Chapter 3

Cherish had spent the last 2 weeks ingraining herself in Raven's life, until she had made herself positively indispensable. She had begged and pleaded with Raven to be her selling partner. She spent every minute she wasn't with Jake, with Raven, she was even in the bunk below Ravens.

"So where do ya wanna sell taday Ice?" Raven asked. Cherish had had to get used to her name. But the newsies had started to shorten it to just Ice, which Cherish liked better. "I don't know. Central Park?" She suggested.

"A'right." Raven said and turned to kiss Jake quickly, the unknowing recipient of a cold glare from Ice, which changed into an excited grin the moment they broke apart. "Come on Raven." Ice said pulling her away from Jake towards the park.

"How are you an' Jake goin'?" Ice asked Raven casually as they started selling there papes. Raven smiled impulsively, "I t'ink d'at Jake is plannin' a surprise party fer our one year anniversary. He was never good at keepin' secrets." Raven giggled happily.

Ice kept smiling but inside her mind was whirling. Jake was organising a surprise party, she knew because Jake had asked her to help him. Casually Ice said, "well d'at might explain why 'e was in d'a pub with a red head a coupla days ago. Maybe it 'ad ta do wit' a party?"

Raven frowned, "What do ya mean?" Ice looked up all innocence and surprise, Ice thought her sentence out carefully before shrugging her slender shoulders and saying, "Ise sure it was nuttin', but Jake an I was walking around an' he said d'at he had ta go to da pub, I stayed outside, an' when he hadn't come out fer a while I peeked in an' saw 'im drinking an' laughing wit' a red head."

Ice patted Raven on the shoulder comfortingly, "Ise sure it was completely innocent Rav... really. You'se been going out for a year. D'at a long time. He wouldn't do anything ta distrupt d'at." Ice said cunningly as she saw doubt fill Ravens pretty face as she nodded as well... not quiet as sure as Ice seemed to be.

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"Jake, I'd like ya ta met Cleopatria... she's da friend I told ya about." Cherish said pointedly, reminding him of the conversation they had had about Cleopatria a friend of her sister Marea. Cherish had told Jake that she was... a little crazy, and did things without comprehending their consequences.

She had also told Jake that she may have some idea of who had been Marea's killer. That's why they were here, outside a pub, across from central park. To talk to crazy old Cleopatria. Of course everything she had said was a lie, but she was desperate. She had to break up Raven and Jake. Before Raven turned Jake against her and she lost him.

"Cleo, d'is is Jake. My friend. We'se here ta ask ya about something..." Cherish started and broke off as she saw Firefly, and Shasta standing in the park looking over at the group of three. "Excuse me a minute. Ise be right back okay?" Cherish offered warily to Jake who nodded slightly and tried to make small chat with Cleo as Cherish dashed over to Shasta and Firefly.

"Hey goils." Cherish said with planned light heartedness, then as if on cue, both girls eyes grew wide and Cherish turned to see Cleo kiss Jake passionate, with him doing nothing to resist. "Ohh.. ah... I guess... I forgot ya was coming... I... I'll show ya what I was gonna show you latah... I gotta go remind Jake about Ravens party. Sorry goils." Cherish said impressing upon them the honest reliable friendship she liked to appear to have with Raven.

"Ahh... soire... we will see ya back at d'a lodging house." Firefly said and Shasta gawked at both girls, "But what about..." Firefly stabbed her pointer finger into Shasta's ribs and dragged her away. Cherish said in a whisper loud enough to appear casual but that would still reach the two news girls, "Not again! He promised he wouldn't do d'is no more." Then, grinning quietly, Cherish made up a face of shock and ran to Cleo and Jake.

"Cleo! Stop d'at! Jake's got a goilfriend!" Cherish said jumping in between them. Turning to Jake, her back to Cleo, she looked apologetic, "Ise sorry, why don't ya start home, I'll catch ya in a second, I'll jest say goodbye." Cherish offered with a poised look of regret.

Jake nodded looking decidedly uncomfortable as he started walking away slowly so that Cherish could catch up. Turning to Cleo, Cherish smiled warmly and pulled out two-bits. "Good job, Martha. D'ey don't call ya operators in love, for no reason." Cherish said to the prostitute she had hired for this particular job.

Dashing after Jake she put her hand on his shoulder and said regretfully, "ise real sorry Jake, Ise didn't know she'd do d'at! But you handled it just like I told ya. She got bored a lot quicker, when ya jest let her have her way. Ohh... you have a liddle lipstick on ya lips, no no let me get it..." Cherish said as his hand went up to wipe it.

Pulling out her lace handkerchief, Cherish wiped one side of his mouth, of the disgusting bright red lipstick. Jake looked up and asked anxiously, "is it all gone now?" Jake went to touch his lips but Cherish grabbed both of his hands and stood in front of him so he would have to stop walking, "Its definitely all gone." Well that was the truth... if you closed your left eye, you couldn't see the red lipstick smeared on that side of his lips.