Your POV
I stand in shock at what Albert just said. I mean, did he really say he wants to solve crimes with me or was that just my imagination? He looks a bit disappointed in himself, but that could be because he was embarrassed to tell me that.
"Y/n/n? You'se alright?" He asks with a small smile. Instead of answering, I practically jump on him in order to hug him. He laughs and pats my head. "I takes that as a yes?"
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" I yell, smiling like I just won 20 bucks. Once I let go, I see his slightly red face and notice that he looks a bit nervous. "Did you get a sunburn?"
My comment makes him chuckle nervously and turn away.
"Erm, yeah, you could say dat," he says. His pretty smile fills my heart with butterflies. I smile back at him and slug him in the shoulder.
"Well, don't be dumb and try to stay in the shade today. Can't have all of you be red," I say with a smirk, teasing him for his red hair. Albert shoots me a glare before chuckling.
"Well, dat would be impahssible, since I have auburn hair, not red hair. Ya see?" Albert asks, taking off his cap and floofing his hair. I instantly feel my heart yearn to run my fingers through each and every strand.
"Agree to disagree. But I'm just so excited that you actually wanted to join me in this, since you seemed so hesitant yesterday," I say, wanting to pull him into another hug. Albert chuckles and places his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah, well, I guess you could say dat I had a change ah heart," Albert says, smiling at me before pulling his hands out of his pockets and grabbing my wrist. "Anyways, we should prolly get woikin' sos that we can have more time to woik on our side-gig! C'mon!"
Albert begins running off to the streets, seemingly excited to get to work. He'd better tone it down or else the other newsies will be suspicious. But that thought is quickly clouded by my happiness, as I run after the red-head while smiling like I just made it big.
Timeskip 4 days
Albert and I just finished solving our first official case. There was this guy who killed his wife and took off running, and not a single person knew where he could be. But then Albert and I traced down his location to an abandoned house, where we found out that he was also a part of the "Lower Manhattan Mafia".
Sadly, he wouldn't give us any information on the mafia, and he was all alone in the house, so there's not even a lead there. But that doesn't matter now, since Albert and I caught him! And we even got paid 2. Whole. Dollars as a reward! Which is why the two of us are stopping by Jacobi's diner as a special treat. As we walk in the door, Jacobi, who was standing by the kitchen, looks up at us and groans.
"Oh great. How many of ya today?" Jacobi asks, already annoyed that we just entered his establishment.
"Just the two of us," I say, holding up a quarter to show that we can pay. I watch as Jacobi's eyes grow wider than dinner plates.
"Where did you get dat kinda money?" Jacobi asks, and just as I'm about to answer, Albert scoffs.
"Fah your infamation, we'se got jobs. And we're richah than you could evah imagine. Now, give me that seltzah that I'se been cravin' so badly," Albert says, wearing a smug grin.
"Dang, alright. Anythin' else that you'd like there, mister and miss moneybags?" Jacobi asks, using a nickname to address the two of us.
"Could I also get potatoes and some ham please?" I ask Jacobi, who nods and walks back into the kitchen. Albert and I turn to each other, and I see the huge smile that's spread across his face.
We both laugh and rush over to a table in the relatively empty diner. We begin to talk about the case, and what we're going to be doing next.
After a couple minutes of talking, Jacobi walks over with our food and drinks, even throwing in an "on the house" bottle of wine. Even though Jacobi can be degrading at times, he still loves us and has almost become a fatherly figure to some.
But anyways, after splitting the wine and eating all of our food, we decide to just continue talking. After a couple hours, we end up a tad bit tipsy, but that doesn't stop the fun from ending.
"Did you hear what Race said to me yesterday?" I ask Albert, trying to share the juicy story that I have. He shakes his head 'No'. "Okay, so, he told me, 'Y/n, you've been working so hard lately. I want you to know that Sheepshead has job openings for horse groomers.' And so I said, 'I don't really need another job, sorry.' Which lead him to say, 'Why not? Don't you wanna help me win my bets?' and so I said, 'No, I want you to stop betting all of our money on those damn horses.'."
"Damn. Race nevah seems tah get dat it's unhealthy tah bet so much money, does he? Granted, he ain't so bright eithah," Albert says with a shrug and a laugh. "Change ah subject. Have you had ya foist kiss yet?"
I freeze up at the sudden question, feeling my cheeks begin to heat up. I stutter over my own words for a second before speaking.
"Um- I-... Not yet, no. Just haven't had the chance to kiss anyone. Especially with Race being around and everything," I say, smiling nervously. I feel a bit embarrassed that at the age of sixteen, I haven't kissed anyone yet. "But what about you?"
"Are you seriously askin' The Amazin' Albert DaSilva if he's had his foist kiss?" Albert asks, slicking back his hair with one hand and making it clear that he definitely rehearsed that line. I nod nervously. "Well, then the answah is yes, I have."
I feel a slight pain sting my heart. I know I shouldn't be upset, but I can't help but feel as though it should have been me that kissed him. I swallow my jealousy and try to get some answers.
"When?" I ask. Albert chuckles lightly, like he's revisiting something he never thought he'd revisit. "'Bout two yeas ago. This real rich gal had a couple of friends who dared her tah kiss the poor orphan newsboy. Bad day fah her, great day fah me."
Another shot of pain. I let out a quiet, "Oh" before looking back down at the table. Albert seems to notice my disappointment and reaches over to hold my hand.
"You tell me, if you was tah kiss anybody, who would ya kiss?" Albert asks, making my face red.
'You'
"I don't know... Probably Spot Conlon," I say with a chuckle, which makes Albert laugh. "He's the leader of Brooklyn, how could I not?"
"That's a faih question," Albert says, letting his laughter die down before speaking again after a couple seconds of silence. "I know that I ain't as great as Spot Conlon, but would you want me to kiss ya right now? Because, I'd totally be fine wit' it."
'Yes please. Kiss me. Kiss me. Kiss me.'
"Uh- I- Um- Sure," I sputter out, making Albert smile. My face is almost as red as his hair at this point from how much I'm blushing.
It's completely quiet for a second, before Albert slowly begins leaning across the table towards me. I take his lead and do the same. My eyes close as his lips are only about an inch or two away from mine. I feel his lips brush up against mine, sending butterflies to my stomach. And I'm about to move towards him even more, until-
'Ding Ding!'
Albert and I pull back as the sound of loud talking and the door to the Diner opening fills the small environment. I look over to the obnoxious noise and see none other than the newsboys of the hour, who haven't seemed to notice me and Albert yet.
But as soon as any thoughts of sneaking away enters my mind, Race's head suddenly points directly at the two of us, and a smile spreads across his face. I mutter a curse to myself, before smiling back at the boy who's now walking up to me and Albert.
"Hey, I didn't know that you two would be 'ere! Since when have ya been hanging out behind my back?" Race asks, putting both hands on his hip. I catch a glance of Albert's face, and see that he's as nervous as me.
"Oh- we just came out here today to celebrate our shortest day of selling," I say, feeling proud of myself for my fantastic lying skills. I guess being a newsie who yells lies every day does have some perks. "Why are you guys here?"
"We always stop by for some watah..." Race says, reminding me that they come by almost every day. I mentally curse at myself for not being smart enough to remember that.
"Oh yeah. Well, a-anyways, Albert and I were just getting ready to head out, since it's almost ten. You guys have fun," I say, trying to rush out of the impending awkward questions of why I sme-
"Why do ya smell like grapes?" Race asks, sniffing the air, and then sharply turning his towards Albert. "You do too. What have- wait a second. Is that a bottle of wine-"
"Albert, run!" I yell to Albert, who nods and quickly rushes towards the exit. With Race in my way, I'm forced to duck underneath his legs and run out of the building.
As soon as I duck down, I can see the confusion on Race's face. But as swift as a fox, I slide through his legs and burst out the door, where Albert is waiting for me. I look back and see Race turned to face us, shock imprinted on his face as he begins to run after us.
Without thinking, I grab Albert's hand and begin running. As soon as I start running, Albert begins running too. Once we're at the front steps of the lodging house, I turn around to see that Race must have given up, which makes me sigh in relief.
"We escape," I say, taking quick breaths from running. "Thank god."
"Yeah, we did," Albert says with a chuckle. "I am a bit disappointed, though."
"Why?" I ask, wondering why he could be disappointed that we got away from my older brother.
"We didn't get tah finish what we stahted back at Jacobi's," Albert says with a smirk-y grin. I quickly remember what we were about to do before all the newsies came in, and I instantly turn red, which makes the red-head laugh. "Hey, but don't worry," Albert says, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "I'm sure we'll get to try again soon."
And with that, he shoots me a wink before parading into the lodging house, leaving me in a state of shock. Wait- Does he like me back? I sure hope so. Otherwise what he just said is really awkward.