At Horace Greely Statue, after selling papers. Echo laying on Horace statue's lap, and Arrow and Mare were sitting on base of statue.
As Skittery walked over to the square, I sat up and hopped off of Horace's lap, and onto the ground.
"Heya Skittery!" Arrow yelled.
"Hey. Hiya Mare, Hi Ech." Skittery smiled and put his arm over my shoulder. I guess I was his girl, but we hadn't talked about it since that day we kissed. We just kinda hung around each other a lot more, and kissed and things like that. That's the one thing I love about Skittery. He won't kiss me in front of people. That might sound crazy, but I like to keep things private. And so does he. (Not that we haven't gotten caught by people on some occasions.) But he doesn't make out with me in public, and I'm glad. I, personally, was disgusted when Kelly kissed Sarah the way he did in front of all those people. BLEH!
"Hi Skitt." I looked up at him and smiled.
"So, where's everyone else?" Mare asked.
"Ahem, like Jack." Arrow said, giggling.
"Shut up!" Mare muttered under her breath as she jabbed Arrow in the stomach with her elbow.
"Dey're comin'. Jacky found a goil starvin', and ya know how he loves ta be da hero. So's he took her in, an' now she's all cleaned up. You'se guys are gonna meet her when they get here." Skittery looked behind him to see if they were coming. Mare's face paled a bit and she looked down at her hands.
"Oh. He found a goil." Arrow put her arm comfortingly around Mare. Poor Mare. Finally starts ta move on from Sam an' Kelly don't even like her.
"Hey Skittery! We'se were wonderin' where ya were!" Jack said walking over. Kid Blink, Racetrack, Pie Eater, Mush, and Boots were with him. A small girl around Amuse's height was walking beside Jack. She had fair skin and straight blonde hair that looked like it was long, but I couldn't tell because it was twisted in a knot behind her head. Her blue eyes smiled at us.
"An' dis, ladies, is Kiki." Jack smiled.
"Hi." She looked at us.
"Hi Kiki!" I said smiling. "Nice ta meet ya!"
"Heya Kiki, listen do ya need a place ta stay? Cause you'se can stay at da goil's lodgin' house wit us if ya'd like." Arrow said.
"Thanks! That would be great!" Kiki said, now smiling.
"Let's get some food at Tibby's ya guys." Arrow said. Everyone but Mare started to walk towards the diner.
"What's wrong Mare?" I asked walking back over to her.
"Nothing, I'll be there in a minute." Mare said quietly, staring at her feet.
"Aw, common Mare. Jus' cause Kelly found her don't' mean anything. He's just… welcoming her into our group." I reassured her.
"You saw do way they looked at each other. I'se got a feeling sometin else happened between dos two dat they aren't tellin' us." Mare said. "It's alright, really. I didn't like him that much anyway."
"Now you know that ain't true—"
"Mare, Echo are ya comin'?" Mush jogged over to us. "We'se all waitin' for ya."
"Tell 'em ta go ahead, we'll be there in a minute." I told him. I looked at Mare. She nodded her head in agreement.
"Okay." Mush looked at Mare worriedly, but started to walk back to everyone. Hmm… maybe I can be cupid and help one of my friends for once. I smiled to myself.
"Actually, Mush, we'll go wit ya now." I said.
"Uhm… but—" Mush started to say.
"HEY SOME OF US ARE GETTIN' OLD OVA HERE YA KNOW! I KNEW WE'SE SHOULDN'TA SENT MUSH OVA THERE TA GET GOILS!" Racetrack yelled to us, then to the rest of the gang.
Mare shot me a questioning look, to which I mouthed, trust me. Poor Mush just looks back and forth between us with a confused look on his face.
"Common, let's go."
As we walked over to them, I started to drop behind Mare and Mush, and by the time we started walked to Tibby's, I was behind them completely, and everyone else was in front of them.
"So what's the matta Mare?" Mush asked.
"Nothing. Just some stuff." Mare muttered. I walked a little faster so I could hear them better. What? It ain't a crime ta eavesdrop on yer best friend's conversations wit a boy.
"I'se seen ya lookin' at Jack a lot. Is that what's wrong?" Mush asked. Ooo. He's good. No wonder why they call him Mush.
Mare laughed. "A little bit."
"Well, ya know Jack. He don't always see some of da things that are right in front of his face." Mush said.
"Yea, I know. I…I really liked him though." Woah. Mush got Mare ta tell him stuff! Stuff that I have to eavesdrop on her to find out about! NOT fair.
"Well, it's his loss. You'se a great goil." Mush looked at Mare and put an arm around her shoulders. I smirked. Ooo, I'm gooood. We walked into Tibby's and I took a seat next to Skittery, and Mare sat next to me with Mush on her other side. Jack and Kiki were sitting together. I shot Mare a sympathetic look and ordered my food. She smiled back at me and turned to talk to Mush.
And Mare didn't get back to the lodging house till late that night.