Days passed and the weather only grew colder. For a week now I had been attempting to defend my favorite selling spot by the park from some new face that had moved into Manhattan, and it was beginning to be very tiring. So tiring, that only my stubborn pride was in the way of me just throwing up my hands and yelling "Alright! I don't care anymore! Just take it!" But that wasn't the way things were done. This was my area to sell, and I wasn't going to let some kid who was still wet behind the ears just up and take it from me.
It was no different on this Tuesday, when I could see my rival coming a block away by the telltale shock of white hair that bobbed up and down as he walked. I had tried to get Race to help me, but he had just laughed it off, not believing that I could be so angered by "some kid." His name, I learned, was Henry. There wasn't much beneath that white-blond hair, blue eyes so pale they were almost colorless, a storm of equally pale freckles, and the typical scrawny build of a street rat.
He approached, but instead of stopping to exchange a few insults like usual, attempted to walk right under my nose and past me. I could see why: he was going to try and sell right across the way, only about fifteen yards off, and, judging by his younger age and messier appearance, was probably going to get more sympathy buyers, too. My eyes narrowed and I grabbed his shoulder to stop him.
"Just where do you think you're going?"
"I'm selling here," he told me fiercely and glared up into my eyes.
"You ain't selling here," I said, meeting his gaze. I tried a different approach than usual. "You got the whole damn city, why here?"
He paused. "Because…" He looked around and then jerked his head towards something. "Her."
I looked over and frowned. Anna was walking by, probably on her way to work. I had never noticed it before… but, of course, I usually wasn't forced to get to this spot so early in the morning.
My hand tightened its gripped and he couldn't help but wince a little.
"Stay away from her," I warned.
He laughed. "Yeah, and if I don't?"
I didn't answer, just pushed him away hard and shook my head. "Stay away."
I tried to focus on selling, but it was hard, watching out the corner of my eye as he went up to Anna and try to sell her a paper. I saw her refuse, and him follow her anyway, talking all the while. At one point, right before they turned a corner, he looked back. Whether or not he was doing it all for show, he definitely wanted me to see. My head was pounding; I was angry, but he could wait. At that moment the only thing I wanted to worry about was getting rid of all my papers.
-
That night, a little before dusk, I told Race about what had happened. He was not happy, but the first thing he asked me about was Anna -- he seemed almost hurt.
"Was she talkin' to him?" He asked sincerely. "Was she interested? I just don't get it."
"Nah, she didn't take a pape, I think he was just followin' her, talkin' her ear off." I described how Henry had looked back at me. "He just followed her to make me mad because I'd told him to stay away, remember?"
Race smiled a little. "Yeah… yeah, you're a good pal, Skitts, thanks. So what're we gonna do about this bastard?"
Henry entered the Lodging House that night with a busted nose, a bleeding lip, and a black eye: three reminders (one delivered in Anna's name) for him to watch out. The next morning I walked slowly to my spot near the park and enjoyed finally being alone again, giving Anna a short wave as she passed and allowing myself a smug smile.
-
The next night I was walking home from a show at Medda's when Race ran up to me, looking troubled.
"Hey, Skitts, could you do me a favor?" He asked, throwing a harried glance behind him.
"Yeah, sure," I answered automatically. "Anything."
"Could you walk Anna home?"
My heart leapt. "Uh, sure…" I said, then frowned. "Race, what's--"
"Nothin," he said quickly. "Nothin, I… I gotta see to this, that's all." He brought me back to Anna, then kissed her good bye and walked away in a hurry. I looked at Anna (who seemed worried) and shrugged.
"Where to?" I asked, even though I knew exactly where we were going. She told me the address and we began to walk together in comfortable silence. It was dark and the night had its usual chill. I noticed Anna shivering and clenched my hand into a fist. I wanted so badly to reach out and warm her, but…
She shivered again, a little more violently, and both pulled her coat closer around herself and moved a little nearer to me. She leaned in so her head was almost touching my arm.
"At least it's not a long walk," she said, but I was thinking the exact opposite, and I would endure any climate for this chance.
Before I even knew what I was doing, I slipped my arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer still and warming us both. She looked up at me and smiled, and I answered with a smile of my own, my heart fit to burst. She crossed her arms and I rubbed her shoulder, feeling my fingers come back to life as the blood moved more easily. We both laughed, quietly, even a little awkwardly, and I felt warm all over despite the cold.
We walked another few blocks and arrived at her family's tenement all too soon. She broke away and looked up at me with that same smile.
"Thanks for walking me home, Michael," she said, then hugged me tightly.
I almost jumped back, I was so startled, but composed myself and returned the embrace. She let go and then stood on her toes and kissed my cheek lightly, her lips barely brushing the skin, but it burned as if I had been slapped. I was breathing heavily, now.
"Good night," I said with effort, and walked away.
-
I wasn't asleep yet when Race returned that night. I heard him get into the bunk below, and so I asked quietly, "Well? How'd it go?"
I heard him shift around in his covers. "Fine," he said. "Just fine."
I decided not to ask any more questions than that, I would rather just enjoy the night as it had been given to me.
"Good," I said, and smiled despite myself. I touched my cheek, which still burned. "Good."