It's great to get back here, Bam thought as she approached Sheapshed Races. Fleet and Jinx had prohibited her from going to the tracks after her attack, saying the walk was too much for her weakened state. Excited to get back to betting after a three-day absence, Bam quickly placed her bets and took a seat, eagerly waiting for the race to start.
"Heya dollface," Race casually slipped into the seat next to her. "Haven't seen you around dese parts lately. Where ya been?"
An image from her dream flashed in Bam's mind, leaving her almost happy to see Race. She shook the feeling off and retorted, "What's it ta you?"
"Whoa, sorry, just wonderin'!" Race threw his hands up in defeat. "So how are t'ings in Brooklyn goin'?" Race gave Bam a friendly smile, soon melted by the icy glare she returned.
"Look Race, if you're here just ta rub it in my face dat I got kicked out to Brooklyn and you didn't, den let me tell you now dat I ain't in da mood, so just move along."
"Geez, maybe I was just tryin' ta be nice…" Race muttered as he stood up abruptly, taking another seat a couple rows behind Bam. "Crazy goils. Ya try ta be nice and dey jump all ova ya… I just don't get 'em!"
For the rest of the afternoon, Race kept watch over Bam, like he had promised. Every once in a while, she would catch him looking at her, causing his cheeks to glow bright red. What da hell is he lookin' at, Bam wondered. Maybe I was a little harsh wid him… As she stood up to leave, she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Race stand up also and move toward the door, all the time looking around suspiciously.
"Hey Race!" She wasn't sure why she was doing this. Maybe she felt bad about being so rude to him early. Maybe she was afraid to walk alone, after what happened last time. Maybe she was just desperate. "Wait up!"
"What? Ya got something else ya wanna yell at me for?" Race's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You goils make no sense ta me. I try ta be friendly wid ya and ya accuse me of teasin' ya! I guess dat's what I get for bein' such a nice guy!" Race said with frustration.
"You? A nice guy?" Bam laughed. Race frowned and shook his head at her before walking away. "Race! Come back heah! Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Aw damn it, Bam thought. Why'd I say dat, he's just gonna make fun of me more! Bam didn't feel all that sorry, but preferred swallowing her pride and apologizing to Race rather than having to walk home by herself. She figured if she played her cards right, she could get him to walk with her to her lodging house on his way to Manhattan.
"What'd you just say?" Race paused.
"I said I'm sorry," Bam groaned inwardly. Did she really want to do this?
"Well!" Race laughed. "I never thought I'd hear dat outta your mouth!"
"Ya know what, just forget it. If you're gonna be a joik about it, den forget it." Bam was humiliated. She had lowered herself to apologize to Race, and he laughed at her! "I should of expected dat…" With that, she stormed away, too angry to be nervous about walking home by herself.
Race stood in disbelief, watching Bam disappear into the darkening streets of the early evening.
"Oh shit!" Race thought aloud when he remembered his promise to Jack. He hastily took off after the angry girl, keeping enough distance between them so she wouldn't notice him following her. He successfully tailed her for a couple blocks, until she suddenly turned a corner. He turned after her, but she was no where in sight. He stopped for a moment, searching the dim street for any signs of Bam, when she dropped down from a dark fire escape, right in front of him.
"Why are ya followin' me?" she asked accusingly. Race jumped, startled.
"Where da hell did you just come from?"
"Answer my question foist," Bam tried to sound threatening.
"I…" Race stuttered. He couldn't tell her the truth. Jack didn't want her to know that they were watching over her. "I… I just wanted ta say I'm sorry…"
"You're sorry?" Bam was caught off-guard by this. She regained her composure. "Why should I believe ya? How do I know you weren't plannin' on jumpin' me when my back was toined?"
"Why da hell would I wanna do dat?" Race was shocked by her accusation, but quickly realized where it stemmed from. "Besides, I'd neva hit a goil. Dat ain't right." Bam thought for a minute before deciding to believe Race. Her attacker had been muscular and loomed over her. Race was thin and at most, an inch taller than her. There was no way it could have been him, she finally decided.
"So you're sorry?" Bam asked cautiously. Race nodded.
"I'll been told we got off on da wrong foot. Wudda ya say I walk ya home and we try ta get on dat odda foot?" he said with a playful grin.
"It's worth a try," Bam smiled back.
The two chatted on their walk to the Brooklyn lodging house, both a little surprised by the ease in their conversation. As they reached the lodging house, neither noticed the shadowy figure watching them from the fire escape. The figure silently slipped through the window, into the bunkroom.
****Author's note****
This chapter gave me lots of trouble, so let me know if it's at all believable or if there are any holes anywhere!!! Thanks! *big hugs and sloppy kisses* bam.