“Muse ya out here?” I barely heard my good friend, Seven of Nine. I was writing the climax of one of my stories and was deeply involved.

“Muse?” she tried again.

“Over here, Seven.” I called and continued writing. The heroine had just admitted her feelings and the hero sweeps her up into his arms and…

“There you are.” Seven peered at me from behind an old box. I was surrounded by them, liking the privacy.

I looked up at her. “Hey.” I finished the romantic kiss on paper.

“What just happened?” Seven asked me, referring to the story.

“Prince Brandon just kissed Odessa.” I grinned.

Seven rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “You and your romances.”

“Not always.” I protested. “Amelia’s story has little to no romance in it.” I alluded to my one developing character story.

Seven chuckled and put her hands up in surrender. “You win.” She conceded. “Everyone’s going to Medda’s, you wanna come?”

“I don’t know, Seven.” ‘Everybody’ usually meant all the couples and I was not part of a couple.

“C’mon, Muse. You need to get out. You’ll turn into a hermit.” Seven pleaded with me.

I looked at her. “It’s not that easy.”

“Sure it is, Muse. You can hang out with me and Bumlets.” I started to shake my head, but she continued. “Dutchy’s coming.”

I gave her a mean look. “So?” pretending not to care. I think Seven knew me better than that, even though I never said anything. I bore the burden of infatuation by myself.

“So, you guys are friends.” Seven stated, smiling a little.

“So, he’s probably got a date, too.” I muttered, getting up and stretching. I had been sitting for way too long.

“Maybe, but…ah come on Muse...” Seven encouraged.

I chuckled. “Okay, but ya better talk to me.” She grinned at me as we headed back into the bunkroom from the roof.

“Seven, we need ta…oh Muse, ya comin?” Bumlets asked when we entered.

“Yep, can ya stand me?” I tease my good friend. Bumlets was like a brother and Seven, like a sister.

Bumlets laughed and gave me a side hug. “I guess so.” I playfully punched his and went to put my journal and other writing necessities away.

“Ya comin, Muse?” I turned to see Dutchy behind me.

I smiled at him, nervous as usual. “Yeah, is that okay?” I questioned, worried.

He grinned and I felt weak again. “Coise.” He ruffled my hair. I glared at him, playfully, but hurt. He always treated me like a little sister.

I fixed my hair. “Kay, let’s go.”

He laughed at me and plucked my forgotten glasses off my nose. “Ya forgot dese.” He offered them to me.

I blushed and took them from him. “Thanks.” I put them on the nightstand. Dutchy chuckled and playfully pushed me, which got us into a small play fight, with him winning as usual. I was pinned to the floor, trying to struggle free, not because I wanted to win, but because his face was so close to mine. “I win.” He announced triumphantly, letting me go.

“Shoa.” I imitated his accent, which got me impishly punched in the arm.

“Come on, you two.” Seven called from downstairs. I grabbed some money and went downstairs, with Dutchy following.

“Youse g’head. I gotta go meet Kelly and I’ll see ya’s dere.” He winked at us and ran off. I sighed, so much for hoping.

Medda’s was rowdy as usual that night. I sat with Seven and Bumlets, quiet.

“Muse, cheer up.” Bumlets grinned at me. I smiled and listened to their talk. I adore them both, for their relationship was so admirable, clean and loving. I intended to base a story on their relationship sometime soon, if Seven didn’t mind.

“Hey, can we sit ere?” It was Dutchy and Kelly. Seven nodded and they sat down.

“Um, Kel, dat’s Seven and her boyfriend Bumlets.” Dutchy began introductions, “and dat’s Muse, our author.” He winked at me.

I smiled, hoping my pain didn’t show. “Hi, Kelly, right?” I offered my hand and she took it, shaking it firmly, but not smiling.

“Muse, interesting nickname.” Her voice held slight disdain and I, all of s sudden, felt ashamed of my nickname.

Kelly turned to Dutchy and purred. “So, when’s the show start?” I sunk lower into my seat, the fifth wheel. Dutchy answered her just as Medda came onto the stage. She sang wonderfully as usual and then the floor was open for dancing.

Bumlets turned to Seven. “Would ya like ta dance?” Seven smiled and nodded. They went out to the floor and Dutchy and Kelly did the same. And I sat there alone, humiliated. Now, I remembered why I never went out with “everybody.” I looked around and even the single newsboys were up and dancing. I drank some water and wished I had brought my journal. I watched Dutchy and Kelly dance, to my torment. They were a good-looking couple after all, perfect. After about three dances, I couldn’t handle it and I got up to leave.

“Would ya like ta dance?” a guy, not a newsie, but about my age was standing next to me.

He seemed friendly and nice, so I nodded.“Sure.” I was surprised, but followed him out to the dance floor.

“I’m Peter.” He smiled at me as he took my hand and waist to dance. I smiled back, relieved that I was no longer alone.

“I’m Merlyn.” I used my real name, not wanting to explain ‘Muse.’ He just grinned and nodded, pulling me a little closer than I was used to, but I didn’t stiffen. After all, nothing could really happen. We danced for about half a song when…

“Peter, git away from dat slut!!” I heard a female voice screech. I was pushed away from my partner and slapped across the face before I even saw who had done it.

It was a girl, fire in her eyes. “Whaddya doing with my boy?” She yelled. I just held my cheek, because it still stung.

Peter was trying to calm her. “Sweetheart…”

She went on at me. And everyone watched.“Huh, are ya dumb, can ya talk?!”

“I’m sorry.” My voice was shaking as I tried to explain what had happened, while trying to understand it myself. “He asked me to dance, so I did, I didn’t know that…”

She interrupted me. “What are ya, ignorant?” Peter just watched us, a smile on his face. It then occurred to me that this was his intention. This reaction from this unnamed girl was his whole purpose for asking me to dance. Which really made me feel even worse than I already did.

“Well,” the girl continued her tirade, “get outta here, whore!” I just took it silently. What could I say?

“Hey, she didn’t mean any harm.” A voice came to my rescue.

The angry girl turned on him. “Who are you? Her boyfriend?” I almost laughed at that. This was ridiculous, all of it.

“No,” Dutchy’s voice was full of steely anger, it sent cold chills down my back. “I’m a friend, but what does dat matta? Yer boy over dere asked her ta dance and she did.” His eyes were so cold. “Blame yer boy if yer gonna yell at somebody.” I’ve never seen Dutchy mad before and it frightened me. If it had been aimed at me, I would’ve run like the wind away from those cold blue eyes.

She just gave him an evil look and flounced off with Peter behind her, grinning and chuckling. I breathed a sigh of relief, and tried to calm myself down.

The crowd began to disperse and Dutchy walked over to me, his eyes now worried. “Muse, kid, ya alright?” his tone was so gentle that it was like a soothing balm to my scattered nerves.

My eyes began to fill with tears. I nodded. “Yeah, thanks Dutchy.” I looked past that concerned face and saw Kelly watching, her eyes beginning to fire as well.

I didn’t want to go through it all over again, so I turned and bolted out of Irving Hall, crying all the was. The pain on my cheek was fading, but the pain in my heart was flourishing. I flew up the stairs into the girl’s bunkroom. I crawled into bed, crying still, hoping that the pain would lessen by morning.

“Goirls, git up, time ta sell da papes!” Kloppman’s voice entered my ears. I opened my eyes slowly. Last night’s events came back to plague me. I hadn’t heard the others return, so I must have slept hard.

“C’mon, goirls, git up.” I heard Dusk shout. I stretched and pulled myself out of bed.

“Muse?” Seven came up to me, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

I smiled. “Morning Seven.”

She smiled back, relieved. “Are you alright?”

I nodded as we went into the washroom. “Yep, thanks.” I did feel better. I had gotten out a lot of pain last night, and I felt clean. I hadn’t cried in awhile. We all got dressed and cleaned up and headed to the distribution a center.

“Muse?” I turned to see Dutchy running up to me.

“Mornin.” I smiled, never completely at ease.

He looked surprised, but smiled back. “Mornin, kid. Are ya alright?” he asked as we kept walking.

“Yes, thanks again for standing up for me last night.” I flushed a little.

He chuckled. “No problem, ya woulda done da same fer me.” He grinned, tousling my hair.

I pushed him, playfully. “So, Kelly wasn’t mad, was she?” I asked, biting my lip.

Dutchy looked down at me, a sad look on his face. “Actually,” his voice dropped, “She broke up wit me last night.”

I felt so bad. “Dutch, I’m so sorry, I…”

He shook his head. “It ain’t yer fault. She thinks dere’s sumptin between you and me, and not jist friendship.” He shrugged.

“Dutchy, I’m really sorry. You really liked her and I …”

He interrupted me. “Kid, it’s alright. I wodn’t in love wit her.” He half-smiled. “Jist didn’t work out, dat’s all.”

I smiled sympathetically back. “Her loss.” I encouraged, then shocked that I had said that.

Dutchy immediately brightened as we got to the distribution office.“Thanks, kid.” He gave me a quick hug and went to get in line.

Seven gave me a knowing look as she passes me to get in line. I glared back at her, smiling too. Yeah right.