Guess whose back? back again
Shady's back, tell a friend
Guess who's back, guess who's back?

Anyone get that reference? Anyways I didn't know junior year was so much work! I thought it was all a lie! I have debate, speech and the new writing club! Plus APUSH and the hardest engineering class ever. Sorry for the two month wait guys but ugh just some much stuff to do!

The smell of sewer battled with the smell humidity for the air. Fog was evident and low but I wasn't sure if it was the healthy kind. I held a rag over my mouth and continued to trudge through the mud. Rain hadn't stopped falling all week. My toes were cold and my stockings soaked. The thin un-insulated coat did little to keep the wind out. The trolley was slow in coming when it rained. I didn't know why, it just did. Working in the morning, after avoiding it for so long felt odd. I felt outside of myself standing in the grey morning, with rain pouring around me. My shift at the diner had been switched ever since the other waitresses started gaining enough confidence to talk to the manager

After work, I planned to go see Spot. I wanted to talk to him. Guilt had latched on to me for the past week. I should not have talked to him the way I did and I missed him. Even if he was an Idiot.

Factory workers were chattering, reminding me of how alone and friendless I was. I had no idea what my life would be without my family and Spot. I didn't want to think of it that way either.

The chugging sounds and the vibration of the ground made me look up. The trolley was slowly making its way over. I fought a frown and dug in my pocket for some change. When I found some, I took it out, held it in my palm and counted it. There was barely enough.

I handed the money to the man that drove the Trolley and took a seat on the far end, all alone. A newsboy was already there, he couldn't have been more than seven years old. I still had three penny's left over. Without saying a word, I waved him over and stuck my hand with the money out. He handed me a newspaper and snatched the money.

The headline made my spine shiver. The murders that had started before my Boston adventure where still going on and the police was stuck. They couldn't find any evidence. Police surveillance was being stepped up in hopes of spotting a suspect but they had found more dead ends in the streets than in a maze. I flipped the pages hoping to find something at least half-interesting. It was full of gossip and weather predictions both as accurate as the other. I set the newspaper down and huffed. The Herald really needed to step up their game.

The trolley always made me want to cry and I didn't know why. Sad thoughts always filled my head. I didn't want to live my life just day to day. Working in some terrible job just to get by with enough for the week. I didn't want to live this way anymore and I couldn't do anything about it. My family needed me.

I rubbed my eyes to make sure no tears slipped like last time.

I kept feeling numb until the end of the day.

My mouth felt dry as I walked, I didn't know what to say when I saw him. I didn't know how to get in the lodging house and I hadn't thought this through. Just as I turned to walk I heard my name.

"Violet! Violet! Is that you?!"

Autumn and Scarlett stood together. Autumn smiled widely and Scarlett's mouth hung open.

Strangers brushed by me as they crossed the street. The rain had lessened but the clouds in the sky warned of more.

"Violet! We haven't seen you in so long! Where have you been?!"

"I-I I…was in Boston. It was a family emergency."

Autumn pursed her lips "I hope everything's fine?"

"It is." The lie left as easily as the first one.

Her smile returned. "Well I'm glad. Do you want to join us for diner? We were headed for Tibby's"

"I don't know, I should really head home. My Aunt-"

"Oh C'mon! We haven't seen you in ages! I know we only knew you for like a week but you were so much fun! Please! Say you'll come!"

I sighed and glanced nervously at their faces. A break would be nice.

"All right but only for a little bit"

It didn't take a lot to convince me.

I'd never been to Tibby's and I hoped it wasn't expensive. My paycheck was my treasure and I protected it like one.

I let a sigh of relief escape when I realized it was a deli in hell's kitchen. I could afford that. My relief left me when I saw it was full of newsies. It wasn't a surprise either. I expected as much.

His eyes never left me. I was going to be in so much trouble.

We sat down, two tables away. I made sure to face away from him, I didn't want to deal with his glare.

"So Violet, what have you been up too?"

I didn't know how to answer her. My life wasn't interesting.

"Not much, just-
"Oh my God! He is totally looking over here!" Scarlett interrupted me and bounced in her seat.

Autumn rolled her eyes. "You have got to let that crush go."

"What crush?" I asked, making sure my voice didn't raise its pitch.

"Spot" Scarlett said, making sure she looked at me while she said it.

"She's delusional; everyone knows Spot isn't looking for anyone right now"

I watched a waiter smile and set out menus in front of us.

"I'm not delusional and yes he is. Those are just rumors- I'll have the soup special today."

"All right" He jotted down in his notepad "For you miss?"

I looked down and found the cheapest thing. "The mashed potatoes with broccoli. My Doctor says I need more vegetables"

I started to wonder when I had gotten so good at lying but that wasn't bothering me at the moment. The inborn monster of Jealousy had taken command.

"You really like this guy huh?" I hoped that came out normal and not completely full of disdain.

Her eyes light up and she started to smile like I'd never seen before.

"I love him… he's just so perfect."

She couldn't love him, he was mine.

"I just can't get over how he is. Have you noticed he huffs at least three times before taking out a cigar?"

She didn't have to tell me twice.

"Or how he wraps his hand around his cane before talking to someone? Or how he smirks at the color purple? I don't know why. It's a new thing he's been doing recently"

I felt like she twisted a knife into my chest. The last thing she said made my jealousy evaporate, sure it was corny that Spot did that but it was because of me and I would never take that for granted.

"Scarlett? The waiter wants his menu back." Autumn interrupted the intense stare between us. Scarlett clutched the menu between her hands. The white cardboard was crumpled.

"I'm sorry. I just got caught up…" She tried to smooth it out before handing it back.

"That's okay." The waiter gave her the most curious look before rushing away. I didn't remember Autumn ordering.

"You can't be so caught up with him Scarlett. You know he isn't chasing skirts anymore"

I watched Scarlett slam her hand on the table and turn on her friend.

"That not true! You can't believe everything you hear!"

"People don't spread rumors about Spot because they want to. There has to be a reason"

I wanted to tell them to lower their voices but I needed to hear. I needed to know what people were saying about Spot, about us. He would never tell me. Not after this.

"They're rumors! Spot wouldn't just settle for some poor working girl!"

I swallowed my dignity and continued to listen.

"But he would settle for you? Scarlett, the only reason he has stopped chasing skirts is because he has someone else. Someone valuable enough to keep away from our type."

"Our type? We aren't good enough for some sewer wench?!"

"You need to lower your voice Scarlett. He's only a couple feet away" I finally spoke up. I was griping my dress from underneath the table.

She got a sour look on her face and slumped in her chair. "If only I talked to him more..."

"We'll you don't and Autumn is right. Rumors are usually based off of something."

"I- I just know that's not him. Spot can't just settle now. Not with her, whoever she is."

"Scarlett you can't choose for him." I said, steadying my voice so it would sound firm.

"But I love him"

I bit my lip and glanced at Autumn, she just shrugged and drunk from the water that had appeared with the waiter. I didn't want to talk about how irrational Scarlett was being more than she did.

"How are the rest of the girls?" I asked, hoping the change in topic would ease the tension.

We talked long after our food had arrived. Spot was forgotten and I left feeling happier then I had been in a while.

Apparently Medda was wreck. We were not allowed to talk to her because she didn't pay for Uncle Rogers funeral and also the small detail that I had gone missing under her watch. Of course, it wasn't her fault. I disappeared by my own volition but Aunt Rita could have cared less.

Eating at the diner had cost me my trolley money. I'd be walking in the rain for the rest of the week. I'd blown all my tips. I was about to cross the street when someone knocked into me and started pushing.

"Excuse you but-"

"Shut up and keep walking"

I would recognize that voice anywhere.

We ended up in an alley behind some building. I concentrated on what I was doing and not where I was.

"What the hell were you doing there?" Spot's nostrils were flaring and he was clenching his jaw. He resembled a bull. "Well?"

I better answer him before he killed something "I came to look for you and they invited me to dinner. I wanted a break"

He put his hands on his hips and glared at me. His eyes were fixated on me. We stood in silence for an eternity.

The silence made me uncomfortable. I opened my mouth to speak but he took the chance away from me.

Spot pressed me roughly against the wall and kissed me. I felt his lips press themselves against me and after I regained control of myself, I kissed him back. My hands instinctively wrapped themselves around his neck. I wanted him closer. His teeth bit my bottom lip and pulled until I opened my mouth and let him do what he liked to do. His hands cupped my cheeks. I could feel the heat that radiated off his body. There was a crack of thunder just as he stopped holding my cheeks and grabbed my waist and pulled me flush against him breaking our kiss.

"Do you realize how dangerous that was for the two us?"

I nodded and hugged him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too but we can't meet like that." He kissed the top of my head.

"I didn't know you were going to be there. I'd never been to Tibby's before."

"You live in Brooklyn. You didn't know that's were newsies hang out."

"Is that your joint? Do you plan all you strikes there?" I teased and Spot squeezed me and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Only the important ones."

I smiled up at him and pecked his lips. "You got well fast."

"A little scratch like that wasn't going to bring me down. I'm the King of Brooklyn baby"

"I think you just got lucky"

"Shut up. I forgot I was mad at you and know I remembered. I want some sort of reimbursement"

"I already kissed you. What more do you want?"

"No that kiss was for not seeing each other. I want something for almost giving me a heart attack"

"Like what?" I asked, admiring how his smile hadn't left his lips.

"I want you to surprise me." His hands slid to my hips "Something I'll never forget"

"Spot if you want me to take you for ice cream just tell me" I held back a laugh when he narrowed his eyes.

"I swear one of these days, Violet. One of these days-"

"One of these days what?" I placed my finger on the corner of his lips.

"One of these days. I'll give you a hickey so big your Aunts going to faint."

Spot attacked my neck and pretended to bite it repeatedly. I tried to push him off but he was too big. Our laughter echoed off the brick walls.

When we calmed down, he leaned his forehead against mine and rubbed his nose with mine.

"I love you."

"You what?"

He lifted his head away from mine and we stared at each other. My finger shook and my hands started to sweat.

"Did you say you loved me?"

Spot opened his mouth and shut it. I watched him bite his lip and grip his cane. He looked so vulnerable.

"I love you." The second time he said it felt as good as the first.

"I love you too."

He fought smile and lost "That's good."

"It is. Are you gonna kiss me or just stand there?"

He stepped forward but I stopped him.

"Spot."

I didn't take my eyes off the dark figure.

"What?" His confusion was evident.

"Behind you." I whispered, holding his forearm as tight as I could to keep myself from shaking.

Spot turned his head and stiffened. He turned forward and held me behind him with his hand.

"Violet how could you? Its not supposed to be like this."

Spot pushed me further behind him and closer to the wall.

"What do you want?"

I cowered and started to feel heavy from fear. My body shook uncontrollably and my heart had stopped before starting to push against my chest as I forced myself to breathe.

"Her. I want her." His voice was pleading, like he wanted to cry.

"You can't have her she's mine."

My knees started to loose their strength and I couldn't open my mouth.

"She's not yours. You don't know how to care for her!" His screams echoed through the alley.

"And you do? Who are you?" Spot's accent started to come out stronger. He gripped my arm so hard it started to feel like it was going to break.

"Violet, leave him. You need to come with me." The strange man called out to me and held his hand for me to take it.

I forced myself to speak "I-I c-can't. Spot needs me."

"No. I need you. I need you to come with me"

"She's going nowhere."

The stranger stopped and dug into his pocket. He took a shining revolver and cocked it.

"She doesn't have a choice."

Be calm. I will post sooner then expected. You wont have to wait an eternity this time.