(A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated lately. Back to school shopping has
me in a daze. Thank you sooooo much to all of my reviewers.
Webuitthiscityonrockandroll - I didn't know Gabe dies in Robocop 2!! Thanks
for the warning! Dakki- Thank you for reviewing at 3 in the morning after
consuming a 6 pack of cherry coke, that means a lot ( Anywho, on with the
chapter )
~~
The week that followed Ella's re appearance was hectic. Kathlynn saw to it that Ella had decent clothes to wear and a bed to sleep in. Cora now shared her bedroom with her cousin. After much persuasion, Cora's boss agreed to let Ella work for her at the restaurant bussing tables. Ella was being paid less than Cora, but couldn't complain, seeing as no less then a week ago she was stealing food to survive. Everything seemed to fall into place during that week. Spot and Cora saw each other every night after his newsies had turned in. This was fine with Ella, who had been spending her nights in Manhattan on business that Cora hadn't been able to get out of her. When Spot and Cora saw each other at the restaurant, they were friendly toward each other, but did nothing to lead the newsies to believe they were anything more than friends.
Perhaps the lack of conflict among the newsies could be blamed on the absence of Dante, his twin brother Rio, and Pipsqueak. They had left for Harlem last week, and were due to return Sunday afternoon. They hadn't informed Spot they were leaving until they were already gone. When Spot had come home from Cora's last week, they had left a note on his bed to inform him of their whereabouts.
Cora and Ella usually had Sundays off, but since the owner had caught two of her employee's stealing from her cash register last week, she needed extra help with Sunday brunch. Cora and Ella were of course glad to help. At around one, business had slowed down considerably, and she let Cora go home, keeping Ella to help clean up. Cora had just passed the half way mark toward her house when a familiar voice called out to her.
"Heyya sweet face, sorry bout Conlon sleepin wit dat hoe" Dante said.
"Well no need to be sorry, because he didn't sleep with her, and she's not a hoe, she's my cousin" Cora said simply as she walked faster.
"Whaddya mean he didn't sleep wit her, a coise he did, why wouldn't he?" Dante shot back at her as he quickened his pace to match hers.
"Well, perhaps he didn't because he had the decency to realize that Ella was a person, not some sex toy." She said, anger filling her voice.
"Ella, so dats her name ehh? Wondah how much she charges"
That was the last straw for Cora. With all her might she drew her hand back and slapped the giant newsie hard across the face. In no more than three seconds he had Cora pinned up against a shop window they had been walking by. His face was centimeters from hers.
"When I'se the leadah of Brooklyn an you'se precious Spotty is gone, you'se gonna be dah sorriest bitch in all of Brooklyn."
Without thinking, Cora spit right in his face, which enraged the newsie even more. He slammed her head against the glass window she was pinned to, causing it to shatter.
"Nevah fall for a Brooklyn newsie, dell break yah heart, an I'll break yah face" Dante said coldly as he stood over Cora like a lion over its kill. With that, he walked out of sight, and left her swimming in an ocean of broken glass
~~
Spot was waiting for Dante at the lodging house with Rio and Pipsqueak. He had demanded to know why they had gone to Harlem, but neither would talk without Dante present.
Dante stormed into the lodging house without so much as looking at Spot. Big mistake. It took four of Spot's medium sized newsies to pull him out of the hallway he had headed down and sit him in a chair in front of Spot.
"So Dante me boy, who'd ya go see in Harlem eh?" Spot asked calmly, though inside he was boiling mad.
"I'd like tah speak wit ya in private Conlon, if yah don't mind" Dante said with a slight smirk on his face.
"Well I do mind, anythin dat you'se gotta say tah me can be said in front of me newsies," Spot said firmly. Dante got up from his chair and inched closer and closer to his leader.
"You'se sure? It involves yah precious Cora" Dante whispered into Spots ear. At the mention of Cora, Spot's stomach flipped over.
"Alright boys, I'se need tah have a talk wit Dante, ya all needs tah clear out" Spot said calmly, though inside he was falling apart. All the newsies that had been present left, and shut the door behind them.
"Whaddya want wit Cora?" Spot asked, trying to make it sound as though he didn't care.
"Listen here Conlon, you'se don't ask where me an me boys where, an I won't ask why you'se didn't sleep wit dat Ella chick, got me?" This instantly enraged spot.
"No, you'se listen to me, I wanna know who you and ME boys went ta Harlem tah see, cause you'se know dat I'se got people there who ain't exactly fond of me leadin Brooklyn, and I wanna know now before I get someone tah knock da livin daylight outta you'se" Spot shouted, slamming a book down on the desk in front of him.
"Dats always how it is eh? Call somebody tah do you'se dirty woik for ya eh? You'se know very well dat I could soak yah right hea if I was stupid enough, cause I knows you'se got boys out there that would come to yah rescue in a second. Dats the only reason you'se dah leadah Spot, cause you'se got boys willin tah fight for ya, an dah second yah lose dem, it's all ova for yah" And with that, Dante stormed away.
Spot just stood there and let what Dante said process in his mind. It was true. He was the leader for one reason; he had people to back him up. If he didn't have the respect of his newsies, he had nothing. It seemed very clear to him then that there were only three newsies that didn't respect him in the least way. Something would have to be done about Dante, Rio, and Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak was an easy problem to solve. Spot knew he was a good kid, but easily brain washed by the older Brooklyn newsies. If Dante and Rio were gone, they wouldn't influence him anymore, and he'd once again have the respect from each and every Brooklyn newsie that was required. Suddenly, a new thought came to mind. Cora. What had Dante done to her? Spot quickly grabbed his hat and bolted out of the lodging house, heading straight for Cora's fire escape.
~~
The week that followed Ella's re appearance was hectic. Kathlynn saw to it that Ella had decent clothes to wear and a bed to sleep in. Cora now shared her bedroom with her cousin. After much persuasion, Cora's boss agreed to let Ella work for her at the restaurant bussing tables. Ella was being paid less than Cora, but couldn't complain, seeing as no less then a week ago she was stealing food to survive. Everything seemed to fall into place during that week. Spot and Cora saw each other every night after his newsies had turned in. This was fine with Ella, who had been spending her nights in Manhattan on business that Cora hadn't been able to get out of her. When Spot and Cora saw each other at the restaurant, they were friendly toward each other, but did nothing to lead the newsies to believe they were anything more than friends.
Perhaps the lack of conflict among the newsies could be blamed on the absence of Dante, his twin brother Rio, and Pipsqueak. They had left for Harlem last week, and were due to return Sunday afternoon. They hadn't informed Spot they were leaving until they were already gone. When Spot had come home from Cora's last week, they had left a note on his bed to inform him of their whereabouts.
Cora and Ella usually had Sundays off, but since the owner had caught two of her employee's stealing from her cash register last week, she needed extra help with Sunday brunch. Cora and Ella were of course glad to help. At around one, business had slowed down considerably, and she let Cora go home, keeping Ella to help clean up. Cora had just passed the half way mark toward her house when a familiar voice called out to her.
"Heyya sweet face, sorry bout Conlon sleepin wit dat hoe" Dante said.
"Well no need to be sorry, because he didn't sleep with her, and she's not a hoe, she's my cousin" Cora said simply as she walked faster.
"Whaddya mean he didn't sleep wit her, a coise he did, why wouldn't he?" Dante shot back at her as he quickened his pace to match hers.
"Well, perhaps he didn't because he had the decency to realize that Ella was a person, not some sex toy." She said, anger filling her voice.
"Ella, so dats her name ehh? Wondah how much she charges"
That was the last straw for Cora. With all her might she drew her hand back and slapped the giant newsie hard across the face. In no more than three seconds he had Cora pinned up against a shop window they had been walking by. His face was centimeters from hers.
"When I'se the leadah of Brooklyn an you'se precious Spotty is gone, you'se gonna be dah sorriest bitch in all of Brooklyn."
Without thinking, Cora spit right in his face, which enraged the newsie even more. He slammed her head against the glass window she was pinned to, causing it to shatter.
"Nevah fall for a Brooklyn newsie, dell break yah heart, an I'll break yah face" Dante said coldly as he stood over Cora like a lion over its kill. With that, he walked out of sight, and left her swimming in an ocean of broken glass
~~
Spot was waiting for Dante at the lodging house with Rio and Pipsqueak. He had demanded to know why they had gone to Harlem, but neither would talk without Dante present.
Dante stormed into the lodging house without so much as looking at Spot. Big mistake. It took four of Spot's medium sized newsies to pull him out of the hallway he had headed down and sit him in a chair in front of Spot.
"So Dante me boy, who'd ya go see in Harlem eh?" Spot asked calmly, though inside he was boiling mad.
"I'd like tah speak wit ya in private Conlon, if yah don't mind" Dante said with a slight smirk on his face.
"Well I do mind, anythin dat you'se gotta say tah me can be said in front of me newsies," Spot said firmly. Dante got up from his chair and inched closer and closer to his leader.
"You'se sure? It involves yah precious Cora" Dante whispered into Spots ear. At the mention of Cora, Spot's stomach flipped over.
"Alright boys, I'se need tah have a talk wit Dante, ya all needs tah clear out" Spot said calmly, though inside he was falling apart. All the newsies that had been present left, and shut the door behind them.
"Whaddya want wit Cora?" Spot asked, trying to make it sound as though he didn't care.
"Listen here Conlon, you'se don't ask where me an me boys where, an I won't ask why you'se didn't sleep wit dat Ella chick, got me?" This instantly enraged spot.
"No, you'se listen to me, I wanna know who you and ME boys went ta Harlem tah see, cause you'se know dat I'se got people there who ain't exactly fond of me leadin Brooklyn, and I wanna know now before I get someone tah knock da livin daylight outta you'se" Spot shouted, slamming a book down on the desk in front of him.
"Dats always how it is eh? Call somebody tah do you'se dirty woik for ya eh? You'se know very well dat I could soak yah right hea if I was stupid enough, cause I knows you'se got boys out there that would come to yah rescue in a second. Dats the only reason you'se dah leadah Spot, cause you'se got boys willin tah fight for ya, an dah second yah lose dem, it's all ova for yah" And with that, Dante stormed away.
Spot just stood there and let what Dante said process in his mind. It was true. He was the leader for one reason; he had people to back him up. If he didn't have the respect of his newsies, he had nothing. It seemed very clear to him then that there were only three newsies that didn't respect him in the least way. Something would have to be done about Dante, Rio, and Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak was an easy problem to solve. Spot knew he was a good kid, but easily brain washed by the older Brooklyn newsies. If Dante and Rio were gone, they wouldn't influence him anymore, and he'd once again have the respect from each and every Brooklyn newsie that was required. Suddenly, a new thought came to mind. Cora. What had Dante done to her? Spot quickly grabbed his hat and bolted out of the lodging house, heading straight for Cora's fire escape.