It has been a while readers, here is a nice long chapter to apologize for the absence. I can only write when I have time and can think of where I want this story to go. So I had a little writing spell and voila! Reviews are nice, and really encourage me to write more! Have a lovely day!
On my way back to Hattan, all I could think about was how I would now have to convince everybody that I was actually (I hesitated even to think it) in love with Spot Conlon. Alright, maybe not love. Plenty of people date who aren't like, head over heels in love, right? Maybe it just needed to be a crush, a like, or just straight up physical attraction…gross. My biggest worry was that no one would buy it; I had made it pretty loud and clear that Spot and I disliked each other. We had had many brawls, both verbal and physical that had been witnessed by plenty of newsies. Why on earth would any of them believe that Spot and I were in a relationship? I couldn't help thinking that it would never work.
People would want to know how we had changed our feelings so quickly, a question for which I had no answer. I had never been someone's girl before. Heck, besides a few fleeting crushes on handsome newsies and dock workers, I had never even thought about guys in that way before. Working on the street for a living can do that to people, I guess. When all you can worry about is where your next meal is coming from, hormones tend to take a backseat.
I glanced around, shaking myself out of my musings. I was almost to Manhattan, with maybe a hundred or so feet left to walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. Within a matter of minutes, I would be back on Duane Street in the lodging house, and people would want to know where I had been. Jack and the boys kept a sharp eye on me now, not letting me out of their sight if they could help it, and questioning my whereabouts when they couldn't help it. I would have to lie, and say I had gone selling late, or had been down to the battery for a game of chess. Lying was getting old; I felt as though each one I told now was just another weight I had to lug around with me. What if I didn't lie…
Race already believed that Spot and I were together, and I had no doubt that the news would spread like wildfire; the King of Brooklyn and the Traitor of Manhattan, two who notoriously hated each other, were dating? But if it came from Race's lips, who could claim he had actually seen us together without fighting, then people might buy it. Especially if I flat out told the boys I had been in Brooklyn with Spot. I just had to figure out a way to explain how we had gone from hating each other to…well, not hating each other.
Hmmm, maybe we had never hated each other…Maybe all our fighting and yelling had been a ruse to keep the boys from knowing about how we really felt. Yeah, that could work. If our hate was never real, then our love (ugh) was much more likely to be believed. That's what I would tell the boys. Spot and I never really disliked each other; it had all been an attempt to hide our true feelings. Sure! That would work!
Except Edge and Guil, who would never buy it, even for a moment. I chewed my lip as a walked, now in lower Manhattan, only blocks from the lodging house. How to convince them? Maybe I could tell them the truth…no, I couldn't ask them to keep that kind of secret from the boys. As Manhattan newsies, they would be obligated to inform Jack that I was a spy for Conlon, and I simply couldn't have that. I would just have to try and convince them as best I could, though it would be tough and they probably wouldn't believe me.
I gathered my resolve as I approached the lodging house. It was fairly late, as I had walked to and from Brooklyn after selling today. Dark had fallen about an hour ago, yet the lodging house was full of life; I could hear the ruckus from a block away. Needless to say, our neighbors hated us. I climbed the stairs, grasped the doorknob and opened the door as slowly and carefully as I could to avoid attracting attention. I was met with limited success, as only some of the boys noticed my entry, most of whom didn't care. One however had seen me walk in, and his voice, loud over the din of boys, got the attention of the entire room.
"Hey, here she is now, Spot Conlon's newest girl!" Race announced merrily as I heard the door shut behind me, effectively trapping me in this maelstrom I had entered. Damn Race, how had he beaten me back? Damn kid probably skipped out on poker so he could be the first to deliver the news about Conlon and me. I took a deep breath and braced myself for the tale I was about to spin.
"Shut it, Race. What I do in Brooklyn is none of your business." It was Jack who took my bait.
"On the contrary, what you are doing over in Brooklyn is very much our business, given your history with other boroughs. What were you and Conlon up to, fist fighting again?" Jack smirked, although I could see in his eyes he was serious about knowing why I had been to Brooklyn.
"Aw, nah, Cowboy," Race said before I could respond, "In fact, she and Conlon were lookin' quite friendly, cozy even, if you ask me." He drawled playfully, speaking carefully around the cigar he had between his lips. I allowed myself to blush, a real one, remembering how Spot and I had been too close when Race had walked in. Jack's eyebrows shot up at this news.
"Really?" He asked, clearly shocked and not quite buying it. "Cozy, huh Race? How cozy?" Race chuckled.
"Let's just say that if I put my hands where Spot had his, I'm pretty sure Midway would make sure it was the last day I had hands." Race said, grinning cheekily at me. My blush deepened, but Jack leaned forward in this chair.
"You and Conlon? I thought you two hated each other." He said smoothly, giving me a chance to explain what Race had seen, giving me the option of claiming that it wasn't true, that Spot and I had been arguing, not flirting. I gathered my resolve.
"Maybe that's what we wanted you to think." I spat at him, acting frustrated and embarrassed, which was easy since I was frustrated and embarrassed. Jack's eyes narrowed in concentration.
"How long?" He asked, and I realized that the rest of the room had fallen silent, watching our encounter. I asked myself why these things always had to happen in front of a crowd.
"Since we broke his boys outta the refuge." I stated grudgingly, as though this was information I wasn't happy to surrender, although I was more than eager for him to buy it. Jack stood now, and started to walk towards me.
"And why did you think it was a good idea to keep this a secret? You already have so many, it musta been tough to add another." Jack said, now only a foot away and towering over my small frame. I had the good sense to lower my eyes to the floor.
"Spot said to. He said he didn't think you would like one of your newsies dating the King of Brooklyn. Said it would make you think I had split loyalties."
Jack laughed. "Well clearly you do. Why don't you just hop on over to Brooklyn then, huh?" he said, showing the first signs of anger. My eyes snapped back up to his. No. I could not get kicked out. Not now, not ever.
"Spot asked me to. I said no. I told him my loyalty was with you, and I wasn't gonna move to Brooklyn." I argued, trying to prove to Jack that I was still his newsie. He hesitated. I could tell he was on the precipice of believing me and letting me stay, he just needed one good shove to get him to fall for it. Jack looked down at me intently.
"What about all those fights huh? You and Conlon even got into it with fists once. Why would he risk hurting you if he had feelings for you?" This was the final challenge, I could tell. If I could explain this one, then I was golden.
"Spot thought you were getting suspicious of us. I didn't think you knew anything, but he said we needed to make it look like we really hated each other to throw you off. That punch he threw was fake. You really think I could get up and walk away after getting' punched by Spot for real?" I asked, highlighting my own weakness as my defense. It worked. Jack's expression started to change to one of revelation and amusement.
"Ha, I shoulda known. Now that I think about it, there was always some sexual tension between you guys." I blushed even deeper. Sexual what? No way. That was insane, just crazy. I quickly got over my embarrassment and made my final statement.
"Look Jack, I know you got no reason to trust me. But I'm done with going behind your back. Done with all that stuff." I felt the lie burn my throat as I spoke. All the shame I felt at lying was just now crashing over me.
"Good to hear Midway. Good to hear." Jack said, looking at me approvingly. My attention widened to the rest of the room, and I realized that while most of the boys had gone back to whatever they were doing, a few had paid close attention to Jack and mine's conversation, Race, Mush and Blink included. They looked pretty shocked by the news that I was dating Conlon, but amused as well, no doubt remembering the fights we had had and marveling over the fact that they hadn't been real. Even though they had. But they thought they were fake. Man, this was becoming too confusing even for me to keep up with. Someone's voice dragged my attention out of my head.
"Well Midway," said a familiar voice that got my attention and I turned around. There stood Seal, his eyes burning into mine with the truth that he knew. "It seems you are quite the actress, to pretend like that for so long." His words had a clear double meaning, meant only for me. I kept his gaze, not breaking eye contact, daring him to speak the truth, even though it would be betraying his leader and me.
"Find yourself a girl Seal, and I think you will find you can do almost anything for love." I said in an even tone, but I knew my words were like a slap to him, reminding him to be quiet. Seal finally looked down, and I knew that he wouldn't be the one to give me away. Now if only I could keep from giving myself away.
"You're kiddin', right?" Edge asked nonchalantly as she hung her head upside down from her bed, legs in the air resting against the wall. Her normal, relaxed position. Guil had a slightly more refined technique, sitting Indian style on the floor with a book she was only half focused on since I had entered the room.
"Nope, completely serious. Sorry you had to find out this way, but I didn't know how to tell you." I explained from my spot on the floor as I leaned against the wall and deliberately avoided eye contact with either of them. They were much better at reading my tells than the boys were, a result of years of living together and poker.
"You and Spot?" Came Guil's unconvinced voice, just the one I had been waiting for.
"Yep, me and Spot." I replied, not too eager to give any details unless asked for them.
"And just when did this happen? I thought you two hated each other." Edge demanded, seeming quite confused. Guil looked more suspicious than anything.
"A coupla' months ago, when we broke the Brooklyn boys outta prison. Spot and I got to talkin' one night, and well…" I trailed off, hoping they would let their imaginations fill in the blanks, because I sure didn't have anything true to tell them.
"Well what?" Guil asked, seeming ironclad in her determination to find out what was really going on. I hated having a brilliant friend sometimes.
"We kinda hooked up, ok?" Were the first words outta my mouth, and I instantly regretted them. Edge looked at me sharply.
"You mean you slept with him?" Came her whip-like response. I tried not to look nauseated at the idea.
"No! We just kissed, ok. We haven't gone that far, and I doubt we will for a while. I just…like him, alright?" I finished weakly, hoping that their curiosity would be satisfied.
"Interesting." Guil said, looking down at her book as she spoke. "I didn't picture Spot as the kind of guy who dated girls who don't give it up. You must really have him wrapped around your finger." Edge's next question hit me hard before I could respond.
"Is he a good kisser?"
For a moment, I just sat there silently. I really, truly did not have an answer to this. I had never kissed Spot, never kissed any boy. The closest I had even come was when I tried, unsuccessfully, to seduce Much. But I had a part to play, and to convince Guil I needed to play it very, very well.
"Yeah, he is." I said, looking up at the ceiling, trying to look dreamy and felt myself blush, even though I had nothing to blush about. Guil took notice of my pink cheeks. I heard her give a snort of laughter.
"Well, well, well. Never thought I'd see the day when Midway blushed over a boy. Hmm, he must be really good if just thinking about him makes you light up like a fire engine." I felt myself blush harder at this, again for no real reason, but it helped it seem more believable.
"Yeah, yeah, alright." I said, brushing it off as I stood to leave the room. "I'll see you guys later, I'm gonna go see if there's anything to eat around here. I haven't eaten anything since lunch." For the first time in what felt like a long time, I told the truth. Not a half-truth or an outright lie. I really hadn't eaten since lunch, and I really was starving.
I slipped out the door and down the stairs to the second floor. The sound of low-pitched chatter washed over me from the boys bunk room as I slipped down the hall. I was about to pass the door to their room when I heard my name mentioned and stopped, leaning against the wall, toward the entrance to hear what was being said. Oh crap, I am doing just what Spot wanted me to do, spy! Well, if they're talkin' about me, then I have a right to know! Having decided my actions were justified, I leaned forward to listen.