| The Rooftop, part three |
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| Hart woke up to see Skittery looking up at the cover. "Hi, Skit." Skittery looked over and smiled. "Hey. Good dreams?" "No, I never dream. How long you been awake?" Skittery shrugged. "Half hour, maybe." "You shoulda woke me up!" Hart started to sit up. "Sides, we'd better get goin' if -- AAHHH!!!" Mr. Kloppman was standing on the roof, just outside of the rain cover. "Oh, geez. We late?" Skittery jumped up and said, "Listen, Kloppman, we didn't do nothin'. Honest." Kloppman waved his hands and muttered, "No you ain't late. Up before everyone, I believe ya. Get up, Skittery, when you get up, you have to get up. SELL THE PAPES!" The old man chuckled as he tottered away down the steps. "Jacky-boy's right." Skittery shook his head. "He's completely mad." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unlike the day before, Hart and Skittery got to the gate at the same time as the other newsies. Still, Hart felt like some of the guys were still looking at her strangely. She shook off the feeling and set off into the street to make her daily dime. Eventually, she sold her last pape, and was walking to the fruit stand on the corner. A man had given her 50 cents for singing a song, so her pockets were a bit heavier than usual. Four bits heavier, actually. After buying a peach, Hart began to wander back to Greeley Square. Suddenly, someone covered her eyes and mouth from behind. "Just kiddin'." Skittery quickly spun her around and walked next to her, his arm around her shoulder. "See, I tol' ya!" Hart and Skittery spun around at the new voice. They looked back to see Jack, Davey, Kid Blink, Itey and Specs standing there smirking. "What are you talking about?" Hart took a threatening step toward the happy bunch. "That you," Blink pointed, "and Skit, are together. Don' even try to deny it. We saw you last night. On the roof." "Bull. We would've seen you." Jack gestured with his hand. "Not if you was asleep!" "Hold it!!!" Hart yelled. "Would you please explain exactly what went on?" Kid Blink put his story telling voice on. "Well, y'see. Snipeshooter woke up an' realized that he needed a cig somethin' bad. So he woke up Race, who needed a smoke too, but he had forgot where he hid his cigar. So they woke up Jack, who didn't have any. So they woke up me. I mean, woke me up. Anyways, I had managed to swipe Weasel's pack off the counter whiles he was yellin' at Jack that mornin'." "So," interrupted Jack, "we all went up to th' roof, an' lo an' behold, who do we find up there, snug as a bug in me bed, but youse two, asleep. Very cute." "Well..." Hart looked at Skittery. "Who'd ya tell?" "Besides everybody?" Itey started laughing hysterically. "Great. Great, you do trust that we didn't do nothin'?" Skittery looked questioningly at them. "Sure," shrugged Specs. "I don' think it's the truth." Itey was still laughing. "I'll bet you wouldn't kiss her right now." "Got a dollar?" Skittery whipped around and glared at Hart. "Are you outta your mind?" "Chill out, wouldja? They won't have a dollar." "We don't have a dollar." "We have two." Davey held out his hat. The change jingled inside it temptingly. Hart and Skittery looked at the five boys. Hart took off her hat and held it out. Davey dumped the change in, and stepped back. She shrugged, threw her arms around Skittery's neck and kissed him. Who knew how long it would last, but for now, they were happy. And they had a couple extra bucks for it. |