Anthony eagerly ate his newly bought hotdog from Tibby's that came right from the oven. He was glad for what had happened today, especially since he made more money that he thought he would. Mush, Strider, and Skittery, however, wouldn't let him hear the end of it. Ever since Sapphy and Anthony had figured out what had happened back at Sapphy's selling spot, it became one of the most well known headline "showdown" in Manhattan. Anthony wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked around the table for a glass of water.
"Who ya lookin' for, Italy? Sapphy?" teased Mush as he nudged Anthony, causing the other newsies to look up from their meals and listen curiously.
"Sapphy? She's back?" asked Blink as he took another bite of his bread.
Mush nodded. "Italy had the pleasure of meeting her today."
Anthony scoffed and looked at Mush. "If you call pleasure almost breaking your back when falling on the ground!"
While Anthony got up to ask for a glass of water, Mush and Skittery began in telling what had happened between Anthony and Sapphy, causing loud amounts of laughter. Anthony shook his head, knowing that they were going to endlessly tease him.
"Thanks," mumbled Anthony as he reached over to get the glass of water that he had just paid for.
"You better watch how you spend your money," said a voice beside him. Anthony turned to see a boy much taller and older than him, eyeing him suspiciously. His short brown hair was hidden under a gray newsie cap, his dirt-splotched blouse held on to him tightly, and his black suspenders fell from his pants in comparison to being on his shoulders. Quickly enough, Anthony realized who it was, Boxer.
"Just 'cause I became a newsie doesn't mean I don't know how to handle my money," answered Anthony as he took a sip of water. He saw him fight that night with the Lurkers and he knew the amount of strength and wit he had. He braced himself for what was coming. But instead of having a stony glare, Boxer's lips curved into a smile as he laughed.
"You got a mouth on you, that's for sure. I heard from Jack that there's a new boy around… Italy, is it?" asked Boxer as he grabbed two stools that they could sit on. Anthony nodded as he sat down, grateful that he wasn't standing near the tall Boxer anymore.
"You know how to fight?" questioned Boxer once again.
"Well, yeah… pretty much. I was there the night when we fought the Lurkers," replied Anthony. He thought that if he told Boxer that he was there, he would take it much less harder, or at least give him credit for it.
"Really?" asked Boxer as he looked at him questioningly. "At least you can handle Lurkers… look, I want all my newsies to know how to fight. I don't want them not knowing how to defend themselves. I'll teach you tonight, upstairs… at the roof of the Lodging House, okay?"
"Alright…" answered Anthony as he finished off the glass of water he was holding. Boxer clumsily stood up from his seat and started walking towards the older newsies he had recognized as Tony and Roach. "Hold on, Boxer!" shouted Anthony has he stood up from his seat and ran towards him.
"You know any good selling spots I could go to? I don't really have one and I had to…"
Boxer smiled. "I heard. Sapphy, right?"
"Geez, news travels fast," mumbled Anthony.
"It travels faster when you're a newsie," said Tony, who was listening in on the conversation.
"There's this place near Sapphy's selling spot, not far," said Boxer. "Have you heard of Sheepshead Races? Yeah, well, let one of the newsies show you where it is. I've heard that lots of people go there for the races and that nobody's still claiming that spot for papers. Just sell there for a few days, and people will know its yours."
"Thanks," answered Anthony as he walked back towards Mush, Blink, Crutchy, Skittery, and the other newsies.
"So what was Boxer talking to ya about?" asked Skittery as Anthony took a seat.
"He's gonna teach me how to fight tonight," answered Anthony.
Blink nodded his head in agreement. "We've all been through that. Boxer's taught all of us newsies how to fight. Even the little ones! Or at least, they do what they can," said Blink as he shrugged his shoulders.
"So, ready to sell papes again?" said Mush as he stood up from his seat.
"Yeah… you know where the Sheepshead Races are? Boxer told me that'd be a good selling spot," said Anthony as he stood up from his seat and followed Mush.
Mush nodded and looked at Anthony. "Yeah, I'll show you where that is. How come I didn't think of that before? Lots of people go there!"
"Where you guys heading?" Mush and Anthony turned around to see Strider and Sapphy looking at them with curiosity. Sapphy had a much calmer look on her face, compared to what had happened before.
"We're gonna go sell more papers," answered Anthony.
"You better not—" started Sapphy, pointing her finger at Anthony.
"I know you want me there so you can just sell more papers," replied Anthony teasingly, causing Sapphy to turn a slight shade of red.
"Calm down, now, children…" said Mush. "We'll see ya at the Lodging House!" Mush and Anthony waved to Strider, who was hiding her smile behind her hand, and Sapphy, who glared at them menacingly. With a clink, Mush and Anthony exited Tibby's and were once again out in the streets.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a door opening and somebody shouting at them. "It's PAPES, not papers!"
They both turned around to see Sapphy's head poking out from the corner of the door as she looked at them and disappeared back inside as she slammed the door.
~*~
Anthony let his eyes wander around the stands and clearing he was looking before him. The smell of sweat, grass, and horses swirled around him. He had heard about the Sheepshead Races from his father and their colleagues when they would come over their house and talk business. They talked about the powerfully built horses and the jockeys that took pride in riding them. They talked about how spectators would watch in awe and hold on to their seats, expecting their chosen horse to win in order for them to get more money. They talked about how there would be betting groups placed here and there so that the viewers could bet on their favorite horse. As far as Anthony knew back then, he thought it was just all a bunch of horses running around in circles. But he had never been to a real race. And now he was here, sitting in the stands, his hat in his hands, waiting to see what his father and his colleagues so admirably talked about.
The sound of the starting gun resonated throughout the air and the gates opened, letting the horses and jockeys know that it was time for them to race. He could feel the adrenaline pump throughout their bodies as the horses charged past each other, their jockeys leaning in towards them, their eyes on the track before them. He could see the jockeys and spectators urge them on, hoping that they would cross the finish line before the others could.
Suddenly he heard the sound of a bell, not very far away, followed by the sound of scuffling of feet by numerous amounts of people. Anthony tore his eyes away from the race and looked around him. A man, near his late 50s, sat next to Anthony and sighed. Anthony saw that he was holding a small piece of paper. The old man's eyes darted between the paper he was holding and the race before him. Minutes later, he felt the presence of somebody looking at him. He looked to his right to see Anthony, who already turned his attention toward the race. He poked Anthony on the shoulder, causing Anthony to look up at him.
"You interested in the races, boy?" asked the old man as he pointed at the running horses.
Anthony nodded in return. "I've heard about it, but I didn't actually think it was going to be this exciting."
The old man chuckled. "That's what you can't capture in words." He held up the small paper he was holding and showed it to Anthony. "Let's just hope that my bet works today."
"You can do that? Place bets?"
"'Course! They even have booths and everything!" said the old man as he pointed behind him.
Anthony stood up to see what he was pointing at, and found a small booth where a man was eagerly giving out small pieces of paper similar to the one the old man had. He was about to make his way towards the booth, hoping to make more money, when he heard the old man call out behind him.
"Just remember when placing bets, son, everything's up to chance. It may be the best choice you have ever made or the choice that leaves you choking up everything you've got."
~*~
Anthony sat up from his bed as he counted the amount of money he had earned today. The money felt so foreign in his hands as he counted each one of them off, but he was glad. He didn't need anybody to give him his money, he earned it for himself. Even though he wasn't exactly lucky at the races today, he still had most of his money. He had bet on an everyday-horse, number seventeen, one that didn't seem like it was capable of winning. But he was determined of his choices. His instincts told him that it would be the better, but the horse didn't think so. Halfway through the race, it slowed down its pace, causing it to fall behind. Anthony smiled to himself, one of these days that horse was going to win. He was going back tomorrow.
Anthony's thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly saw Boxer in the middle of the room; he raised his hands calling everybody towards him.
"Everybody! Come here! Yeah, you too, Blink!" shouted Boxer as the newsies gathered around him.
"What's going on, Boxer?" asked Jack as he put on his cowboy hat.
"We've already got things planned out and we've decided that…" Anthony knew where this was headed. Spike.
"Who's we?" cut in Blink as he stepped up to get a better view.
"Will you let me finish?! I know that all of you want a better life than what you have now. Sure, being a newsie may be a good thing to be, but we're not all going to be one forever." He stopped talking as he looked around the group. Anthony noticed something different. He wasn't talking with the same care and concern that he did before. He spoke his words as if it was rehearsed, seeming as if it was robotic.
"What's your point, Boxer?" asked Skittery, getting impatient.
"My point is, three days from now… Brooklyn and Manhattan newsies will get together for a… an event," continued Boxer. Although his words came out as a tumble, Boxer stayed serious as he looked at the curious glances of the newsies before him.
"Event? What? Like a party?" asked Sapphy.
Anthony scoffed. "No, we're gonna dance and sing on streets about being a newsie."
"I can't tell you right now, but all of you are gonna be split into different groups…" said Boxer as he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Boxer, you're not making any sense!" protested Strider.
"AND YOU'RE NOT MAKING THIS ANY EASIER!" shouted Boxer as he stared stonily at Specs and pointed at him, who muttered a small "Sorry, Boxer."
"Look, I'll just lay it out for you. On Saturday night, the mayor's holding this party for all the rich and hoity-toity folks in town." He paused to look at the gathered newsies. "That night… we're all gonna go to the five houses: Diodetto, Smith, Alaster, Dubois, and Vanderbilt… and take what we can."
"Take what we can?! You mean, steal their stuff? Jewelry, money, antiques, all that junk?" asked Tony.
Boxer nodded. "As much as we can. We're gonna be split up into five groups… since we're all doing this on one night."
"But what if the bulls catches us? We're all gonna be thrown in the slammer! All of us newsies!" objected Blink.
"I know," answered Boxer. "That's why we're not gonna get caught."
~*~
i'm trying my best to get to the conflict/point in the story... its only the 8th chap and i'm still introducing it to you! lol! maybe i can get the next chap up by tomorrow... :P
Shout-outs
Emu: hahah, thanks! ^^ *you already know my SO since i sent you an email reply!*
Strider: hmm, MAYBE you can have him... i'm gonna have to think about that. lol. yeah, you should get an account on ff.net!!! *jumps up and down* lol! oh, and its only ershey... i write ershey's kisses for my siggie.
Puck: Just remember that this story is always up on ff.net!
Sagey: lmao, thanks for the linkie for all those headlines!!! *hugs sagey* can't wait to see what you have in store for goodbye! *pokes* update!
fivefold: lol, thanks! ^^ hope to see ya around more often! btw, i looked at your profile at ff.net and you don't have any stories up! post them up, so i can read 'em!
Sapphy: hahha, that's alright! actually, if ya think about it... slider would be a good newsie nickname! *winks* and this is just the beginning!
Spazjoslyn: aw, well maybe if i do another race story, i'll ask ya for a profile! :P and remember... just breathe!