Strangers On the Street

Cat and Mouse

Monday morning.  A brand new day.  I woke up and pulled on my coal-black boots dirtied with mud. 
I looked around me.  No-one was awake yet, although I spotted a few guys snoring and one sucking his thumb. I fought back a snicker. 
I tip-toed to the sink, turning on the water just a bit to wash my dirty face and arms. 
One Boy turned over loudly making me jump. 
I rubbed a towel all over my face feeling refreshed and looked into the mirror.  I tucked a few straw strands of blonde into my cap, wrapped my scarf carefully around my neck, and smudged the remaining dirt around my cheeks and under my eyes.
"A newsies' makeup," I thought jokingly to myself. 
Then I retreated to the doorway where Jack always met me. 
He greeted me with a small smile, congratulating me on my stealthiness once again.
"Yous never ceases to amaze me, Janie," he said, ruffling my hair playfully.  He held my cap in his other hand.
Only Jack called me Janie, obviously.  Only he knew my secret.  That I was a very female street-rat in need of money - a girl newsie.  Still, only Jack called me Janie. 
"Gimme my hat back," I squealed as he held it high above his head. 
"Yous has to catch me, foist," he grinned, taking off down the street. 
"Jack Kelly!" I screamed with a beaming smile.  I took off after him, racing straight behind.
We jumped over crates and piles of rubbish barely making the leap each time.  We rounded a corner.  I made my move.  I reached out to snatch the hat from his clutches, when a large, off-smelling figure intervined, pushing us away from each other.  I heard Jack's groan as he landed on the pavement with a crunch!  I instinctively lunged for him, but was stopped immediately by a fist to my jaw.  I was plunged to the ground, jaw sore, cheeks burning.  A shard of sharp pottery scratched my cheek.  I felt the blood with my fingers.  From the corner of my eye I saw Jack getting up.  What was he doing?  He poised himself behind our foe, his hands balled into fists.
"Ey, watch it dere, Oscar," he growled as the bigger boy reached for me. 
I lashed out, kicking him in the shin.  He winced and grabbed at his pantleg. 
"Come ere and fight somebody yer own size ya oversized rat!"
Oscar straightened rigidly at this insult.  He instantly forgot about me and spun to face Jack, ready to do damage. 
"So the ol' pussy cat woke up, eh?" Jack taunted with a smirk.
"Always watchin' for mice like you, Kelly," he sneered, clearly ready for a fight.
"Oh, I'm touched to the very bottom of my heart, but really, Oscar what you should be watchin' is your back!"
Just then, I stood up and bashed one of the clay vases over his head.  He stumbled, wobbled, and finally collapsed to the ground.  Jack chuckled and clasped my hands with his own.  We laughed for a good while.
"We showed him!" I giggled.
Jack's face became solemn.  He looked straight into my eyes and just held my hands.  A twinge of anxiety suddenly swept over me.  My eyes sheepishly stole away, not wanting to meet his gaze.  He continued to be still, just looking at me.  I felt a pang of something else.  Did I want him to?  I shook myself off.  These days I was so confused. 
I turned nervously to leave as I felt his arms wrapping around me.  My brows furrowed and my cheeks became red.  Was I blushing?  Was I angry at this sudden outburst of affection? 
He soon broke my train of thought.
"I'm just glad yous is okay," he said warmly. 
I patted his hand gently, still slightly uncomfortable. 
"Of course I'm okay," I started, "I'm always okay."
"Of course," he said pulling away with a cough,  "I think it's gettin' to be five o'clock now." His voice trailed off.
I kicked myself inside.  Nothing had changed!  I knew how Jack felt about me.  I was his little sister and that's all.  I should have known that from the start - the tone he uses only with me. 
Just as he was about to head off to get his daily papers, I squeezed his hand.
"We could go together," I suggested. 
A smile crept onto his lips.
"Sure thing," he said.

Nothing had changed...had it?