Heya. This next chapter might be sort of aimless wandering, as Charlotte gets to know some of the other boys a little better after her tiff with Jack. Dear God this story's looking to be a long one.
Disclaimer: Nope. They're still not mine…
I woke extremely early the next morning to go do my thing, and slipped out of the bed. Blink's sleepy voice came through the darkness,
"Charley? You'se okay?"
Darn it! I forgot who I was sleeping with. Jack was used to my nightly excursions, even before he knew what they meant. Blink wasn't used to them, yet.
"Yeah. I'se jist gonna visit da pot." I whispered back. It wasn't a lie. I was gonna visit the pot. And enjoy being a girl for a few minutes. There was a satisfied mumble as sleep over took Blink again.
I sensed someone watching me. I cracked open one eye to find Kloppman's weathered face looking back at me.
"Whaddayawan?" I yawned.
"What're you doing in Blink's bunk? I thought you shared with Jack?" Kloppman asked curiously.
"Me… Jack…fight… no…moah…sheah…" I murmured brokenly, burying my face back in the pillow I had taken from Blink in the night.
"Huh." Kloppman mused, before noticing me falling asleep. He pinched my ear and hauled me upright. I squealed in pain, rubbing my poor ear as he continued to wake the other boys. I gave the still slumbering Blink a shove to wake him up, and slid to the floor.
During the course of the day, I managed to get into a huge spat with Blink. Apparently I made some dig at his patch. I swear I didn't, he's just a drama queen. So, after storming away to sell the rest of my papers, I wandered into an alley for some quiet. And that's where Mush found me, banging my head against the brick wall of a building, hoping maybe I could pound out any memory of who I was, and start over. Or maybe pass out, and wake up in my Brooklyn. Mush leaned against the wall next to me and crossed his arms, watching the traffic in the street go past.
"So… I'se takes it you'se 'nd Blink ain't gettin' alon' so good?" He said casually, as if I wasn't trying to bash my brains out next to him. I paused long enough to sigh dramatically at him, before letting my head wall against the wall with a thunk.
"C'mon, goily. We'se goin' home." Mush took my hand and started to pull me away from the wall. My head snapped up and I stared wide eyed at him.
"You'se don' need ta be so surprised." He laughed.
"Wha—who—did he—HOW?" I sputtered.
"I'se not as dumb as e'vahy one dinks. Da uddah boys, dey'se blind fools. Even I'se knows a goil when I'se sees one."
"How?" I repeated dumbly.
"Ya hips is too big for ya waist." He grinned. I looked down and put a hand on either hip, smoothing down my clothing.
"Dey'se not dat big." I snarled, following him.
"You'se comin'? Oah you'se gonna be a goil?" He called over his shoulder.
"I'se c'n stll soak ya, Mush." I reminded him, catching up.
"Like you'se did dis mornin'?"
"Shut up."
"So's when did you'se figuah it out?" I asked, trailing along beside Mush. I was desperate for answers, since my disguise was falling apart so rapidly.
"Dis mornin'." He answered vaguely.
"When dis mornin'?"
"'bout when you'se soaked me wid da watah. You'se got yaself, too, 'nd ya shirt was stickin' to ya."
I made a noise of frustration. Mush smiled.
"How many uddahs know?" He asked.
"I dunno. Jack 'nd Spot's goil foah shoah."
"How lon' was you'se gonna try and keep dis up?" He put an arm around me, and steered me across a street, dodging wagons and carriages. I just shrugged. "Well, Ise won' tell nobody. So it's as lon' as you'se c'n keep it goin'."
"Danks." I sighed and took of my cap. Mush ruffled my hair before I could get my hat back on, making my hair stick out weird.
Later that night, I was playing a game of poker with Racetrack. By now, all the others playing against us had folded, and it was just him and I. I watched his face carefully for any signs about his hand. A slight flicker of annoyance crossed his face. I took that as a good sign for me. It was. I laid down a full house, to his flush.
"I'se nevah seen anybody play da way you'se do, Hambone. Coitanly not someone as youn' as you'se." Race track growled, gathering up that cards as I gathered up my winnings. I smirked. If only he knew we were the same age.
Kloppman came in to turn out the lights, and send us to bed. I looked up to see both Blink and Jack already in bed, backs to me. Apparently, I wasn't sleeping with either of them tonight. Mush saved me from standing awkwardly around until someone took pity on my by taking hold of my arm and maneuvering me to his bunk. I gave him a grateful smile.
When I got up early to wash up, Mush didn't comment at all. In fact, he stayed fast asleep. He was a good bunkmate for me. Setting a bomb off next to his head wouldn't wake him. I crawled back into bed a few minutes later, and he was still snoring softly. This will work out well. I thought.
The next morning, I had that feeling of someone staring at me again. I cracked an eye to find Kloppman.
"Another fight?" He lifted an eyebrow. I nodded and yawned. I started to get out of bed, but Kloppman waved me back in. "It's Sunday." I was asleep before he could finish.
Mush shook me awake a few hours later. "C'mon… wake up. Hambone! Up."
"Nahhhh…" I moaned. He pulled the covers off, and I tucked my knees to my chin.
"I'se gonna tell evahyone you'se a go-il." He whispered in a sing songy voice.
"I'se up,I'se up." I grumbled, sliding out of bed onto the floor. "Whaddayawan'?"
"I'se boahd. Let's go do somethin'."
I looked at him. "You'se woke me up for dat?" He grinned widely and nodded. I started to dress. "Whatcha wanna do, den?"
"Racetrack's headed to da Sheepshead races. Wanna go wid?"
"Shoah." I yawned. Mush pulled me upright and out the door.
We caught up to Racetrack a few blocks later.
"Hiya, Race." Mush greeted him cheerfully.
"Hiya, Mush, Hambone. Whatcha up ta?" Racetrack asked with a friendly smile.
"Nuddin' much." Mush said, answering for both of us. "We'se was wondah'in' if we'se could go to da races wid ya?"
"Yeah, shoah. Moah da merriah." Racetrack laughed, and ruffled my hair. "Right, kid?"
I smiled and nodded. However, I was getting really sick of being called kid by everyone. "Shoah, kid." and "Right, kid?" and "Uh huh, kid." It was all getting quite old. I was ready to announce that I was really a fifteen year old girl just to put an end to being called "kid."
Mush glanced over at me and smiled. I had a mini heart attack until I realized that there was no way that he could have heard my thoughts. Of course, I also had thought that there was no way to travel backward through time, and yet I still managed that. Mush opened his mouth and quickly dispelled any thoughts of mind reading.
"I'se heahs ya don' get alon' so well wid Spot, Hambone."
"Yeah. Ya poin' bein'?"
"How we'se gonna get ya ta da races?"
I pulled up short and looked away from my feet, where I had been looking for the past half hour. We were at the foot of the Brooklyn bridge. I looked at Racetrack in panic.
"It's fine." He laughed. "You'se wid me." I didn't look so sure, and he slung one arm around my shoulders, and one around Mush's, and together we sauntered into Brooklyn.
When we reached the races, Racetrack lead us through the crowds to a good spot near the rails, where we watched all the horses. Racetrack toyed with a nickel while watching the horses, trying to decide how to bet.
"I dink da sorrel." He finally said, pointing to a glowing red horse. I cocked my head and looked at it.
"Nah. I'se would bet on da black, or maybe da bay." I decided, motioning to two other horses. "Nah, definitely da black."
Racetrack scoffed. "Dat nag?"
"Yeah, dat nag. C'mon. I betcha a dime."
"Dat da horse wins, or jist beats da uddah?"
"Wins."
"Awright. You'se on." Racetrack spit in his hand and held it out for a shake. I did the same, much to my disgust.
The horses were guided into the gates as we watched in anticipation. The gates were opened and the horses rushed out, Racetrack's sorrel far in the lead. My little black was in the middle of the pack. We screamed out encouragements and curses.
It looked like Race's sorrel would win, but on the backside, he seemed to lose all his energy. At the same moment, my black found an opening and sprinted out to the lead.
"No! No! No! You stupid nag! Go! Get da lead outta ya feet!" Race hollered, pounding his fists on the rail.
My black crossed the line a full length ahead of the sorrel. Racetrack growled and handed me a dime. I laughed as Mush clapped me on the back.
"How dya do dat?" Racetrack grumbled. I shrugged.
We continued to watch the races and cheer on our champions, but Race and I decided not to bet, since he was having an unlucky streak he claimed. He really just wasn't that good at the ponies, I think.
Later, Racetack had found a dice game going on and had joined. Mush and I crouched beside him to watch. Suddenly, he held out the dice to me.
"Blow on 'em."
"What?" I exclaimed.
"It's good luck for a goil to blow on da dice."
I swore. "Anuddah one? What's wrong wid me?"
"Blow on 'em and I'll tell ya." Racetrack shook the dice in front of my face. I blew lightly into his hands, and he rolled. I was too dazed to notice what he had rolled, but he was cheering and gathering up money. Racetrack looked over at me and saw my expression.
"C'mon. We'll take ya home, 'nd tell ya." He put an arm around my shoulders and helped me stand.
As we were making our way back through Manhattan, I finally spoke up.
"How'd ya know I'se is a goil?"
"Well," Racetrack took a puff of his cigar. "You'se ain't da quietest when you'se is sleepin'. You'se was talkin', 'nd you'se said, 'Can't let dem know. I'se gotta be tough. Don' wanna fight dough…' 'nd stuff like that." He took another puff.
"Dat coulda been anyding."
"But den I'se stahted watchin' you'se, 'nd noticed dat you only washed ya face in da mornin'. Nuddin' else. But you'se was always clean. I hoid ya get up in da middle of da night one time. So's I'se got up 'nd followed you'se…" He trailed off and blushed.
"You'se saw, di'n' you'se." I sighed.
"Nah… well, not exactly. I'se stuck me head in, and you'se took off ya shoit, and I'se saw dat you'se was all wrapped up, but I'se knows you'se wasn' hoit, since I'd seen Blink sock ya in da ribs dat mornin', and you'se di'n' really do much, 'cept try 'nd hit him back. So's I guessed dat you'se was a goil, 'nd di'n' want us ta know. I'se asked Jack if he knew anydin' 'bout it, 'nd he said dat yeah, you'se was a goil, but you'se was hidin' it so's you's could woik outside of da sweatshops."
"Why me?" I sighed.
"How old are you'se?" Racetrack asked me.
"Fifteen. Same as you'se."
"I'se don' know what's woase—bein' beat by a little kid, or by a goil." Racetrack sighed dramatically.
"Aww... poah little Racey. He got beat by a goil." I teased. I looked up just in time to run into someone's chest. A red bandanna hung around their neck. Jack.
"I'se dought you'se din't wanna tell no one." He said. I stepped back away from him so I could see him.
"Yeah, well, I'se douhgt you'se wasn' gonna tell."
"I'se di'n'. Race figuah'd it out."
"So did Mush." I shrugged. Jack looked surprised. "He's not as dumb as he looks!" I defended. Jack laughed.
"So's ya gonna tell da rest of dem?"
"Not yet. I wanna try ta make it ta May."
Jack just laughed. "Shoah, kid."
Poor Charley. Everything's falling down around her head. These boys are just too darn smart for their own good. Will she make it to May? It all depends on if you guys review! :)