Chapter 2: Meeting Brooklyn

I woke up earlier than the boys and put my hair in braided pigtails. I looked at Jack who was above me, on the top bunk, and then I looked to my left to see Race. *I hope he's interested…* I thought to myself smiling.

I walked downstairs and said good morning to Kloppman. I was about to go to the Distribution Office when I felt a tug on my arm.

"You da new goil?" I heard a boy ask. He was cute, and had blondish hair that fell in front of his electric blue eyes. I yanked myself away from him and glared. "Yea, whats it to ya?"

He smiled at me but before he said anything Jack and Race walked outside.

"Em, dis is Spot, Spot, dis is Em." He introduced us. Spot grabbed my hand to kiss it but I jerked it away. I stole a glance at Race to see that he looked annoyed.

"Don't. Touch. Me" I told Spot. He smiled. "I like my goils feisty." He said. I sighed heavily.

 "Listen up Spot and listen good, I don't like ya, I never will like ya, and I aint, and never will be your goil, so back off!" Race was laughing slightly and Spot looked taken back. Jack looked amused at my outburst. I walked away from the guys to get my papes.

I had gotten 50 papes and had sold most of them I only had 2 left. A man came up from behind me and tapped me on the back. "S'cuse me, I'll give you 5 cents for your last two papes." He told me, I was confused, who would want to buy 2 papes? And for 5 cents? But I took the offer.

"Gracias." I told him in Spanish. He smiled at me and I caught up with Race. "Hey Race. Still sellin papes?" I asked him, laughing. He grinned at me and nodded. I waited with him for a few more minutes and then we walked to Tibby's.

I had never been there before and didn't know what it would be like. I thought it may be noisy, but I didn't think every place in the restaurant would be filled with newsies. Jack tugged me away from Race and sat me down next to Spot. I growled at him quietly and mouthed 'Sorry' to Race.

Spot slung his arm around me. I was about to move but Jack glared at me and so I stopped. Its not that I was afraid of him, I just didn't want to get him mad, yet. I leaned in toward Spot.

"Never, ever touch me again, ok?" I said in a harsh whisper. He just smiled. I looked at him and rolled my eyes, he pulled me closer to him. I shoved him away. "Spot, I don't like you!" I told him crossing my arms over my chest and looking annoyed.

Everyone went quiet and I sighed loudly. "I'm going for a walk…" I said to no one specifically. I stood up and walked out of Tibby's and headed strait for the Lodging House. I went through the window and sat on the roof to think…about her.

My sister, the one who had survived. The one I had left in Santa Fe. When I was with her, we had made up a lot of songs together, she as nine when Jack left. I knew she had survived the fire. But I couldn't stay. I knew she could make it on her own and had to leave my Santa Fe life behind, even if that meant leaving her.

"Hey, you ok?" I heard a voice ask from behind me, it was Race. "Yea…" I mumbled.

"Look, I know you wanna talk, so why not just let it all out?" He asked me, sitting beside me. He was right…

"Look, I just can't talk now ok?" I shot at him. He looked at me confusingly. I got up and walked back to the bunkroom. He stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Look-I like you, and I don't know how you feel…but I just had ta say dat…" He said softly. I sighed sadly.

"Look, Race, I really like you, I mean, I'm addicted to you, but I just…cant…" I tore from his gaze and ran out of the Lodging House toward Brooklyn. I was crying by the time I got to the Lodging House in Brooklyn and I put 5 cents down on the table. I didn't want the boys there to see I was crying so I went into a separate room with its own bed.

I curled up on the floor as tears flooded from my eyes.