Chapter 6: Being Nice

Grim sat in the bench watching David sell his newspapers. Jack didn't sell this day because he was concerned about Sarah, so David agreed to share half of the money he gets today. David had to get extra papers to sell just so he can break even by the end of the day. Grim was done with her stack hours ago. She wanted to offer David some help but she was still angry with him. Swallow your pride, she thought, he's doing this for his family.

"Would you like some help?" she finally asked.

"This is hopeless." he said as he sat next to Grim, "Nobody wants newspapers at this time of day."

"I'm guessing that's a no." she said to herself. She sighed loudly then said, "Did you find out what's wrong with Sarah?"

"She's having trouble with her boss. He's letting go of about ten girls and there's word going around that she's one of the ten. We can't afford her losing the job at the factory." he answered.

"There's tons of factories around the city, ain't there? I'm sure she can get a job at one of those."

"We tried to tell her that but she's upset about getting fired."

"She's not fired yet. She shouldn't worry about it. It's just a rumor. Maybe it's not true." Grim offered. David didn't say anything but he nodded. Grim thought for a moment then she held out her small change purse. "You can have my money. I still have the money from the organization."

"I can't take your money, Grim. You should save it."

"Save it for what?" she asked, "My new life?"

"Save it so you can get out of the lodging house one day. Everything will be fine. Keep your money." he said as he gently pushed the change purse back to Grim.

"What are you going to do with the rest of the newspapers?" she asked.

"I got to eat my losses. Nobody wants them." she answered then he counted his change, "When I give Jack his share, that'll leave me with less than my usual share. Les will have his usual share if he didn't spend half on candy with Snipes and Boots."

"Take the money," Grim demanded as she tossed the change purse at David, "and I don't want to hear it anymore."

Grim leaned back and folded her arms in front of her. She refuse to allow herself to look at David although she could feel him staring at her. You did the right thing, she thought. She was happy or, at least, she thinks she feels happy. She wanted to feel happy because she wants to help David. She finally built up enough courage to look at him and, sure enough, he was staring at her.

"Be quiet." she said quickly.

"I'll pay you back."

"Sure." she said quietly.

"How's Crutchy?" he asked, changing the subject.

"He's doing better. He just needs a little bed rest and some soup. He should be on his feet in no time. It's nothing serious." she answered.

"That's good to hear. He get sick a lot and I know the guys are worried about him."

"Crutchy's a good guy. I had fun talking to him last night. He's funny."

"He made you laugh?" David asked, surprised.

"He was funny but I didn't laugh. I didn't feel like it."

"Would you like to come over for dinner?" he blurred out.

"Um…do you think that's a good idea for me to come over for dinner when you family is in financial trouble?"

"Right." he said then he thought for a moment, "May I take you out to dinner then?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why not?" he asked. "I'm sure my parents will allow me to have some money to take you out."

"It's not that, David. It's just…I don't think I would be very good company." she answered.

"You're making good company now. Come on, Grim. I want to take you out for dinner tonight."

"I guess there's no way out of this, is there?"

"Not really." he laughed.

"I guess I'll go with you." she sighed.

"I'll pick you up at the lodging house at eight-thirty." he said as they got up and started walking down the street.

Grim noticed that they were walking so close together that she could nearly touch his hand without even trying. She was going to go on her very first date tonight. She suddenly felt very nervous and that was a feeling that wasn't foreign to her. She always felt nervous whenever she had to get looked over by adults looking for children to adopt but this was a different nervous. This was a good kind of nervous. She gets to dress up and feel all girly. That was foreign to her. Although she loves wearing dresses, she never felt like a girl because none of the boys at the organization noticed her like that before. She have been interested in some of the boys her age but she never had the courage to go up to them.

"Hey, Mouth," Spot's voice broke into her thoughts, "Where's Cowboy?"

Grim looked around and found that they were a few feet away from Tibby's. Spot was coming up to them from the opposite direction. Grim wasn't too happy to see him. She haven't talked to him since yesterday at Tibby's. Crutchy did tell her a few things about Spot like how great a leader he is and how he helped with the strike. Since Crutchy was speaking so highly of him, she decided to give him a chance. A small chance but a chance none the less.

"He's with Sarah. Do you want me to take you to him?" David asked when Spot go to them.

"Um…no, don't worry about it. He owes me money for the poker game and I needed to collect. I got a date tonight." he answered then he looked at Grim, "How ya doing, Sweet Face?"

"Why did you call him Mouth?" she asked, ignoring the nickname.

"My nickname is The Walking Mouth." David answered.

"Did she calm down from yesterday?" Spot asked.

"Sarah?"

"Girlie over here." he answered, leaning his head toward Grim.

"Calm down?" Grim asked, loudly.

"She's calm." David assured him as he quickly glanced at Grim.

"How's Brooklyn doing?" Grim reluctantly asked.

"How's Brooklyn?" Spot asked, surprised, "You wouldn't say two words to me last night and now you want to know how's Brooklyn doing?"

"Just answer the question and don't be difficult." Grim said.

"Stop being so rude." David snapped at her.

"I wasn't being rude. I'm trying to be nice to Fido."

"Spot." David corrected her quickly.

"I was close." Grim said and Spot stared at her, "I knew it was a name a person would call a dog. How's Brooklyn doing?"

"Brooklyn's doing fine." he answered the he turned to David, "I heard form my birds that Bear's gang was thinking about messing with Brooklyn but I got it taken care of…until he gets restless again. Tell Jack about that so he can look out for Bear."

"I will." David said, nodding.

"Also, there's going to be a poker game at Irving Hall with the other leaders to talk about Bear and to catch up on some other things that we were talking bout last month. It'll be next week. Tell Jack about it and I want to see you there." Spot demanded.

"I'll be there," David said, "and I'll tell him."

"Can I come too?" Grim quickly asked which mad the boys stare silently at her, "What?"

"Why would you want to go to the meeting?" David asked, "I'm sure nothing will be of any interest to you."

"I like playing poker." she answered.

"Where did you learn to play poker?" Spot asked.

"I would sneak away from the workers at the organization to go to the bars and watched the men in there play cards while we were in the different cities. I think I'm fairly good at it." Grim explained.

"Well…if you think you're good, come play next week. I don't mind taking your money." Spot laughed.

"Funny." Grim mumbled.

"Anyway, I'm going into Tibby's. You two coming?" he asked.

"In a few minutes." David answered. "We'll be in there soon."

Spot nodded as he left David and Grim. David sighed as he switched his stack of newspapers from one arm to the other. Grim could tell that David had a lot more on his shoulders than just his family's problems. She noticed how relaxed he was while they were talking before Spot showed up but David got stiff when Spot gave him orders. Maybe David needs tonight's date so he can lighten up too, she thought. Grim slowly walked around David so that she was in front of him.

"We don't have to go inside." Grim said quietly.

"We have to. I bet Spot still have things to tell me." David answered.

"Spot can wait. His royal highness can spend a few minutes without his two lapdogs."

"I'm not his lapdog!" David yelled, "And you're not going to the meeting next week."

"Why can't I?" Grim asked in an even voice.

"Because I know what goes on there. They talk about the topic of the night for a half an hour then they start drinking. When they're drunk, anything can happen. No meeting is complete without a fight and someone taking a girl out to the alley. I'm looking out for you, Grim. I don't want you to come." he explained.

"Fine." she shrugged.

"What?" he asked, surprised.

"Fine. I'll stay at the lodging house and play poker with the guys there."

"You're not going to fight with me?"

"Um…no."

"Oh." David said, feeling confused.

"So…can we not go inside?" she asked.

"Fine." he said as he glanced at the windows of Tibby's, "I can come back later to pick up Les. Let's go."

They walked in silence for a few minutes then they got to an apartment building. Grim didn't ask him where they were. She was enjoying the comfortable silence. Today was the first day that she felt comfortable around him. She followed him up the steps and onto the roof. In the middle of the roof was a wooden table with benches and a line with clothes on it. David sat on the table and put the stack of newspapers next to him. Grim, on the other hand, sat on the bench in front of him.

"Where are we?" she finally asked.

"I live here." she answered.

"On the roof?"

"No. I live in an apartment."

"I knew that. I was trying to make you laugh." she said.

"You're bad at it." he said.

"I know." she said quietly then she sighed, "Why did we come to the roof?"

"I don't feel like seeing Sarah and Jack right now." he answered. Grim nodded. David quickly glanced at the newspapers then back at Grim, "Can we talk?"

"Sure." she answered as she got up on the bench and sat down next to him on the table.

"Sometimes I have thoughts of leaving New York. I just want to pack up everything and leave without saying goodbye to anyone. I'm sixteen and I feel like I'm sixty. I shouldn't feel like that, not now. I love my parents more than anything in this world but I don't think I can do it anymore. I don't want to sell newspapers for the rest of my life and I don't want to be like Jack and Spot. Papa won't let go of the thought that the factory will give him his job back but they already hired his replacement. I feel like yelling at him and try to get that through his head. He has to think of the family. I can't take it anymore. I can't stay here." he said then he took a deep breath, "Tell me honestly, Grim. Does this make me a bad person?"

"No, it doesn't. It's understandable that you feel that way. I would be worried if you didn't." she answered.

"I feel bad about having those thoughts though."

"That's understandable too. They're your family and you don't want to disappoint them. Any kid would feel bad about thinking that."

"Whenever I overhear my parents talk about the rent or food, I feel like screaming. If Sarah gets fired, everything is on me and Less but that's not enough. I have no one to talk this over with and the guys won't understand."

"Well, you can always talk to me," she offered, "and, if you ever decide to leave, I'll come with you."

David stared at her in surprise. He can tell that she was being nice to him. She was different today. She was nice to him all day and haven't rose her voice once to him. He wondered what changed. May it was something to do with what happened in the kitchen last night, he thought. His cheek still stung a bit from the slap. He quickly looked down at his hands and stared at his ink stained fingers. He suddenly couldn't look at her.

"You don't have to go out with me tonight." he said quietly.

"I want to." she said, matching his tone. He still wouldn't look at her. "I really want to."

"Why have you been so nice to me today?" he asked as he looked back at her.

"I'm trying not to be miserable." she answered. "You want me to be happy and I'm trying to do that. You know, David, that you're the only person who ever really wanted to help me. I really appreciate that. I know I don't show it but I do. I like you too."

"You do?" he asked, surprised.

"I don't show emotion but that doesn't mean I don't feel it." she answered.

"I didn't mean that you're heartless. I'm just surprise that you like me. I thought you didn't when you slapped me last night."

"I'm sorry again about that. I have issues about my name." she said as she looked down at her lap.

"I think your name is nice."

"I can't remember if my mother ever said it." she whispered.

"Do you ever miss her?"

"How can you miss someone you never known?"

"She was still your mother. I'm sure, deep down inside, you really do miss her. Any child would miss their mother even if they don't remember her."

"I don't miss her and she got what she deserves. You can't make a whore into a mother. She only cared about her johnnies."

"How do you know? You can only go by what the organization tells you about her but how do you know that's the truth?" he asked. She finally looked back to him. "She could have been a good person."

"I would rather think of her as a dirty whore."

"Why? You never told me why you want to think about her like that."

"It make things easier if I do."

"You mean you don't have to feel anything for her."

"I can't waste feelings on someone I can't love. She never loved me because, if she had, she would have stopped whoring around and took care of me."

"Well…if she did, we wouldn't have met." she pointed out.

"I know I'm being nice today but I'm the one with the screwed up thoughts, remember?"

"I just meant that…I wouldn't have found someone as good as you if she didn't leave you."

Grim knew he was right. He was trying to show her there's something out in the world for her and, she's guessing, that something could be their friendship. She would like nothing else in her life than a friend as nice and thoughtful as David. She wanted to smile at him but she was afraid her mouth ill hurt too much from it. Instead, she awkwardly patted his shoulder which made him laugh.

Author's Note: I'm sorry it took me so long to update this story. I've been really busy but I promise there will be another update soon.