Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l'admire – "A fool can always find a greater fool to admire him."
(L'Art poetique – [1674] Nicholas Boileau – Despreaux [1636-1711] )
Chapter 6 : David
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Newsies or related to the Newsies.
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"Delancey brudders?" echoed Jack with a frown on his face. I shifted nervously, "Er…"
"You'se got chased by de Delancey brudders?" asked Jack. I mumbled my answer, "Yeah…" Jack shook his head, "I'se won't let you go ne'wheah without a…" He trailed off then glanced at David as if seeking for help.
"Escort?" suggested David. Jack nodded in agreement, "Yeah! An escort." I rolled my eyes, "It's not such a big deal!"
"It is when you'se come runnin' into my territory," snapped Spot. Jack shot the Brooklyn leader an especially nasty look and I moaned silently. I knew what he was going to say…
"Spot, dat ain't no way to treat a goil," Jack scolded him.
My left eye twitched.
"Jack! Stop telling people that!" I snapped irritably.
"Dat's a goil?" Spot asked, frowning as he peered at me like I was some kind of freak. I massaged my temples, "Yes, yes…" My ears picked up smothered laughing from David who was standing behind me.
"It's not funny," I muttered to no one in particular.
"I'se still want an apology," Spot spoke up, crossing his arms across is chest with a look of determination and unusual fierceness in his eyes. I glared at him, "No."
"What?" he echoed in a soft and dangerous voice. I hastily stuffed away the fear that bubbled in the pits of my stomach and glowered at him, "Look, I'm sorry if the Delanceys chased me into your territory but really, there wasn't much I could do about it. There's no need for me to apologize."
"Urm…Boy?" David whispered to me. I brushed him away and narrowed my eyes at the Brooklyn leader with new resolve. I'm not backing down from this scrawny little shrimp, Brooklyn leader or not. I still have my pride!
…Okay, whatever that is left of my pride.
Spot Conlon regarded me coolly with his eyes in such a calm yet dangerous manner that I had to flinch. He smiled, no… he smirked, and then, taking a step forward, he leaned in and looked at me. I felt myself freeze.
…Damn he was a sexy bastard. Short and arrogant, but definitely sexy.
I winced at my own thoughts.
"You'se know who I am?" asked he, peering at me. I felt myself getting irritated.
Sexy or not, this boy needs a lesson in manners.
"Yes I know who you are. Jack introduced us you idiot," I snapped and immediately regretted the 'idiot' remark. He snapped back in such a way that I thought the action would send him rocketing to the other side of the street.
Sadly, he didin't.
Instead, he glared at me and I felt myself go cold, "Ain't nobody calls Spot Conlon an idiot. Goil or not, I'se gonna teach you'se a lesson in mannahs." I stared at him, a little shocked at hearing my thoughts voiced…at me. I couldn't help it. I started to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Conlon demanded. I snickered uncontrollably, opened my mouth to speak before another wave of hysterics hit me. I clung onto David's shoulder for support as I laughed with tears running down my cheeks with hilarity.
Finally, with a sigh and blushing slightly when I realized just how stupid, or insane, I must have looked, I grinned, "Urm…inside joke."
The three stared at me like I had just escaped from a mental health institute. I stared back. Finally, Conlon scowled, messing up that pretty face of his, "I'se dun have time fer dis. I'se goin' back ta Brooklyn."
"Wait!" Jack exclaimed, earning looks from the three of us.
"What, Jacky boy?" Aaaww…isn't that cute? He called him Jacky boy! Jack doesn't belong with Sarah, he belongs with Conlon. They would make such a cute couple. I bit my lip to stop myself from smirking at the thought of it. If voiced, I would not hear the end of it from either.
"Deah's gonna be a party at Medda's tomorrow noite," he told him with a grin. Conlon grinned and winked back, "Got'cha." With that, he spit shook with Jack, tipped his hat slightly in acknowledgement of the amazing Walking Mouth, shot me an especially venomous glare that rivalled Mush's and was off, disappearing around one of the corners.
I scowled, "That boy has issues." Jack gave me a disapproving look before shaking his head and attempting to make conversation.
"I hears you'se got a job woikin' fer Medda," said he with raised eyebrows. David looked at me with interest. I moaned, "I swear, this job is going to haunt me." David smiled at me with sympathy.
"I'se jis askin'," Jack protested.
"Yes, yes, I got a job working for Medda, which reminds me, what time is it?"
"It's… eleven thoity and I'se getting' hungry. 'bout you Davey?" Jack asked, glancing at his ex-selling partner.
"I think it's time for lunch. Are you going to join us?" he asked me. I dug into my left pocket and felt the loose coins that Medda had given me as an advance on my payment. I smiled, "Sure. I'm starved."
Which isn't far from the truth. I haven't eaten in… in… Dear lords, I can't remember. It is DEFINITELY time to get some grub.
"I'se know the poifect place," Jack said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Well duh, Tibby's but I didn't say that lest he got suspicious on my ass. Instead, I smiled and with a flourish of my hands, I exclaimed, "Lead on, o great one!"
"Mif ish goodf!" said I between bites. Jack laughed while David just grinned in my direction before going back to his own edibles. Hmm…was he really this shy? Or was he just being polite?
"When was de last time you'se ate?" Jack asked, in jest of course. I didn't know so I answered him all too seriously, "I can't remember…" His goofy grin quickly became a frown and he quickly ordered another bowl of soup.
"You'se gonna eat until you'se full goil," he told me in a tone reserved for little kids. I would have scowled at him and told him to stop acting like my mom but I was already on my third bowl of soup and forth piece of bread.
"Fanks," I managed to mumble out before I dug into the forth bowl of soup. I wasn't a big eater…normally, so after the sixth bowl, I was full and paid for my half of the bill, leaving a few cents for tip.
"You'se paid extra," Jack told me when we had left. I merely shrugged and didn't answer him. Maybe the concept of tip was lost with the Newsies…which would make sense since they would have to scrounge up as much money as possible in order to survive…
"It's one. What do you want to do?" asked David.
"I need to get back to Irving Hall…" I mumbled then looked around, confused before sighing, "Would you mind if you …urm… showed me to the place? I'm still lost."
"Can't. I'se gotta go see Sarah," Jack answered gleefully. At the mentioning of his sister's name, I noticed David gave his friend a look that plainly said, 'Hurt-her-and-I-will-kill-you'.
"I'll take you there," David volunteered, returning his attention to me. I smiled, "That would be most appreciated."
Behind me, Jack snorted, "I'se leave you'se alone. I'se godda date to go to." With that, he winked in our direction and practically strutted off. I shook my head with amusement, "I cannot believe the size of that guy's ego." David laughed, "It's not that big."
I grinned in reply, "I know. Conlon's bigger."
In any case, the two of us started towards Irving Hall. Despite how dorky he sounded and acted in the movie, he's actually a really interesting guy. I felt quite sorry for him considering that he was practically the only guy paired with Denton. Talk about the bad end of the deal… If anything, there should be another girl for him to chase after.
"So you really got a job with Medda huh?" David asked. I sighed mentally. Really, I don't see what's the big deal.
'Despite the fact that Medda was not only well endowed but quite popular with the Newsies themselves…' said the little voice in my head.
"Yes."
"As what?"
"Part time piano player and most of the time one of the stage hands," was my reply. At least, I'm quite certain that's what I'm doing.
"You can play the piano?" he asked in awe. I chewed on my lip, "Yeah…"
"That's great!" he exclaimed, "I don't know anybody this young that could play the piano. Do you play well?"
I laughed, "Well enough to land the job I suppose."
Needless to say, I enjoyed David's company. He was intelligent. He was quick to have a grasp on new things being introduced and he served quite well in arguments and debates. Even though I'm younger than him by I think, a couple of years, he sounded like he respected me in the same manner I respected him.
Which was really quite a pleasant contrast towards the attitudes of the Newsies I had met so far.
"Here we are!" he announced. I looked up and sure enough, there was the familiar building itself.
"Are you going to be…around?" I asked, rather embarrassed for asking such a question. He looked at me with a strange look on his face and I quickly corrected myself, "You know…around? I want to talk to you more… I mean…really, none of the Newsies offer much of a conversation."
He smiled and nodded in understanding, "Sure. I'll be around." With that, I thanked him profusely for taking me back to Irving Hall before we exchanged farewells and I started towards the backdoor.
What I found however froze me in my tracks.
Oscar Delancey.
I groaned at my luck…of lack thereof.
Yet…he seemed occupied. I squinted and made out another form pinned against the wall. I ducked behind a conveniently placed bench and peered at the two. What was he doing? What were they doing? I strained my ears to catch some of the conversation but I was still too far away to hear anything. I sucked in a deep breath before I sprinted forward silently and ducked in the small space where the backdoor was. I pressed myself into the shadows then strained my ears again.
To my absolute horror, my ears caught the sounds of muffled female screams. I squinted into the darkness again and made out another figure beside Oscar who seemed to be the one pinning the girl down. Recognition of the unintelligent grunts filled my head.
Damn.
Oscar and Morris?!
If anything, I'm guessing that they were raping the poor girl they had. I swallowed thickly…
'Just like they had tried…' my thoughts drifted to yesterday night and I shuddered. I chewed on my lip again. I had to save the poor thing somehow… one way or another. Swallowing the fear and a bit of my common sense and intelligence as well, I stepped out of the shadows and called towards them.
"Hey! What are you doing?" I watched in horror filled fascination as Morris withdrew in surprise, releasing the sobbing girl to the floor. Oscar turned slowly around to look at whomever it was who had interfered with his fun.
We stared at each other. Despite the dimness of the rather large alleyway, I saw recognition flashed through his eyes. He sneered in my direction.
"Boy," he greeted. Despite myself, I had to grin.
"Oscar," I greeted in a similar fashion. Then all was quiet save for the girl's quiet sobbing and the sounds of the street just beyond this alleyway.
"Oscar?" came Morris's questioning tone.
"What are you doing to her?" I asked with poorly disguised fear. Oscar took one look behind him to look at the girl.
Good, he wasn't concentrating on me right now…
Not realizing just how vulnerable I would be, I launched myself forward in an attempt to perhaps pin him down when he was caught off guard and allow the girl time to quickly get away.
Of course, I left out a few vital information that I would need if this were to be a success.
One, any one of them were strong enough to over power me and flick me off like a bug.
Two, the girl would probably be too shaken to move.
Three, there was still Morris to worry about.
And last but not least, I have absolutely no clue on how to fight other than what I had learned in PE class a year back.
So needless to say, I found myself pinned against the wall in almost the same position as the girl had been before except Oscar sported a few bruises of which I was rather proud of to land and he was breathing hard. I had to grin. Those wrestling and self-defence classes in Physical Education really helped. Even if I am still defeated. At least he's tired out so theoretically, he wouldn't want to move until he gets his second wind.
So while he had me pinned up against the wall and pausing to catch his breath, I glanced at the girl. She looked up at me with tear stained eyes.
"Go. Run away," I mouthed. Her eyes widened and I saw her glance nervously at Morris who was currently fascinated by his brother's out of breath-ness
"Door," I mouthed again, jerking a thumb in the direction of the backdoor of Irving Hall. She nodded mutely before she dashed off. Luckily, Morris didn't bother. Maybe he was too dumb to notice but whatever it was, his concentration stayed on his brother and…well, me.
"I'se don't want to hoit you," came Oscar's soft voice. I blinked in surprise then winced when he applied pressure on my wrists that were pinned above my head.
'Liar,' I thought to myself.
"I'se…really…don't want to hoit you…" he murmured, then leaned down…
HOLY SHIT!
This is certainly not happening! Still…I could feel his breath, hot against my neck.
I squeezed my eyes shut…This is not happening, this is not happening. I'm dreaming…just dreaming. Wake up!
No such luck.
I glared at his neck before I reached some sort of improv escape plan.
What did I do?
Well, it's really quite ingenious really. Rather proud of the technique myself.
I leaned forward and bit down hard on an exposed shoulder. After taking some pleasure in his loud howl of pain, I jerked my wrists free of his grasp. Finally, for the last phase of the escape plan, my knee flew up and I kneed him in the…well, you know.
In any case, he collapsed on the floor with pain while his brother, Morris guffawed and laughed at his brother's predicament. As for myself, I swiftly dashed towards the backdoor, wrenched it open and slammed it shut behind me. It doesn't matter if they came in. It was Bounce's and some of the other men working there to keep them out. I turned my attention to the trembling girl with a tired sigh.
"A-a-a-a-a-are you a-a-a-alright?" she stuttered then hiccupped. Poor thing. She must be still shaken up from the Delancey's encounter. I don't blame her.
"I'm fine. Just fine," I replied with a smile despite the fact that my heart rate was going about forty miles an hour and I could still smell Oscar on me.
I'm really going to need a bath after today is all over.
"Do…do you work here?" she asked. I nodded and she smiled, "M-m-me too!"
I stared at her.
"Huh?"
"I-I-I-I'se one of d-d-de d-d-dancers," she replied. I nodded slowly then my eyes widened in understanding. Of course! Medda probably wasn't the only entertainer around this hall. It would get pretty boring after all. That would explain all the other rooms upstairs.
"So w-w-what d-d-do you do?" she asked. I blinked then shrugged, "One of the stage hands and back up piano player person." She looked at me in awe, "I'se n-n-nevah known a boy your age who kin p-p-p-play da p-p-p-piano…"
Again with the Boy stuff but I merely sighed mentally and let it go. Let her think what she wants.
"In any case, I'll be seeing you around… I guess. I have to find Bounce." I bade her a quick farewell and before she answer me, I was gone. I really did not want to hang around her very often. After all, she thought I was a boy and no doubt, judging from the look in her eyes, she's very interested.
I mentally sighed, 'Always women…never men.' I glanced behind me and saw that she was following me shyly, hiding behind curtains and such.
I sighed again.
'I'm doomed to live the life of a lesbian…'
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End Chapter 6
Sapphy: Aheheh… Now that you mentioned it, I have a sudden urge to go out and buy a goldfish just to be able to name it Racetrack. J
Brownie/Melody: Hoped that answered your question on why Spot is angry. Besides, Spot is always pissy when it comes to his territory and such.
Ember: Magically fall in love with Spot? O_O… Dear lords, I hope not.
erisnymph: Ya know, I'm starting to become attached to Bounce… Which is rather creepy because I've created him to be repellent… As for Damon's eyes… well, if you read a lot of the Newsies fanfics, they keep talking about his eyes… Just following the tradition. *wink* Alright, no, that's not the purpose. XD As for your 'I don't think you could be anything but witty and amusing.' Well…I'll hold you to that when I begin to slip. ;)
Pyromaniacal Llama: *bows* I accept your applause with lots of kisses and blessings! Or at least, something along those lines. *chuckle snort* Angry short man… Damn. I have to use that somewhere… You wouldn't mind would you? J
Pencil3: *grin* but hyper-ness is good! In any case, yes… More Racetrack… er… next chapter? O_O;;