Brewin' in the Boroughs

Chapter 15

"Ise so bored!" Elmer whined, sliding further down in his seat.

"Stop complain'!" Finch groaned.

"But there's nothin' to do!" Elmer's head dropped to the table with a loud smack. He let out a yell, his hand flying to his forehead which now bore a bright pink mark.

"How's your head feel?" Romeo laughed.

"It hurts."

"Really?" Specs asked, rolling his eyes at Elmer. "I never would've guessed."

Henry was still laughing, gripping his stomach as his eyes watered.

"Okay Henry, it ain't that funny!" Jojo said, patting his friend's back.

"Why are youse still laughin'?" Buttons asked.

"'Cause sometimes Elmer's real stupid!"

"Can't argue with that," Jojo grinned.

"Are youse done yet?" Elmer asked, his face buried in his hands.

"I guess," Henry said as he calmed down.

Albert raked a hand through his hair and glanced around his friends. "Wese should all go out."

"Where are you suggestin' we go?" Buttons asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Somewhere that wese can have fun!" Albert grinned.

"Medda's is always open," Romeo offered.

"Youse only wanna go 'cause you likes flirtin' with the Beauties!"

"And what's wrong with that?" Romeo grinned, throwing an arm around Finch's shoulder. "Race does the same thing, and youse ain't so innocent either. It doesn't hurt nothin'."

"I guess not," Finch agreed.

"So wese goin' to Medda's?" Henry asked.

The boys all nodded their approval and got up, making their way to the door.

"Wait for me!" Sniper called as he laced his boot.

"Snipe, youse ain't comin'," Finch said carefully.

"What? Why not?" He whined.

"'Cause youse a kid, that's why," Albert said.

Tommy Boy laughed as he headed towards the door, but he was stopped by Albert's hand pressing against his forehead.

"Where do you think youse goin'?"

"...To Medda's?"

"You ain't comin' neither," Romeo said.

"Sorry," Specs said, patting Tommy Boy's shoulder as he passed him.

"This ain't fair!" Tommy Boy complained as the older newsies filed out the door.

"Life ain't fair kid," Elmer grinned.

Tommy Boy slid into a chair across from Sniper and tapped his fingers against the rough wood.

"We ain't kids," Tommy Boy muttered.

"No, wese can do everything they can," Sniper agreed.

"Exactly! We can do anything they can, and wese can do it better!"

"Yeah, we just gotta show 'em."

***

"Crutchie, Ise been lookin' for ya!" Jack exclaimed as he reached the rooftop. "How'd youse get up here by yaself?"

Crutchie shook his head and kept his gaze on the city.

"Sorry, Ise shouldn't have said that," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck.