Jinx crept up the stairs toward the balcony where Spot waited for her. Knox had woken her up earlier than usual that morning, warning her to get moving because Spot didn't like to be kept waiting. She crawled out onto the balcony and found Spot talking quietly with another boy. Spot scowled at the sight of her, but the other boy gave an amused smile and tipped his faded brown cap to her. She instantly recognized him.
"Mornin' Miz Jinx," Runner said cheerfully as he squeezed around her to exit the balcony, leaving Jinx alone with Spot. Jinx felt her stomach violantly shudder when she saw the look of anger of Spot's face. Spot had already threatened her the night before, warning that she had little time to come through on her end of the deal to provide Bam's services to Brooklyn. Jinx was hoping he had not changed her mind and decided to not grant her anytime at all.
"How does dat boy know my name, Spot?" Jinx asked cautiously.
"He knows everyt'ing, Jinx." Spot stated. "He knows everyt'ing, and den he tells me." Jinx waited for more of an explanation, but instead Spot pulled out a cigarette, lighting it carefully. "I have a feelin' I know why Bam didn't come ta Brooklyn wid ya." Spot started. Jinx froze. She had finally figured out that this strange boy was probably one of Spots "birds". She knew it was entirely possible that this boy had overheard some part of her and Jack's plan, and had relayed the information to Spot. She cursed herself for not being more careful.
"Why is dat?" Jinx tried to hide the nervousness in her voice. Spot, of course, picked up on it instantly and smiled.
"Well, I hear her and a certain Manhattan boy have gotten very close," Spot paused, hoping to catch some sort of reaction from Jinx to either validate or disprove this news Runner had just brought him. The only reaction Jinx gave him was a look of confusion. "So if you happen to see her, tell her I'm very happy for her..." Spot took a breath, knowing that Jinx was now hanging on his every word. "And Jack." He watched Jinx's face drop.
Runner whistled cheerfully as he made his way to Manhattan. He had delivered the story of Bam and Jack kissing without any trouble; Spot had bought the whole thing. Runner quickly found Jack selling his papers on the corner, and gave him the message Spot had sent him to give.
"Spot's coming to Manhattan, tonight. He's asking dat you and da boys hold a big shindig. Says dere's somet'ing ta celebrate." Jack looked suspicious, so Runner felt compeled to add, "No worries, Jacky, nothin' bad."
Not being one to turn down any excuse to have a party, Jack started spreading the word to all his newsies that there was to be a gathering at the old warehouse that night. He promised booze and poker, throwing in that Brooklyn had requested the party as a celebration. All the newsies knew Brooklyn always brought lots of alcohol, and lots of girls willing to party. News of the party quickly spread, and soon all the newsies in both Brooklyn and Manhattan were rushing to sell as many papers as possible so they could gamble all night.
When evening finally set, and the last newsie had sold his last paper for the day, the Manhattan Lodging House was quickly becoming a whirlwind of excitement.
"Wuddya mean ya ain't comin'?" Sway whined to Bam.
"I ain't goin' if Spot's gonna be dere! Come on Sway, don't you recall what's been goin' on?" Bam couldn't believe that her friend was trying to guilt her into going to the party. "It's probably just an excuse ta get me somewhere so he can beat the shit outta me!"
"Damn, Bam ((haha, rhyming is fun!)), ya need ta get ova yourself! Not everyt'ing is a plot to get you." Sway spat. Bam instantly felt horrible as she watched her friend try to primp the best she could. Maybe she had a point. She couldn't go through life thinking that everything that came up was a way to hurt her somehow. But then again, pretty much everything so far had been. "We're leavin' in a few minutes. If ya wanna come, den ya betta be ready."
Bam went to the boy's bunkroom to find Jack. She was sure he wouldn't let her go if he thought there was any threat, especially after he had made his feelings for her clear. She knocked on the bunkroom door, and it cracked open, revealing a small brown eye staring out. She asked the young boy to get Jack for her and he ran off, slamming the door in her face. A minute later, the door opened again and Jack stepped out. Bam felt the red flooding her face when she took her first look at him, then quickly averted her eyes. It was apparent that Jack had just come out of the shower. His hair was still dripping, and he stood in front of her, wearing only his pants with the suspenders pulled up over his bare chest. This, being the first time she had seen Jack since he kissed her, had not been the way Bam had expected the encounter to start.
"What is it Bammie?" Jack asked, running his hand through his wet hair, trying to keep it from falling in his eyes. Bam kept her eyes locked to the ground, and expressed her concerns about going to the party.
"I mean, I want ta go, but I just don't know if I should." Bam finished.
"If you wanna go, den go. I ain't gonna let nothin' happen ta ya." Jack said confidently. "I promise."
"Thanks Jack," Bam said with a slight smile. She was still nervous about being there with Spot, but felt better knowing that Jack had given her his promise. She turned to leave, but Jack grabbed her first, pulling her into a hug. She stood awkwardly in his arms, her face pressed against his bare shoulder.
"My pleasure," he murmured. Bam shook herself free from his arms, and made her way back to the girls' bunkroom to join Sway in her primping.
A large group of the Manhattan newsies arrived at the warehouse, where it was clear Brooklyn had already been warming up the party. They were welcomed by Spot, smelling faintly of liquor.
"Ah finally! The party is heah!" Spot yelled, holding his drink high over his head. "Knox! Get dem all drinks!" Knox, looking less than happy about his new role as waiter, quickly produced an unmarked bottle and tossed it to Jack. Jack took a swig and passed it on to the other newsies. Seeing Spot already drunk made Bam feel a bit more comfortable. She figured he couldn't be capable of too much trouble if he were intoxicated. Knox, on the other hand, was still stone sober, but was shooting angry looks at Spot, obviously upset that he couldn't join in the merrymaking.
Time passed, and Brooklyn and Manhattan were mingling, peacefully, when Spot suddenly interrupted the party by climbing up onto one of the table tops.
"I would like to make a speech! Listen up!" He yelled into the crowd. "Foist of all, I wanna t'ank all of youse for comin' out t'night. I know how hard it is ta get you all ta go to a party." The crowd laughed. "Second, I wanna say congrats to a certain newsie heah... Two newsies... A couple, if you will." Spot raised his glass over his head again, calling for a cheers. "I want to congratulate Jack and his new goil, Bam." The crowd of newsies cheered. "We all know how hard it is ta get Jacky ta pick a goil, and looks like he finally has!" Spot had his mouth open to say more, but stepped a little too close to the edge of the table, and toppled off, falling on top of three Brooklyn newsies. "Speech is ova! Go back ta drinkin'!" Spot yelled from the floor.
Bam glanced around the room. Most of the newsies were either too drunk, or too involved in poker to be concerned with what Spot had just announced. She saw Race sitting at a poker table across the room. Their eyes locked for a moment, before he threw his cards down on the table and walked out.
Jack came up behind Bam and put his hand on her shoulder. "I sweah, I don't know where dat came from," he whispered in her ear. Bam made no move to get away from Jack, but instead watched Jinx as she slowly approached the "couple", tears welling in her eyes.
"Bam? Is it true?" Jinx sniffed. Before Bam could answer, Spot appeared next to Jack, throwing his arm heavily over his shoulder.
"Well, Jacky boy, I can't say I really see what you see, but whateva makes ya happy, right?" Bam ignored Spot's comment, her eyes locked with Jinx's. She knew Jinx had feelings for Jack, even if he didn't return them. Bam desperately wanted to tell Jinx that none of it was true and to make the hurt look in her eyes go away, but she couldn't. Not with Spot there. "As I always say, Jacky, any friend of yours, is a friend of mine."
"It's ova, Bam. He ain't gonna botha you if he t'inks you and me are t'getha," Jack whispered to her as soon as Spot stumbled away. She looked at him, disbelievingly. "Seriously. Spot's funny like dat. I don't know why, but he's always been like dat." Jack paused. "I don't know why I didn't t'ink of dat before," he added, but he knew the reason. He had seen the way Jinx looked at him, and loved the attention. If they started a rumor that he and Bam were together, Jinx, and who knows how many other girls, would stop pining over him, and Jack's ego would not let that happen.
"Good then." Bam said softly. "It's ova." She should have been relieved, but felt terrible as she watched Jinx walk out the same door Race had left through just minutes before.