by
Spitfire
PART I
Porter walked into Tibby's to see all the
tables and chairs pushed up against the wall. Their place was filled by a ring
of laughing newsies. The manager was leaning against the wall, watching them
with a long-suffering expression on his face. Porter squeezed into the crowd
beside Crutchy and slipped an arm around his waist, ducking under his arm, so
that she nestled against his shoulder. "What's goin' on?" she asked.
Crutchy looked down at her laughing.
"Race bet Clown that he can juggle more t'ings than she can - an' for
longer. T'ing is, Clown gets ta pick what he has ta juggle!" He pointed,
and Porter craned her neck to see Race frantically trying to keep three spoons,
two apples, a banana, a tomatoe, and a tightly wrapped roast beef sandwich
airborne. Denton was equally frantically trying to get his camera ready before
the items fell. She laughed.
Crutchy glanced away from the spectacle to
look down at her. In his eyes she was the most beautiful girl in the world,
especially the way she was laughing now. He was struck with amazement once
again that this wonderful girl - by some incredible luck that he never dared
examine to closely lest the universe notice and decide a mistake had been made
- actually cared as much for him as he ddid for her. "Porter," he
whispered in her ear. She turned to look up at him in question, still laughing.
"I t'ink I love ya."
Her eyes warmed and she squeezed him once
quickly. He noticed, a little wistfully, that she hadn't said she loved him,
also. He didn't have time to brood however because at that moment, Race finally
lost his balance. Denton's camera - finally ready - filled the restaurant with
smoke and caught Racetrack Higgins sitting on the floor in a pile of spoons,
smashed apples and roast beef, banana on his vest and tomatoe on his face. Race
wiped off the tomatoe and glared at his laughing friends. "Aw, shaddup
youse!" He looked at Clown, waited patiently for her to stop rolling on
the floor, and said "Well?"
"You win!" she gasped, laughing.
"So, Race, ya buyin' taday?"
Spitfire asked.
"Fer da bums dat was laughin' at me five
minutes ago?" Race retorted. "O' coise if ya wanna win yer
dinner-" He reached into his vest and pulled out a deck of cards.
"Fergit it, Racetrack. Da las' time I
played cards wit you I was wearin' Crutchy's clothes fer da next week 'til I
could buy a shoit ta replace da one ya won from me!"
"An' I t'ought ya was enjoyin' it!"
called Pie Eater.
"Aw, dat's it!" Porter grabbed a
discarded newspaper, rolled it up, and began chasing him around the restaurant,
both of them laughing. Pie Eater managed to keep just ahead of her for several
minutes. Unfortunately the floor had not yet been cleaned. Pie stepped onto a
banana peel, Spitfire crashed into him, and both went sliding across the
restaurant to land in a bruised heap just inside the doorway.
"Ya aw right?" Snaps helped
Spitfire up, grinning.
She smiled back and glared at Pie Eater.
"Fine t'anks."
"Ain't nobody worried 'bout me?"
Pie complained from the floor.
Snoddy hauled him to his feet, laughing.
"Ya had it comin' ta ya." Pie Eater glared in reply, then grinned and
sat down at a table.
"Hey, everyone, before Jack gets here,
we need to talk." Clown said.
"What about?" Crutchy asked as they
all gathered around her.
"Jack's birthday is this month. He's
turning eighteen. I thought we could do something to celebrate."
"How'd ya find dat out?" Nickel
asked.
"How do you think?" Clown replied,
smiling a little smugly.
"Spot a coise!" Specs answered for
her.
"Hey, I din't get a party when I toined
eighteen." Race mock-complained. "Not when I toined nighteen,
eidda."
"Pardon us, oh, ancient one!" Blink
said bowing. Race slapped him and they began mock-fighting. Clouds rolled her
eyes and pulled them apart.
"So what we gonna do?" Dutchy
asked.
"How 'bout a concert?" Snaps
suggested for reasons of his own.
"A concert?"
"Yeah!" Truth took off with the
idea. "Ya know wit singers an' dancers an' liddle skits - Clown, you an'
Pie an' Bumlets can do flips or somet'in. We'se got plenty a performers in da
newsies. An' I bet Medda'll let us use Irving Hall if we asts."
"Let us!" laughed Crutchy.
"She practically raised Jack! She'll love da idea!"
"So everybody who wants to do a concert
for Jack's birthday raise your hands." A forest of arms rose into the air
and Clown grinned. "It's unanimous then. Remember, though, it's a
surprise. Don''t tell Jack."
"Hey! He's comin'." Snipeshooter
called from the door. They all tried to look casual as Cowboy, Dave and Les
entered the lodging house. At that moment Truth began to doubt whether the idea
was going to work - acting ability was not a dominant trait among the
newsies.
It was Spitfire, to the surprise of several,
who managed to distract Jack before he noticed anything unusal. "Heya,
Frankie!" she called. "Jump ovah any candlesticks lately?"
He rolled his eyes and they engaged in a game
of teasing, while Dutchy, Itey and Bumlets told Dave about the plan.
When the newsies separated to eat and plan,
Specs took a seat next to Skittery. "Heya, Skit!" His friend didn't
appear to see him. Specs waved a hand in front of his face, then hit him on the
head. "Skittery! Ya in dere?" Skittery jumped and hit him back, trying
very hard to look like he hadn't just been staring across the room at where
Nickel and Firefly were whispering.
~*~
"Why don't ya give up awready?"
Firefly asked, dealing her best friend 4 cards.
Nickel picked them up and looked at them.
They weren't playing for money, though if they'd wanted to gamble Race was
starting up a poker game across the restaurant. Each girl had a root beer next
to them in a prominent place, their signal that yes, they were paying customers
and had a right to be there. "Whaddaya mean?" Of the four cards in
the middle two were fives, she grinned and placed a ten from her own hand on
top of them. "Building tens."
"Skittery." Firefly took the pile
with a ten from her own hand, to Nickel's annoyance. "I mean, Nick, it's
been ovah a yeah now. An' dere's a lotta odder boys."
"I don't like any odder boys."
Nickel retorted. "An' he ain't gone wit anybody else." She discarded
her ten.
Fly laid an ace on top of it. "Building
jacks. Ya might like some odder boys if ya'd jist look at someone else once in
a while."
~*~
"Jennifer." He nodded at the
redhead. "An' ya's Laura?" She nodded her head mutely. He was tall
with brown hair and was possibly the most handsome boy she'd ever laid eyes on.
He held out a hand. "Skittery."
She shook, almost forgetting to take her hand away.
Jennifer nudged her in the side.
"Laure - Laure - Laura!"
"What?" she finally turned
around.
"Ya was drooling." Jennifer's
eyes twinkled.
"Shaddup!"
~*~
"Dat's pot callin' kettle if I evah hoid
it!" Nickel exclaimed. "From da goil dat refuses ta shake hands wit
any boy 'cept Spot?"
Firefly blushed. "Dat was a long time
ago!"
"Dat was less dan a yeah ago!" her
friend retorted. "Would youse be sayin' dat if Spot an' Clown wasn't going
tagedda?" Nickel asked, then repented immediately. "Fly, I din't mean
dat." The redhead concentrated on her hand. "Ya knows Spot goes
t'rough a goil ev'y month." He ain't nevah given anybody dat key
before, though.
She was happy for Clown, but a little worried
for her friend. In Nickel's opinion, Firefly could do much better than Spot,
but for Fly the Brooklyn leader was the only boy in the world.
"I know." Firefly discarded an ace
Nickel knew she would not have laid down if her mind were still on Casino. She
noticed before Nick could say anything and smiled sheepishly. "Fine den, I
admit da difficulty a givin' up on somet'in like dat. C'mon, it's gettin' late
an' da odders is leavin'."
~*~
"Hey, Crutchy?" Skittery called, as
the newsies individually, or in pairs or small groups, slowly, but surely began
vacating their favorite hangout. Crutchy who had been preparing to leave looked
over in question. "Can I tawk ta ya?"
"Shoa." His friend answered,
wondering what the mystery was about.
Skittery cleared his throat. "Widdout,
um-" He nodded at Spitfire who was, of course, right next to Crutchy.
"Guy tawk." She rolled her eyes.
"I prob'ly don't wanna know, anyways. I can get by witout ya fer fifteen
minutes." She squeezed Crutchy's hand and they parted ways at the door.
"Spitfire!" Porter turned around to
see Snaps running to catch up with her. She waited obligingly. "I meant ta
tawk ta ya 'bout da concert, but Jack came in."
"Walk back ta da lodgin' house wit
me." she replied. "I'se got plenty a time.
~*~
"So what's got ya so noivous?"
Crutchy asked.
Skittery who was living up to his name,
jumped. "I ain't noivous."
"An' I don't limp." The crip
retorted, laughing. "Ya was gonna say somet'in."
"Well, yeah, I was. I sorta needs
advice. An' I can on'y ast youse or Jack or Spot, an' dey'd prob'ly
laugh-"
"Spit it out, awready!" Crutchy was
trying not to laugh himself. He was beginning to figure out what Skit wanted to
ask. Besides himself, Jack and Spot were the only guys with steady girlfriends.
Oh, Snoddy had a girl, but it was common knowledge among the guys that he liked
someone else. The last person qualified to give advice on girls would be
someone who couldn't even manage his own love life.
Skittery finally blurted it out. "Ya
t'ink Nickel might like me?"
Crutchy knew for a fact that she did. In fact
he was rather surprised that Skittery didn't know, but then the people most
involved did tend to be the ones with the least clear view of this sort
of situtation. As I know from poisonal experience. he thought ruefully.
However, he didn't want to tell Skittery that without permission from Nickel -
permission he couldn't ask for without permission from Skittery . . . I'se
givin' meself a headache. "Why don't ya ask 'er?" he answered
after shaking his head at himself.
Skittery gave him a pained look. "Hey,
it's da on'y shoa advice I can give! Hardly anyone lissens ta it, but it woiks
as well as anyt'in else. Ya can always ask 'er out an' see whedda she says yes
or not."
That
idea made Skittery even more nervous. "Maybe I'll jist leave t'ings da way
dey is." he said, hurrying off. Crutchy laughed after him and turned back
to see if Porter was coming.
~*~
"So, is ya singin' in da concert?"
Snaps asked, hands in his pockets, as they walked slowly back to the lodging
house. Spitfire nodded. "Good! Ya gots a great voice, ya know." he
said enthusiastically.
She smiled a little, looking down at the
street, still not comfortable with compliments. Crutchy understood and gave
them without expecting an answer, but for others she had to make an effort.
"T'anks. Ya gonna dance?"
"Yeah." he smiled at her. "I
din't know ya knowed I danced." He seemed inordinately pleased that she'd
noticed.
"Well, a coise!" she replied. Her
very first day Crutchy had told her the story behind Snaps' nickname. She
thought everyone knew.
"Ya play anyt'in?" Snaps asked.
"Piano, anyt'in like dat?"
Wit my
pop? she laughed to herself a little sadly. "Naw, not even a
harmonica."
"Even! Ya betta not let Race heah ya say
dat." he warned. "He considers it a art. So, if yer singin', is ya
gonna need a accompaniment? Cuz I can play for ya."
"I dunno. I ain't nevah sung ta music
before." she replied.
"Ya mean ya jist loined dose songs by
lissenin'?" he exclaimed with admiration. "I knew ya's good, I din't
know ya's dat good!"
She couldn't think of a reply. Her mouth
stretched in a wide, embarrassed smile.
"Anyways, we's prob'ly gonna have a few
rehearsals. We can try it, at least." He gave her such a pleading look
that she had to give in.
"Aw right!" she laughed.
"Um, Spitfire." he said after a few
minutes. He seemed suddenly uncomfortable. "Dere's somet'in else I wanted
ta ya - ast ya, somet'in like dat."
She stopped and turned to look at him when he
didn't go on. "Yeah?"
He opened his mouth once, then closed it,
opened it again. "I-" He leaned forward suddenly and kissed her, then
ran off, back toward Tibby's.
"Snaps?" She put her hand to her
lips. Her first thought - I din't know Snaps liked me like dat. Then her
second thought washed that one away completely. T'ank God, Crutchy din't see
dat!
The sound of a throat being cleared behind
her told her even before she turned that her thanks had come too soon.
He was standing less than ten feet away when she turned.
"Crutchy-" she began, but he
stopped her without saying a word. He searched her eyes for a minute, then
hugged her.
"Naw, it's okay. I saw."
"I'm glad ya's heah."
"I'm glad ta heah ya say dat. I love ya,
ya know." he whispered in her ear. She felt of surge of caring, confusion
and guilt. It was like the compliments. She didn't know how to reply. She loved
him - or thought what she felt was love, but-. In sixteen years, she hadn't
spoken those words to anyone. Not her cousin. Not her mother. Speaking of
painful memories . . . An', God, not me pop! Not face to face. So what
could she say?
"I know." She pulled back to look
at his brown eyes and almost kissed him. There was something about a public
street, though - even a deserted one - that made her a little shy. "C'mon.
It's gettin' ta sunset."
~*~
Oh, sh-t! "Don't start witout me!"
Truth called over her shoulder, running down the steps of the lodging house.
Fergit yer own head if it wasn't screwed on, like Snoddy says. "Jist
fergot somet'in at Tibby's, Kloppman." she called on her way through the
lobby. The landlord didn't have time to look up before she was out the door.
"Be back by lights out!" he called
after her.
Running down Duane street, Truth considered
following the other girls' lead and wearing pants like the boys. Her long skirt
was not made for running. But it did give her an advantage in selling. It was a
trade off - money vs. convenience. She slammed into someone.
"Hey watch it! Where ya goin' in such a
hurry?"
Why not? she thought. Sure, 'working hours'
were over, but the opportunity was heaven-sent. She did her best 'frightened
waif' impression. "Please, sir." she said breathlessly. "Me
brudda. He's-" She burst into tears. "He's wonderful mostly, but when
he's like dis-" She touched her arm and winced away as if touching a
bruise. This was the man's cue to sympathize, to give her something so that she
could live without her 'brother.' She looked up at Skittery's grinning face.
Aw well. It was woith a try.
"Truth!" she grinned back.
Skittery shook his head. "Dese streets
ain't safe wit you on 'em. Warn me if any a yer fam'ly comes ta town." The
joke was a safe one. For most of the newsies, family was a sore subject, but
Truth's father - who according to her story of the moment, been everything from
a circus performer to a banker to a cowboy - had been (rare on the streets)
both sober and loving. The star con-artist had died when Truth was ten leaving
her all the tricks of his trade. "What'cha doin' out heah anyways?"
"I left Snoddy's hat at Tibby's an' he's
t'reatenin' death if I don't get back as a five minutes ago." she replied
grinning.
"An' what was ya doin' wit Snoddy's
hat?" Skitttery asked, eyebrows raised.
"Playin' Keep Away. Don't look at me
like dat! He's goin' wit Kristin rememba? Anyways, Race is startin' up a poker
game, an' I wanna get back in time fer it."
"I'll make shoa dey wait, den."
"T'anks." Leaving, Skittery behind,
she continued down the street. With half her mind on getting back in time for
the poker game and half on the concert, it was understandable that she didn't
see Crutchy standing in the shadow of one of the buildings. What she did see
caused her to stop so fast she nearly fell over.
~*~
"Heya!" Nickel looked up when
Skittery entered, then did her best to appear absorbed in gossiping with
Firefly. "Where's Jack?"
"He an' Sarah went out fer a walk."
Pie Eater whispered something to Snoddy, drawing a glare from David.
"What did you say, Pie?"
"Nothin' important. Sheesh! Bruddas!
Ya'd t'ink he was a yeah older, 'stead bein' a yeah younga den her!"
"Where's Truth?" Race retorted.
"I wanna get dis game started."
"Connin' innocent passers-by."
Skittery replied grinning. "We gotta get dat goil on da stage 'fore she
robs da City blind!"
"She's acting in the concert." said
Nickel.
The door opened, and Race looked up
hopefully. He was disappointed to see Spitfire and Crutchy enter, and not the
innocent-faced, mischievous Truth, and only managed a half-hearted greeting.
"Don't get too excited ta see us," Crutchy teased. "Wouldn't
want ya ta strain yaself."
"Don't mind him," Swifty called
across the room. "He's waitin' fer Truth ta start da game, an' he's
gettin' antsy."
Race ignored him. "Hey, youse two wanna
play?" he asked.
Before either could answer yes or no, Dave
put in. "Race! Don't you know they've got a date?" Porter ducked her
head, smiling. "Shaddup."
David waved them away. "Go on upstairs!
I'm getting a toothache from all this sweetness!"
She turned her back on him without replying
this time, and headed for the stairs to the roof. At the bottom, she turned to
stick her tongue out at him, then ran upstairs laughing.
~*~
"Heya, Kloppman," Truth greeted
absently. She crossed the lobby, slowly, Snoddy's grey cap dangling from her
right hand. She couldn't get over what she'd seen. Spitfire and Snaps? She's
head ovah heels fer Crutchy. Why would she- It don't make no sense. She
climbed the stairs.
"Well, look who's fin'ly heah!"
Race said sarcastically. Truth looked up startled. "C'mon, let's play,
awready!" Snoddy held out a hand, and she tossed him the cap. She was
distracted, then, by the need to keep a close eye on Racetrack's hands.
~*~
Spitfire marvelled once again at the sheer
number of stars. She glanced aside at Crutchy. She still wanted to explain
about earlier that evening, but didn't dare bring it up.
"Me favorite star." Crutchy pointed
with the arm around Porter's shoulders, squeezing her slightly closer to him.
The sun had long since set, but they still sat with their backs to the door,
reluctuant to rejoin the others.
Spitfire laid her head on his shoulder.
"Ya know what I love about sunsets?" she said softly. "Dey's so
beautiful - an' dey's always dere. One a da t'ings dat useta remind me God
really did care when Pop's beatin's got too bad or . . ." She trailed off.
It was one of those things she could say only to Crutchy, and then only at
night. An' den I met you, an' I din't need da reminda no more. Now it jist
reminds me a you. "Crutchy?" she whispered. He turned his head to
look at down at her. She couldn't say it. She kissed him softly.
~*~
Truth had meant to ask Porter about the scene
earlier, but her best friend's radiant face stopped her somehow. Spitfire was
blissfully oblivious to Nickel's teasing and Pounce's questions. Truth noticed
Nick's eye lingering on Skittery as the girls left for their own room. I'se
surrounded by da lovestruck! she thought in exasperation, curbing her own
wandering eye.
"Spitfire," Porter folded her
newspaper and turned to look up (for once!) at Truth. "Can I steal ya away
from yer beau taday?" her friend asked.
Spitfire was surprised. Despite her teasing
tone, Truth obviously had something serious on her mind, but she couldn't think
what. However, she and Crutchy had been planning this day for weeks, and she
didn't want to break the date.
"Could we tawk at da rehearsal?"
she asked quietly, glancing around for Jack. "We'se meetin' at Medda's tanight,
afta all. An' Crutchy an' me's-" She stopped and bit her lip with an
self-conscious smile. "Unless it's a emergency?"
Against her better judgment, Truth shook her
head. She watched as Spitfire called Crutchy and the two started off together.
"Truth!" Pie Eater shook his head
with a grin. "Usually, Pounce is da one loafin' aroun', not you!"
"I don't loaf," Pounce replied with
dignity. "I takes time to appreciate t'ings, dat's all."
"Uh huh." Pie Eater hefted a stack
of papers onto his shoulder. "EXTRY! EXTRY!"
~*~
"Ya plannin' ta help wit da
concert?" Nickel asked Skittery with amazing casualness, considering the
speed at which her heart was racing.
"I dunno," he replied, staring at
an article on a western railroad for much longer than it took to read it.
"I ain't any good at dat kinda t'ing."
There was an awkward silence.
"Well," Nickel began, then stopped. She cleared her throat and tried
again. "Me neidda. I figger I'll help back stage - if dey needs
anybody," she added, stammering.
Skittery looked straight at her for the first
time and smiled. She ordered her thoughts to concentrate on his words and not
that smile. She hoped she wasn't staring. Never mind that. She knew she
was staring. She hoped it wasn't obvious. She hoped she wasn't drooling. She
could just hear Firefly laughing at her . . .
"'S a good idea. If dey needs anybody,
I'll help."
"Great." She couldn't think of
anything else to say.
"Looks like it's time ta go."
"Yeah," she murmured. They began
walking side by side. She drifted away toward Firefly, grinning broadly. Nickel,
you is so lovestruck, she thought. She was far giddier than the occasion
warranted.
Firefly's eyes twinkled. "Good
headline?" she asked.
~*~
"Skit, ya comin'?" Specs appeared
at his elbow. Skittery looked at him, startled, feeling oddly happy.
"Yeah, I'se comin'." He started
walking again, quickly. The two friends wandered away from the square without
further words. Skittery shot a sideways look at his friend. Specs sold a paper
to a gentlemen who thought he looked respectable for a newsie. He seemed
completely unconcerned about finding his best friend gazing at Nickel like Mush
with a bad crush. Nickel . . . He shook his head at himself, but smiled.
He couldn't feel bad about it. Specs walked back to him and raised an eyebrow.
With a start, Skittery realized he'd been
standing in the middle of the street not even pretending to work. "Aw,
shaddup," he muttered, as Specs came closer.
Grinning, his best friend spread his hands.
"Did I say anyt'in?"
"Ya was gonna." He cleared his
throat. "I'se plannin' ta help wit da concert, like a stagehand or
somet'in, ya know. You?" He prayed his friend would be there for support,
then prayed he wouldn't. He got enough heckling from Specs about girls he
liked.
"Naw, I figger I'll be a usher or
somet'in'. Gotta be somebody in da audience 'sides Jacky-boy. You an'
Nickel'll want yer privacy, anyways." Skittery rolled his eyes, but his
cheeks felt slightly hot. He'd known it was coming.
"Whaddaya mean, me an' Nickel?" His
voice stuck on her name, and he cleared his throat again, face growing hotter.
Specs just shook his head. "C'mon."
~*~
"Can't I watch ya rehearse?"
Crutchy asked.
"I want ya ta be surprised."
"And people complain about me and Spot!"
Clown exclaimed, watching the good-bye. She had sixteen years of circus life to
her credit, and she was not missing out on this. "You think they
weren't going to see each other for years!" She laughed. "There's
almost something indecent about being that in love."
"Ya walk up ta dem tagedda," agreed
Pen who had been drafted - not entirely against her will - into song and
skit-writing. "An' ya get da impression dey's poimanently locked in some
passionate kiss an' ya's intrudin' jist by bein' nearby."
"But they're so gentle with each
other," Clown added. "And all that feeling underneath. Like the tides
of the ocean. Like what brings them together is a force of nature."
"Or a act a God," said Pen in a
hushed voice.
"I call it sappy," Truth, a
born actress, declared loudly, but fondly.
"I call it love." Nickel looked
over at Skittery a little wistfully.
Skittery was up on the catwalk, trying to
figure out the sandbags. She rolled her eyes and ran over to help him.
"All right!" Medda clapped her
hands. "Time to start!"
~*~
Porter sat in the second row, leaning against
the seats, watching Pen, Truth and Medda discussing the script for a skit.
"Um, Spitfire, can I tawk ta ya?"
She jumped, turning to see Snaps beside her.
"I, um, yeah," she stammered.
He ducked his head, then looked back at her.
"I - I'se sorry 'bout - las' night an' all."
She shrugged, embarrassed. "'S aw
right."
"No, it ain't. I din't have no right
ta-"
Porter squirmed in her seat.
"Don't-" She was grateful for Medda's interruption at that moment,
directing her onto the stage.
~*~
Spitfire was slightly more relaxed after two
hours of singing with Snap's accompaniment. She was too tired to be anything
but relaxed. "I nevah knew singing could be so much woik!" she
exclaimed during a break.
"It don't look like woik da way you does
it," Snaps smiled, brushing the piano keys idly.
She smiled, embarrased. She intercepted an
odd glance from Truth who was listening, and remembered that she hadn't yet gotten
to talk with her best friend.
"Ya could hold up the entire concert on
yer own," he added enthusiastically. He seemed to have forgotten the
previous night completely. Porter could not forget, however, and flattered as
she was by his compliments, she couldn't help feeling uncomfortable around him.
~*~
That discomfort translated to awkwardness
when Crutchy came to walk her back. His jokes - "It was hard foolin' Jack.
Da minute I showed up widdout ya, he knew somet'in was up." - didn't help.
She enjoyed being known as one half of the 'Siamese twins' almost as much as
she enjoyed being with Crutchy, but after the confusion of the past two days,
it just upset her.
Crutchy noticed her silence.
"Porter?" She shook her head and smiled, seeing the lodging house
within sight. She elbowed him lightly.
"Race ya!"
She didn't run very fast, and he caught her
at the door. Just out of Kloppman's sight, he kissed her. For a few moments,
she forgot her worries.
~*~
They were inches apart when Snaps reached
them. He fought a surge of anger, jealousy, and guilt. He thought about calling
out to them - something like "Hey, loveboids!" - but didn't think he
could keep it from sounding bitter. In any case, the decision was taken out of
his hands. They heard him and pulled apart, Crutchy, with an embarrassed smile,
Spitfire, with an unreadable expression that quickly became a stare at her
shoes.
"Heya, Snaps," Crutchy greeted
reservedly. Snaps could see his shy wonder in the arm gently encircling
Porter's shoulders - as if the boy thought she might suddenly vanish.
"Heya." He didn't trust himself
with any more words. He waited, shifting from one foot to the other, for a
single, tense moment, then bolted inside. He fumbled for two pennies for
Kloppman, and stumbled up the stairs without bothering to sign in.
Hard on the heels of another surge of
jealousy came the knowledge that Crutchy knew. She musta told him! he
thought, face burning. With a hasty greeting to the other newsies on his way
through the bunkroom, he escaped to the the washroom. A coise. She prob'ly
tells him ev'yt'ing! What he wouldn't give to have her confide in him
like that! He groaned, sliding down to sit against the wall. Joshua
Alexander . . . "Let us pause . . ." he hummed under his breath,
remembering Spitfire leaning against the piano, laughing . . . Yer sixteen!
Ya's too young fer dis ta be real.
It ain't 'xactly flowers an' sunsets an'
dancin'! he argued with himself,
then. "It hoits," he whispered.
"Snaps?"
His head snapped up. "Go away,
Specs."
"What's wrong?" He gritted his
teeth. "Go away!"
"Snaps-"
"If ya say one more woid, Specs, I'll
soak ya!"
His friend backed off. "Look-"
Snaps jumped to his feet, glaring. He felt
like fighting.
"I'm goin'!" Specs held up his
hands in self defense. "If ya wanna tawk, though."
"I don't," he said shortly, then
sighed, anger draining away. "Look. It ain't somet'in ya can do anyt'in
about, aw right. Jist leave me alone."
Specs frowned. "Latah," he promised
- or was it ordered? - before leaving. <
~*~
Snaps' appearance had brought back all the
confusion. Crutchy's jealousy was no help. He didn't say anything. It
was in his voice, his arm tensed around her shoulders, his eyes as he turned
back to her after Snaps left them. She wished he would say something.
"It's aw right." Who was he
reassuring? "I love ya."
She hugged him tightly, hiding her face in
his shoulder. "Crutchy . . ."
~*~
Nickel was understandably surprised when
Snaps shot through the boys' bunkroom like all the bulls in New York were on
his heels. She was even more surprised when Spitfire and Crutchy entered, the
last of the people connected with the concert to arrive, both clearly on edge.
She debated on whether or not to say something, but Crutchy's greeting was
cheerful enough and Skittery was on a winning streak. The poker game required
her attention.
"Fold," said Kid Blink, finally,
after five minutes of staring glumly at his hand. Each showed his (or her)
hand. Jack had a full house. Nickel was torn between laughter and sympathy at
Skittery's dismay when he saw the fate of his winnings.
"Pay up, Rich Boy." Jack grinned at
Skittery, holding out his hand.
With a glare at Cowboy, Skittery handed over
his money. "New game?"
Jack shook his head, nodding over his
shoulder. Kloppman had just entered. He shooed the girls out of the room, and
the boys into their beds. "You've got work tomorrow. The days're getting
shorter. C'mon, into bed!"
~*~
Tired as she was from singing and strees, Porter
couldn't sleep for quite awhile. Just as she reached the verge of dreams,
Truth's voice pulled her back to the world. "Spitfire?"
"Yeah?" she yawned.
"Nevah mind," her friend said
hastily.
Great,
Porter sighed to herself. All she needed was another thing to worry about. Got
anyt'in else up yer sleeve, God?
"Why does Jack call ya Rich Boy?"
Nickel asked abruptly. She and Skittery lay on their stomachs on the scaffold
overlooking the stage.
Skittery looked up at her, startled, then
back at the stage below where Pie Eater and Clown were practicing their
routine. "It's a long story," he answered, at length. She propped her
head up on her arms and looked at him, waiting. "I useta be pretty well
off. Me sista came heah from Chicago, wanted ta woik at da settlement house -
ya know, da one ovah on Henry Street?" Nickel nodded. "She left me
wit a governess - she's five yeahs olda, an' da only fam'ly I had. Anyway, I
followed her heah, but t'ings sorta fell apart. She's dead now. I'se on da
streets fer a coupla weeks before I landed in da Refuge.
"Jack was dere, doin' his best ta make a
a** outta Snyda'. He found me wit a accent an' manners dat gave me away in a
second. Now, 'e just does it ta tease me."
Nickel nodded again, wondering, but knowing
better than to ask what exactly had happened to his sister.
"Break time!" Medda called below
them.
"Finally!" Clown hopped off the
stage.
Pie Eater grinned as the two joined Truth,
Spitfire and Snaps at the piano. "Tired, Clown? Yer s'posed ta be da
professional around heah, ain't ya?"
"Tired?" she replied. "I'm
hungry!"
"Heah, heah!" Spitfire exclaimed.
"Ev'ybody dat could do wit somet'in ta eat right now?" She waved her
hand in the air.
"Snacks are coming in a minute,"
Medda replied. "I'll just go check on them."
Pie Eater gave an exaggerated bow.
"We'se yer slaves fer life!"
Truth laughed. "Hey, anybody seen our
stage crew taday?" she asked mischievously. "Dey woik well tagedda,
don't dey?"
"Ya t'ink dey'll bodder ta come down fer
break?" Snaps asked, grinning. He played a few bars of "Kiss Me Quick
and Go," stopping once he'd won a laugh from everyone. A thought seemed to
strike him. "Clown, ya know dis one?" He began a lively tune.
"Oh, once I was
happy, but now I'm forlorn
Like an old coat that's been tatter'd an' torn
I'm left in dis wide world to fret an' to mourn
Betray'd by a maid in her teens . . ."
Clown burst into surprised laughter. "I
haven't heard that in months! Don't stop!"
"Now dis girl
dat I lov'd she was handsome
And I tried all I knew, her to please
But I nevah could please her a quarter as well
As the Man on the Flying Trapeze! Whoa!"
Clown joined in.
"He flies
through the air with the greatest of ease
This daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements are graceful, all girls he does please
And my love he has stolen away
"Now
this young man by name was Senor Boni Slang
Tall, big and handsome, as well made as Chang
Where'er he appeared how the hall loudly rang
With ovations from all people there
He'd smile from the bar on the people below
And one night he smiled on my love
She blew him a kiss and she hollered 'Bravo!'
As he hung by his nose up above! Whoa!
"He
flies through the air with the greatest of ease,
This daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements are graceful, all girls he does please
And my love he has stolen away
"Her
father and mother were both on my side
And tried very hard to make her my bride
Her father, he sighed, and her mother, she cried
To see her throw herself away
'Twas all no avail she went there ev'ry night
And threw her bouquets on the stage
Which caused him to meet her, how he ran me down
To tell it would take a whole page. Whoa!"
Spitfire managed to stop laughing long enough
to join in for the chorus, and soon everyone was singing.
"He
flies through the air with the greatest of ease,
This daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements are graceful, all girls he does please
And my love he has stolen away
"One
night as usual I went to her dear home
And found there her mother and father alone
I asked for my love and soon 'twas made known
To my horror that she'd run away
Without any trousseau, she fled into the night
With him with the greatest of ease
He'd lowered her down from a two-story height
To the ground on his flying trapeze
"He
flies through the air with the greatest of ease,
This daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements are graceful, all girls he does please
And my love he has stolen away
"Some
months after that I went into a hall
To my surprise found there on the wall
A bill in red letters which did my heart gall
That she was appearing with him
He'd taught her gymnastics and dressed her in tights
To help him to live at his ease
He'd make her assume a masculine name
And now she goes on the trapeze! Whoa!"
The group started in on the chorus, but Clown
and Snaps grinned at each other. The words changed.
"She
floats through the air with the greatest of ease
You'd think her a man on the flying trapeze
She does all the work while he takes his ease
And that's what's become of my love!"
On their way to join the group, Nickel and
Skittery were startled out of their conversation by an explosion of laughter.
"Dat's too good!" Pie Eater exclaimed.
"It's a circus song," Clown
laughed. "We used to sing it all the time!" She nodded at Snaps.
"How did you know it?"
He shook his head. "Jist one me folks
useta sing. Dat's what dey said - dat it was a circus song."
"We gotta sing dat fer da concert!"
Spitfire said. "Grand finale. Ev'ybody'll love it!"
"What da heck are youse doin'?"
Nickel asked, looking at them all. They were too busy laughing to answer her.
Medda's entrance with a tray full of cookies left the subject hanging.
"Food!"
"When you finish eating, I have costumes
for you." Medda said, watching with amusement as the cookies vanished into
mouths.
"I'se serious, though," Porter said
around a mouthful of cookie. Embarrassed, she finished swallowing it.
"Ev'ybody-"
"Yeah, it'd be fun!" Snaps
seconded. Only Truth noticed if it came out a little too enthusiastically.
"I'm in favor," said Clown.
"Me, too," said Truth, eyeing the
piano player oddly.