Dear you by Bridget Kathleen (best short novels TXT) 📖

it, unsure if she should risk it.
Spot moved closer towards her. "C'mon." he said. "Just a sip." he begged her on.
Evelyn took a deep breath and took the littlest sip ever. She placed it back down quickly and grimaced. Spot laughed at her. "What's so funny?" she asked him.
"Ya face, mate!" he continued laughing.
Evelyn felt hot and embarrassed. Maybe it was just the crowd, but she highly doubted it. She took up the pint again and took another sip, only this time it was a bigger sip. Evelyn placed the pint down hard just like the last time and grimaced again. "I'm going to get used to this damn it!"
Spot looked at her with wide eyes. "Whoa! Foist time I'se ever hoid a goil like you'se curse!" He took up the whisky and handed it to Evelyn. "Heah, anotheh sip."
Evelyn blushed and took a gulp this time. She had wanted to spit it out and throw up, but she forced it all to stay down. As it did she coughed and held her chest. "That's...That's really strong." she said. Spot smiled and finished his pint. He slammed it down hard and gave a satisfying 'ah'. Evelyn took another gulp and the same process happened. "I don't think I can drink it anymore." she slid the whisky over to Spot and watched him down it. Evelyn looked at him with wide eyes, unable to believe that he could do that. "How long have you been drinking, Spot?" she asked.
Spot wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Well...I'm nineteen now and I'se started drinking with me pap when I'se was fourteen. So that be five years."
"You started drinking at fourteen?" Evelyn could hardly believe it.
Spot gave her a look as in 'so what' and sat back in his chair. "Hey, that's pretty late for a kid dat age. Some start sooner."
Evelyn was afraid to ask how soon so she changed the subject. "How long you been in New York?"
Spot thought for a while. "Came here when I'se was ten, so it's been 'bout nine years."
"Got any siblings?" Evelyn asked.
Spot nodded. "Two. Little sis and brotheh. Noah, she jus' turned five and Luke, he's twelve."
"I wish I had siblings." said Evelyn.
"Ya mean...you and that blonde goil aren’t sisteh's?"
Evelyn shook her head. "No. Were best friends."
Spot nodded. "Interesting. So's tell me 'bout you and ya family."
Evelyn rested her elbow on the table and then leaned her head on her fist. "Not much to say. They aint around anymore." Spot made a big 'O' with his mouth. "But that's ok. I've gotten used to it. I used to live on Rutland street and-" before she could finish, Spot cut her off.
"Wait. Hold one second. You'se said dat ya used to live on Rutland street?" Evelyn nodded. "I live there right now! Say, how long ya live there?"
"Few years, I guess." she answered him.
Spot looked at her in disbelief. "Nah! Git out heah! I'se would have noticed a pretty little face like you'se runnin' 'round." Spot realized what he said and shut up right away.
Evelyn just blushed. She wished she could tell me, but that would be a major mistake. She then started to think about Scott and her heart started to pound. Suddenly she got a great idea to break the awkward silence. "Do you want to dance?" she asked him.
Spot looked over at her and said, "What?"
Evelyn stood up and started to pull on Spot's collar. "C'mon. Am I going to have dance all my myself?" Spot then got up and followed her further out on to the floor. The music was louder now and more merry people began to sing and dance. Evelyn jumped up and down a little to the motion of the music like a few others did, and Spot lightly tapped his feet on the floor. "Oh come on, Spot. Ya can't tell me that you, an Irish boy, doesn't know how to dance."
Spot shook his head. "Neveh said I couldn't." and just like that the music skipped to a whole new beat and Spot picked up his feet higher off the ground. Tapped the floor harder and faster and once in a while spun around. "C'mon, goily, you try this out."
Evelyn tried to copy his moves and was having a hard time doing so. I think the whisky is getting to my head, thought Evelyn. She tried doing it again and ended up tripping over her own feet and fell flat on her bum. Spot burst out laughing and then and then helped her up. As the two giggled together about dancing Spot looked out and over the crowd and saw a familiar face walk in the door.
Evelyn saw the sudden look of seriousness that came upon Spot's face and asked. "What's wrong, Spot?"
"It's Charles. Charles Vanham. If he sees the two of togetheh, we'se will both be in for it by Mr. O'Brian. I betteh get ya back home."
"What?" said Evelyn. "We haven't been here for that long though. I'm sure he won’t see us." Evelyn begged to stay. She was having such a great time.
"No," said Spot. "We'se can always come back." He took her hand then and the two sneaked out without Charles seeing them.

When the two got outside, the cool air sent chills on their arms from the sudden temperature change. Spot still held on to Evelyn's hand and led her on home. They couldn't help but laugh and giggle. Part of the reason for that was because of the whisky and beer. Evelyn ocasionally stumbled over her own feet and started laughing even harder while she got her skirt and shirt all dirty. Spot on the other hand had a better control over himself and helped her up and laughed at her clumsiness.

As a horse and carriage approached Spot pushed Evelyn into an alley to get out of the way. Evelyn leaned against the wall with Spot standing far too close beside her. Spot looked down at her and she looked up. The laughed quietly together. Suddenly, Evelyn felt Spot's hot lips on hers. His body pressed hard up against hers. He held her hands and licked her lips for entrance. Slowly she opened and Spot trailed his tongue in her mouth. She could lightly taste the whisky and beer, but she didn't mind. Spot then moved his hands behind her back, pressed her closer to him, deepening the kiss. Evelyn reached her arms up and around Spot's shoulders. She closed her eyes and imagined being kissed for the first time all over again. Suddenly, Spot stopped and pulled back from her. He looked at her for a moment and then he looked towards the street. "Sorry," he said. "Should have neveh done that."
Evelyn was confused. She enjoyed the kiss. Did Spot not like it? This was worrying her. "Spot?...Was it me?" she asked.
Spot looked at her like she was crazy or something a laughed a little. He then got serious again. "No. It was me. Now let's git ya home..." with that Spot took her hand and led her the rest of the way home without saying a word.
Chapter Ten: Secrets

The cicadas say it's too late
But I still reach out to you
Please believe in me
I want to say, "You don't have to cry anymore"

Evelyn awoke suddenly with a pillow hitting her in the face. "Ouch!"
"Get up!" it was Bianca. Evelyn peered her eyes open to look up at her friend for but a moment and then closed them again and rested her head on her pillow. "I know you were out last night. Tell me why and who you were with." she demanded.
Evelyn moaned. "I wasn't out..." she lied.
"Horse shit!" hissed Bianca. "Don't lie to me. If you don't tell me the truth I'll be forced to get Mr. and Mrs. O'Brian involved in this."
Evelyn slowly sat up and noticed that she was still in her close from the other day. Her boots had bits and pieces of dried mud on them and the rest had fallen either on the floor at the foot of the bed or scattered on her clean sheets. Evelyn looked up at Bianca. Her friend waited for an answer. She rubbed her head. It hurt from all the loud music, smoke and running around from last night. "I...went to an Irish party." she said.
"With who?" barked Bianca, demanding more and more information out of her friend.
"With...With Spot Conlon." Bianca gasped and smacked Evelyn with her pillow again. "Stop hitting me!" said Evelyn.
"I can't believe you!" said Bianca. "You’re going to get yourself in big trouble one of these days. That Conlon is BAD news! Stay away from him. He may remind you of you-know-who, but I don't trust him and neither should you!" Bianca tossed her pillow back on to her bed and walked to the door. "You best hurry up and get some fresh clothes on. We have school in an hour." she shut the door behind her and Evelyn flinched at the sound of it. She sighed and laid back down on her bed, dreading having to get up. What was she thinking? Staying up late on a school night? But she had wanted to desperately to see Spot. And to think that Bianca, her best friend, told her to stop trusting him because she didn't was unthinkable! Evelyn found herself in a tight corner and she was too tired to try and figure her way out of it.

As Evelyn was just about ready to finish up her breakfast she placed one of her pancakes into a napkin. She had decided to pick up some papers and not only give the newsie a penny, but some food while she was at it. It wasn't uncommon to NOT run into a newsie on the way to school. Evelyn considered herself very lucky to have a roof over her head, food in her belly and the opportunity to attend school. Bianca and Evelyn were moving up well in education. If they were to do well with all of their testing by the end of the week, her and Bianca would move up as Juniors. Everything worked differently. In some ways it was better and other ways it was well...hard.

When Evelyn and Bianca picked up their bags and headed outside, Bianca immediately bomb-barded Evelyn with questions. "You have to tell me everything!" she said first.
"About what?" Evelyn said, hoping her friend would let it go.
"About your night with Mr. Spotty Conlon! I may not be very FOND of what you did, but I'd still like to know."
Evelyn looked over at Bianca and raised a brow. "Spotty?" she said.
Bianca laughed. "Go on! Tell me! I'll just keep bugging you if you don't." she gave Evelyn a smile of pure cockiness.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and dropped her shoulders. "Oh alright. It started out when Spot asked me if I wanted to see a REAL Irish party. I told him yes, I snuck out, danced, watched him and everyone else though mostly and then we went home." Evelyn looked to her friend and finished.
"That's it?" Bianca looked at her stupidly. "C'mon! That can't be ALL that happened."
"Well...Spot drank a little