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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 14:16:24 GMT -5
"Thanks."
Spot returned her smile as he opened his soda. "You're welcome."
'T makes sense. It's a good day for't. Are you gonna join 'em?"
He shrugged and took a sip of his soda, enjoying the cool, bubbly taste. "Might, might not. Just depends on a few things."
He enjoyed a good swim after all. He hadn't been swimming in awhile so it was tempting, but as leader he had responsibilities to attend to. It wasn't always fun and games being leader, though most saw it that way.
"If I finish up my rounds early, I might join them," he said softly as the two found a bench in the shade to sit on.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 14:21:23 GMT -5
"Might, might not. Just depends on a few things."
Lacey popped open her soda, shrugging along with him. She took a sip of it, the coolness of the drink nearly immediately giving her chills. She sat on the bench when they came to it, leaning back and sighing happily. She was tempted to drink all of the soda at once, although she stopped herself. She had to savor it - she could never have a chance to get it again with the job that she had.
"If I finish up my rounds early, I might join them."
Lacey shrugged a bit, "Have fun if ya do. It'll be good for ya to let yourself go for a bit and have some fun." She smiled a bit, although her gaze remained ahead, watching the people walk by in their fancy clothes, arm in arm with one another. "You should tell me if you do, though." She finally glanced over at him, taking another small sip of her soda.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 14:26:06 GMT -5
"Have fun if ya do. It'll be good for ya to let yourself go for a bit and have some fun."
Spot sipped his soda slowly, relishing the coolness. He shrugged when Lacey mention that it'd be good for him. She did have a point. It wasn't good to be always working and be stressed out. Thunder and Jack were always telling him that.
"You should tell me if you do, though."
He cocked his head slightly as he took another sip of his soda. "You like swimmin'?" he asked, fingering his key hanging off his neck with his free hand.
Spot didn't know many girls who swam. He knew Darcy loved swimming... but she didn't exactly count.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 14:30:07 GMT -5
"You like swimmin'?"
Lacey shrugged a bit. It was fun sometimes, and it was definitely a way to cool off. The only problems were the boys... And drowning. "I guess. I don't do it much 'cause I don't like not wearin' all my clothes. I can do it, though. I guess it's also kinda scary, but I guess I couldn't drown with that many people around, right?" She shrugged a bit. At least I know that if I start, someone could help...
She took another sip of her soda, her eyes back to the street once again.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 14:37:48 GMT -5
"I guess. I don't do it much 'cause I don't like not wearin' all my clothes."
Spot nearly choked on his soda as his face immediately turned red. He hadn't really thought about that. Darcy usually swam with just a shirt and pants on... and usually they were his shirts and pants. "Ah.. urm... right," he stuttered, unsure what to say. Despite being able to flirt with girls occasionally, he was actually not so great when it came to moments likes these.
"I can do it, though. I guess it's also kinda scary, but I guess I couldn't drown with that many people around, right?"
He cleared his throat to relieve the bubbly scratchiness from almost choking on soda. "Yeah... but then when more guys are around it's easier to rescue kids who are drownin'," he said quietly.
There had been a few cases where a kid went out to far in the water, but thank goodness there had been older boys around who had rescued the kids. So far, there hadn't been any kids who drowned under his leadership.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 14:41:59 GMT -5
"Ah.. urm... right."
Lacey's own cheeks turned a bit red at Spot's reaction, although it wasn't nearly as noticeable as his blush was. She laughed slightly, running her fingers through her hair. "Yeah... That's my only problem, really. And I ain't flirtin', I promise. I'm not good at it."
"Yeah... but then when more guys are around it's easier to rescue kids who are drownin'."
Lacey smiled a bit, "I can swim, so I'm probably fine... But I don't wanna go out there if there ain't a reason for me to be there." She shrugged. Spot was reason enough for her. So was the weather. Still... It was probably not going to happen. Unless he wanted her to. "But, yeah..." She cleared her throat, "Just tell me if you're goin' and I'll see." She went back to sipping her soda.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 14:49:13 GMT -5
"Yeah... That's my only problem, really. And I ain't flirtin', I promise. I'm not good at it."
Spot coughed, trying to regain his poker face. "Right... of course... I mean I'm not flirtin' and I'm not good at it either..."
"I can swim, so I'm probably fine... But I don't wanna go out there if there ain't a reason for me to be there."
He nodded. After all, not all girls loved swimming like Darcy did. There were other ways to cool off besides swimming that were more appealing to girls.
"But yeah... Just tell me if you're goin' and I'll see."
Spot nodded again as he finished off his soda. "Yeah... if I ever get around ta swimmin', I'll let ya know."
The last couple of times, he had gone swimming by himself so it would be kind of nice to have someone else to swim with.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 14:55:27 GMT -5
"Right... of course... I mean I'm not flirtin' and I'm not good at it either..."
Lacey nearly choked on her soda and burst out laughing at his words. "No, I didn't think ya were. Why would ya flirt with me?" She laughed a bit, although there was a pang in her chest at her own words. Right. "And you're plenty good at it. I've heard from quite a few girls at the lodgin' house that you're good at it."
"Yeah... if I ever get around ta swimmin', I'll let ya know."
It only took another few moments for Lacey to finish up her soda, nodding briefly at his words. "Sounds good to me." She smiled a bit. At least if she was with Spot, no one else was going to bother her... Or him either, most likely.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 15:05:47 GMT -5
"No, I didn't think ya were. Why would ya flirt with me?"
Spot stared at his key. "Yeah.. I don't really flirt with anyone."
It might come across that way, but Spot Conlon was no flirt. He only did when he needed to.
"And you're plenty good at it. I've heard from quite a few girls at the lodgin' house that you're good at it."
"Heh..." He shook his head. "Those goils have a tendency ta go nuts if I even just glance at 'em."
He had heard from the boys on that one! They talked about the girls all the time. It could get annoying, but at times it was rather useful.
"Sounds good to me."
He nodded again, playing with his empty soda bottle. He'd probably use it to practice some shooting later. "You gonna keep that?" he asked, pointing at her bottle. If she wasn't, he'd add it to his little shooting range.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 15:11:30 GMT -5
"Yeah.. I don't really flirt with anyone."
Lacey was a bit surprised by his words, considering the picture that everyone else had always painted of Spot was that he was a massive flirt who slept around and jumped from girl to girl depending on his mood and when he got bored of them. Getting to know him in reality was a lot nicer... And the fact that he didn't seem to be like that at all was definitely a relief. "'M glad... I think that it's more attractive that way." She blushed deeply, "Not, like, that you're attractive. Or that you're not. I just... Oh gosh, I dunno how ta put things anymore." She covered her face. "It's just better that way."
"Those goils have a tendency ta go nuts if I even just glance at 'em."
She laughed a bit nodding and looking down, fidgeting with the top of the empty soda bottle. "I believe that... It gets real annoyin' after a while. They're talkin' about guys in the middle of the night, 'n' I can't get sleep 'cause of it."
"You gonna keep that?"
She looked over at him, a bit confused and surprised, although she shook her head. "Here ya go." She smiled a bit, handing the empty bottle to him.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 15:23:18 GMT -5
"'M glad... I think that it's more attractive that way."
Spot blushed and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh... thanks?"
He wasn't sure how to take the compliment. At least, he thought it was a compliment.
"Not, like, that you're attractive. Or that you're not. I just... Oh gosh, I dunno how ta put things anymore. It's just better that way."
He felt his ears turning pink. "It's uh fine... I mean, I don't really like people thinkin' of me in that sort of way anyways..."
"I believe that... It gets real annoyin' after a while. They're talkin' about guys in the middle of the night, 'n' I can't get sleep 'cause of it."
Spot chuckled. "It's practically the same way at the boys' lodge. Goils this and goils that." He shook his head some. It was like they were unknowingly urging him not to get a girlfriend.
"Here ya go."
"Thanks." He took the bottle and explained, "I use 'em for target practice."
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 15:28:28 GMT -5
"It's uh fine... I mean, I don't really like people thinkin' of me in that sort of way anyways..."
Lacey raised an eyebrow. Spot didn't like girls liking him? She had never heard of a boy like that before. It was interesting, and a bit strange... But still interesting. "Well, good ta know. Maybe I could have some of the goils take a hint then." She laughed.
"It's practically the same way at the boys' lodge. Goils this and goils that."
Lacey laughed a bit, shrugging a bit. "I guess we're kinda at the age where stuff like that happens. Everyone I've met besides you's constantly lookin' out for someone ta date... Or even ta just spend a night with." She huffed. That was probably the most disgusting part of it all.
"I use 'em for target practice."
She smiled, "No problem. If I somehow get rich or find extra money, I'll make sure ta give 'em to ya." She smiled softly.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 15:57:31 GMT -5
"Well, good ta know. Maybe I could have some of the goils take a hint then."
Spot laughed softly. "That'd be great! Boys cause enough trouble by themselves... don't need the goils causin' more trouble for me."
"I guess we're kinda at the age where stuff like that happens."
He wrinkled hos nose slightly at the thought. Thunder had told him that he was going to start liking girls now that he was older, but he really didn't plan on that happening. Brooklyn was the only girl he ever needed.
"Everyone I've met besides you's constantly lookin' out for someone ta date... Or even ta just spend a night with."
He looked at her eyes wide with surprise. His voice went up an octave. "Ta spend the night wit'?!"
He thought the gals and guys in Brooklyn were respectable enough not to do something like that!
"No problem. If I somehow get rich or find extra money, I'll make sure ta give 'em to ya."
He cocked his head slightly. "It's not a problem really... I jus' don't care for just throwin' bottles away when I can use 'em as targets. Need ta keep up my aim."
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 16:03:14 GMT -5
"That'd be great! Boys cause enough trouble by themselves... don't need the goils causin' more trouble for me."
Lacey laughed, "I'll talk to 'em. I'll see if it helps. If it doesn't though, it's not my fault. I'm tryin' ta make things easier for ya." She smiled, nudging him a bit before leaning back in the chair.
"Ta spend the night wit'?!"
She frowned, sitting up once again. "Ya didn't know? Some of the goils do it to make some extra money. The guys do it sometimes, too. 'Parently, it's good money, but I don't think that it's woith it... Y'know?" She shrugged a bit.
"It's not a problem really... I jus' don't care for just throwin' bottles away when I can use 'em as targets. Need ta keep up my aim."
Lacey nodded briefly. "I guess it's a good thing that you're good at it. Keeps us safe when we need it." She smiled a bit. "If you're gonna get some swimming in before it gets dark, ya might wanna do it soon. Don't let bein' with me keep ya from enjoyin' yourself and relaxin'." She replied.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 16:15:09 GMT -5
"I'll talk to 'em. I'll see if it helps. If it doesn't though, it's not my fault. I'm tryin' ta make things easier for ya."
Spot smiled. "Well, it's better than nothin'. It might help, but it ain't gonna kill me if it don't work."
"Ya didn't know? Some of the goils do it to make some extra money. The guys do it sometimes, too. 'Parently, it's good money, but I don't think that it's woith it... Y'know?"
He frowned deeply. He and Mr. O'Quinn would have to talk to the boys about that. He was extremely disappointed and disgusted with his boys. "Does Ms. Seaton know about dis?"
"I guess it's a good thing that you're good at it. Keeps us safe when we need it."
He nodded. Shooting was one of his best defenses. Sure, he could hit hard and fight well, but shooting was his best talent.
"If you're gonna get some swimming in before it gets dark, ya might wanna do it soon. Don't let bein' with me keep ya from enjoyin' yourself and relaxin'."
He glanced up at the sky. The sun was steadily heading over to the west to sink under the horizon. "Yeah... but I gots a few things to do. So it looks like I won't be swimmin' taday." He shrugged some and stood up. He didn't really mind not going. "I got shooting practice to work on now." He smirked slightly as he waved his glass bottles.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 16:22:16 GMT -5
"Well, it's better than nothin'. It might help, but it ain't gonna kill me if it don't work."
Lacey smiled softly, shrugging a bit. "I hope not. It's been fun gettin' to know ya, so losin' ya now definitely wouldn't be a good thing." She smiled a bit, a faint blush once again dusting her cheeks as she fidgeted slightly with her fingers.
"Does Ms. Seaton know about dis?"
Lacey raised an eyebrow, "No, Mrs. Harbour doesn't know. She suspects somethin', I think, but she can't catch 'em doin' it, and no one tells 'er." She shrugged a bit. "Things'd be a lot less complicated if she knew."
"Yeah... but I gots a few things to do. So it looks like I won't be swimmin' taday."
Lacey was slightly sad about this, although it had nothing to do with her not going. It was mostly because it meant that Spot once again wouldn't be allowing himself to relax and take a break, and the fact that he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before really made her think that he deserved it. "You should really go though. I could do some of the things that ya do, so ya could take a break and relax." She suggested.
"I got shooting practice to work on now."
"And that is somethin' that you should woik on anotha day. You've done enough taday. You're tired. Let yourself relax. Treat yourself." She replied, shifting slightly on the bench so that she was facing him, looking directly into his eyes.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 16:38:40 GMT -5
"I hope not. It's been fun gettin' to know ya, so losin' ya now definitely wouldn't be a good thing."
Spot felt the tips of his ears turn pink. "Ah well... it's been nice gettin' ta know ya too," he answered softly.
"No, Mrs. Harbour doesn't know. She suspects somethin', I think, but she can't catch 'em doin' it, and no one tells 'er. Things'd be a lot less complicated if she knew."
He nodded. "Well... I'll be talkin' ta Mr. O'Quinns about dis. Need ta straighten the boys out. Maybe he can talk ta Ms. Harbour about it."
"You should really go though. I could do some of the things that ya do, so ya could take a break and relax."
He shrugged again. "It's fine really. I need ta talk ta some of the boys myself." He pursed his lips slightly and added, "But it was nice of ya ta offer... once the boys get ta know you as a boid, you'll be able ta do more talkin' wit' 'em for me."
"And that is somethin' that you should woik on anotha day. You've done enough taday. You're tired. Let yourself relax. Treat yourself."
He couldn't help but roll his eyes some. "I need ta keep up wit' shootin'. I haven't been shootin' in awhile, and it is relaxin' in it's own sort of way."
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 16:44:41 GMT -5
"Ah well... it's been nice gettin' ta know ya too."
Lacey blushed a bit, her gaze flickering to her hands. "Thanks." She mumbled, her words barely audible once more.
"Well... I'll be talkin' ta Mr. O'Quinns about dis. Need ta straighten the boys out. Maybe he can talk ta Ms. Harbour about it."
Lacey nodded a bit, "I could talk ta her 'bout it. It's not anythin' that the goils don't expect from me already." She shrugged, "I'll talk to 'er when I head back for the night, I guess. That'll be easier for everyone." She nodded briefly.
"It's fine really. I need ta talk ta some of the boys myself. But it was nice of ya ta offer... once the boys get ta know you as a boid, you'll be able ta do more talkin' wit' 'em for me."
Lacey nodded slowly, "If ya say so. I just feel bad about ya not gettin' enough sleep last night. It wasn't because of me, but today when ya woke up on the docks was." She pointed out.
"I need ta keep up wit' shootin'. I haven't been shootin' in awhile, and it is relaxin' in it's own sort of way."
Lacey sighed, putting her hands up in surrender. "You know best. I'm just tryin' my best to be helpful, that's all. Don't kill the messenger." She shot him a half smile. "An' thanks for taday. It's been real fun. I've never had a sort of 'walk around' with someone before. It was fun." She smiled a bit more.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 16:52:28 GMT -5
"Thanks."
Spot shrugged not really knowing hot to respond to that. "You're... welcome."
"I could talk ta her 'bout it. It's not anythin' that the goils don't expect from me already. I'll talk to 'er when I head back for the night, I guess. That'll be easier for everyone."
"That's probably a good idea," he agreed. "Though I do think it might be good for Ms. Harbour and Mr. O'Quinns ta talk things out too."
"If ya say so. I just feel bad about ya not gettin' enough sleep last night. It wasn't because of me, but today when ya woke up on the docks was."
He waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I've had less sleep before so it's fine. And you didn't really wake me up or nothin' at the docks. I was plannin' on just takin' a short nap anyways."
"You know best. I'm just tryin' my best to be helpful, that's all. Don't kill the messenger."
His lips twitched to a slightly smirk. "I'll try not ta kill the messenger."
"An' thanks for taday. It's been real fun. I've never had a sort of 'walk around' with someone before. It was fun."
He nodded a bit. He had to admit it had been kind of fun. He hadn't done something like this since, well, since Darcy was around. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to do it every now and then. Darcy wasn't here, so he could do it with whoever he chose, or even by himself if he wished.
"No problem." He shifted his two bottles in his arms along with his stash of candy. "I had fun too."
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 16:59:26 GMT -5
"Though I do think it might be good for Ms. Harbour and Mr. O'Quinns ta talk things out too."
Lacey nodded, shrugging a bit. It made sense to her, even if it wasn't always other newsies. It was still a good idea. "Sounds good ta me. I'm sure they'll have the same idea once they hear 'bout it."
"Don't worry about it. I've had less sleep before so it's fine. And you didn't really wake me up or nothin' at the docks. I was plannin' on just takin' a short nap anyways."
Lacey frowned. Less sleep than that in a night? She could barely function earlier in the morning with the amount of sleep that she had, and Spot had even less. Less than that seemed impossible to work through. "You're tough. That's gotta be horrible."
"I'll try not ta kill the messenger."
The smirk that Spot was giving her nearly immediately sent color rushing to her face, and she shivered, looking away. "Th-that's good... I appreciate not being killed." She laughed nervously.
"I had fun too."
Lacey grinned brightly, slowly standing up. "I could, uh, hold some o' that for ya." She offered, looking at his arms, which held the bottles and the candy. It was a bit much, and while he seemed to have a moderately good handle on it, she was still a bit awkward with him holding everything and her not helping at all. She held out her hand for him, raising an eyebrow.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 17:10:05 GMT -5
"Sounds good ta me. I'm sure they'll have the same idea once they hear 'bout it."
"Yeah probably," Spot agreed. He wished he could handle things like this himself, but sometimes you had to go to adults for help.
"You're tough. That's gotta be horrible."
He shrugged. "Not really that tough," he admitted. "It's bad, but I guess I've gotten use ta it."
"Th-that's good... I appreciate not being killed."
He bit his lip at her nervous laugh. He hadn't scared her, had he? Good going, Spot, he scolded internally.
"I don't mean ta actually kill anyone, you know that right?" he added hastily. "Jus' jokin'..."
"I could, uh, hold some o' that for ya."
He pursed his lips "Ah well... I gotta drop off some of this elsewhere, but um." He wiggled the glass bottles some. "If ya don't mind, maybe takin' thse ta the docks? You should be able ta see where I got my bottles all set up for shootin' up on the higher parts of the dock."
He didn't want to damage the candy, and he's be a fool to try juggling all those items all the way to Staten Island.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 17:17:14 GMT -5
"Not really that tough. It's bad, but I guess I've gotten use ta it."
Lacey felt quite bad for him now. Yeah, he was a tough person - despite him not agreeing with her out loud, she knew that he was - and he was having work on little to no sleep, and run the borough. The would take a lot out of a person after a while. "Well, I think that you'd have to be pretty tough to get through that, whether you're used to it or not." She smiled a bit.
"I don't mean ta actually kill anyone, you know that right? Jus' jokin'..."
She smiled softly, although it was slightly less genuine than most of her other smiles towards him had been. "Nah, it's not that at all. I ain't scared of ya, Spot. Not at all. I respect ya, so I won't do anythin' stupid, but I ain't scared of ya. I guess... I'm just confused about what I'm thinkin' and what's runnin' through my head is all. It ain't nothin' to do with you." Well, that part's a lie, but I don't need to bring that up. Not after our other conversations.
"If ya don't mind, maybe takin' these ta the docks? You should be able ta see where I got my bottles all set up for shootin' up on the higher parts of the dock."
Lacey nodded, carefully removing the bottles from his arms and holding onto them securely. "So, uh... I'll see you later, right?" She asked, a slightly hopeful tone to her voice as she looked back up at him, her cheeks flushed a reddish-pink color.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 17:28:03 GMT -5
"Well, I think that you'd have to be pretty tough to get through that, whether you're used to it or not."
Spot felt his ears turn pink for what felt like the hundredth time. "Ah well... um thanks," he mumbled unsure of what else to say.
"Nah, it's not that at all. I ain't scared of ya, Spot. Not at all. I respect ya, so I won't do anythin' stupid, but I ain't scared of ya. I guess... I'm just confused about what I'm thinkin' and what's runnin' through my head is all. It ain't nothin' to do with you."
He cocked his head slightly. Well, that did make him feel a little better. He didn't want her to be scared of him. Technically, he didn't want people to be scared of him. He wanted them to respect him. But hey, you take what you can get he supposed.
"So, uh... I'll see you later, right?"
He glanced down at his candy. "Um, yeah, maybe."
He didn't want to flat out say no. After all, he himself didn't know how long things would take in Staten and later on his business here in Brooklyn. He might see her and then he might not see her. Being a leader made him pretty busy at times.
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Post by Lacey on Jul 5, 2016 17:33:33 GMT -5
"Ah well... um thanks."
Lacey shrugged, smiling faintly. "Yeah, no problem."
Lacey was actually just beginning to realize how terrible she could be with words, and she hadn't been before. She was around Spot. She figured that it had to be because he was the leader of the borough, although she didn't know. Maybe it was just the fact that she was constantly searching for ways to get him to smile or laugh, even just a little bit. Sometimes she had succeeded, sometimes she didn't. That didn't mean that she was going to stop trying anytime soon.
"Um, yeah, maybe."
The female's gaze flickered to her feet briefly, before shooting back up to him. "I'll see ya sometime soon, yeah?" She flashed him a bright grin - back to being the genuine person that she was - before slowly backing away and beginning to walk back towards the familiar territory of the docks to put his bottles there. The only thing that worried her about going there was the fact that some of the boys would apparently be swimming, but she pushed that out of her mind. I'm not either way.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jul 5, 2016 17:41:38 GMT -5
"I'll see ya sometime soon, yeah?"
Spot nodded quickly, maybe even too quickly. "Yeah, probably. I'm always checkin' up on things so you'll probably see me around eventually."
And then, if he ever needed her as a bird, he would come and find her. There wasn't a very big change that they wouldn't bump into each other now that she was becoming more than just a newsie in Brooklyn. As a bird, she would have more responsibility and come into contact with Spot much more often than just regular newsies.
He adjusted his paper bag and tipped his cap at her. "Be seein' ya around then."
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