Bound To Rain

Brooklyn

"Afta we sell?" I asked. Elmer nodded excitedly, standing up. I put my best and shoes on, and he did the same. We left the room together.

"Newsies!" Jack shouted as he walked down the stairs in front of Crutchie. "Up and at 'em!"

Slowly, boys left their rooms. Race was holding his arm out like a perch. Honeybelle was standing on his outstretched arm. Kid Blink came up to me as we all went down onto the first floor.

"But seriously," the boy looked at me. "Is ya sista hot?"

"C'mon, Blink." I rolled my eyes. "She's my sista."

"Yeah, but is she?" He walked faster to keep up with my and Elmer pace.

"Is she hot?" I clarified.

"Well?" He caught up, throwing his hands into the air.

"I guess." I gave in.

I mean, she's not ugly, I thought.

"Thank you!" Kid Blink shouted, slowing down for the boys. Elmer and I stopped at the gate. Oscar and Morris were already there unlocking it.

"Mornin', gents." I looked up at the headline.

Bell Boy Strike Enters Second Day.

"Couldn't they have even tried ta make it interestin'?" Jack threw his head back in despair.

"Ya get what ya get." Oscar shrugged, rattling the gate open. Newsies flooded out to buy their papes.

It was a slow day for selling, too borsome to write out. Nothing happened between Elmer and me, and there weren't any close encounters with danger. Just people buying papes and leaving.

At around 3:20, we managed to run out of papes to sell.

"To Brooklyn?" Elmer held out his arm. The Bridge wasn't too far away.

"To Brooklyn." We linked arms and began walking towards the Bridge. On the way, we passed Crutchie.

"Hey, Crutch, we's goin' ta see Spot." Elmer told the lame boy.

"Ya want me ta tell Jack?" The blond boy nodded.

"When ya can." The black haired boy smiled.

"Ya know, before he freaks out that he ain't able ta find us." I added.

"Ya got it." Crutchie gave us both finger guns. He also snuck a teasing look at me.

"See ya later!" I called as we departed, Elmer I still linked. In maybe ten minutes, we reached the Brooklyn Bridge. It was almost empty aside from the occasional trolley or cluster of people. Just in case, we walked on the edge, overlooking the East River. I imagined what kinds of fish might lurk beneath the depths. Maybe there's even a shark.

"You excited?" Elmer asked.

"I dunno what ta expect." I shrugged.

"Well," the boy pondered, "he's short."

"Ain't we all." I muttered, grinning.

"I's tall." Elmer stood up straighter.

"Hey, you's only like an inch taller than me!" I shoved him lightly.

"Still an inch." He nudged me back. I shook my head with a smile. "He's never without one of his boys, he's all bark and no bite. Them boys is the bite."

"So if I's were ta say somethin' wrong, his boys would soak me?" I asked.

"Nah." He shook his head. "I ain't gonna let them."

"I's heard them Brooklyn boys is big." I looked at him skeptically.

"They is." Elmer nodded. "I's can take 'em. But, uh, just be careful, okay?"

"Okay." I replied as we reached the end of the Bridge. I saw Brooklyn Newsies selling papers almost immediately. They were all dressed in red for some reason. One of them saw us and came over, accompanied by some other Brooklyn Newsie. Elmer walked forward to meet them. I followed, noticing that he was flexing his muscles and clenching his jaw.

"Elmer." The shorter one greeted him flatly.

"Spot." Elmer responded in the same tone, just making his voice deeper than it actually is, then looked over at the boy beside Spot. "Reed."

(A/n: Since I don't know any Brooklyn Newsies that aren't Spot Conlon, I'm making up their names. An example is Reed.)

Spot looked past Elmer to see me. "Who's this?"

I stepped to stand beside my friend, adjusting my dark gray hat. "Olive Robinson."

"A goil Newsie." Spot crossed his arms, stepping closer to me. A little too close for Elmer to be comfortable, so he stepped closer to the Brooklyn leader, crossing his arms. Reed stepped forward too, probably trying to threaten Elmer. Spot looked up at the Manhattan Newsie smugly.

(A/n: Tommy Bracco, he plays Spot, is 5'11.)

"Oh, Elmer." Spot grinned. "Is she your goil?"

"So what if she is?" Elmer growled. He didn't look like he was messing around. They all backed off, probably to breathe their own air. I didn't move.

"Is ya his goil?" Spot asked me. Elmer made pleading eye contact with me.

"Uh, y–yeah." I nodded quickly.

"Ain't you sure?" Reed asked cautiously.

"Course I's sure." I responded a little loudly.

"How can I help ya, kids?" Spot asked. He probably wanted to change the subject.

"I'm wanted ta take Olive ta meet you." Elmer told the short boy.

"Well, ya met me." He held his hands out. "Can we go back ta sellin' now?"

"Fine." My friend sighed, linking arms with me again to lead me back to Manhattan.