The Only Girl Newsie

Chapter 10: Being Nice

Walking from Brooklynn back home while being soaking wet in the evening is not fun. Spot is lucky we left when we did. Oh, what am I saying? I won't hurt Spot. I don't break promises.

"How much farther are we going?" little Les asks. His feet are dragging as he walks, and he looks like he could fall asleep standing. Poor kid is tired from walking.

"It's still a little ways," Jack tells him, unsure how to help.

I feel my clothes to find out they are mostly dry. I decide to help out. "Les, come here," I tell him. He comes over to me, and I ask, "want a piggyback ride till we get home?"

He smiles and nods, happy to not be walking anymore.

I get him on my back, and we keep walking. His legs are wrapped around my waist, and his arms are wrapped around my shoulders. As we continue to walk, I feel him lay his head on my shoulder. Jack smiles at me as Les falls asleep on my back. "Yes, Jack?" I ask him. "You seem to be staring and smiling."

"It's just. I've never seen you like this before," he says.

"Like what?" Davey asks, looking over at us.

"Your acting nice for once," Jack tells me.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," I tell him. I see him smile a little more before he turns his head away from me.

We walk a little more till Les wakes up. As we get closer to home, I give Les to Davey. They go home, and now it's just Jack and me walking to the lodging house.

"You know," Jack says, breaking our silence. "When your nice, it's not horrible to be around you."

"Wow, thanks, Jack. Now I know it sucks to be around me," I say, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

"I know."

Jack pauses for a moment, seeming to think over his words. "It was nice to see how Les looked at you. He really likes you."

"He likes you too, you know," I tell him. "He looks up to you."

"Nah, no one looks up to me. I'm probably not the best example for that kid."

"And I am?" I ask. He laughs a little at that. "I will admit, it's nice to know that that little boy doesn't run from me in fear when I come near." I smile at the thought of Les actually liking me and my company. We arrive at the Lodging house and go inside for the night.