|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 19, 2008 5:43:22 GMT -5
Skittery wiped his hand across his brow, removing his cap in the process. It was a hot day, and people were outside everywhere enjoying the sun. He squinted up at the torturous sun. He seemed to be the only one who was NOT enjoying it. Little children were running around a spraying fire hydrant, women were hanging out there windows; beating rugs, and hanging clothes on the line, and men were outside standing around talking.
Skittery was one of many who stood on this street trying to sell papers to the happy people. It was always best to get them in a good mood. So far he had sold eleven on this street, and he wasn't even half way down it yet. Things were looking brighter today. But Skittery saw the glass as half empty. He still had a bunch of papers to sell BEFORE the evening edition, and he still needed to cut across town to Tibby's so he could get a meal. He had missed his chance of supper last night, and the nuns had run out of the stale bread by the time he had gotten to them that morning. He had woken up late, and had literally fallen off of his bunk. His shoulder was bruised and he was sweating bullets from the sun.
He took off his jacket, leaving him in his pink long johns and suspenders. His lean figure was quite well defined. He shifted the weight of the papers under his arm, and then replaced his cap on his head. With his jacket off, he felt much cooler - but that was another thing he had to carry now. Life was just so damn awful sometimes. Well, almost all the time.
Skittery began walking down the street again, glancing up at the open windows and the happy families hanging out of them. Sometimes he wished he had a family to live with. Well, someday..Maybe.. He was so wrapped up in his mournful thoughts, that he didn't notice when the children opened another hydrant near him. It squirted sideways, and got him straight on in the face. The forceful water continued spraying at him, soaking him all over, and knocking off his hat. The force of it forced him backwards, and he tripped over the edge of the sidewalk, plummeting right into something, or someone, and it sent them both falling to the ground.
Skittery sat up yelling, "Damn kids! Whea's me hat? Damnit!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 19, 2008 10:58:07 GMT -5
"Hey, give 'em a break. They were just messin' around. Here yours hat."Skittery grabbed the hat and slapped it onto his head angrily. Water streamed down into his eyes. He looked down and saw that his remaining papers were wet and now completely un-sellable. He cursed under his breath. So much for lunch... He brushed his hands through his hair after removing his soaked hat, making it go in every direction, and frowned. "Sorry.." he said as he looked at the poor girl that had been the victim of his body weight, and had only tried to help. Maybe there was still some good in the world. He didn't bother sticking out his hand for her to shake, as it was muddy. "Skittery.." he muttered and tried to sort through the wet papers in hopes of finding some salvageable ones. He hadn't gotten a good look at the girl, but if he had, he would have recognized her as the Bronx Leader. He knew what all of the leaders looked like - as he had seen them many times, but when it came to talking to them - He just hung in the background. ((Gotta go - ill be back later  ))
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 20, 2008 2:20:24 GMT -5
"Well, don't we look wonderful....."
Skittery glanced over her body, then quickly averted his eyes knowing how awkward that may have looked. The fact was, he was only looking at the mud. He glanced down at his own body, and groaned aloud. He was in his last pair of clothes for the month. Now he would have to either borrow some from Jack (Since Jack was the only tall enough to have clothes that actually fit Skittery) or he would have to wear mud covered clothes until he could afford some new ones. Skittery decided to go for the latter.
"Starsage," "Sorry about your papes...."
"T'aint your fault." he muttered glaring down at the wrinkled, gooey papers as if it would terrify them into returning to normal so he could sell them. Starsage.. The name that she had said suddenly hit him. "Starsage..." he said aloud. "So..Your..?" he started, stuttering slightly. He had always had respect for the leaders, as they were leader for a reason, but as he looked over Starsage with a quizzical expression, he wondered how on Earth this little girl had become leader. Leader of the Bronx, no less.
"If ya don't mind me sayin', your a really small person. How'd you become leader of the Bronx?" he asked unfeelingly. He had the rest of the day until evening edition came out to do whatever he wanted now, but he scowled at the thought. Free time wasn't a good thing in Skittery's mind. To him, you could be using that free time to make money somehow. That, or be using it to spend some good time with yourself or other people. So then again, Free time was a good thing...
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 20, 2008 14:24:20 GMT -5
Skittery saw that she seemed a bit self conscience about the way her clothes were clinging to her small body from the water and mud, so he offered her his still semi-dry jacket. "Hea'. You need it more than me." he said gruffly.
"My cousin used to be the leader. Once he got to old, he passed the role down to me."
Skittery scrunched up his face disgustedly. "That ain't how its sposed ta work..." he muttered, joining her on the curb. "Leaders are leaders for a reason. What reason you ask? They earned the respect." he stated shaking his head, causing little flecks of mud to fall to the ground.
What was this world coming to? Skittery thought clenching his jaw. He wondered what Starsage's newsies thought of her - or if they even respected her at all. He wouldn't. One thing was for sure, he'd never be able to stand being bossed around by a girl.
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 20, 2008 15:18:00 GMT -5
"Just because I didn't fight my way to become leader, I still earned my respect," "I may not be the toughest person out there, I know that. But I lead my newsies just as well as anyone. My newsies listen to me. Not because I threaten them or because I can fight. But because they respect me."
Skittery scowled at her and twisted his body so that he was facing her. "You may have gained there respect, but what happens if someone starts to weight you over, huh? Are your newsies gonna come save ya?" he asked throwing his hands in the air. He groaned as he brought them back down. His shoulder had not liked that gesture, and it was now throbbing painfully. "Damn..." he muttered as he massaged his shoulder. It felt like he had bruised the bone or strained his muscle or something.
Gritting his teeth, he began moving his shoulder around in circles, trying to work out the pain (which wasn't helping) and stared down at his mud covered clothes. It was getting increasingly uncomfortable sitting in the mud, but he wasn't about to stand up first - That would make him look like a wimp compare to Starsage, who was still sitting.
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 20, 2008 15:47:03 GMT -5
My newsies will stand behind me." "And just because I am not the stongest person in the world, does not mean I can't hold my own in a fight," Skittery rolled his eyes, "I ain't accusin' you of being some wimpy little girl...I was just saying, that one girl against two big fella's...Well, the odds are against ya, you know?" Skittery said frowning. "Are ya okay?"He grimaced and said, "Yeah.." he started but then as a loud pop issued from his shoulder he cursed, loudly. "No.." he said through gritted teeth. His shoulder really was in pain - and the only reason was because he fell out of his bunk. He wasn't about to admit that to her though. "I got in a bad way with..Uhh..Ten thugs.." he said smirking. That sounded fairly macho enough... ((Sorry so short - im really sidetracked...  ))
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 21, 2008 0:51:06 GMT -5
"Ah...I see." "Were they pretty big,"
Skittery smiled. It was a rare thing to see the boy smile, but when he did it was a brilliant, sweet one. That is, unless it was a smirk. But this was a smile.
"Yeah..." he started then shook his vigorously, shaking some dried mud loose. "Actually it was just ole Kloppy scaring the hell outta me and making me fall out of bed..But Who needs to know?" he confessed jokingly. Her bad mood seemed to actually be having a reverse effect on him, putting him in a bit more of a better mood.
Skittery scuffed his shoes on the muddy ground. The kids came rushing towards them, all soaking wet and also covered in mud. There was another hydrant right behind Skittery and Star, and they were about to open it. Skittery saw this, and jumping up from his uncomfortable position on the ground, he grabbed Starsage's arm and practically picked her up as he brought her out of the way of the now jetting water.
((lolz - just had to))
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 21, 2008 4:39:39 GMT -5
"Is that a smile I see? Hmm, well who woulda known."
"Aw shut up.." he said throwing a fake punch in the direction of her arm. He wouldn't of actually punched her, especially since she was a girl, but he wanted to give her the impression that if she had been a guy, she would have now had a bruise on her arm.
"Ah, thats makes a little bit more sense."
Skittery shook his head and laughed. Leave it to him to turn a situation that was going to flatter him into one that completely undermined him.
"Thanks..."
Skittery turned towards her, "Don' mention it." he said monotone. "I didn't want me jacket gettin' wet." he added sheepishly, gesturing towards the jacket that Starsage was still wrapped in. He was just joking, but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that he had actually cared about her well-being. So, as of now - he would stick to the saving his jacket story.
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 21, 2008 13:56:59 GMT -5
"Gee, thanks a lot. I feel special now,"
Skittery frowned again and asked, "Why...?" As if he didn't know...It was hard to tell the difference between Skittery joking around and him really not understanding the question. When he wanted to be, he could be very serious though. It isn't always depression and sarcasm.
"Here, I don't really need it anymore. Thanks though,"
"Ok, but now I aint got a reason to save you from the next jet of water..." he said shrugging and taking the jacket from her. He was poking fun, and wanted to see how deep he could actually get. Then again, he was so indecisive. He decided to just drop the whole poking fun at the Bronx Leader idea. Who knows, it could get him in fix with a few fellows that wouldn't be so nice...
((lol skittery is so weird..))
|
|
|
|
Post by Skittery on Feb 21, 2008 16:02:01 GMT -5
"So, you would just stand there and watch me get soaked?"
Skittery scratched his head. "Yeah, probably." he said keeping a straight face. He more than likely wouldn't...But if she really pissed him off, then he might consider the possibility of letting her get hit by the next stream of water.
"So, whats the leader of the Bronx doin' ovah in 'Hattan..?" Skittery asked, squinting up at the sky. The sun seemed to be blaring down relentlessly on them, drying up there clothes. Skittery was not one to enjoy walking around in mud dried clothes, and thought for a brief instance that maybe they should both wash off before heading there separate ways.
"Ya wanna walk around in mud all day?" he asked smirking. "Cause if not - we can always go to the lodging house and get washed up." he added sheepishly.
|
|
))
))