Strike

Butterflies

It was late at night as Mush walked up to the Refuge. The tall brick walls and large and locked gate stopped anyone from coming in or out. He slowly started to remember the last time he ever saw this nightmare of a place. Last year when Feister's wanna be brother Will came and made life for the newsies a nightmare. Now, if Mush thought that what happened to him was bad, he couldn't even imagine what would happened to Feister.

After carefully climbing the gate Mush quietly made his was to the fire escape, luckily no guards were on the job. He guessed they were all passed out somewhere at one of the bars in the city. Not knowing which window to knock on Mush tried his luck on a random one. "Are you tryin' ta get put in here?" a little boy who looked a bit younger than Romeo asked once the window was open.

"Relax kid, I's just lookin' for my friend," Mush replied. "Dark hair, big brown eyes, really feisty, an' is a...a goil."

"A goil?" the kid repeat. "So it is true."

"Is she here?" Mush asked hopefully.

"Two floors above."

"Thanks kid," Mush replied quickly before heading two floors up. Hopefully Feister was there, if she wasn't then he'd just had to keep trying. He needed to see for himself that she was alright, while hoping he wouldn't get caught, or he'd be in big trouble. Mush knocked on the window and soon enough a boy with sky blue eyes and dirty blonde hair came, and before the boy could say anything he asked, "Listen, ya got a new kid in here, Dark eyes an' hair, goes by Feister."

"Is Feister a goil?" the boy asked. When he nodded the kid ran off to get her, and Mush was preparing himself to see the worst. He was anxious to if she was ok. He blamed him for the whole Refuge mess. If he had just kept a closer eye on her, maybe this wouldn't have happened,

Mush was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a familiar teasing voice say, "I never thought I'd be happy ta see yer ugly mug." Mush looked up, and sure enough he saw Feister, who was thankfully in one piece.

"Thanks," she said to the boy, who nodded before leaving them to talk. Mush examined Feister's injuries, there were too many bruises and cuts to count, which was all covered in dirt that probably hid more injuries. Her hair was falling out of the braids she wore. But her eyes, they were still the biggest, brownest eyes that always had a spark.

"Ya got a little shiner there," Feister said quietly as he reached through the bars of the window and carefully ran her fingers under his eye before pulling away.

"So how're you feeling?" Mush asked quietly.

"A little sore, but I'll live," Feister replied with sigh. "How're the boys?" she asked changing the subject.

"Crutch is feeling bad that you'se took his place," Mush explained. He was taking this the hardest of course. If he just kept a closer eye on her, maybe she wouldn't be in here right now.

"Mush, tell 'im it ain't his fault, or yers, or anyone's. Don't think of this as defeat, think of it as motivation ta continue the strike. An' if ya don't, I'm soakin' all yer sorry bums." Mush smiled and laughed; it was good to see that Feister was still herself. He looked deeply into her eyes and started to get lost.

Feister looked into his eyes and wondered how they were so captivating. She started getting butterflies again, which reminded her of something that happened that day. "Mush?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Before the brawl, were you? I? We? Gonna.....kiss?" she asked shyly. Feister wasn't sure if it almost did happen, or of she was dreaming. Sure she may have taken a small liking to him. Oh, who was she kidding, she had a huge crush on her best friend. And it was that reason she didn't say anything. She didn't want to lose him again. She didn't want to ruin their friendship. But after what happened earlier that day Feister was almost sure that maybe, just maybe, Mush, might like, like her.