A Change in Brooklyn Chapter 5: Keeping a Secret, a newsies fanfic

Chapter Five: Keeping a Secret

The next day the Brooklyn gang headed to Manhattan to play games with the newsies there. Brigid followed Stealthy, not knowing where she was headed or what was going on. As Stealthy explained how the groups often did this just to have fun, Spot kept glancing behind at them, and Brigid kept noticing. He didn't look angry or even interested; he looked scared, even worried. What's wrong wid him? Brigid wondered to herself. She found out as soon as they reached the lodging house in Manhattan. As the newsies filed in, Spot pulled Brigid aside, trying to ignore the weird look Stealthy was giving him.

"Ya ain't told anyone, have ya?" he started as he held her shoulders at arm's length.

Brigid blinked in confusion. "Told what?!"

Spot looked at the ground in embarrassment. He let go of her shoulders and mumbled, "About me t'inkin'… 'bout how I ain't as tough as da guys say I am."

Brigid started to laugh. "I can't believe ya, Spot! You aw so worried about youse reputation!"

"'A coise I am! What if people found out dat da feahless Spot Conlon likes ta sit an' t'ink like a poet at times? Ya realize how damn humiliatin' dat would be fa me?" Spot cried in growing frustration.

Brigid shrugged. "Maybe dey wouldn't mind. Maybe dey'd t'ink dat's a good quality fa deh leaduh ta have. An' t'anks fa sweahing, by da way."

"Did ya or did ya not tell anyone?!" Spot fumed, hitting the bottom of his gold-topped cane hard on the ground. His crystal blue eyes seemed to have a dangerous fire in them that Brigid had never seen before.

She smiled, undaunted. "I didn'ts tell no one."

Spot stared deeply at her. "Ya shoiuh? Ya ain't lyin'?"

Brigid nodded. Spot relaxed visibly, his shoulders slumping and his red face turning its normal shade again. Brigid spoke up, "Let's go inside. I wanna meet all dese guys everyone keeps tawkin' 'bout."

"No! Dis looks bad, ya an' me alone togedduh," Spot argued. He tapped his cane on his hand and stated, "We gotta t'ink of an excuse, a plan."

Brigid rolled her eyes. "Spot, dey know nut'in's going on."

"Ah, but da Manhattan guys don't, an' ya wouldn't believe all da crap dey'd give me 'bout it, eiduh." After a slight pause, he snapped his fingers and cried, "I gots it! Ya go in an' tell dem dat I lost me money an' had ta go find it. I's gonna come in latuh, ta make it seem mo' real. An' remembuh, dis is aw secret!"

Shaking her head, Brigid walked up the lodging house steps. How could someone so deep and thoughtful be just as snotty and prideful? The day before she'd seen Spot's softer side, and now suddenly she had been hit by the tornado of his ego. She did realize how terrible it would be for him if the others found out about his "poetic side," but it also wouldn't kill him to lighten up and be nice at times. Sighing, Brigid stepped into the Manhattan Newsboys' Lodging House, throwing her worries aside.

The loudness of the place hit her ears immediately. Boys yelling, chairs being moved, laughing, pounding on the table,… Brigid would have to get used to it. Standing awkwardly in the doorway, she glanced around, looking for one person she knew so she wouldn't feel so alone. To her relief, Tower cam over and smiled kindly.

"Ya lost, Brigid?" he asked understandingly.

She nodded. "T'ank ya fa savin' me!"

"No problem. Come on! I's gonna intruhduce ya ta da guys. Da udda guys!" The first boy Tower led her over to was small and black, and he was smiling brightly at them. "Brigid, dis is Boots. Boots, dis is Brigid. She's a new goil at aw place."

The boy smiled and shook hands with her. "Pleased ta meet ya, Brigid. Spot treatin' ya okay?"

Brigid frowned. "Uh… yeah. Why do ya-"

Tower pulled her away. "Okay, let's meet some new people den."

Brigid raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "What'd he mean, Towuh?"

"Nuttin'! Nuttin' at all."