Stray on Strike

Sixty!

I walk up to the World Gates with Crutchie. They're open and we're just waiting for stupid Delanceys to get to work.

Race, Skittery, Mush, Buttons, Elmer, and of course me and Crutchie. Are just sitting around wait for anything to happen.

I lighten up the mood, by saying something, "Them fire sirens kept me awake all night." I say rubbing my neck. I couldn't get comfortable. I probably look like a monster I couldn't get any sleep.

Mush stands up definitely in front of me stunting." Sirens is like lullabies to me. The louder they wail, the better the headline. And the better the headline, the better I eat. And the better I eat-"

"THE further away from you I sleep." I say fake punching his gut. He laughs and gives me a side hug.

I go and sit beside Crutchie. We smile at each other for the longest time. It's quite amusing. I laugh, then burry my head into his shoulder. "Well aren't you happy?"

"Why shouldn't I be, the sun's shining, the boys are shouting, the headline is almost up. Every thing is perfect in my little world right now." I smile and lean against Crutchie and he puts his arm around me. I make a noise that sounds like I'm a weakling. That's right I sighed. A happy sigh.

"Everything is perfect in my world toos. Yous wanna know why?" He says. I turn my head so I can see him. I see the smile that spreads like butter, it makes me smile like a little kid. Bigger than Les'. "Because Ise get to call the most beautiful goil in da world mines."

I didn't think I could smile any bigger but here I am. We both lean in and kiss. It was a sweet kiss, short, yet not short enough to be considered a peck in the lips. 

We pull away from each other and smile, and just as any other time we have a romantic moment when the guys are around. A roar of OW OW OWS appear. Crutchie blushes and I laugh. I give him a quick peck on the cheek.

Little did I know that Davey and Les just walked in and saw all of that. My eyes grow wide. Crutchie turns around not facing them.

Les runs up to me and Crutchie, "Are you two married?" I giggle and look over at Crutchie he puts his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. Davey yells at his little brother, "LES!"

"No, we are just couple." I look at Crutchie then I realized what I said. "I mean, not JUST a couple! I love him-" Crap! Did I? NO NO NO that did not  come out of my mouth!!! What have I done?

"Calm down, Stray, it's okay.....I love you too." He says. Okay maybe I didn't mess up. Guess who's the one with the 'smile that spreads like butter.' now?

"Well that's the first time we've said that to each other." I say amazed. He nods and gives me a kiss on the cheek. He blushes. My Crutchie.

It's awkwardly quiet and then Davey speaks up, "Sorry we're late, we had to help our mother with something." Mother? They have a mother? Cherish her boys.

"Oh they have a mother." Race says cockyish. "I was going to be me one of those." I hate that they're joking about moms. I'll do anything to get mine back.

Buttons looks at him, "What happened to the one you had?"

Skittery jumps up and runs to Race, he puts his arm around him and laughs while he is saying, "He traded her for a box of Coronas." We all laugh.

"We have a father too." Les shouts, and let me guess, an aunt, an uncle, two sisters. Can they not rub it in? Most of us or all of us are orphans.

"Oh a mother and a father!" Elmer says like a snotty brat. "Elmer!" I say shutting him up. Crutchie pats my shoulder as a cue to calm down. "Well ain't we the hou polli?" Race snaps. I cover my face with my hands. I don't want to see what's going to happen.

Les runs up to me, he shouts to anyone but Race," So, how's it goin' today?"

Mush takes off his hat and answer that kid, "Ask me after they put up the headline."

"Here it comes," Les says, he runs over to Davey and pulls on his pants leg.

I see a scab climb up to chalk board and gives us the headline.

I read it out loud to everyone "New newsie price: 60 cents per hundred."

WHAT?!?!?!