There's a Miracle Due

Chapter 2

Lizzy finally approached her apartment and entered through the gate to climb up the stairs to the fourth floor. She dug through her dress pockets and took the key to unlock the only red door on the floor.

After entering, Lizzy dumped her things on the counter and clicked on the the living room lamp to dive into another textbook on criminal justice.

Dinner was a small portion of porridge and by the time she rinsed herself in the shower, it was nearing midnight.

Lizzy sighed and dried herself with a towel before sliding into her slip and heading to the covers of her awaited bed. She drifted off into the warm sheets and pillows, thinking of where Riff was right now, then hating herself for doing so, then wondering again, the cursing herself, until finally the self-arguing exhausted her and fell asleep.
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"Is this her room?"

"Gotta be."

"Keep your pipe hole down Ice!"

"Shut it Action, the landlord my come drag you out by the ear!"

"Everyone shut up!"

Lizzy slurred awake, flexing her muscles. It wasn't morning already, was it? The voices had been a dream, she was sure of it.

Lizzy forced herself out of bed and drew the curtains to look out the window, expecting to see the dark sky lit by lampposts and cars, but instead came face to face with a boy on the other side of the window.

She shrieked and stumbled back. Four boys were peeping through her window on the fire escape, and she found that all of them weren't Riff.

Her blood rain cold when she registered that they knew where she lived-and must have followed her home. Where's Riff? Shut up Lizzy!

The four boys waved awkwardly at her and gestured for her to open the window. Lizzy shook her head violently and went to draw the curtains again but one of the dark headed boys pushed himself against the window.

"Wait!" His voice was filtered by the window, but that only worried Lizzy even more. Her mind flickered to the knife that was in her purse in the kitchen, maybe she could use it if they tried to get in...

"What are your names?" She questioned, stepping back from the window.

The boy pressed against the window smiled slightly in victory. "I'm Ice."

"Action." Another answered who was leaning against the fire escape without worry.

"A-rab." One of them nodded his head with more swagger then Lizzy thought her deserved.

And finally, "Tiger."

"Now what's yours pretty girl?" A-rab questioned with the same queer issue as Lizzy.

She debated giving it to them, but thought that Mouthpiece would blurt it out eventually. "Elizabeth." She told them, lifting her chin and crossing her arms, ignoring how tired she actually was. "Now do me a favor and leave me be."

"Oh come on don't be like that," Ice said. "It was Riff who told us to track you."

"And why would you listen to that scum-bag around?" Lizzy hissed.

At this, the foursome went from their silly moods to completely serious. "Don't you fuckin disrespect Riff, you here me." Ice backed away from the window, staring at Lizzy with a sort of aggression that made her more agitated then before, yet she glared back at them.

After a long silence, Lizzy sat down on her apartment floor. "What are the Jets?"

The boys seemed less tense and more relaxed at this question. "The greatest gang in the world." Action grinned. "Aka, us."

"And Riff's your leader?"

"The one and only." Tiger responded.

Lizzy nodded, a lot had changed since she came back for the west side, and she guessed she wasn't surprised that Tommy ended up here.

"And why would he want you to follow me?" Lizzy had learned in her studies that forcing answers out of people and blanketing it with curiosity always seemed to work-with people who weren't self-conscious.

"Who knows?" Action blew out a long breath. "Whatever her wants, we do it. He's always been there for us so we're always there for him."

"My guess," Ice leaded. "Is that your a mysterious girl who survived a knife to her leg who just happens to return back to the west side right when the PRs start entering town. So maybe he's a little curious."

Lizzy sighed and stood to draw the curtains. "Thank you for telling me all this, but I am sleep deprived and tomorrow I'm playing on having an eight hour study session at the library, so if you would let me sleep without you guys here, that would be great."

Before they could protest, Lizzy pulled the curtains to a closed and slipped back under her covers, blowing out a long breath.

"C'mon Ice, Riff'l want a report." She could here Tiger hiss as they clambered down the fire escape, yet she didn't here one of them move.

"You guys go," Ice's voice muttered faintly, obviously trying to hide it. This drew Lizzy out of her bed one last time to listen. "You never know what types of dangers lurks on these streets, especially for new ladies in town."

Lizzy her the chuckles from down below. "Whatever Icy, just be back tomorrow!" A-rab called from the alley.

After a few moments, Ice's breath became more relaxed and Lizzy was shocked by how Unalarmed she felt. Maybe even comfort.

Lizzy finally fell asleep back in her bed, no worrying about the Jets or Riff or even her mother. Instead she dreamed of university, and becoming a lawyer.