A Newsies Story 3: The Party 2

"Woah ... I think that’s really cool. The only useful thin’ my grandparents taught me was ... heh how to make my bed in the mornin’ ... ya’re lucky. " Nickel accidentally stepped on her foot while talking.

Emmy laughed a bit at this. "Watch where you're stepping. Trust me having a rich family isn't all fun and games."

He glanced at the ground and whispered a little, " Woops ... sorry ... “ He came back to Emmy , looking in her unique eyes. " Heeeeeehh... I don’t trust y’a ... y’a can have anythin’ y’a want ! Includin’ fancy clothin’... I heard that y’a even have ... what is it called ... like a sort of classy slave ... heh a ... a butttttler ! Y’a swim in wealthiness , and everyone loves y’a for that.“

"If everyone loved me I would have friends other than you. You're my only friend. There are more restrictions than anything else. Like I'm technically not supposed to be hanging around you, but my parents aren't here so it doesn't matter."

" Restrictions? What do ya mean by that ...? Why aren’t ya supposed to hang with me ... is that ‘cause your parents think newsies are dirty rascals ? Awww they sound like lovely people , when will I have to chance to meet them? " He slowly started to understand the basic of the waltz.

"No, it's because I'm not supposed to hang with lower-class people. They aren't lovely people. They only kept me because they take the money I earn for their own pleasure of getting richer."

" Lower class people... heh ... that’s a charmin’ way to call us ... " He paused. " Heh ... It’s true that ... it’s not very kind to heh ... take money from your daughter ... heh. " He said nothing else , not so sure if it was a good idea to tell her everything he thought . Nickel was a passionate of money and had the bad habit to always take the side of the richest.

"Hanging with "lower class people" is considered improper. It's stupid." Emmy shrugs.

“ So right now ... everyone thinks ya’re improper by dancin’ with me ... littl’ improper girl... " He smiled.

"Oh shut up. " Emmy said in a teasing way. "I could care less what they think of me. "

He snickered. " That’s good that’s good... ya’re assumin’ yarself . “ He kept his little smile, noting every details of Emmy’s face. "Are ya sufferin’ from that heh ... that not a lot of friend?"

"Not really. I don't want a lot of friends. One friend is good enough."

"Yeah ... ya’re right .... do y’a have any siblin’? " The quartet started to play a slower melody. A pleasant atmosphere was enveloping the duo.

"No. I'm an only child. " Emmy shrugs.

" Ohhhh ...I see heh... ya must have a lot of gift in the holidays...” The music finally stopped, the wealthy couples applauded politely.

"Not really. My parents are strict about using their money to get me things. "

The duo stopped waltzing few seconds after the music stopped. " Ahhhh... I sort of understand them ... but still, they don’t look very pleasant. What hour is it ? "

"I don't know. " Emmy looks around for a clock.

He yawned in a very impolite way, forgetting to cover his mouth with his hand. " ‘Don’t know for ya... but I could fall asleep on this ground at this very instant ... "

Emmy smiles a bit. "Alright then. Let's be on our way. "

" Very good idea ..." He looked at her and reflected { What is she thinkin’ ‘bout … she looks ... sad but happy at the same time ... I probably can’t tell cause she’s a gurl... I heard that gurls are very complicated ...}. Nickel yawned again. "... Better get to my bed before I stay here the whole night ... "

"Yup. " Emmy smiles a bit. "Come on. " She started walking with him.

Nickel followed her. He felt like he had asked enough question for today. He remained silent during their walk occupied by his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Emmy glances at him.

" Ahhh normal thin’s like heh ... what am I gonna eat tomorrow evenin’... If me brother in Manhattan delivered the letter I gave him heh ... like 5days ago … If y’a will one day accept to bit money with me ... normal thin’s like that, ya know ?"

"I'm curious. Did you come just because I told you to or did you actually want to try to be a better person? Be honest. "

" Hmmm… I came ‘cause ya told me too ... And ‘cause I wanted to change the idea ya had ‘bout me ... so a mix of those two reasons ..." He started the play with his nickel , throwing it and catching it repeatedly.

"...... Oh." Emmy looks down.

" Is everything’ alright, Emmy? " He looked at her.

"Yea, I just thought..... Nevermind. "

" Go on... I’m curious ..."

"I just thought you actually cared. "

”Cared ‘Bout bein’ nicer ? Hehhhhh... I care ‘bout ya of course ... but bein’ nicer ... It’s difficult to tell ... "

"So this was just a waste of time to you? You're an idiot. " Emmy started walking ahead of him.

" That’s not what I was sayin’ ... " He caught up with her , putting his nickel in his pocket. ” Twas great to spend time with ya... I’m an idiot that’s true... a waste of time? Don’t say that ..."

"Why do you even care? You said you hated me."

“ That’s just a way to say thin’s... ughhh.... ya’re less hatable now that I know ya... " He kept looking her in the eyes while walking.

"You never actually give me a straight answer do you?"

He gave a small smile when he heard that. ”Alright ... I do care ... ‘cause ya’re the first person to pay attention to me for more than 4 hours ! . Ya’re not that bad, and bein’ in your company is somewhat entertainin’..."

"Why should I believe you? You made it seem like you cared about actually being a nice person. "

"Uhhh... Ya should believe me ‘cause I’ve promised ya to never lie again! I don’t even know what I really want... I already think that I’m a medium good person ... so huh..."

Emmy didn't know how to respond. She stays quiet, not looking at him.

" Ya still have no damn trust in what I say ...? It’s fine ... I guess…” He stayed quiet too , for the rest of the walk leading to the Newsies building.

"No that's not it. I'm sorry.... "

" Then what is it! " He stepped inside the building, not even taking the time to keep the door open for Emmy.

Emmy walks in. "Forget it. You're not gonna listen anyway. "

" Ahhhhhh! Just tell me already. If we keep those thin’s inside we’ll never gonna stop arguinin’ ! "

"I can't I can't. I feel like an idiot for not saying, but I can't. "

" Why ya can’t? Is that because of another rich family restriction? ...” He sighed. " It’s fine ... we’re both idiots..."

"It's not because of that. I just can't. Now's not the time." Emmy lays on her bed facing the wall.

"Fine... I’ll wait for this moment ...Ya can call me when It’ll be the time .." He sat on his bed , reading the finance sections of today’s newspaper.

Emmy takes out a diary that was in her pocket. She starts writing. She closes it. She soon fell asleep with it next to her.

" Goodnight... Em ... thank ... thank ya for this amazin’ day ..." He soon fell asleep too.

The next day, Emmy wakes. She puts her diary in her pocket and stands up.

Nickel wasn’t in his bed . He got up earlier this morning. Some newsies were still sleeping with loud snoring.

Emmy sighs. She grabs her bag and starts heading to the gate.

Nickel wasn’t there either. Just around 4 newsies were waiting to get their papers. It wasn’t the busiest hour of the day.

Emmy realized Nickel wasn't there. She thought it had something to do with what happened yesterday and decided to go looking for him.

The teenage boy was in a nearby street, talking to a smaller guy. Nickel looked serious and talked in a lower voice tone. The small boy, probably his brother nodded shyly at everything he said. Eventually the tiny guy walked away, leaving Nickel alone with his thoughts.

Emmy saw the small guy. She tilts her head. She walks over when he leaves. "Nickel."

Nickel looked at her, his hands in his pockets. " Well well ... hello madam Emmy ... What good wind brings ya ? "

"You. Why are you here? I was looking for you because I thought you left because of me. "

" I had to heh ... discuss of some thin’s with me baby brother. Nothin’ really serious nor bad… Ya thought that I left? Don’t worrey I’m not a guy like that ... heh ..."

Emmy hugs him. "I'm sorry."

He stayed silent and still when she hugged him. No one ever hugged or got that close to him, Nickel was perturbed. ” Woah woah ....woah ... what are ya doin’ ...some kind of ... karate attack ... It’s okay ... I’m not mad ..."

"No, it's a hug. What? Never been hugged before?"

”Nah... " He eventually put his arms around her, after understanding that it wasn’t some sort of karate attack.

"What else have you never gotten before other than a hug? Not even a kiss on the cheek from your parents?"

” I live with my grandparents so I guess nope...heh... anyway, I’ve never experienced it, so I can't be sad ..."

He stayed in that hug, not knowing when he was supposed to stop.

Emmy laughs a bit. "You can let go you know. "