I was going to change this chapter up a little...but found I couldn't. If you haven't read this yet, I think you'll like it! : )

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Chapter 21: Holding Ground

I woke up the next morning with a severe headache and it didn't take long to remember why.

Ebony.

Sitting up and looking across the room, I saw her sitting on her bed, brushing out her long auburn hair.

In the next bed, Switch was sitting with her arms crossed, blatantly glaring at Ebony. "So you decided to try your hand at Brooklyn huh?"

Ebony kept her back turned but replied, "It can't be that much harder."

Switch scoffed loudly. "You don't stand a chance."

"You're doing just fine and so are the other girls."

"Oh don't go comparing yourself ta da othah goils. Dreads can throw a punch just as well as any a' da guys heah and Ace can shoot her sling shot wit her eyes closed and still hit a target. Remy is damn near impossible ta catch. She can fight too but you already knew that didn't ya Eb?"

Ebony shot a dark look over her shoulder. "And Clover?"

This seemed to touch a nerve with Switch as much as it did with me. She narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice a notch. "Clovah is as smart and sly as they come. She's a good kid and a damn good newsy so don't you dare touch her."

Ebony rolled her eyes and looked as if she was about to respond when she noticed me getting out of bed.

"Hey Remy," Switch mumbled rather irritably, though I knew it was not aimed towards me.

I nodded a 'good morning' then asked, "Where are the others?"

"Ace never came back last night but Dreads is in the bathroom."

As I left the room, completely ignoring Ebony, I heard Switch make another dark remark. Dreads was pulling her hair back when I walked in and said hello.

"They still goin at it?"

"Yeah."

She shook her head. "I remember when it used to be quiet in the mornin. Feels like such a long time ago."

"I guess now we know why Spot never wants more girl newsies."

We both smiled and Dreads studied me a moment. "Your takin dis pretty well, Remy."

"You didn't see me last night." I groaned and ran a hand over my face, "Poor Chris. I was a horrible date."

She cringed, "Didn't go well?"

I bent forward and threw some cold water on my face. "Nope."

Switch came in and leaned against the door jam and sighed. "I can't stay heah while she's heah."

Dreads nodded her head in agreement.

"But if I have ta, I might as well do everythin possible ta make her life hell too."

I stood up and dried my face with a towel. "Well, I've thought about it and decided she can't be any worse than any other girl that's come through here, so I'm not gonna let it get to me."

Switch scrunched up her face in disgust but didn't say anything.

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My decision to stay neutral was challenged almost immediately when Dreads and I reached the distribution center. We stood in the back of the line and watched as Ebony, escorted by Spot, took Flash's place second in line.

"Oh, he's not going to take that well." Dreads said quietly.

Sure enough, Flash spoke up with the look of sheer hatred on his face. "What's dis, Conlon?"

Spot turned to his friend with a hint of warning in his eyes. "What?"

"Youse lettin goils cut in line now?"

"No," Spot spoke clearly so that everyone could hear. "Ise lettin my goil buy her papes wit me so we can sell tagethah."

"Is dat how we's doin things now? Well in dat case..." Flash turned around and looked through the line until his eyes landed on Dreads. "Hey, babe! Come stand in line wit me."

Everyone looked back towards Dreads who stepped out but didn't move towards the front. "Don't you bring me inta dis!" She shouted back at him.

"Comon Dreads, I'm second in command. If Spot's goil can do it, so can you."

This was entirely not true and everyone knew it; including Dreads. The poor girl hesitated between being shunned by her leader, her boyfriend, or her fellow newsies.

I stepped out of line too. "Sorry, Flash, but she's already keeping me company..." Dreads gave a sigh of relief, knowing the argument would be dropped. "...waaay back here at the end of the line...cause we just got here so we'll patiently wait for our turn...as we should."

The thankful look that Dreads was giving me turned into another cringe as she grabbed my arm and pulled me back into line, out of sight from those up front. "Don't push it, Remy. Christ, he's already in a bad mood."

I waved my hand at her stood on my toes to see the front. "Oh, I'm not saying anything he hasn't heard before."

"Remy," Dreads placed her hands on my shoulders and pushed me back down. "I like ta watch you bring Spot down a notch just as much as everyone else but let's not do it when it involves me and every othah newsy in Brooklyn."

We looked back over the heads of the line to the front. Spot and Ebony were walking down the platform with their newspapers; Ebony talking excitedly and Spot chuckling. "Nevah thought I'd ever see dat."

"Uhg, there are just so many things wrong with that." I said disgustingly.

"Yeah," Dreads smirked. "Da ugliest one bein' her face."

We both laughed silently as the line moved on and we were able to eventually buy our papers. Dreads and I decided to sell together for a change so we went to her selling spot on Hay St. The entire morning was spent discussing the dance and everything that Dreads had experienced at the head table after Ebony arrived.

"...they was talkin ta each othah like dey old friends. Even Cowboy looked surprised at how dey was actin." Dreads shuddered. "I'd take any 'a his brainless dames ovah dis one." Then, catching her mistake, looked apologetically at me, "Wit youse bein da exception, Remy."

I just rolled my eyes.

We both threw our papes in a nearby ally and headed to Gideon's for lunch. Looking around the restaurant, we found Ace sitting at a table by herself and took the seats next to her.

"You must have had a good night." I said with my eyebrows raised.

Ace blushed, put down the newspaper she was reading, and sighed. "Great."

"Well I'm glad one of us did."

Instead of looking at me, she looked to Dreads. "You didn't have a good time last night?"

Dreads shrugged. "It was alright. It's just...well," she leaned forward so no one could over hear. "I don't think Flash and I will last much longah."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. There isn't anything there anymore you know?" She sighed and gazed around the room. "I think he's bored of me."

This came as only a slight surprise to me. While the two of them spend a lot of time together, they seem to fight more then not and it was a rarity to see them actually act like a couple. Though, Flash is a private kind of guy and no doubt they were different when they were by themselves. On the other hand, I couldn't see them not together because that's how it has always been.

"What are you going to do?"

Dreads shrugged. "What can I do?"

The words of encouragement Ace spoke faded out as Spot and Ebony entered Gideon's with a livid Switch following.

Spot lead Ebony to a table then walked back to Switch who was speaking in a fierce whisper. She was obviously unhappy about something and Spot was making no effort to fix it as he said something that finalized the discussion and went back to the table. Switch glared after him then turned to me and threw up her hands angrily. She stomped across the room and threw herself into the chair across from me.

"I swear I'm gonna ring his neck one of these days. He's making me sell wit him and dat...dat..."

"Floozy?"

"Tramp?"

"Harlot?"

"All of the above." Switch finished with a resolved nod.

We laughed at ourselves and ordered lunch from the waiter.

"I need ta get outta heah." Switch said looking around the restaurant.

"That makes two of us," I said with a sigh.

Dreads and Ace exchanged a glance and started to laugh again.

"What are you two goin on about?" Switch asked slightly irritated.

Dreads gave us both a look that held half pity and half humor. "There's no way eithah of you are goin anywheah."

"Yeah, did you forget dat youse on ice?" Ace finished dramatically, mocking Spot's authoritative tone.

I laughed, "Oh please. He's way too distracted to even care if I take off. Switch on the other hand..."

"Hey I could get outta heah if I wanted." She said defiantly.

Dreads shook her head. "You don't stand a chance."

We ate lunch and discussed all the ways that we could make Ebony's life difficult here in Brooklyn but they were all farfetched and too difficult to do. Not to mention, we knew that Spot would skin our hides.

I was the first one to get up from the table after lunch and I decided that I would head back over to Manhattan. Even though I was just there last night, I realized that I probably wouldn't have even come back last night if it hadn't been for Clover.

"See you girls later."

The walk to Manhattan was long and unfortunately it allowed me to finally think things over. What I had overheard last night was beyond aggravating. It was one thing for Spot to date Ebony but it was a whole other thing to do it behind everyone's back; behind my back. And after I had gone out of my way to apologize to the...

"There isn't even a word for her!" I yelled to myself in anger. A couple passing me stared at me in alarm before quickly walking on.

"If youse talkin bout Ebony, you got dat right."

I whirled around and found a smirking Switch. "Switch-"

"Yeah, yeah, I don't wanna heah it. Dreads and Ace already gave me an ear full." She caught up and fell into step with me. "I ain't gunna sit back in hell and watch while youse get ta be wit my friends."

I put up my hands in defense. "Fine but don't blame me when Spot comes trudging to Manhatten with his sleeves rolled up and his vein popping out of his forehead."

Switch smirked at the image and shrugged it off. "Sounds like fun."

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We reached Manhattan and went to see if there were any papers left.

Switch stepped up first and smiled condescendingly at the old man behind the bars. "Hey Weezy! Got any papes left?"

"I got 20 left."

"I'll take 10." She threw her money on the counter and took the small stack from Oscar.

I took the last 10 and shouldered the papes. "I'm gonna go find Skitts. I'll see you later."

It didn't take long for me to sell my papes and the whole time I never spotted Skittery. I went to all his usual places but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, I ran into Racetrack on his way to the tracks.

"Remy!" Racetrack smiled in surprise. "What youse doin back heah so soon?"

"Looking for Skitts. You seen him?"

He shook his head and looked a little worried. "I haven't seen him since last night. Don't know where he is. You can join me at dah tracks if ya want. I could use yoah luck."

I scoffed and scratched the back of my neck while looking around the block in concern. "Race I can guarantee you I don't have any luck right now."

Then, suddenly, I clapped my hands together, making Racetrack jerk back. "I know where he is!" I ran off leaving Racetrack shaking his head in confusion.

--

St. Barnaby's School was a tall building on the other side of Manhattan so I ran all the way there. I knew he would be there; standing outside the gate watching the students gather after class before going home.

Sure enough, I was right. I walked up beside Skittery and followed his eyes to Alice who was standing with a group of excited girls.

"She's pretty."

Keeping his eyes on his sister, he ignored me. I was concerned he hadn't even noticed I was standing there when he finally spoke.

"That's what I'm worried about." He tore his eyes away from her and looked at me. "Some boy's goin ta see that and take advantage of her. All cause I won't be there ta watch out for her."

He stepped back from the gate and began walking away from the school with me following.

"Hey, I didn't have my brother and I turned out okay."

"No, you only had every newsboy from Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan." He retorted sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, that's not always the case." I muttered darkly as the picture of Spot shaking Christopher's hand came into view.

Skittery looked at me in surprise but I shook my head at him not wanting to elaborate. We fell silent and sat on a bench beside a park to watch the people stroll by.

"Well, I think we can agree on one thing."

I looked at Skittery expectantly.

"Neither of us liked da way da party turned out last night."

The last thing I wanted to think about was the party. That only lead to Spot and Ebony and ended in frustration.

"Let's agree to forget about it and go get something to eat instead."

Skittery agreed, stood up and offered me his arm which made me smile. "That'll be easy wit you, Remy."

--

It was still light out as I walked back to the lodging house with Skittery; both of us in considerably better moods. Since we had both agreed to not talk about Spot or Ebony, we instead had a pleasant dinner discussion on what we would do after leaving the newsies; mostly unrealistic but entertaining.

"I'll be the mayor and you can be my brilliant wife." Skittery stated grandly.

I laughed. "I don't think you could make it in politics nor could I marry someone in politics. Besides, we wouldn't do each other any good."

He nodded. "You wouldn't ever let me dote on you."

"And you wouldn't ever let me have any adventures."

Coming to that agreement we fell silent and I was pretty sure that both of us were thinking of the two people we had tried so hard to forget that evening.

We finally reached the lodging house only to find Zig waiting impatiently and I knew what for.

Upon seeing me, Zig came to the door. "Spot ain't too happy wit you."

I rolled my eyes. "Shocker."

"He wants me to bring you back right away."

"What about Switch?" I noticed that she was still sitting at a table and laughing with some of the other boys.

Zig looked at Switch and shrugged. "He said she could stay. I'm just supposed to bring you back."

That was it. That was all I could stand for and I was not going to let this one pass. I turned on my heel, jut my jaw, and marched out of Manhattan without even saying goodbye to Skittery.

Zig kept at a safe distance behind me knowing I wasn't in the mood for chitchat. The walk went by in a blur as I let my anger fuel my energy. At that point, I could have walked across the entire state of New York.

The sun was setting by the time we got back to Brooklyn and I knew I would find Spot at the docks, so I took no detour in getting to the water. There were a few other newsies there but I didn't care; there was something I had to get off my chest once and for all.

"You've got some nerve, Conlon!" I yelled up to him with my hands on my hips.

He looked down at me from his post a moment, then jumped down next to me and waved his hand. This was a clear sign that he wanted everyone else gone and no one argued.

Ebony faltered but the look I gave her was the only push she needed to go off with the rest.

Dreads stopped before passing me and whispered in my ear. "Hold yoah ground Rem." She gave me an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder before leaving the docks.

Spot slowly walked towards me as he spoke. "Bruin ya knew youse weren't supposed ta go ta 'Hattan-"

"You think that's all I'm angry about?" I couldn't believe the audacity. "You don't get it do you?"

"Youse mad at me?"

"Mad? No I ain't mad. I'm positively livid! I'm so beside myself wit angah that I...I can't think!" I was shaking my hands at him as if this would help him to understand just how angry I was.

I had a lot to say and I knew that if I faltered, there would be no way I could finish and I wanted to say it all. I had to push on.

"Let's start with why you made me come back and let Switch stay in Manhattan."

"She lives there! I'm not gonna keep her here if I don't have ta." Spot was calm as he watched me pace back and forth in front of him; my only outlet at the moment.

"But you felt it necessary that I stay heah?"

"I told ya, youse still-"

"On ice. I know." I threw up my hands and rolled my eyes. "Since when do you give a damn 'bout that? And don't tell me that you couldn't ease up cause of the boys. I won't buy it. They could care less!"

"Fine! If it'll make you happy, youse no longah on ice!"

"Happy?" I narrowed my eyes and pointed my finger at him. "We're just gettin started."

I stopped pacing and moved so my finger was actually poking his chest, narrowing my eyes. "What the hell are you doin wit Ebony?" I asked evenly.

He stepped back. Not recoiling, merely getting away from my jabbing finger. "Who I date ain't any a' yoah business."

"That's just it! It is! At least it used to be! Where do youse come off datin her behind my back foah a week?"

"Behind yoah back?!"

"Yes Spot. Behind my back."

"I didn't think it was yoah business ta know every step I took."

I took no heed to his words but instead kept going. "You knew it wasn't easy foah me ta go ta 'Hatten and apologize. You said it needed ta be done foah Brooklyn-"

"It did!"

"That's bull shit Spot and you know it." I gave a bitter laugh and turned away from him in frustration. "You just wanted ta get some and in the process, made a complete fool out of me!"

A picture entered my mind of Spot and Ebony holding hands over dinner, laughing about the fight and my apology. It was enough to make me ill.

"Bruin-"

"And don't get me started on how you acted at the party last night."

"What did I do last night? I hardly even saw ya!"

"Actually, you didn't say one word to me."

"You were wit yoah date!"

"Whom you hardly know at all! Would it have killed you ta sit down foah a couple a' minutes? I mean here I was tellin Chris bout how we's such good friends and you don't even look at me! 'Take care of Remy. She's one of my best newsies.' What the hell was that?"

Spot stood there looking like he couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.

"I'm yoah leadah-"

"You used ta confide in me! You used ta give a damn 'bout who I spent my time wit! You used ta let me do anything!" I took a deep breath and allowed myself to calm down a minute. Then, I continued much calmer. "You know what? I don't even care about being on ice or you dating Ebony or even bout Christopher. I do care that you used to be my friend, Spot. The problem is…I can't remember the last time you acted like it."

After I said this, I felt the flood of emotions trickle down to raw sadness. That was all I really wanted him to know. He let me down. I was naive enough to think that simply by saying this, he would realize his insensitivity and apologize.

"You say you don't care about Ebony but dat's what dis is all about!" He was no longer calm but riled up just as I was. It had been a long time since we'd had a fully fledged fight and it almost felt like we were making up for lost time.

"Ebony! Again wit Ebony! What about me?!"

"You," Spot took off his hat and put it in his back pocket so he could rake both hands through his hair. "Bruin, youse still hung up on dat stupid fight."

"That 'stupid' fight was just the beginning! She not only insulted me, she threatened me!"

"Let it go Bruin-"

"Youse goin ta take her word ovah mine?! I-I can't believe this." I turned away from Spot again and sighed in frustration, looking out over the water.

We were quiet again so all we could hear was the water lapping peacefully under the docks. A rarity at this time of day seeing as the water is usually occupied by most Brooklyn newsies in the heat of the afternoon.

Crossing my arms, I asked barely above a whisper, "Why her? Of all the girls in New York…" I didn't meet his eyes because I didn't want him to be able to read me like he always does.

"If youse got a problem wit Ebony den youse should leave foah a while. Take a break. Maybe go ta Queens and see Blue. Den youse could calm down and see some sense."

I narrowed my eyes at him, suddenly feeling threatened by Ebony's presence in Brooklyn. "This is my home, Spot. Not hers. I ain't lettin this...little priss kick me out."

"So what? Youse gonna go cry ta yoah pretty boy Christopher instead? Youse think he'll understand? Youse a newsy, Bruin. He's just anothah hoity toity dat only wants ya foah one thing-"

It was then that I did something I thought I would never do.

I slapped him clear across the face. I don't know if it was because of his comment on Christopher or the entire argument that fueled me, but I couldn't stop myself.

My hand stung so I knew it hurt. But there was no way I was going to stay to see his reaction.

I turned on my heal, all the fight gone out of me, and started walking back to the lodging house.

"Rem wait..."

But I didn't. I ignored the fact that I heard some tinge of regret in his voice and went straight to the lodging house. He deserved it. I had to keep telling myself that. He deserved it.

The door to the girls room flew open as I walked through it. I held out my hand to Dreads who, seeing the raw look on my face, knew this meant I needed a smoke. She reached under her pillow and put a pack in my hand so I could proceed to crawl out the window.

For the first time in my life, I despised Spot Conlon.

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Okay, hope you liked it! From this chapter on, the story changes from my original version. If you liked the old one, great, but I hope you'll like the way I take this version even better!

Thanks for reading and reviewing!!! Let me know what you think!!