A Girl Newsie

Can We Talk

August 1897

It was early in the morning when Feister woke up. She had hoped that everything from the day before was a dream. But when she saw she was on the fire escape she knew that everything had happened, what she saw, heard, and maybe even said was real.

She moved over to the edge, stuck her legs through the small gap at the bottom, hung her legs over the edge, as she leaned her head against the railing and looked down at the streets as the city started to wake up.

After a few moments and taking a deep breath Feister got up and went back into the bunk room. She kept her eyes on the ground as she walked all the way over to the other side of the room where the sinks were.

Once there she splashed her face; the cold water felt good as she scrubbed away the dirt. If only her life problems were as easy to wash away like the dirt on her face. But life wasn't that simple. After that she reached for the towel, and dried her face before heading out with the boys.

Feister once again went selling by herself, which was a bit boring since she's always sold with someone. But she pushed that idea to the back of her mind before going back to work. So what she was selling by herself, it's not like there's anyone to wait around for when she's done. But her whole life she had a selling partner.

Again, she pushed that thought away and went back to work. It was a long day, but she ended up selling all her papers in record time. After a quick lunch at Jacobi's and joking around with some of the boys it was then back to work.

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By the time Feister got back to The Lodging House the sun just finished setting. She knew that the boys would all be back. As well as Mush, who was probably worried sick, and to be honest she didn't care.

Now he knew how she felt when he went missing for a whole night. But at least she didn't go hang around with some boy that she barely knew.

But once again she didn't care. If Mush wanted to spend his time with some strange girl that he's only known a week, rather then someone he'd known for seven years then that was his choice.

Sure, it hurt her to think that she wasn't the only girl in his life anymore, but then again she was never 'his' girl. Best friend that's a girl maybe, but never in the lines of a dating relationship. It was weird to be feeling the way she did at the moment.

All the other boys went out with dozens of girls everyday and it never fazed her once. She never felt....jealous of them. In fact she could care less. But this was a whole other story. The two of them had been through a lot together, and that was all starting to change.

"Feisty, there you are, I's been wondering when you'se were gonna get back. Where were ya?" Feister snapped out of her head and realized that she was standing in the bunk room. She was just in between the stairs and her room

"Yeah, I's was just out clearing my head. Ya know, with every-" she stopped mid sentence. It was in that moment she realized who was talking to her. The one who caused her all that trouble for the past few days.

"Never mind, it ain't important. I'll just be in my room." with that being said she made way for her exit. But felt a hand grab her wrist making her stop. Mush had a soft, yet firm grip around her wrist so she wouldn't leave. Feister kept her back turned. Not sure if she should stay and see what he wanted or if she should just leave.

"Can we's just tawk?" He asked once he realized that she wasn't running to her room. "Five minutes, that's all I's askin'. if things don't go anywhere an' stay the way it is now, I's wouldn't blame you'se if ya never tawk ta me again, I kinda deserve it."

Feister sighed before facing Mush. "Five minutes?" It was the first thing she calmly said to him. When she looked up at him she could've sworn she felt a tiny spark of their friendship flare up again.

"Yeah. Unless ya get mad an' punch me half way through." He let out a small laugh knowing that there was a small chance that she'd actually punch him.

"Oh please." She yanked her hand away; trying hard not to smile at the dumb, confused look on his face. "It's gonna be a quarter of the way with a mouth like yours." And for the first time in days they both laughed.

After a moment of silence they both went downstairs and outside the Lodge. It was one of those warm summer nights that had a light breeze. Not a single person was on the streets. The lights inside the Lodge provided soft lighting; a street lamp flickered in the distance, also sending a dim glow.

"So...what's up? I's haven't seen ya in a while."

"That's what you wanted ta tawk about?" Feister asked, trying to stay calm. Which was really hard since she wanted to give him a nice shiner. Just a tiny one

"Ok I'll admit it," he sighed. "I's didn't really think about what I's was gonna say." Truth was that Mush did think what he was going to say. In fact he had a long speech ready that he had rehearsed with the boys (who weren't any help.) but as soon as he saw her he forgot every single thing he was going to say.

But it wasn't just now, it was their whole lives. The very first time he met her he got tongue tied. Sure, that was in the past, and he was used to messing up his words. But now that they're older he wouldn't just stumble. Every time he saw her he would lose all train of thought.

"Earth ta Mush brains." Mush snapped out of it, seeing a hand waving in front of his face. "You said you wanted ta tawk, but instead ya space out an' gettin' a dumb look on yer face that makes ya look like an idiot," Feister took a step back and crossed her arms.

That was another thing he couldn't get out of his head. How feisty she can get sometimes. Or more like all the time. Feister wasn't the type of girl who was boring. In fact she's the kind of girl that kept him on his toes.

"Ok, look, since cat's apparently got yer tongue, again, I'll do the tawkin'." she started to pace back and forth. "Look, we's been friends, best friends for as long as I's can remember. An' then ya get a goil an' ya didn't tell me right away. An' well, I's just thought that you'se would've told me sooner. I's mean, if I's started liking a guy I's would've tell you'se right away since we's pretty much tell each other everything, cause that's what best friends do. An' I's guess the real question is..." she stopped pacing. She took a step closer to him still not being able to look him in the eye. She rubbed her forearm with her other hand and asked, "Why didn't you'se tell me?"

Mush could see how hurt she was; she was hugging herself as if it was dead winter. "I's wanted ta avoid you'se gettin' mad, an' that plan went out the door," he said. But she just looked down at her feet. In fact she didn't say anything. "I's really was gonna tell ya, honest, I's just didn't know how ta. Anyways, yer right, I's should've told ya sooner, forgive me?"

After that Feister still didn't look up, she wasn't sure if she wanted to. If she did however, everything would come flooding back, the anger, sadness, betrayal, loneliness, and emptiness. Then she felt a soft hand slide onto her cheek and lift up her face. She looked up to see a pair of blueish eyes looking at her brown.

Feister could've sworn she felt butterflies in her stomach. Or maybe it was from eating stale bread, and drinking old coffee every morning. Either way her stomach felt weird. She wasn't sure which one it was. All she knew is that Mush was looking at her in a way that made her feel well.....she didn't know.

"Look Feisty," Mush said softly. "No matter how many goils I's go out with you'se will always be my favorite."

"Really?" Feister asked quietly.

"Really," he replied. With that being said and done they hugged. For a long time neither one of them wanted to let go of the other. When they finally did they went back inside to the bunk room, and they were met with a bunch of grinning newsies with a smug look on their faces.

"So," Crutchie said. "You'se two friends again?" They both looked at each other and had a small smile.

"I's think they's good," Race said while resting his elbow on Crutchie's shoulder.