Chapter 5: In An Alley

Alley's view

He wanted nothing to do with me. Fine. I wanted nothing to do with him. I walked down the staircase. Snoddy was still asleep on the couch. I knelt in front of him and put a hand on his arm. "Snoddy," I said as I shook his arm. "Wake up."

He groaned. "Why?"

I thought for a moment. "Because I am asking you to."

"That's good enough," he said. He sat up, smiling a suggestive smile. "I prefer being woken up by you than by Kloppman."

I smiled. "You flatter me," I said sarcastically.

He smiled. "Is it time to sell papes?" he asked.

I nodded. "Kloppman is waking the boys up right now."

Snoddy nodded. "Okay." He pulled himself off the couch and cracked his neck. I wrinkled my nose. I hated that sound. "Sorry," he muttered. I nodded.

He walked upstairs to change and I took his place on the couch. The spot where he was laying was still warm. I curled into a ball and fell asleep. "Hey!" I heard Snoddy yell a couple of moments later.
"What?" I complained.

"You took my spot!"
"I'm up! I'm up!"

"Good," Snoddy commented. The rest of the boys made their way down to the lobby. Snoddy, Mush, Jack, and I left for the circulation office together. We laughed and joked as we made our way towards a long day of heat and papers.

Snoddy, Mush, and I waited in line as Jack did his usually smart ass routine with Mr. Weasel. Snoddy and Mush got their papers before me and I finally walked up to the window. "Fifty papes, please," I said as I started to fidget with the money in my pocket.

"I got it," Blink said as he threw some change on the counter. Weasel handed me fifty papes, but I was still staring at Blink.

"Thanks," I muttered to him.

"I do want something to do with you," Blink whispered in his ear. I nodded and walked away in a haze.

Snoddy looked at me and then to Kid-Blink. "Everything okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine," I said.

"But is everything okay?" Snoddy asked. I shrugged.

* * *

Snoddy and I walked back to the lodge together that night, like usual. We were walking by the same alley Snoddy found me, when I stopped.

I looked into the dark side-alley and wanted to cry, but I didn't. Snoddy grabbed my hand, and tried to pull me away. "Wait!" I ordered. "It's Oscar and Morris."

Snoddy peered into the alley too. "You're right." Oscar and Morris were slumped over a couple of crates. They were totally knocked out, not dead, but knocked out.

I suddenly laughed. I smiled the rest of the way back to the lodge.

Snoddy led me into the big bunk room where all of the boys were gambling, playing cards, or messing around with dice.

"Why are you so smiley?" Boots asked.

"I just saw Oscar and Morris in the same alley I was found in. Somebody messed them up pretty badly." I announced with a smile. The boys all turned to face Jack, who was sitting on a bottom bunk. And I noticed the big scrap on his chin. I walked over to him and took his face in my hands. "It was you," I said. He nodded. I kissed his forehead and then both of his cheeks. "Thank you," I whispered.

"You're welcome," he said, grabbing me by the waist and turning me so I was sitting next to him. We both suddenly noticed that all the newsies were still staring at us. "Get back to your gabling games!" Jack yelled at his newsies and they cooperated. I leaned my head on Jack's shoulder.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, I walked over to my room. I tried to fall asleep in my clothes, again, but that didn't bother me.

What bothered me was that: Snoddy was my best friend, but Kid Blink thought Snoddy was my secret lover. Jack treated me nicely, but…some part of that made me nervous. And, at the same time, Kid-Blink wanted 'something' to do with me.

I couldn't sleep. I got out of bed, took off my vest and over shirt and walked up to the roof. Blink was up there. "Thanks for buying my papes today," I called out to him.

He turned around. "Well," he started. "I felt bad about my behavior."

"First decent thing you've done," I told him. He didn't say anything. "Sorry," I said. "That was uncalled for."

He nodded. "Can you be honest with me?" He asked. I nodded. "Do you like Jack? As more than a friend, I mean."

I shrugged. "Can you ask another question?"

"Do you like me more than a friend?"

My mouth dropped open. "You just started treating me well. I'm gonna need more time for those types of feelings." His head hung down. "Keep your head up," I ordered. He did. I turned around and went back to my bed. I threw myself back on top of it.

Blink saw every boy I spent time with as one of my love interest. He was so damn difficult.

* * *

The next day, I sold papes with Jack. He was a really good seller. He helped me out a lot. We spent the whole day together.

Around lunchtime I started to look around nervously. "What's wrong?" Jack asked.

I wrung my hands together. "This is the longest I've ever been without Snoddy."

Jack didn't smile; he smirked. "You rely on him completely."

"He's my best friend," I said.

Jack shook his head. "Let's go see Medda."

"Medda?" I asked.

"You'll love her," Jack said. "And we can catch you afternoon show." Jack led me to Medda's 'joint' (as he called it).

Her show consisted of her strutting around, singing some suggestive songs. I wrinkled my nose. Was this how girls were supposed to act? NO! "You want to leave," Jack said. Not a question. I nodded, reluctant to disappoint Jack. "Okay," he said. He grabbed the rest of our papers and we made our way to Tibby's.

* * *

That night I was on the roof with Jack, Race, Bumlets, and Snoddy. We were sitting around a curricular table. I was leaning against Snoddy shoulder. I was tired. Jack sells through the whole day, which means I did too.

We were doing (what else?) gambling. We were playing a card game (one that they hadn't taught me) and Race was beating everyone. I threw my cards on the table. "I'm out," I announced.

Snoddy threw his cards on top of mine. "Me too."

Blink suddenly came crashing on to the roof . "Where's the fire, Kid?" Bumlets asked.

"No fire," Blink said. "But the Warden's here. Doing a check on all the unregistered orphans."

The Race, Blink, Jack, and Snoddy all looked at me. "I'll take her to Brooklyn," Jack said.

"Jack, you can't!" Bumlets exclaimed. "The court ordered that if you missed one of the checks you would be sent to the refuge." Jack snapped his fingers in annoyance.

"I'll take her," Snoddy said.

Blink took my hand and pulled me out of the chair. "No, I'll take her. You stay, Snoddy. Tell the warden that I went to the Queens. Don't tell him I went to Brooklyn and don't tell him I took Alleyway with me."

"Why do I have to go to Brooklyn?" I asked.

"I'll explain on the way," Blink said.

Snoddy took my other hand and kissed it. "I'll see you," he said.

"But, when?" I asked. "You take me!"

Snoddy shook his head. "I can't."

Jack nodded. "You'll like Brooklyn. Spot's not all that bad."

"Spot?" I asked. "Who's Spot?"

"You'll find out," Race said.

"You better get going," Bumlets commented casually. "It's getting dark."

"Higgins!" I exclaimed. "Tell me what is going on!"

"I said I'd tell you!" Blink reminded me. I ignored him. "Let's go," he said. He led me down the fire escape.

"Blink, tell me what's happening!" I demanded.

Blink took my hand, but I pulled it back. "The warden is here to do a check for unregistered orphans," he told me.

"But, I'm not an orphan," I said.

"Yes, but we told Weasel that you were," Blink informed me.

"Why?"

"That way, if your father comes to take you back you can testify saying he isn't your father." Blink explained. We continued walking towards Brooklyn. It was cold for a summer night.

"But, you said that Weasel thinks I'm an orphan. So, aren't I registered then?" I asked.

"In the circulation office, yes. But, you aren't registered at City Hall." Blink answered.

"Why do I have to be registered with City Hall?" I asked. "What's the point?"

"You can get housing or something, if your father comes after you," Blink said with a shrug.

I nodded. "Okay." We walked in silence for a couple minutes. "But, who's Spot," I asked finally.

"The leader of the Brooklyn newsboys," Blink said. "You can't sell papes in Brooklyn without his permission. Even Higgins has to have his approval to sell there."

I nodded. "So, he's like Brooklyn's Jack Kelly."

"Kinda," Kid said. "Except Spot makes Cowboy look like an angel."

"So he's dangerous," I asked.

Kid-Blink laughed sarcastically. Then, smiled at me. He has a cute smile and an adorable laugh. I began to wonder why I ever hated him.

A while later, we were in Brooklyn. "Where do the newsies live?" I asked.

"Near the dock," Kid Blink said. He led me towards the dock. We were there in no more than 10 minutes.

"Where do they sleep?" I asked.

"In this warehouse," He answered. He walked past a pile of crates to the large door of the warehouse. He knocked on it. Nobody answered. "Spot," he yelled. Still no answer. He tried the door. It was locked. "They locked us out," he admitted finally. "Do you mind sleeping outside?"

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter to me," I said. I laid down on a row of crates and Blink leaned against them. I slipped out of my vest and placed it under my head.

I was tired from selling papes all day and then walking to Brooklyn. I hugged my over-shirt to my cold body and tried to fall asleep.