Past Secrets And Present Times
Chapter 7
By Megan
The next morning Hotshot woke up to find the bunkroom completely quiet. Everyone had left for the day except one. He was packing to go home. Hotshot watched Spot put on his shirt and pull on his suspenders over it. He glanced at her and sighed, not noticing she was awake. He started to walk toward the door but she reached out and grabbed him as he passed her bunk.
Spot looked down at the hand that grabbed his arm. "Do you gotta leave taday?" she asked him.
He smiled down at her, "Yeah, Lockpick can't handle them for more than a week on his own. If it was him here and you there I'd stay longer but…" he trailed off. When he looked at her again he laughed, "I ain't never seen you in bed so much."
"Well don't get used to it. I'll be up and sellin' in a week and a half." She said, "I'll miss ya."
"Miss you too," he leaned down and hugged her as she sat up. He leaned back and looked her in the eye, "Be good." As a smile appeared on her lips he kissed her. "See ya later." He turned and ran out of the room.
Hotshot stared after him shocked for a few minutes. He'd kissed her like Specs kissed her when they were going different places and only had a second. It was like the times Spot had kissed her when they only had a few minutes together on the pier or streets. She realized he still had feelings for her. And he knew she was dating Specs. They had never officially broken up. "Agh!" she fell back against the mattress.
The rest of the week she spent her time laying around in bed and recovering from her injuries. She would get dressed and walk around the room a few times but she wasn't allowed to leave. She did a few easy exercises so she'd be able to fight when she got back out.
The doctor came on Friday evening before everybody got back. Dutchy had come back early and was the only one there. The doctor examined her injuries and proclaimed that she should not sell for another week. She could start to get out of bed and walk around, but nothing strenuous. To this Dutchy rolled his eyes. He'd seen her jogging around the room and doing push ups, and curl ups the day before. They'd all seen her doing things she shouldn't have. The doctor told Kloppman to send her out after a week if he thought she was ready. Even if Kloppman told her to stay she'd be out on Saturday.
True to her promise of working on her fighting she was up on the roof the next morning after the guys had all left. She tried with smaller exercises but after a few hours had worked out an intricate sequence of kicks and punches.
* * *
Kid Blink came back from selling early on Saturday. Everyone knew Hotshot was anxious for them to leave that morning and he wanted to know why. He climbed the fire escape and peeked in the bunkroom window. No one was there. "Oh shit, she went out," he said to himself, "Jack's gonna kill her."
It was then that he heard a string of words that he didn't understand coming from the roof. He climbed further up the ladder and peeked over the edge of the roof. Hotshot was attacking an invisible enemy, and, had he been alive, he wouldn't stand a chance. It was amazing. He knew Brooklyn newsies were good fighters but he couldn't picture any of them doing this.
He laughed to himself as she fell after a move and yelled, "Verdomme!" The Dutch term for damn was very popular among the newsies thanks to Dutchy.
She jumped back up and started a punching sequence speaking, "Uno… Dos… Tres…" After saying "Diez" she jumped off the ground and swung her foot around.
"Wow!"
* * *
Hotshot looked over at the edge when she heard the voice. "Hey Kid," she smiled and collapsed at the edge near him, glad for a break.
"Where did you learn to do that?" the look on his face was plainly amazed.
"Brooklyn."
A laugh erupted from his mouth, "You mean the big guys from Brooklyn do that."
She laughed with him picturing Roman trying to do the combination she had completed. "No, we all learn how to use a slingshot, and street fighting. The bigger guys learn boxing, and wrestling. The smaller kids aren't real good at it, except Spot and a few others so Spot taught us this stuff. Some Asian kid was in the newsies during Rebel's time and taught him. It's called karate." She took a long drink from the glass of water on the ground.
"Can you teach me?"
"Sure, but I am not teaching everyone. If you tell anyone no more than like ten."
"Ok," he sat to make a mental list, "That's you, me, Jack, Race, David, Specs, Dutchy, Skittery, Boots, Snipeshooter, Mush and Les. That's ten."
"Alright, if anyone else wants to learn you can teach them after. Tell them every afternoon this week. It's the only time I'm teaching."
"Eager to get out of here again."
"You have no idea."
He stood up and they began to practice. She only took him through a few simple exercises since there would be more people the next day. As Kid had promised the group was larger the next day. Everyone who was not learning was sitting against the far wall watching. She started with the simple moves. Normal kicks and punches, and moved into the more difficult combinations. By the third day everyone on the roof was standing and practicing. Hotshot even took time to think of a few moves for Crutchy.
On Thursday she gave them each a type of exam and told them she was done and wanted Friday off before she went back out. She hadn't taught them as much as she had learned, just enough to keep them out of trouble.
On Friday she woke up and watched them leave. Then she got dressed and walked up to the roof finding it more peaceful because no one was there. She went through a few simple exercises before going back to the bunkroom. As she reached the door she heard Kloppman's voice downstairs.
"We don't house any girls here Mista."
Another voice responded, "Well the doctor said he treated Miss Brooke Lynn in this lodging house. Her uncle wants her returned to him so I am here to get her."
"An' I tell you again, there are no girls in this lodging house."
"Then you won't mind if I look upstairs,"
Hotshot dashed into the bunkroom as his foot hit the bottom step. She jumped out the window and climbed quickly down the fire escape. She peeked around the front corner to see a few more detectives out front. Her hat was over her hair but they could still recognize her. She turned and ran through the alleys to get away. As she passed the corner of a building a few blocks away the adrenalin was starting to wear off. She found herself dizzy and tripping over her own feet. A pair of arms grabbed her as she rounded another corner. She didn't feel like she could fight so she let the person hoist her over his shoulder. "Get her inside." a familiar voice hissed.
She closed her eyes as she was carried up a few flights of stairs and dropped onto a bed, "Careful!" she snapped, keeping herself from falling off. She looked up to see Specs was the one who had carried her.
He raised an eyebrow at her, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, there were detectives at the lodging house."
"What!?" he turned and yelled out the door, "Race you and Jack go to the lodging house and see what's going on."
"Tell 'em I went to Queens" she said sitting up.
"If they ask, Hotshot went to Queens an' she stayed wit' us for a day." He turned back to her, "You alright."
"Bien, y tu?"
"Latin hun."
She threw one of the pillows from the bed at him. I'm fine, where are we?"
"Medda's, an' you's should get used to it. Jack'll probably have you here for a few nights even if you sell." He sat next to her on the bed.
She smiled, "You wanna stay?"
"Maybe."
She pulled him down by the collar and kissed him. If Spot still liked her she'd deal with it later. Specs only pulled back when Race and Jack came into the room. Jack grabbed Race's arm and covered his friend's eyes, "Virgin eyes 'ere you's two."
Race swatted Jacks arms off, "Please Cowboy, why do you think I stopped hangin' 'round you and Sarah."
Hotshot opened her mouth with a comment ready and then closed it muttering, "Too easy." She then turned to Jack, "So what's up?"
"The doctor tipped off the bulls an' they believed the story that you went to Queens. However, you should stay here for a few extra days to make sure they ain't lookin' for you no more."
"But Jack, I'se been inside for two weeks. You can't keep me locked up for another."
"Tell you what," he smiled, "Stay here for tomorrow and you can go out the day after. But you can't come back until Monday night at least."
"That sounds fair." She smiled at his deal.
"I'll go tell Medda we's here" Race smiled walking out the door.
Medda followed him into the room several minutes later shaking her head, "Can't you all ever stay out of trouble. Last month it was the strike. This month you're all being chased by the bulls." The smile on her face showed she was joking.
Jack stood up and kissed the older woman's hand, "Thanks Medda, we owe you."
"Which one of you is staying here?" Obviously Race hadn't told her all the details.
"Hotshot," Jack said, "She ain't allowed to go out tomorrow." For this he received a look from her, "But on Sunday and Monday she can go. If she needs to stay any longer I'll talk to you before then."
After another hour of conversation between the occupants of the room the boys went back to the boarding house. Hotshot was sad to see Specs go but Jack was convinced that if not all of them returned it would look suspicious. And Specs had promised to visit the next day so it would work.
"So do you want me to put you to work tomorrow?" Medda asked.
"Hell yes, I haven't done anything productive since I got hurt!"
Medda smiled at the young girls eagerness to exceed. She reminded Medda of herself at that age, but Medda was sure that performing would not dominate this girl's future. She was going to be different; you could tell by looking at her.
"Alright, I'll see what we have for you to do around here. We're all having dinner in about an hour. Have a look around, I'll send someone to find you."
After she left Hotshot began her tour of the theater. She walked around backstage and the other rooms. When one of the actors yelled to her that dinner was ready she followed him to the kitchen. Medda was waiting with a few young men standing behind her.
"Hotshot, Specs told me you speak Spanish. Is it true?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"This is Miguel, Pedro, and Martin. They need another singer to help them tomorrow. Their fourth member is sick.
Miguel stepped forward, "Puede ayuda, por favor? (Can you help, please?)"
"Si, senores. (Yes sirs.)" She said back, "Es un honor. (It is an honor.)"
The three boys smiled at her ability to speak fluently.
Pedro spoke next in his broken English. "Here are the lyrics of the song." He handed her a piece of paper with words written neatly across it.
"I'll know them by tomorrow she said. While they ate Martin pointed out the lines she needed to sing.
Later that night she was sitting in her bed humming the lines to herself. She wished she were back at the lodging house playing poker with Racetrack. As if to answer her prayers a face appeared at the window. Specs smiled at her as she opened it to let him in. "I come bearing gifts." He said throwing a deck of cards onto the bed.
A smile grew on her face as well, "Perfect. Sit down."
He took a seat across from her on the bed with her watching him the entire time. As she began to shuffle the cards she spoke, "How much money ya got on ya." Her smile and tone would have been enough to send many running home, knowing they'd have a lot less when they left. He only pulled some change out of his pocket and muttered quietly.
"I might as well just give you this now."
She laughed as she dealt the cards. They played for almost two hours before they realized Specs had been there so long. Medda came in to say goodnight and opened the door to find Specs claiming that she had cheated.
"What is this!?" she asked.
"Uh, hi Medda," Specs started turning around, "I jus' came over ta play some poker with Hotshot." When she only sent him a well-known look he stood up, "I'll see you tomorrow." With that he climbed back out the window.
Medda sat on Hotshot's bed, "While you are here the rule is no boys after nine, unless you're somewhere were others can see you. The two of you can play cards in the kitchen if you want but if you play in here some people get the wrong idea. And he has to be out by ten. All the boys from the lodging house know that rule."
"Sorry, we lost track of time," Hotshot apologized without backing down, as Spot had taught her. She was sorry it had happened but wasn't willing to say she was wrong. "What about girls? Can I have Sarah over?"
"Sarah Jacobs? Of course, that girl is a pleasure. She can stay as long as she's out by ten. If that rule applies for her brother then it applies for her as well." Medda looked at her, "Goodnight."
"Night," she replied as Medda closed the door. It was funny, Medda reminded her of her mother. She had had a few boyfriends before her mother's death and Maria had always insisted that they left early. Now that she realized some of the reasons she laughed; she'd been twelve at the time and wouldn't have done most of them. Well that was a long time ago. No use dwelling on it now.
The next morning she was one of the first ones up. She quickly dressed and climbed out onto the fire escape. She was tempted to climb down and go sell papes but the threat of being returned to her uncle was far worse than the thought of staying inside for another day. She watched as some of her friends began walking down the streets yelling wonderfully familiar, and often false, headlines. A few of them looked up at her and nodded in recognition. Had they waved they would have given her away.
When Medda came in to get the young girl up she found her climbing back in the window dressed for the day and wide-awake. She was singing the Spanish song to herself, still working on memorizing the lines. "When do I have to perform this wit' 'em?" she acknowledged the older woman.
"They're going on around five," Medda said, "Until then I don't care where you go as long as it's not outside, and stay out of the seating area."
"What about the fire escape?"
"That or the roof is fine just don't get yourself caught or flirt with the guys," she stopped for a second trying to remember why she'd come upstairs, "Ah yes, would you like some breakfast?"
Hotshot looked at the older woman wide-eyed for a moment. When she'd become a newsie in Brooklyn she'd had to get used to the fact that no one ate breakfast and their other meals were small. She'd been so used to eating breakfast with her family each morning that it seemed strange. Now she could go days without eating a meal. Just another reminder of how much things had changed.
"Hotshot?"
Medda's voice broke her out of her trance, "Ahh, no. I'm not really hungry, but I'll come downstairs."
She walked downstairs with Medda. Everyone was seated around a large table in the kitchen. As Medda took her seat and began to say grace Hotshot stayed in the doorway. She felt even more like an outsider, and remembered this happening when her family had been together. She took a small piece of bread from the counter and walked to the back stairs. She sat there watching the newsies in the street through an open window.
A laugh behind her scared her out of her daydreaming. "You look like someone took away your reason for living."
"Just about," she said, "Jack told you what I told everyone, right?"
"Yes he did. I'm very sorry."
"Me too. Well since than basically all I've known is the newsies. It used to kill me to be without my father's stories and him. When the rest of my family and Andres got taken away the newsies became what I needed to do. After I turned seven Andres was basically all the family I had, and after he died all I had was the newsies."
Medda smiled, "What do you plan on doing when you get too old to be a newsie?"
"Tell my kids stories like my father told me. About their grandfather, their uncle, Spot, Jack, the strike, Specs, me, just everyone."
"Good, just think. You'll be out again tomorrow." With that Medda patted her on the shoulder and walked away to get ready for her morning performance.
Hotshot pulled a photo out of her pocket and sighed. It was a photo of her, Andres, and Spot. A few other newsies were standing in the background but their images were blurred. Spot stood behind them on a crate. He smiled cockily, with his cane slung over his shoulder and his hat in his back pocket letting the sun shine off his hair. He looked so cute in the picture. In front of him stood herself and her brother. Black Jack, she hadn't referred to him as Andres in years, had on his normal newsie clothes, knickers, a buttoned shirt, suspenders. In one hand he held his hat and slingshot. The other was around her shoulders. His dark hair was parted so it fell to the sides of his head, and a wide smile covered his face. It brought back memories of how girls had practically thrown themselves at him. He had been handsome back then. She'd had clothes similar to the ones she wore now. Spot's slingshot was in her hand. She only laughed remembering the fun they'd had after. Her and her brother had attacked Spot who was unarmed after the picture was taken. It was the last picture she had of him. There were others back at the lodging house too.
She spent most of the morning and the early afternoon wandering around the backstage area and watching the other acts. A few newsies came in to watch Medda's show, and some visited her backstage. Miguel, Martin, and Pedro found her about half an hour before they went on to warm up. The boys' voices were beautiful. She was ready when they walked onstage.
* * *
A few of the newsies had come into the theater to see the show or to get out of the heat. They crowded into one of the balconies as Medda introduced a new Spanish act. Specs was the last to arrive but Jack and Dutchy knew he was coming, so they saved him a seat. As he settled into his seat the act began to come out onstage. Specs choked on a candy as Kid Blink spit out the water in his mouth. The other boys also had similar reactions.
Hotshot stood onstage along with three Spanish boys as the music began. You couldn't recognize her unless you knew her. A hat still covered her hair so they didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing her, but she was onstage. Jack was somewhat pale when he first saw her but bean to relax as the first boy started to sing.
Que palabras te puedo decir
Que te hagan volver
Tu perdida con el tiempo y yo,
Sin tu querer
Tantas cosas que dijiste amor
Te buscando un Nuevo comenzar
Y no lo supe ver
Que puedo yo decir
Que te hizo partir
Congelado mi corazon
Asi no puedo seguir
Que diera porque estes junto a mi
Aqui
Estoy ahogandome,
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre
Busco como aguantar
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor (tu voz amor)
Cuando me dijiste
(No), No,
(No), Baby No,
(No), sin piedad,
Como me dolio, (No)
Noooo,(No)
No
Y puedo darte me escusas baby
Anque nada va a cambiar
Pero si hay algo que debo hacer
Ven y dimelo ya.
Un minuto es una eternidad
Asi es un dia sin ti
Mas sin embargo no puedo vivir
Cambiano todo por ti
Por eso dejare de darle mi atencion
A lo que mi corazon
Porque muy dentro yo se
Que tambien tu mie deseas asi,
Dime que si.
Yeaaahh.
Estoy ahogandome, (ahogandome)
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre (Un hombre qhe no debe llorar)
Busco como aguantar
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor (tu voz amor)
Cuando me dijiste (me dijiste)
(No), No,
(No), No,
(No), Ne estas,
No, (No)
No, (No)
Hotshot took over singing lead.
Yo te quiero preguntar
Ahora que ya no estas
Si algo sientes por mi
No me dejes solo aqui
Ooohhhh.
Estoy ahogandome, (ahogandome)
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre
Busco como aguantar (Busco como aguantar)
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor (recuerdo baby, oooh)
Cuando me dijistes no (cuando me dijistes)
Estoy ahogandome, (ahogandome)
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre
Busco como aguantar (Busco como aguantar)
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor
Cuando me dijistes no
(Cuando dicistes que)
No, no
No,
Cuando me dijistes
(Nsync, Gone {Spanish version})
The four singers bowed and walked offstage. A large group of newsies ran from their balcony to the backstage area at the same time. Jack ran, literally, into Medda. "Why was Hotshot onstage?" he asked picking himself up off the ground.
"She wanted some work to do and the boys needed another singer because one of theirs was sick so she went in his place." Medda explained calmly, with a hand on Jacks arm, "Calm down. I announced her using the other boys name."
Jack pulled a chair away from the wall and sat down. Knowing he'd take care of it the other newsies walked in different directions to talk to friends backstage. Specs found Hotshot rambling in Spanish to the boys she'd been singing with. Specs didn't understand exactly what they were saying but understood a few things since all languages come from Latin. One of the other boys pointed at him and Hotshot turned around. She smiled at him. "Hasta luego. (see you later.)" she said to her friends as she walked over to him.
"You guys were great," he said wrapping an arm around her waist.
She pulled away, "You guys saw that? Who?"
Specs laughed, "Me, Jack, Dutchy, Race, Mush, Crutchy, David, Kid, and Skittery. We were up in the balcony."
"Verdomme (if anyone knows any swears in Spanish I'd appreciate it if you sent them to me). How'd Jack take it?"
"He didn't. He came running back here the second you got offstage and talked to Medda. It's all figured out though."
As if on cue Jack walked into the room, "Ya know I think you need ta sell papes tomorrow," he said, "If I let you stay here you might get in more trouble."
She put a hand to her chest in mock outrage, "Me, cause trouble, how dare you even suggest such a thing."
"Do you want to stay here another day?"
She made a face at him and walked upstairs with Specs. She stretched out on her bed and began to randomly shuffle the cards Specs had left there the night before.
He sat down next to her and began to rub her back, "You wanna play some poker?"
She shook her head and put the cards down, "Tomorrow's gonna be great." Obviously she was impatient to get back outside selling papers.
After she had fallen asleep Specs felt a few strange bumps on her lower back. He lifted her shirt enough to reveal a few thin scars running across her back. He winced remembering her description of being beaten by her stepfather. If the man were still alive and Specs were to meet him he would have soaked him for what he did.
The scars also reminded Specs of the ones he had. That in turn caused memories of his life before the newsies to resurface. He pulled away from her and shivered. He looked at her for a few seconds before leaving the room. It was too painful to be reminded of it anymore.
A/N: well now I'm gonna go mini golfing with my friends. I hope you all like this chapter. I'll try to add more but I got a really bad grade on an English paper so I need to focus on school a little more before finals. Read and Review. Luv ya lots ~Megan
Chapter 7
By Megan
The next morning Hotshot woke up to find the bunkroom completely quiet. Everyone had left for the day except one. He was packing to go home. Hotshot watched Spot put on his shirt and pull on his suspenders over it. He glanced at her and sighed, not noticing she was awake. He started to walk toward the door but she reached out and grabbed him as he passed her bunk.
Spot looked down at the hand that grabbed his arm. "Do you gotta leave taday?" she asked him.
He smiled down at her, "Yeah, Lockpick can't handle them for more than a week on his own. If it was him here and you there I'd stay longer but…" he trailed off. When he looked at her again he laughed, "I ain't never seen you in bed so much."
"Well don't get used to it. I'll be up and sellin' in a week and a half." She said, "I'll miss ya."
"Miss you too," he leaned down and hugged her as she sat up. He leaned back and looked her in the eye, "Be good." As a smile appeared on her lips he kissed her. "See ya later." He turned and ran out of the room.
Hotshot stared after him shocked for a few minutes. He'd kissed her like Specs kissed her when they were going different places and only had a second. It was like the times Spot had kissed her when they only had a few minutes together on the pier or streets. She realized he still had feelings for her. And he knew she was dating Specs. They had never officially broken up. "Agh!" she fell back against the mattress.
The rest of the week she spent her time laying around in bed and recovering from her injuries. She would get dressed and walk around the room a few times but she wasn't allowed to leave. She did a few easy exercises so she'd be able to fight when she got back out.
The doctor came on Friday evening before everybody got back. Dutchy had come back early and was the only one there. The doctor examined her injuries and proclaimed that she should not sell for another week. She could start to get out of bed and walk around, but nothing strenuous. To this Dutchy rolled his eyes. He'd seen her jogging around the room and doing push ups, and curl ups the day before. They'd all seen her doing things she shouldn't have. The doctor told Kloppman to send her out after a week if he thought she was ready. Even if Kloppman told her to stay she'd be out on Saturday.
True to her promise of working on her fighting she was up on the roof the next morning after the guys had all left. She tried with smaller exercises but after a few hours had worked out an intricate sequence of kicks and punches.
* * *
Kid Blink came back from selling early on Saturday. Everyone knew Hotshot was anxious for them to leave that morning and he wanted to know why. He climbed the fire escape and peeked in the bunkroom window. No one was there. "Oh shit, she went out," he said to himself, "Jack's gonna kill her."
It was then that he heard a string of words that he didn't understand coming from the roof. He climbed further up the ladder and peeked over the edge of the roof. Hotshot was attacking an invisible enemy, and, had he been alive, he wouldn't stand a chance. It was amazing. He knew Brooklyn newsies were good fighters but he couldn't picture any of them doing this.
He laughed to himself as she fell after a move and yelled, "Verdomme!" The Dutch term for damn was very popular among the newsies thanks to Dutchy.
She jumped back up and started a punching sequence speaking, "Uno… Dos… Tres…" After saying "Diez" she jumped off the ground and swung her foot around.
"Wow!"
* * *
Hotshot looked over at the edge when she heard the voice. "Hey Kid," she smiled and collapsed at the edge near him, glad for a break.
"Where did you learn to do that?" the look on his face was plainly amazed.
"Brooklyn."
A laugh erupted from his mouth, "You mean the big guys from Brooklyn do that."
She laughed with him picturing Roman trying to do the combination she had completed. "No, we all learn how to use a slingshot, and street fighting. The bigger guys learn boxing, and wrestling. The smaller kids aren't real good at it, except Spot and a few others so Spot taught us this stuff. Some Asian kid was in the newsies during Rebel's time and taught him. It's called karate." She took a long drink from the glass of water on the ground.
"Can you teach me?"
"Sure, but I am not teaching everyone. If you tell anyone no more than like ten."
"Ok," he sat to make a mental list, "That's you, me, Jack, Race, David, Specs, Dutchy, Skittery, Boots, Snipeshooter, Mush and Les. That's ten."
"Alright, if anyone else wants to learn you can teach them after. Tell them every afternoon this week. It's the only time I'm teaching."
"Eager to get out of here again."
"You have no idea."
He stood up and they began to practice. She only took him through a few simple exercises since there would be more people the next day. As Kid had promised the group was larger the next day. Everyone who was not learning was sitting against the far wall watching. She started with the simple moves. Normal kicks and punches, and moved into the more difficult combinations. By the third day everyone on the roof was standing and practicing. Hotshot even took time to think of a few moves for Crutchy.
On Thursday she gave them each a type of exam and told them she was done and wanted Friday off before she went back out. She hadn't taught them as much as she had learned, just enough to keep them out of trouble.
On Friday she woke up and watched them leave. Then she got dressed and walked up to the roof finding it more peaceful because no one was there. She went through a few simple exercises before going back to the bunkroom. As she reached the door she heard Kloppman's voice downstairs.
"We don't house any girls here Mista."
Another voice responded, "Well the doctor said he treated Miss Brooke Lynn in this lodging house. Her uncle wants her returned to him so I am here to get her."
"An' I tell you again, there are no girls in this lodging house."
"Then you won't mind if I look upstairs,"
Hotshot dashed into the bunkroom as his foot hit the bottom step. She jumped out the window and climbed quickly down the fire escape. She peeked around the front corner to see a few more detectives out front. Her hat was over her hair but they could still recognize her. She turned and ran through the alleys to get away. As she passed the corner of a building a few blocks away the adrenalin was starting to wear off. She found herself dizzy and tripping over her own feet. A pair of arms grabbed her as she rounded another corner. She didn't feel like she could fight so she let the person hoist her over his shoulder. "Get her inside." a familiar voice hissed.
She closed her eyes as she was carried up a few flights of stairs and dropped onto a bed, "Careful!" she snapped, keeping herself from falling off. She looked up to see Specs was the one who had carried her.
He raised an eyebrow at her, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, there were detectives at the lodging house."
"What!?" he turned and yelled out the door, "Race you and Jack go to the lodging house and see what's going on."
"Tell 'em I went to Queens" she said sitting up.
"If they ask, Hotshot went to Queens an' she stayed wit' us for a day." He turned back to her, "You alright."
"Bien, y tu?"
"Latin hun."
She threw one of the pillows from the bed at him. I'm fine, where are we?"
"Medda's, an' you's should get used to it. Jack'll probably have you here for a few nights even if you sell." He sat next to her on the bed.
She smiled, "You wanna stay?"
"Maybe."
She pulled him down by the collar and kissed him. If Spot still liked her she'd deal with it later. Specs only pulled back when Race and Jack came into the room. Jack grabbed Race's arm and covered his friend's eyes, "Virgin eyes 'ere you's two."
Race swatted Jacks arms off, "Please Cowboy, why do you think I stopped hangin' 'round you and Sarah."
Hotshot opened her mouth with a comment ready and then closed it muttering, "Too easy." She then turned to Jack, "So what's up?"
"The doctor tipped off the bulls an' they believed the story that you went to Queens. However, you should stay here for a few extra days to make sure they ain't lookin' for you no more."
"But Jack, I'se been inside for two weeks. You can't keep me locked up for another."
"Tell you what," he smiled, "Stay here for tomorrow and you can go out the day after. But you can't come back until Monday night at least."
"That sounds fair." She smiled at his deal.
"I'll go tell Medda we's here" Race smiled walking out the door.
Medda followed him into the room several minutes later shaking her head, "Can't you all ever stay out of trouble. Last month it was the strike. This month you're all being chased by the bulls." The smile on her face showed she was joking.
Jack stood up and kissed the older woman's hand, "Thanks Medda, we owe you."
"Which one of you is staying here?" Obviously Race hadn't told her all the details.
"Hotshot," Jack said, "She ain't allowed to go out tomorrow." For this he received a look from her, "But on Sunday and Monday she can go. If she needs to stay any longer I'll talk to you before then."
After another hour of conversation between the occupants of the room the boys went back to the boarding house. Hotshot was sad to see Specs go but Jack was convinced that if not all of them returned it would look suspicious. And Specs had promised to visit the next day so it would work.
"So do you want me to put you to work tomorrow?" Medda asked.
"Hell yes, I haven't done anything productive since I got hurt!"
Medda smiled at the young girls eagerness to exceed. She reminded Medda of herself at that age, but Medda was sure that performing would not dominate this girl's future. She was going to be different; you could tell by looking at her.
"Alright, I'll see what we have for you to do around here. We're all having dinner in about an hour. Have a look around, I'll send someone to find you."
After she left Hotshot began her tour of the theater. She walked around backstage and the other rooms. When one of the actors yelled to her that dinner was ready she followed him to the kitchen. Medda was waiting with a few young men standing behind her.
"Hotshot, Specs told me you speak Spanish. Is it true?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"This is Miguel, Pedro, and Martin. They need another singer to help them tomorrow. Their fourth member is sick.
Miguel stepped forward, "Puede ayuda, por favor? (Can you help, please?)"
"Si, senores. (Yes sirs.)" She said back, "Es un honor. (It is an honor.)"
The three boys smiled at her ability to speak fluently.
Pedro spoke next in his broken English. "Here are the lyrics of the song." He handed her a piece of paper with words written neatly across it.
"I'll know them by tomorrow she said. While they ate Martin pointed out the lines she needed to sing.
Later that night she was sitting in her bed humming the lines to herself. She wished she were back at the lodging house playing poker with Racetrack. As if to answer her prayers a face appeared at the window. Specs smiled at her as she opened it to let him in. "I come bearing gifts." He said throwing a deck of cards onto the bed.
A smile grew on her face as well, "Perfect. Sit down."
He took a seat across from her on the bed with her watching him the entire time. As she began to shuffle the cards she spoke, "How much money ya got on ya." Her smile and tone would have been enough to send many running home, knowing they'd have a lot less when they left. He only pulled some change out of his pocket and muttered quietly.
"I might as well just give you this now."
She laughed as she dealt the cards. They played for almost two hours before they realized Specs had been there so long. Medda came in to say goodnight and opened the door to find Specs claiming that she had cheated.
"What is this!?" she asked.
"Uh, hi Medda," Specs started turning around, "I jus' came over ta play some poker with Hotshot." When she only sent him a well-known look he stood up, "I'll see you tomorrow." With that he climbed back out the window.
Medda sat on Hotshot's bed, "While you are here the rule is no boys after nine, unless you're somewhere were others can see you. The two of you can play cards in the kitchen if you want but if you play in here some people get the wrong idea. And he has to be out by ten. All the boys from the lodging house know that rule."
"Sorry, we lost track of time," Hotshot apologized without backing down, as Spot had taught her. She was sorry it had happened but wasn't willing to say she was wrong. "What about girls? Can I have Sarah over?"
"Sarah Jacobs? Of course, that girl is a pleasure. She can stay as long as she's out by ten. If that rule applies for her brother then it applies for her as well." Medda looked at her, "Goodnight."
"Night," she replied as Medda closed the door. It was funny, Medda reminded her of her mother. She had had a few boyfriends before her mother's death and Maria had always insisted that they left early. Now that she realized some of the reasons she laughed; she'd been twelve at the time and wouldn't have done most of them. Well that was a long time ago. No use dwelling on it now.
The next morning she was one of the first ones up. She quickly dressed and climbed out onto the fire escape. She was tempted to climb down and go sell papes but the threat of being returned to her uncle was far worse than the thought of staying inside for another day. She watched as some of her friends began walking down the streets yelling wonderfully familiar, and often false, headlines. A few of them looked up at her and nodded in recognition. Had they waved they would have given her away.
When Medda came in to get the young girl up she found her climbing back in the window dressed for the day and wide-awake. She was singing the Spanish song to herself, still working on memorizing the lines. "When do I have to perform this wit' 'em?" she acknowledged the older woman.
"They're going on around five," Medda said, "Until then I don't care where you go as long as it's not outside, and stay out of the seating area."
"What about the fire escape?"
"That or the roof is fine just don't get yourself caught or flirt with the guys," she stopped for a second trying to remember why she'd come upstairs, "Ah yes, would you like some breakfast?"
Hotshot looked at the older woman wide-eyed for a moment. When she'd become a newsie in Brooklyn she'd had to get used to the fact that no one ate breakfast and their other meals were small. She'd been so used to eating breakfast with her family each morning that it seemed strange. Now she could go days without eating a meal. Just another reminder of how much things had changed.
"Hotshot?"
Medda's voice broke her out of her trance, "Ahh, no. I'm not really hungry, but I'll come downstairs."
She walked downstairs with Medda. Everyone was seated around a large table in the kitchen. As Medda took her seat and began to say grace Hotshot stayed in the doorway. She felt even more like an outsider, and remembered this happening when her family had been together. She took a small piece of bread from the counter and walked to the back stairs. She sat there watching the newsies in the street through an open window.
A laugh behind her scared her out of her daydreaming. "You look like someone took away your reason for living."
"Just about," she said, "Jack told you what I told everyone, right?"
"Yes he did. I'm very sorry."
"Me too. Well since than basically all I've known is the newsies. It used to kill me to be without my father's stories and him. When the rest of my family and Andres got taken away the newsies became what I needed to do. After I turned seven Andres was basically all the family I had, and after he died all I had was the newsies."
Medda smiled, "What do you plan on doing when you get too old to be a newsie?"
"Tell my kids stories like my father told me. About their grandfather, their uncle, Spot, Jack, the strike, Specs, me, just everyone."
"Good, just think. You'll be out again tomorrow." With that Medda patted her on the shoulder and walked away to get ready for her morning performance.
Hotshot pulled a photo out of her pocket and sighed. It was a photo of her, Andres, and Spot. A few other newsies were standing in the background but their images were blurred. Spot stood behind them on a crate. He smiled cockily, with his cane slung over his shoulder and his hat in his back pocket letting the sun shine off his hair. He looked so cute in the picture. In front of him stood herself and her brother. Black Jack, she hadn't referred to him as Andres in years, had on his normal newsie clothes, knickers, a buttoned shirt, suspenders. In one hand he held his hat and slingshot. The other was around her shoulders. His dark hair was parted so it fell to the sides of his head, and a wide smile covered his face. It brought back memories of how girls had practically thrown themselves at him. He had been handsome back then. She'd had clothes similar to the ones she wore now. Spot's slingshot was in her hand. She only laughed remembering the fun they'd had after. Her and her brother had attacked Spot who was unarmed after the picture was taken. It was the last picture she had of him. There were others back at the lodging house too.
She spent most of the morning and the early afternoon wandering around the backstage area and watching the other acts. A few newsies came in to watch Medda's show, and some visited her backstage. Miguel, Martin, and Pedro found her about half an hour before they went on to warm up. The boys' voices were beautiful. She was ready when they walked onstage.
* * *
A few of the newsies had come into the theater to see the show or to get out of the heat. They crowded into one of the balconies as Medda introduced a new Spanish act. Specs was the last to arrive but Jack and Dutchy knew he was coming, so they saved him a seat. As he settled into his seat the act began to come out onstage. Specs choked on a candy as Kid Blink spit out the water in his mouth. The other boys also had similar reactions.
Hotshot stood onstage along with three Spanish boys as the music began. You couldn't recognize her unless you knew her. A hat still covered her hair so they didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing her, but she was onstage. Jack was somewhat pale when he first saw her but bean to relax as the first boy started to sing.
Que palabras te puedo decir
Que te hagan volver
Tu perdida con el tiempo y yo,
Sin tu querer
Tantas cosas que dijiste amor
Te buscando un Nuevo comenzar
Y no lo supe ver
Que puedo yo decir
Que te hizo partir
Congelado mi corazon
Asi no puedo seguir
Que diera porque estes junto a mi
Aqui
Estoy ahogandome,
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre
Busco como aguantar
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor (tu voz amor)
Cuando me dijiste
(No), No,
(No), Baby No,
(No), sin piedad,
Como me dolio, (No)
Noooo,(No)
No
Y puedo darte me escusas baby
Anque nada va a cambiar
Pero si hay algo que debo hacer
Ven y dimelo ya.
Un minuto es una eternidad
Asi es un dia sin ti
Mas sin embargo no puedo vivir
Cambiano todo por ti
Por eso dejare de darle mi atencion
A lo que mi corazon
Porque muy dentro yo se
Que tambien tu mie deseas asi,
Dime que si.
Yeaaahh.
Estoy ahogandome, (ahogandome)
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre (Un hombre qhe no debe llorar)
Busco como aguantar
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor (tu voz amor)
Cuando me dijiste (me dijiste)
(No), No,
(No), No,
(No), Ne estas,
No, (No)
No, (No)
Hotshot took over singing lead.
Yo te quiero preguntar
Ahora que ya no estas
Si algo sientes por mi
No me dejes solo aqui
Ooohhhh.
Estoy ahogandome, (ahogandome)
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre
Busco como aguantar (Busco como aguantar)
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor (recuerdo baby, oooh)
Cuando me dijistes no (cuando me dijistes)
Estoy ahogandome, (ahogandome)
No te puedo olvidar (No te puedo olvidar)
Y como un hombre
Busco como aguantar (Busco como aguantar)
Aluzinando me recuerdo de tu voz amor
Cuando me dijistes no
(Cuando dicistes que)
No, no
No,
Cuando me dijistes
(Nsync, Gone {Spanish version})
The four singers bowed and walked offstage. A large group of newsies ran from their balcony to the backstage area at the same time. Jack ran, literally, into Medda. "Why was Hotshot onstage?" he asked picking himself up off the ground.
"She wanted some work to do and the boys needed another singer because one of theirs was sick so she went in his place." Medda explained calmly, with a hand on Jacks arm, "Calm down. I announced her using the other boys name."
Jack pulled a chair away from the wall and sat down. Knowing he'd take care of it the other newsies walked in different directions to talk to friends backstage. Specs found Hotshot rambling in Spanish to the boys she'd been singing with. Specs didn't understand exactly what they were saying but understood a few things since all languages come from Latin. One of the other boys pointed at him and Hotshot turned around. She smiled at him. "Hasta luego. (see you later.)" she said to her friends as she walked over to him.
"You guys were great," he said wrapping an arm around her waist.
She pulled away, "You guys saw that? Who?"
Specs laughed, "Me, Jack, Dutchy, Race, Mush, Crutchy, David, Kid, and Skittery. We were up in the balcony."
"Verdomme (if anyone knows any swears in Spanish I'd appreciate it if you sent them to me). How'd Jack take it?"
"He didn't. He came running back here the second you got offstage and talked to Medda. It's all figured out though."
As if on cue Jack walked into the room, "Ya know I think you need ta sell papes tomorrow," he said, "If I let you stay here you might get in more trouble."
She put a hand to her chest in mock outrage, "Me, cause trouble, how dare you even suggest such a thing."
"Do you want to stay here another day?"
She made a face at him and walked upstairs with Specs. She stretched out on her bed and began to randomly shuffle the cards Specs had left there the night before.
He sat down next to her and began to rub her back, "You wanna play some poker?"
She shook her head and put the cards down, "Tomorrow's gonna be great." Obviously she was impatient to get back outside selling papers.
After she had fallen asleep Specs felt a few strange bumps on her lower back. He lifted her shirt enough to reveal a few thin scars running across her back. He winced remembering her description of being beaten by her stepfather. If the man were still alive and Specs were to meet him he would have soaked him for what he did.
The scars also reminded Specs of the ones he had. That in turn caused memories of his life before the newsies to resurface. He pulled away from her and shivered. He looked at her for a few seconds before leaving the room. It was too painful to be reminded of it anymore.
A/N: well now I'm gonna go mini golfing with my friends. I hope you all like this chapter. I'll try to add more but I got a really bad grade on an English paper so I need to focus on school a little more before finals. Read and Review. Luv ya lots ~Megan