"Wat? Is that it? I love you too, your my best friend."
"No, I love you, like Race loves Cards, like Jack loves that posh brat."
"oh, ok." He started walking again.
"I'm sorry." She called after him. He stopped and turned around again waiting for her to catch up.
"Alex, it is me who is sorry, I am still getting over the shock of you being a girl, I need some time to get my head straight. You still want to sell with me?" He asked draping his arm round her shoulders as they joined the queue
"What do you think I've sold with you everyday for the last six years." she said sarcastically
"Six years? That long, felt like yesterday you came stumbling into the lodging house covered in blood." Alex reached up and ran a finger along the scar across her mouth.
" that's another reason I need to leave and why I was going to I tell you. Pa's sentence is over soon , dont know exactly but its soon and if he finds me then I don't know what he'll do or what he'll do to you guys."
" stay and I'll protect you."
" but if you protect me , ya'll get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt."
" that don't matter to me, I will protect you all I can. I care for you Alex ."
" Well well Blink I never know you were a fag!" Oscar crowed behind him. They had come to the front of the queue.
" no one said he was." Alex said grinning
" well, if ya haven't realized dufus, he is male and so are you."
" no I aint." She grinned
" but you been coming here for ya papes for six years , I would have known if ya were a goil. I can find a goil from five feet away." he boasted
" looks like ya loosin ya touch Oscy, cause I am." Alex took off her hat still smiling at him. her hair un curled and fell just past her shoulders and curtsied, Oscars face fell. She quickly tucked her hair back into her hat so that no-one saw.
" just take ya papes and go." Morris , Oscars big brother growled. they had been dumped on their uncle six years ago at the ago of nine and eight.
" fine, fine , we'll have a hundred papes then."
" 50 cents."
" I think we should get a discount cause ya called Alex a guy."
" don't push ya luck, beat it bafore ya loose ya teeth." Alex dumped the money on the side then dragged Blink and the papes with her before Oscar could do anything.
" wat ya have ta do dat for? ya tryin ta get killed?" Alex exclaimed once they were out in the street.
" he called ya a man , 'e should get a right soakin'."
" I have been tellin everyone I was for the last six years and dose two aint dat bright." She said as they headed of to their usual selling spot in central park. At 11 O'clock they had sold all their papes so they walked to tibbys their favourite café. They were just outside when a man stepped out in front of them.
"Girly come wiv me." he growled
"NO!"
"I said come wiv me." He growled again clenching his teeth.
"Leave her alone!" Blink said stepping in front of her. Alex peered at his face, it was some how familiar.
" Sweet heart, please I missed ya." He plead
" Pa!" she exclaimed. The mans fist shot out and hit Blink in the side of the face. he stumbled back but kept his balance.
" leave her alone!" Blink growled looking really angry. Alex looked round her and saw that some of her friends were inside the café.
" Pa! stop! Now" she said stepping between them. "Why don't we go inside and talk about this."
the mans face relaxed and he said " sure , darling, anything for mi baby." Alex lead the way into Tibby's and sat down in an empty booth. Once they were all seated Alex faced her father
" wat ya want?" she said coldly
" I want me baby back."
" how can you think I would want to come back with you after wat ya did ta ma?"
" dat was an accident, I was really drunk."
"Pa ya were always drunk, day and night, ya would always have a bottle of something in ya hand and did the knife slip into her heart by itself."
"Yer, no, I don't know, I cant remember. How did ya get that scar across ya lip."
"Ya cut her after ya plunged da knife inta 'er ma." Blink growled
"And who are you?" Alex's Pa said coldly
"He's me best friend. he looked afta me for da last six year."
"I see, well dis aint ya business so push off."
" NO."
"it's ok Blink, ya go find da others , I'll call ya when I need ya." she said giving him a meaningful look. he nodded and walked over to the next booth where Race, Spot and Jack were lounging.
" so , ya comin wiv me?"
" no, I'm stayin here, where I'm safe." Alex replied calmly. Mr Cartwright stood suddenly and grabbed her arm.
" I stopped drinkin" he said as he pulled he closer . she could smell that this was a blatant lie. " ya comin wiv me now , or I'll do to you what I did ta ya ma." he threatened
" no ya wont." came a voice from her left . she turned her head and saw Blink and Spot standing only a meter away with Jack and Race behind. " ya gonna let him go and get out dis city before I knock ya teeth in." Spot growled
"Him? Tut tut tut Alex, you shouldn't lie to ya friends, I am taking me daughter and leaving , anyway ya just puny little boys , who's gonna stop me?" he walked towards the door dragging Alex with him barging through the mass of boys now crowded in the café but he couldn't get through.
"Is this true Storm?" Alex nodded sadly.
"why?" Spot sprang forward
"You lay a finger on her and I'll kill you" Blink growled stepping in front of us.
"You knew?" Jack asked calmly although his face showed a different story.
"She told me last night, it is my fault she is still here, she would be gone by now if I hadn't told her to stay."
"You should have let her go, she's worthless."
"No she's not. I care about her."
"That doesn't matter, she lied." Race said
"I didn't mean to lie so long, I was seven, and a seven year old boy is safer than a seven year old girl. I wanted to tell you sooner but I was scared. You guys have known me for six years, I don't lie to you. This is the only lie. I needed to get away from him" she gestured towards her pa who was shouting abuse at some boys in front of the door. "Anyway, you know the truth, I seem to be leaving now, so you'll never see me again." Mr Cartwright finally broke through the crowd. Alex had just enough time to shove her most prized possession into Blink's hand.
"To remember me by, when I'm gone." she said hoarsely as her father now held her round the neck. the last thing she heard of her friends was Blinks shout of distress as she was dragged away from everyone she loved and cared for.