Bound To Rain

Brooklyn

"So you's chose me ova Race?" Elmer asked, grinning.

"Of course." I smiled at him. "He ain't my type."

"And I am?" He was dumbfounded.

Why do I keep doing this?

"Maybe, maybe not." I shrugged coolly. 

"I thinks Honeybelle's sleepin' on da rooftop with Jack and Crutchie." Elmer told me.

"Ain't she gonna run away?" I asked, concerned.

"Nah, cats always stay where they's fed." He took off his vest and suspenders. 

"They do?" I didn't know that.

"Yeah." The black haired boy nodded, slipping off his shoes.

"Medda's improv night's tomorrow." I reminded him.

"It is?" Elmer gasped.

"Yeppers." I grinned.

"We should go ta bed then!" He threw himself into the bottom bunk and was asleep within a few moments. I rolled my eyes, smiling. Just before I blew out the candle that was illuminating the room, the door opened.

"Olive?" I heard Jack.

"Hi." I placed the candle back down instead of blowing it out.

"Since you's a Newsie now, I found ya a few extra pairs of clothes." He walked in and gave me a black and white flannel, a red and purple flannel, and two pairs of khakis. I already had a vest. He placed a set of suspenders on top of the stack.

"Thank you." I gently picked the stack up from his hands. Jack nodded.

"It's all good." Jack smiled before motioning to the black and dark blue flannel, and the khakis I was wearing now. "Yours is lookin' pretty ragged."

"Well, uh, thanks." I nodded graciously before adding: "Try not ta get too hung up on Snyder."

"I'll try." He promised before leaving and closing the door. I looked back at Elmer, who was sleeping on his stomach and hugging a pillow to his face. I smiled a little bit before blowing out the candle and climbing up to the top bunk. It took a awhile to fall asleep, but it finally came.

~Elmer's POV~

It's 2:57 am on July 21, 1900. I sat up in my bed to think.

If Snyder's around again, I thought, Then if he caught me, he's gonna have Olive too. Would it just be safer for her if she was with Jack? Maybe Jack could keep her safer than I could do for her. Especially since I's gotten into two fights when guys tried to get at her. And we both almost fell out of a tree. I might just be too reckless. Or a bad influence.

Then I remembered something.

 Oh no, I thought in horror. I kissed her on the cheek earlier. Stupid! Why the hell did I even do that? All she did was say that I's was better looking than Race. She was probably just humoring me. Or she and Race have a signal or something not to choose him. What if she just hates me and sticks around so she doesn't hurt me? This is all fake! She's just pretending to be my friend. Oh no, what if she and Medda arranged the Improv Night so they can humiliate me? Maybe she's training Honeybelle to scratch me? No, no, no, she'd never do these things. Well, I've only known her for a few days. How could I possibly know what sort of person she really is? I don't.

But I have been getting to know her for the past few days. What I know about her, or who she might be acting as: She likes cats. And climbing trees. And  she doesn't want people protecting her, or possibly doing things for her.She's pretty energetic, and a light sleeper. For some reason her eyes are different shades of blue. 

I's thinkin' I'll just get Jack to stay with her. Or Finch. Definitely not Race. Or Crutchie. Well, maybe Crutchie. Maybe even Specs. I could convince Jack to send her off to Brooklyn so Spot and his boys could keep her safe! But she'd hate me. I shouldn't get her to Spot... He'd just try to flirt with her. I'll talk to Jack about having her sell with someone who can protect her. 

 ~Olive's POV~

I woke up to hear Elmer muttering to himself. I strained to her, but only picked up a few words. Keep her safe and just humoring me and shades of blue and off to Brooklyn.

Horror struck me when I realized what he was talking about. He says that he promised Miss Medda that he'd keep me safe. My eyes are two different shades of blue. I don't know about the 'just humoring me' bit. What if he's going to Brooklyn?