The Only Girl Newsie

Off my chest.

I'm sleeping on my bed in the lodging house. All is calm until I hear "Psshh."

I jolt up in my bed looking around to see who it was. I'm thinking Crutchie or Jack, but woah was my guess off. It was Skittery. I haven't talked to him a lot, but I know him well enough. "what?" I whisper out so the other guys wouldn't hear.

"Why did you leave?" He said. By this time he was sitting beside my bed. I tile my head. I didn't leave I'm right here. "I mean why did you leave what you had? You know money, a house, a dad."

I sigh. Might as well explain my life to someone, just to get it off my chest. Plus Skittery is pretty quiet and shy so he would tell a soul.

"My father...was a abusive man. He wasn't when I was little, but when my mother passed. He blamed me for everything. Over time he started to treat me like dirt. He tried to get me out of the house numerous times. But what really pushed me over the edge is when...he...well he arranged for me to marry with one if his friends sons. I mean he was a nice kid but I didn't love him. I refused to marry and ran away. Is that the explanation you wanted?" I say it all to him.

"Is that true?" A voice says but it's not Skittery. Skittery is still beside my bed. Race comes up with a look of pity on his face. I nod to him. Next thing I know Mike and Boots are beside my bed too. How many of them heard me!!?!

"Oh Stray," I hear someone moan. But I recognize this voice. It's Crutchie. I never ever wanted to tell him this. Because I know that he would want to do something, but he is incapable too. I see him try to hubble over. I get out of my bed and hug him. His bed is on the other side of the room. If he heard than everyone heard. Hopefully Jack was on the rooftop though. Hopefully.

But right now. I'm clutching on to Crutchie, hugging him without hurting him. He lifts my head up and stares into my eyes. I probably look like crap, with a black eye, messy hair, and old baggy clothes. But he looked at me and smiled. I smile back at him and nug my head into his neck and hug him. "You don't ever have ta go back ta dat man ever again. Stray...you got us." Crutchie says reassuring me that I made the right choice.

I don't want to let go of Crutchie. "You should go to bed. Carrying da Banner." he says, smiles, and then rubs my shoulder. I go back to my bed. All of the guys went back to bed to after I was talking to Crutchie.

I am laying down and trying to fall back to sleep. My head is throbbing from the black eye. The pain is still there. Stupid Delancey. I don't want to tell the guys, because they will make a big deal out of nothing. The whole having a bunch of big brothers thing is more than I excepted. Being the little sister if these guys is a job all on its own. They want to protect me, but also want to be friendly. It's can't be easy for them.

What I realized is that I'm still wearing the clothes that Race gave me. And the cap too. It's not like he can fit into them, but still it makes me feel bad that I don't have my own clothes. I don't even own anything anymore. Now it really is clear that I'm a street rat. Not a penny to my name. Just a few papes.