The Oak

[Alexandreia Halliway]

It took Lexi a moment to catch on to the fact that Marvin existed in Gwennie's head but when she did a wide smile crossed her face. She was very glad that Perry had met someone who had an imagination like he did. Many of the kids in Jersey City had thought Perry was odd for being the way he was. She didn't want him to have to go through that kind of teasing again. "Nice to meet you, Gwennie."

She turned to Perry and smiled, "You're hungry, huh?" She looked at Gwennie, "We could go get some sandwiches. Are you hungry too, Gwennie? You're more than welcome to come with us." She wanted Perry to be able to spend time with people his age but she didn't want him to wander off where she couldn't see him.

[Perry Halliway]

Perry grinned when Lexi invited Gwennie to come. "Yeah you should come, it'll be real fun and then we can talk about what I'm gonna name my dog." He was incredibly excited about having a dog like Marvin.

[Gwennie]

Gwennie reched inside her pocket and pulled out a few coins, making sure that she had enough money to buy a sandwich. As the price of papers went up so did the looming possibility that she may not be able to buy lunch and dinner every day. Though it hadn't happened yet, she had gotten herself into the habit of checking how much money she had before spending even so much as a penny to make sure that she would have enough money to buy her papers the next day. Satisfied that she could afford the meal, she looked up at Lexi, smiling broadly "shoah, I'll go" she answered, eager to spend more time with Perry and help him come up with a name for his dog, In her opinion naming was one of the funnest parts.

[Perry Halliway]

Perry smiled, "Great, lets go. I can't wait to think up a name." He grabbed his sisters hand when she held it out to him. "Where we going? What are we going to eat, huh? I'm starving, you know. I feel like I haven't eaten in a week. Lexi, I can't wait to have a dog like Gwennies. Gwennie's gonna help me pick out a name, right?" He looked in Gwennie's direction to make sure she knew he was talking to her.

[Gwennie]

Gwennnie skipped along side them as they started walking "Yup, I sure am" she chirped happily in response "but you gotta do most of it 'cause it's gotta be a name ya really like" she cautioned, suddenly picking up her pace until she was a few steps ahead of them and turning around and walking backwards to face them as she spoke "ya gotta be happy wit' da name ya choose 'cause ya can't evah change it or else ya doggie will feel like ya t'ink it's not real 'cause ya'd nevah do dat ta a real doggie right? It'd jus' make 'im all confused" she finished, feeling very knowledgable.

[Perry Halliway]

Perry nodded, taking everything Gwennie said with complete seriousness. "Yeah that makes sense. I mean I wouldn't feel good if someone had changed my name. I'm gonna have to think of a really good one and I won't ever change it. I don't want to hurt his feelings." Perry was incredibly excited about getting an invisible dog. He glanced up at his sister and she smiled down at him a twinkle in her eye. Little did he know she thought their conversation was adorable, talking about invisible dogs and what to do and what not to do.

[Gwennie]

"Good" said Gwennie proudly, satisfied with his resolve to do right by his dog. She treated Marvin with the utmost respect and appreciation and she only told her animal finding secrets to those who she thought would do the same and she could tell that she had made a good choice with Perry. "now where are we gonna eat?" she asked turning to Lexi "I'm starved"

[Perry Halliway]

When Lexi pointed to a small corner building Perry clapped his hands, he recognized the outside without even knowing their name. "They have great ham sandwiches. I love them. They taste so good. Lexi says that they taste like heaven but I don't know what heaven tastes like so I don't know if that's what it tastes like. But if Lexi says it does then it probably does. She's really smart. Don't you think?" Perry didn't even think about the fact that Gwennie and Lexi had known each other for a total of a few minutes. He just knew that he really liked them both and figured they did as well and therefore had the same knowledge on eachother that he did.

[Gwennie]

Gwennie nodded enthusiastically in agreement she may not have known Lexi for very long but she looked up to older kids and usually thought that they were pretty smart. "Yeah most big kids are pretty smart" she agreed, frowning slightly as she heard her stomach growl "race ya dere" she said, pointing at the building that Lexi had indicated and starting to run before Perry had a chance to reply.

[Perry Halliway]

Perry looked to his sister for approval and when she laughed and gave him a small shove he took off, laughing the whole way. "Yeah!" He yelled loudly, dodging through by-passers, his stomach growling the entire way. He could practically taste the sandwich at this point he was so hungry. Perry didn't even know how he'd been able to go this long without eating.

[Gwennie]

"Beat ya!" cried Gwennie, jubilantly as she reached the front door of the building and turned around to see Perry jog up to join her. "come on Lexi don' be a slowpoke!" she called as she waited by the door. " Y'know I don' t'ink I evah been heah before, I don' recognize it at all. Is it good?" she stated conversationally, still waiting for Lexi to make her way over.

[Perry Halliway]

Perry nodded with a grin, "Oh yeah, they have really good food and they don't raise their noses to you. I really like it here." He glanced back as Lexi finally caught up and opened the door, holding it for them. Lexi had taught him his manners well and he made sure to especially practice them in front of her.

[Gwennie]

"Thanks" said Gwennie, attempting to reciprocate the good manners that Perry was displaying. Immediately she ran for a stool at the counter, she always loved sitting there because the high stools made hr feel tall and, as an added bonus, she could spin around in them if she got bored waiting for her food. " I call dis one!" she stated, making sure to use her inside voice, and pulled herself up onto a nearby stool.

[Perry Halliway]

Perry laughed and jumped up onto the stool next to her and Lexi took a seat next to him. "I'm starvin' I can't wait to eat." Perry rubbed his belly as his sister ordered them some sandwiches and an extra one to take to Reid when they were done eating. When she informed him of this, he frowned. "I wanna play with Gwennie." She told him she could come if she wanted so he turned to her. "Do you have anything to do today, cause we have to go find my brother and bring him food. He's....uh....I don't know what he's doing."

[Gwennie]

Gwennie spun around once on her stool, watching her skirt fly out around her "Nope, not a t'ing" she said, smiling "an neither does Marvin. We're both obligation free" she explained, proud of herself for using such a big word. It had been in one of the stories in the paper about a week before and she had asked one of the older newsies what the word meant. Once she under stood the word she had really liked it and had begun to srinkle it into many of her conversations. No matter how mant times she used it, it always made her feel mature and knowledgeable.