"I'se suggest you leave 'er be and we'se ain't little kids we'se newsies!" the voice demanded.
"Oh, really and that would be why?" Harry asked sarcastically. Picking me up by the hair making the boys look at my face, which was bruising badly. They also say the black eye that I had received earlier in the day.
"This is why" the voice screamed running at Harry and knocking him to the ground in a swift punch. Leaving me to fall once again to the cobblestone street, Harry stood once more.
"She brings good money home after she fucks about 4 guys. I am like a manager you could say." Harry retorted.
"Come 'er you sick twisted man!" the voice screamed. I just lay there on the cobblestone not moving only breathing and praying the ragging boys wouldn't kill me before the cold did. They fought for five minutes cursing at each other and at the end one came out on top.
"Hey, um.., hey you'se," the voice called to me. He bent down and rolled me over. "Are you'se dead?" he asked.
"No, I'se fine, and I'se have a name it's Amelia," I replied lying on my back with my eyes closed.
"From what you'se look like you'se ain't fine. You'se the farthest ting' from fine," he replied demandingly.
"Thanks fer' the compliment," I replied sarcastically.
"Can you'se open you're eyes?" he asked me. I slowly opened up my eyes and was met by a boy's eyes that were as harsh a steal but as light blue as the sea was.
"Wow!" I blurted out. He gave me a confused look.
"What?" he asked back.
"You'se him, you'se… Spot Conlon," I stuttered.
"Yeah, yeah tell me somtine' I'se don't know," he said offering me a hand. I took it and I tried getting up, I was up and then fell again but this time I didn't hit the ground. I was caught in the safe and warm arms of The Most Feared Newsie in all of New York City! "Okay maybe walkin' ain't such a good idea," Spot said as he picked me up.
"You'se really don't need to do dis'," I said sort of wondering why he would care a thing about me. He looked down at my shacking body and frail appearance.
"I'se know dat' but at dis' point you'se need me help," Spot replied smiling a little. "Alrighty boys, we'se takin' 'er home wid' us!" Spot shouted to the group. They all started moving forward down the street.
"Were I'se goin' Spot?" I asked him.
"To the Lodgin' House," Spot replied now shivering a little bit himself.
"You're cold," I said as I laid a hand on his chest.
"Yeah, yeah we'se all are," he said brushing off the comment. The rest of the trip was cold and long. I had no idea how long it took us all to get there but I was frozen. We entered in a wooden door, and I remember a rush of warmth that hit me the second we walked in.
"Alrighty boys, we'se have ever'one?" Spot asked the room.
"Yeah we'se got us all," one boy announced to Spot.
"T'anks Counter!" Spot replied. "Ever'one get some sleep, we'se leavin' at 6 tamarra'," Spot said as a huge rush of boys headed up stairs.
"Dame you'se commander or som'tine?" I asked Spot as we headed down a dark hallway. I knew some things about Spot from other girls in the business and they weren't good.
"You'se could say dat'," Spot said with a laugh.
"Were we'se goin'," I asked.
"You'se look scared," Spot asked stopping in his tracks.
"Nothin' just, um…, you'se ain't ganna hurt me are you?" I stuttered timidly. Spot started laughing at me.
"No I'se ain't ganna hurt ya. Man did you'se head hit dah' floor hard or what?" he asked sarcastically.
"No," I said feisty.
"Well I'se takin' you'se to dah' kitchen. You'se hungry I'se imagine?" Spot said going through a swinging door.
"You'se bet I'se am," I said as we entered into the dark room.
"Here, sit right here," Spot said putting me on the island counter top. He lit a few candles I giggled a little. "You'se ain't ganna get giddy are you'se," Spot asked as he went through a cabanet.
"No, it's sorta funny," I remarked.
"I'se don't look dat' funny do I?" Spot said sarcastically not looking back at me still looking for food.
"No not you'se Spot, but that the one day I was supposed to…." I trailed off.
"You'se supposed to what?" Spot questioned stopping all he was doing and came over to me.
"Nothin'," I stuttered.
"No der' som'tine don't give me dat' crap." Spot said sternly. "You'se owe me I'se saved you're little butt tonight!" Spot said knowing he had something on me.
"Thanks but it's not little and also I'se never meant to bring dat' up," I said. Spot smiled devilishly at me.
"Well you'se did now tell me! I'se Spot Conlon, don't make me get it outta' you." Spot said in a devilish way.
"Dame it!" I muttered.
"Tell me," Spot said starting to tickle me and poke me. I burst out laughing and I shoved him lightly. He started laughing too and fighting harder to keep this up.
"Stop Spot!" I said in between laughs.
"Never," he said continuing. He tickled me so hard I fell off the counter and I was shoving him back when I fell sending him to the ground on his back. Spot grabbed my wrist and then I fell on top of him. Our legs intertwined and he looking right into my eyes, and me I was just mesmerized by everything the situation, him, his eyes. "You'se ganna tell me now?" Spot asked not yet breaking our mood.
"Nope," I said swiftly standing and leaned against the counter. Spot hopped up fast after me.
"Here," he said throwing me a bag.
"What's dis'?" I asked.
"Food, what else would it be?" Spot said devilishly. "Okay let's head up stairs," he said hedding over and blowing out all the candles and then opening the door. I fallowed him out.
"Up stairs, what happens up stairs?" I said stopping and becoming fearful.
"Up stairs is where people sleep Amelia," Spot said sternly, coming over to me. "Why you'se so scared all dah' time," Spot asked.
"Notin' like I'se said before!" she retorted back harshly.
"Come on, don't make me carry you'se up dah' stairs," Spot said walking over to the stairs.
"Fine," I said coming over and climbing the stairs with Spot.