Chapter 2

It was about nine o'clock when Rebecca woke up the next day. She picked out a satin, light blue dress and a white sun hat. She walked out of her room and down the stairs stopping in the dinning room. She took a seat and one of the house cooks came over and served her. She didn't eat much but she didn't have time. Between dressing and getting ready it had already gotten to be eleven. She hurried and finished and rushed out the door.

She walked threw the busy streets getting pushed, shoved, yelled out, and ignored. She was finally knocked over by a running boy who also fell to the ground. The boy jumped up looked behind him and extended his hand out to help her up.

"Sorry, ma'am. I didn't see you there." She looked up. She was getting angry with people hitting her and running into her. She grabbed the boys hand and forcefully pulled herself up. When she got up she came face to face with a tall, dark haired boy with a bandana around his neck.

"You should have been looking where you were going!" she shouted in his face. She felt bad for not acting the way she was taught but her parents weren't around. She pushed passed him and didn't let anyone else get in her way. Finally she reached Central Park and saw Spot leaning against a tree smoking a cigarette. She relaxed when she saw him and felt her hand get warm again. She continued to walk towards him with a smile on her face. When he noticed her coming towards him he threw his cigarette down and stepped on it and smirked.

"Good afternoon, Spot."

"Hello, Miss Rebecca Dashwood." He lifted her hand and kissed it. Rebecca not only felt her hand get hot, but her face grew warmer as each second went by with his lips on the back of her hand. When he picked his head up to look at her he could see her cheeks get redder and redder. He smirked and grabbed her arm and pulled her into the park. He let his eyes roam, admiring her figure.

"You look real nice." Rebecca turned to Spot, a little surprised.

"Thank you." She started to blush again. Spot laughed.

"You sure do blush a lot." She turned her head down hoping a shadow would hide her face. Spot only laughed more.

"It's not a bad thing, I actually kinda like it." She picked her head up and looked at Spot still feeling very shy around him. He winked at her making her turn away again. They walked around for awhile, stopping at a small pond. They walked around in a comfortable silence. Rebecca wondered if walking around with a boy like Spot would give her a bad reputation and eased her hand out of his grip. She had to be careful. She didn't know Spot too well and to her he was still a street rat. Just with better manners than she had expected. Her stomach growled loud enough that she knew Spot had heard it.

"So, are you hungry?"

"Yes, a little."

"Well I know a great place to eat; it's no fancy restaurant but the food is good and cheap."

"That's fine." She smiled not wanting him to worry about impressing her. She didn't want to brush him away just because he sold newspapers and hardly bathed. She wasn't embarrassed to be seen with him, she just hoped her fiancé wouldn't find her, or even worse. Her father had no idea she was even out late last night. The last thing she needs is an article in the newspaper calling her trash and destroying her family. She sigh and followed him threw the tight crowd. They came to a door with a sign above it reading 'Ruby's' When they walked in she saw a small bar in the back of the room and tables in rows with chairs all around. Spot took her to a booth close to the bar. There were not many people there. She figured because people were still working and lunch had been awhile ago for most people. They sat down and a young waitress came to the table. She obviously knew Spot and tried to make herself more appealing to him when she came over. When she finally spoke to take their orders her voice was seductive and low. Spot didn't even look at her. Nor did he even recognize her. He had been with so many girls from this place he didn't remember who he slept with and who he hadn't yet.

"Hello there Spot, how may I help you this afternoon?" Spot never looked up from his menu. The girl didn't like the fact that Spot was ignoring her.

"Um… I think I'll just have a burger today. And Rebecca what do you want?" The waitress didn't even notice the girl sitting across from him. She sigh in frustration as Rebecca ordered a salad. Then she turned to Spot annoyed and finally spoke up trying to get him to remember her.

"Spot, don't you remember me? It hasn't been that long!" Spot looked at her with wide eyes. He did remember but not her name and he didn't want to be bothered with this. He had a date with him.

"Listen, I have a date here with me. Do you think you can just get our food and forget about what happened?" She whined and stomped off behind the bar in to the kitchen behind it. Rebecca was a little uncomfortable and confused about the situation in front of her. When the waitress was out of site she looked at Spot.

"Who was that girl?"

"No one. Don't worry about it. She's in the past." She sighed, not wanting to bring it up again. He didn't want to talk about it and she was going to make him. "So, did you like the park?"

"Yes, it was beautiful, thank you this whole day has been great."

"Well it's just getting started. I still got things to show you." He smiled. In the back of his mind he was thinking about what he really want to show her but he brought his thoughts back to now and what he was actually going to do with her the rest of the day. The girl came back with the food and just threw in on the table and walked away again. Not even look at either one of them. Rebecca thought this girl might be jealous of her. But no girl was ever jealous of her and what was it about Spot that made her so jealous?

When they finished eating Spot threw some money on the table and took her hand again. She didn't mind him holding her hand but she felt uncomfortable just being with him in public. It wasn't like her to be this shallow but the boy sold newspapers for a living. Street boys had bad reputations to harm girls and get in lots of trouble.

"Spot, where are you taking me?" they had been walking for awhile and she was getting a little nervous.

"You'll see." He winked making her feel even more uncomfortable.

'This can't be good. Where on earth is he taking me?!' she freed her hand from his and he looked at her a little disappointed. He knew she was feeling tense and nervous.

"Relax, I'm not gunna get you into any trouble. But if you want to leave, that's okay, I'll just take you home."

"No it's okay I trust you." She wasn't lying entirely. She was just nervous about the whole thing. Not knowing where she was going with someone she hardly knew. Why was she out with him anyway? He smiled feeling a little better and surer about himself. Then she remembered why. He was so damn attractive.

Spot was confused with himself. He had courted girls before but Rebecca was a little different. He's been with the rich girls, the prostitutes, the waitresses, the bar tenders, the dancers, and the easy newsie girls. What made her so different? He only wanted one thing from her. But he felt like there was more of a challenge coming from her. That this might take longer than a week or two. Usually when a girl doesn't give him what he wants, he dumps her and looks for another, but he knew he wasn't going to get rid of her so easy. She had beauty he hadn't ever seen before but he was too confused with himself to bother figuring out why he wanted her so bad. They finally came to a building with a sign above it that said 'Newsboys Lodging House' he was taking her to meet his friends. Now she felt her stomach turn and wasn't nervous anymore, but afraid.