The Only Girl Newsie

Gimp and the Girl

After selling my last papers I walk back into town where I see Ike and Buttons on a street corner. "Hiya Fellas!" I shout and grab there attention. Ike smiles and Buttons waves me over to them.

"Sold all your papes?" Buttons says rubbing my head making my hat fall off. I pick it back from off the ground and smack him on the back of his neck. "I sold em and I sold em faster dan you." I snap back at that. They get a chuckle out of that. "Come on'" Ike says leaving the selling spot with Buttons.

"Where we going?" I stutter out. I'm beyond clueless.

"Meeting with da boys. Hurry up Stray." Buttons says then I run up to them so we're walking side by side. Damn it's hot out here.
We walk for about four blocks until we reach a deli. The sign painted on the window says, "Jacobi's Deli." Seems pleasant enough. I glide In and see the rest of the guys scattered on the chairs and tables.

"Stray!" Crutchie says cheery so I of course sit beside him. He places him self down on a chair while I sit on the table beside him and above him. He keeps poking my leg with his elbow. It's actually kinda funny.

Jack gets up and stands in front of the two of us. His eyebrow is raised as if he just discovered a hot juicy paper report. "Now what's goin' on here." He says. We both look at him I turn my head bewildered. "Between you two." He stutters and fixes his hat. "I mean..." Jack waves his hand in between us with awkward hand gestures.

Me and Crutchie just both stare at each other. I heard footsteps and see Race stride up out of the corner of my eye. "There's defiantly something. Can't shake dat." He says popping and lighting a cigar in his mouth. I try and stutter out words but I'm cut off by Specs.

"- Look. Last night. Da rooftop. Da theater. You two got something."

Me and Crutchie look at each other booth of us are blushing like crazy. "Well-" I start to talk again but this Tine I was cut off my the owner of the joint.

"WHO ORDERED THE WATER?" He shouts so we all can hear him. All of us raise our hands, since water is free. He chuckles and heads back into the kitchen.

"Stray. You don't want me. I'm a gimp. You should be with someone like Spot Conlon." Crutchie say burring his head in his shoulder.

"Spot Conlon? No way. Crutchie he's a friend. But you. You're amazing. I don't care about your leg. I care that you care about me. Crutchie you're the one who came up to me in the street that one day. You are the one who suggested that I be newsie. Crutchie you changed me. Inside and out." I say and instantly get off the table and hug him while he's sitting down.

He gets up and we hugged like we hugged last night. But it is cut off automatically by the guys cheering their heads down. Kid Blink starts yelling "Kiss!" Over and over gains them everyone joins in. "Kiss. Kiss. Kiss." They just keep saying it over and over.

Me and Crutchie just awkwardly stare at each other. Then I smirk and push my lips against his. I pull back and see the biggest smile on his face. It makes me smile. His smiles tend to do that to me. The guys cheer even louder. I yell to the guys "Alright Pipe down!" And turn back to Crutchie.

"Stray...Will you be my goil?" Crutchie stutters out.

I nod and this time he leans in for the kiss. I put my hand in front of my lips and he pulled back with a questioning look on his face. "Maybe not in front of the guys. You remember last time." I say and the whole joint just laughs.