Sorry for taking forever to update. Enjoy! :)
L.L.A.P
~Laces
Chpt.7
"Laces why's the door locked. I need ta shave."
"I'm takin' a bath." Romeo stood outside of the bathroom door, exasperated with his arms crossed over his chest. He was new to the newsboy lodging house and had been there for about three months. He got along with Laces fine, he was just extremely frustrated how Laces seemed to take forever in the bathroom.
"D'ya think I care? Ya can bath and I can shave at the same time." Romeo retorted but Laces wasn't having it.
"I'm particular 'bout my privacy."
"Goddammit Laces!" Romeo grunted, then easily opened the door, which lock was more of a decoration than to keep people out. It was a courtesy not to open the door if it felt like the lock was in place, but if one so desired, it wasn't too difficult to swing the door open.
Romeo's eyes widened as he saw Laces toweling off, and she shot him a glare as she wrapped the ratty towel around herself.
"Romeo!"
"Holy shit!" the boy swiftly closed the door, wide eyed and Jack noticed the look on his face. The older newsie questioned,
"You okay?"
"Laces is a girl." Romeo whispered, then said louder. "Laces! He… she's a girl. Laces ain't a boy!"
"Ya just figured that out now?" Racetrack questioned with a cigar hanging out of his mouth. All the while Romeo stared at the other newsie wide eyed.
"Ya knew?" Romeo sputtered and that's when more newsies joined in on the conversation.
"Yeah, pretty much everybody here knows. Honestly, ya live with Laces. Couldn't ya figure out that she's a girl?" Mush chuckled and Romeo frowned.
Just then, Laces came out of the bathroom dressed in her clothes and she shot a glare over at Romeo.
"Ya just couldn't wait ta shave. I was almost done." She grunted.
"How was I supposed ta know that youse was a girl? Ya never said anything." The boy stated, frustration in the edge of his voice. It was clear he was feeling embarrassed about not knowing something that apparently everyone else figured out.
Laces just rolled her eyes and continued on, grabbing her hat to head outside.
"I can't believe it." Romeo whispered and Racetrack hit him upside the head.
"Stop actin' like an idiot. Laces is part of the family." He stated, then his laughing face turned more serious. "But if ya start givin' Laces a hard time 'bout bein' a girl, Jack and I won't be opposed ta feedin' ya your teeth. Ya hear?"
"Yeah… yeah I get it." Romeo nodded slowly.
More and more newsies who joined eventually learned one way or another about Laces' gender. However, Jack and Racetrack and even some more of the newsies would make sure new newsies wouldn't give Laces a hard time.
"Youse a girl?" one of the newer newsboys questioned several months after Romeo's incident.
"Yeah. Ya just figure it out now?" Laces questioned calmly as she continued on adjusting the straps to her suspenders.
"You ain't suppose ta be here. Look at ya!" the boy spat. "Ya must be a weaklin' and ya think ya can pull of doin' men work." He hissed, his eyes full of hatred.
"Piss off." Laces grunted and the boy roughly pinned her to the wall with his fist poised in the air. However, he didn't even have time to get his threat out.
Romeo grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him off Laces. He then started beating the boy roughly with several other newsies joining in as well.
Jack then approached the new newsboy and stated,
"Either ya learn ta respect Laces or youse ain't welcome here."
Needless to say, that particular newsboy was out of the lodging house as fast as he could.