kaa hadn't sold any papers that day because she was too busy with Selece. They were the only two left in the female bunkroom. All other Midtown newsgirls were out with their "boys" tonight. It didn't bother Kaa or Selece in the least.
"Wow, you and Davey are such a perfect couple. His stupidity and your tolerance for it!" Selece said, a lopsided grin gracing her face. She knew what Kaa's reaction would be even before the older girl whacked Selece softly against the head.
"Hey! No one calls my Davey stupid! He's just a bit slow.." At that, the two both collapsed into laughter.
"Ya know, KaaKaa. I'm glad I met you. I haven't had a female friend for so long," Selece said. She didn't mean in just the few days she had been a newsie. Selece had never been good with girls her age. They always took her as a snob for never speaking. The girls her age would never let her get close so she never had the nerve to just start talking to them. But Kaa had talked to her and befriended her even if she had given off the air of a snob. With a big smile, Selece gave the girl a big hug. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me. Makes it sound like I was forced to be your friend. And dun call me KaaKaa! I ain't no crow!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, KaaKaa," Selece said, her face twisting into the innocent grin of a three year old. Kaa made a face as once again the new nickname was spoken and in sheer moments the two had collapsed into another bout of laughter.
"Kaa! Kaa!" A voice shouted along with about a dozen pair of feet racing up the stairs of the Midtown Lodging House.
"Hey! They called you KaaKaa too!" Selece shouted, her face lighting up. Kaa smirked, slugging the younger girl softly in the chin. Once again the two shared a mutual laugh.
"Kaa!" a final yell as six girls flew into the girl bunkroom. Their faces were as pale as Selece's and their eyes were bulging from their heads. Each was breathing heavily, as though they had run a great deal. One staggered over to Kaa's bunk, collapsing onto the mattress.
"Gambla? What's wrong?" Kaa said, her eyes blazing with worry as she leaned closer to her friend. Selece sat there silently, watching the girl called Gambler intently.
"We just heard.. Brooklyn is in a riot! They ambushed Spot Conlon!" Gambler said as she slowly regained her breath. The five other girls, who remained standing, all nodded their heads eagerly awaiting Kaa's reaction.
"What!" Kaa glanced swiftly over to Selece who suddenly looked tired and about to collapse. Kaa winced at the sight. "Who led this ambush against Spot?"
"That Sugar girl! Do you remember when she came to Manhattan when we was there?" Gambler said, her eyes going wide. "I always knew she was blood-thirsty! We gonna do anything? All the boys wanna help Spot out."
"Well, there's really nothing we can do tonight. It's too late but if everyone's okay with it, we can go to Brooklyn tomorrow," Kaa spoke. For some reason, since she hadn't been there when the girls had first been told of the news, Kaa had somehow been given the leadership of the female newsies of Midtown. At least for tonight. She didn't mind it that much although having all those eyes on her, waiting for her to tell them what to do, was a bit nerve wracking. "Is everyone okay with that?"
Slowly, all the upset Midtown newsgirls shared glances and nods. Gambler then turned back to Kaa, "Yeah, we fine with it." For some reason, that caused the five standing girls to burst into uproarious laughter. "We'll be back later then, Kaa," Gambler said with a smirk. She stood up and quickly walked back down the stairs, the rest of the girls following her.
"Heh, knew I couldn't be the leader for that long!" Kaa said, chuckling. She glanced over to Selece who, although naturally pale, looked even paler then before. Kaa immediately fell serious, "Uhm, it's probably just silly gossip. Brooklyn would never try to hurt Spot Conlon."
"But, Kaa," Selece looked nervous. Kaa didn't know Sugar and how terrible Sugar could be. "What if it's true?"
"If, and I say if, it's true, it'd be dangerous going to Brooklyn on your own. They gonna be after everyone who they think might try to help Spot," Kaa said, staring Selece straight in the eye. "So don't do nothing until tomorrow. Don't try to be no heroine. Brooklyn's dangerous already, with or without Spot Conlon as the leader, got it?"
"Yeah," Selece mumbled, glancing to the ground.
"Promise me ya won't try nothing?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Well, we should get some sleep."
"Yeah."
"Goodnight, Uhm."
"'Night, Kaa," Selece climbed onto the top bunk, pulling the thin sheet over her. She stared at the wall, eyes wide open long after Kaa fell to sleep.
Why would anyone ambush Spot?
Will Selece really stay in Midtown?
Does this story reek or what?
I'm sure you all can't wait for the next ultra-cool part of..
THE..
STORY..
OF..
UHM!
