A Change in Brooklyn Chapter 2: Discoveries, a newsies fanfic

Chapter Two: Discoveries

Brigid was lucky. Spot was an expert, and Brigid was a fast learner. However, she didn't like the idea of lying the way all the newsies did, so she instead made up more creative headlines than the ones on the papers and sold a good amount of papers this way, especially for it being her first day as a newsie. Yet somehow selling papers wasn't for her; she was lively and polite, but going out day after day, yelling at the top of her lungs trying to sell something she didn't care to read was a bit repulsive. After a while, all the newsies met up and had lunch. Brigid had to borrow some money from a nice newsie named Stealthy to buy some lunch, because all the money she'd just earned was given to Spot, whom Brigid had borrowed from in the first place to buy her papers. Brigid promised to pay Stealthy back as soon as she could. The red-headed boy simply smiled sweetly and told Brigid to take her time and not worry about it.

That night everyone headed back to the warehouse and started playing their usual card games. Stealthy took it upon himself to help Brigid get settled and feel at home. He introduced the new girl to many of the guys. Brigid even watched Spot and some others play a raucous game of poker.

After noticing the size and looks of a young man across from Spot, Brigid needed information. "Stealthy, how old is dat guy deh?" She pointed.

"He's 22. Name's Towuh," her friend replied.

"Darn it!" Brigid mumbled.

Stealthy laughed. "Yeah, ya got da same idea a bunch of goils do when dey foist see 'im, but he's already got a goilfriend. She's some noirse dat lives in Manhattan, which is actually quite helpful fa us. Whenevuh we gits banged up, bam - we's go ta her place an' she fixes us up." Stealthy snapped his fingers for emphasis.

Brigid wrinkled her nose. "How do ya git 'banged up?'"

"Fighting, wrestling, brawls, da usual," Stealthy replied nonchalantly.

"D-dat's usual?" Brigid's eyes went wide.

Stealthy shrugged. "Yeah. What's da mattuh?"

Brigid looked down at her lap. "I, um… I really don'ts know how ta fight at all." As Stealthy stared at her in shock, Brigid stammered, "Well, I-I… I can kick an' hit when I need ta, but I's neva actually been in a fight, so I don'ts know what ta do."

"Oh, me gosh. Well, we'll change dat fa ya, k?" Stealthy took a hold of his friend's hand and dragged her over to where Spot sat playing poker. "Spot! Dis goil needs ya help!"

"Not now, Stealthy," Spot replied with slight agitation, flipping a card to the person next to him.

Geez, he's a real gentleman, Brigid thought in disgust.

"No, ya don't unduhstand, boss," Stealthy pressed. He leaned down and whispered in his ear. "She don'ts know how ta fight."

Spot whirled to look at them both with utter shock in his eyes. "Ya have got ta be joking."

Stealthy shook his head as Brigid gave an innocent smile.

"Damn, Brigid!" the leader cursed.

Wincing and immediately feeling uncomfortable, Brigid stuttered, "Uh, sorry… it ain't me fault. An'… an' if ya don't mind, could ya not sweah around' me no mo'?" Spot stared at her as well as anyone else who had heard the request. "I jus' don't t'ink it's always necessary," she explained.

Recovering from his stupor, Spot haughtily replied, "I's gonna do as I please, but if it bodduhs ya I won't around' ya." With the air and pomp of a king, he declared, "In da moinin', kid, I's gonna show ya what it means ta be a Brooklyn newsie."