Chapter 8

Chapter 8

For the next few weeks, I lived as a newsie. I did have a little trouble with selling papes, but Sunny and Hope helped me a lot. They had become my best friends, and I was appointed by Sunny as her right hand. Since I was very smart, she often turned to me for problems. I often talked to Jack about my problems when he came to visit. And Racetrack often came also to play a few games of poker and talk to Hope. With his help, I had mastered the game of poker and never turned down a challenge. I had never lost my talent in art, and often drew pictures in my free time. All of the newsies had befriended me, and I was glad that I had finally fit in. The only thing that troubled me was Spot. He never talked to me too much after our last encounter with each other, but even though I thought it was because he didn't like me, I also felt that he was hiding something from me. What was funny was, when I asked Jack about it, he would just quickly change the subject. But even though I hadn't entirely forgiven him for what he said about me, I also had this aching feeling when I thought about him. It may sound silly, but I longed to be near him. He was different from other people I met, and I wanted to get to know him better.

One day, I decided to sell papes on a road where nobody else was, just to try my luck. Before I left, I looked around for another newsie so I could tell them where I was going. The only person in sight was Spot, so I told him where I was headed. He frowned and said, "Dat road's pretty dangerous, a lot of bulls dere, but just be careful, alright?" Knowing that he was afraid that I was going to get hurt made me happy, and I turned away and told him I was going so he wouldn't see me blushing.

I had been selling for a few hours and was about to get back to the Lodge House since everyone had left, when I saw a big and mean guy walk towards me. I instantly recognized him as Grinds, the guy who had cornered me in an alley, and made an attempt to run off. But unfortunately for me, he was much quicker than I was. And had me pinned down in a second. I could feel his hot breath on my neck and he snarled at me.

"So, you think I'd forget about you, huh, sweetface? Well, you ain't got your precious Spot to save you dis time!"

As I struggled under his grasp, I realized sadly that there was no way I could get past him and that he was right. There was not another newsie in sight. But I still wasn't giving up. When Grinds wasn't looking, I bit his arm. He yelled out in pain, but didn't let me go. He glared at me, and then punched me in the stomach. Then he took off my hat, and took me by my hair.

"You think you could hoit me? It'd take much more dan dat, sweetface!"

I expected another blow coming, but instead, he grabbed my face and pulled me into a kiss. A very rough kiss, I must say. I could barely breath, and had no way to fight him, when I heard someone else yell out.

"Hey, stay away from Bristles!"

I once again recognized that voice as Spot's, and quickly bit Grinds' lip so that he would stop kissing me. I was successful, but he still wouldn't let me go. But since I had a free arm and leg, I punched and kicked him until he loosened his grasp. He bent over in pain, and so I jumped on him and hit him as hard as I could. He was hurt, but he wasn't going to let me get away that easily. He stood up and came towards me, and I ducked and grabbed a beam and swung it at him. It went right at his head, and I knocked him out. He lay there on the ground just sprawled out and with a bloody lump on his head. I looked at Grinds, then at Spot, who was gaping at me. Then I gave a faint smile and walked towards him, who took me in his arms hugged me very tightly. I didn't force him away. Instead I said, "Not so hoity-toity anymore, huh?" and passed out.