Maria awoke to a pillow being thrown on her head. Although it was a rude awakening, she had to admit that waking up to a room full of shirtless boys was quite a treat. Luckily they all wore pants to bed.
"Oh, sorry Maria! Dat was meant fo Race. We'se gotta be up by da morning bell so dat we ain't late to distribution." The boy with the red hair said.
"I got it... Albert?" She had tried to get the names of all the boys... it didn't work as planned. Albert nodded and went to the next room over. Maria leaned over to her sleeping sibling. He looked so peaceful. Maria brushed a piece of his curly hair out of his face, marking him stir. She grabbed the pillow that had previously been thrown at her and smacked Race on the head with it.
"What da hell!" Race screamed in his now non-sleeping state. He looked around until he spotted Maria. "Your dead." He said seriously in Italian. All the boys looked around like at each other. Race could speak Italian?
Maria sat up straight. "Native tongue huh Anthony. Well, two can play that game." She said in English. "Oh but you wouldn't kill me, dear brother, for then who would embarrass you in front of all your friends?" She spoke in Italian.
"Stop speakin' gibrish!" Boots yelled.
"No!" The twins yelled in English. They then looked at each other realizing their mistake. The look on the face of twins was identical, making both laugh so hard that tears were falling from their eyes.
"It ain't gibrish Boots, it's Italian." Specs said to Boots from the other side of the room.
"Thank you, Specs." Race said in Italian.
"That dont mean I want ya ta speak in anything otha dan English! Now get up! We have papes to sell Racer!" Specs yelled pulling the blanket off Race.
Race grumbled as he got out of bed and put on a shirt.
"Yeah, yeah." Specs said putting an arm around Race which earned him a glare from the boy. "Ya know ya love me!"
"In ya dreams Specy." Race said pulling himself out of the playful embrace of the slightly older boy. "Plus, Ima taken man!" He dramatically walked over to Maria- who had been watching the scene in amusement- and draped himself over her.
"In your dreams dear brother." Maria pushed him off her and he fell to the floor. While on the ground he posed even more dramatically.
"Why God? Why will no one love me?" Race said. Every person in the room rolled their eyes.
"Why don' ya go ta Spot? 'E loves ya!" Romeo said on his way out the door.
"Ooh," Maria said gossipy, "Who's Spot? Is he cute?" All the boys faces bacame shocked. Even Race's. Realizing her mistake she quickly followed her previous statement. "I'm sorry I know that liking the same gender is frowned upon by some people. I just don't think that it-"
She was cut off my Blink. "Maria!" She looked at him. "It's fine. Lots of da boys here are... together." He grabbed another one of the boys hands. Mush, she thought the boys name was.
"Yeah. Me an' Blinky Boy 'ere are more dan friends. Not shy 'bout it either!" To prove his point Mush pulled Blinks face to his and kissed him square on the lips. None of the boys seemed phased so Maria visibly relaxed. Once pulled away Mush looked at her. "Jist don' go shoutin' it from da rooftops ya hear? Most a us already got reasons ta be in da Refuge. Don' need anoder one!"
Maria nodded and smiled at the love birds. The boys continued on their morning process as if nothing had happened. She walked over to Race. He smiled at her while putting on his cap and grabbing a cigar.
"You smoke now." Maria observed.
Race looked at the object in his hand. He smiled at it and fiddled with it. Most of the boys had left the room.
"Nah," Race said still looking at the cigar. "I ain't a smoka. Jist sentimental, dats all."
They were alone in the bunk room. All of the boys had gone down stairs. Maria gave him a look nodding. Go on.
"The kid who found me afta I left home. He gave me my first cigar. Neva smoked any a 'em. Put 'em in me moth an all but neva light it." He looked up at Maria for the first time. All she saw was love for this mysterious boy in his eyes. "Spot. Dats 'is name." She smiled. The boys had talked about a Spot previously. "An before ya go hollerin' bout it, yea, I like 'im." The words love him were left unsaid by the boy who now was once again looking at the tobacco in his hands. He placed the item in his pocket and turned to his sister. "So, I should be takin' ya back ya whererva you'se staying."
"I want to go with you." Maria said. These boys- although she had been introduced to them- were still a mystery to her.
"What?" He looked at her like she was crazy. "I'm sorry but did ya jist say ya wanna go wit me?"
"Yes. I want to see you life. I've missed most of your life and you've missed most of mine. We should catch up. Alone." Race looked at her. He subconsciously reached into his pocket and grabbed the cigar, placing it in his mouth. He didn't even realize he had done it. Placing the item in his mouth is second nature to him it seemed.
Race sighed. "A'right," Maria cheered. "Before ya get too excited ya gotta know dat dere ain't gon be much time fo talkin'. I gotta woik to eat and have a bed ta sleep in."
Too bubbly to really comprehend what was being said, Maria nodded and didn't realize how serious her brother was being.
"Racer! Ya betta get down hea or else you'se gon be left behind. Sista or no sista!"
"A'right, a'right. We'de comin'!" Race yelled down. He rolled his eyes. "So needy!" He muttered, barley audible but loud enough to make Maria giggle at the remark.
"You betta believe it!" Jack yelled.
A shocked expression went across Race's face. "How?"
"You will never know my secrets, Higgins! Now get you'se asses down 'ere so we can leave!"
"Best to not keep the man waiting!" Maria said. An idea popped into her head. A smirk spread across her face. "I'll race you!" She took off down the stairs.
"Oh, you'se so dead now!"
This is such a filler chapter I'm sorry. Sorry I haven't been updateing, I've been really busy lately. I just finished performing Bye Bye Birdie and am now performing My Son Pinocchio. I haven't slept in a week. It's great. Have a nice day and hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one will be better!