Chapter 12
"What?" Spot yelled. He was completely and utterly shocked.
"I said I love you." Lady repeated.
"Of all the times to tell me, you just had to pick now, didn't ya? Were you're ears not workin' the night I asked Kate to marry me or are ya just that stupid? What did ya think I was gonna do Lady, break it off with Kate and confess my undying love to ya?"
"I know this is a bad time to tell ya but I just had to Spot. I hate seein' you with her. She doesn't deserve you."
"And you do?" Spot asked angrily. Lady looked at him.
"You deserve much more than she can ever give ya but I can give you that. I can give ya what she can't." Lady said sauntering up to Spot and tracing her fingers down his chest.
"You had your chance and ya blew it. I don't give second chances. I love Kate and I'm going to marry her. You shoulda just left Lady."
"Are ya sure I can't change your mind?" Lady asked then she pressed her lips to his before he even had a chance to back away from her. Just then the door opened.
Kate had been waiting patiently for Spot and Lady to be done talking but it seemed to be taking a long time. She decided to go and see if they were close to being done. Kate got up off the couch and headed down the hall toward her room. She quietly knocked on the door but when no one answered she thought that they probably hadn't heard her knock and she opened it. Her heart broke in two when she did. She wished she had knocked again when she saw Spot and Lady. Kate just stared at them. They hadn't seemed to notice her at all.
"Oh my god." She said as the shock started to ware off. At the sound of her voice Spot and Lady parted like the Red Sea.
"Kate, this isn't what it looks like." Spot tried to explain.
"Well then, what is it suppose to look like Spot because it was pretty clear that the two of you were kissing."
"She started it. I didn't want to."
"Well, you weren't pushing her away and it didn't look like you were going to either."
"I was in shock. I didn't think she would do that."
"I thought you loved me."
"Kate I do love you. Please just let me explain." Spot pleaded moving toward her.
"So last night meant nothing to you?" Kate asked with tears coming to her eyes.
"Last night meant everything to me Kate. Just let me explain, please." Spot said moving to hug her.
"Don't even think of touching me Spot Conlon. I knew it couldn't be true. I should have listened to people when they warned me about you. You're good though Spot I'll give you that. You're real good. Well, I'm not going to let you get to me anymore so here is your precious little ring back and you can just stay the hell away from me!" Kate cried throwing the ring at Spot and running out of the lodging house.
"Kate! Kate, wait, please!" Spot called after her and started to follow her but Lady stopped him and he turned and looked at her.
"Let her go Spot. She'll get over it."
"Shut up. Just shut up! Why do you always have to ruin anything that is significantly good? Why? I know,maybe it's because you like to see people in pain or maybe it's because you know that you'll be nothing but a whore the rest of your life and you know that you'll never havejust one person who will love youso you're determined that no one around you has it." Spot said as he moved toward her with hatred in his eyes until she had backed into a wall, "Well Lady, why don't you go whore yourself somewhere else because you're not wanted here and for once in your pathetic and insignificant life, do something right and leave well enough alone."
Spot spat at her feet then turned and ran toward Manhattan. He knew of two places Kate would go.
Kate ran as fast as her legs would take her. She just let her feet take her somewhere. She didn't care where they took her as long as it was somewhere away from Spot. She couldn't believe she had actually thought that Spot loved her. Her feet decided to take her to the Manhattan lodging house. It was completely quiet when she entered and she figured the boys were still out selling. Kate decided to go to the washroom. She would just stay in there until the boys came home. When she got to the washroom, however, her mind decided otherwise. The first thing she noticed when she walked in was a razor sitting on the counter that one of the boys had forgotten to put it away this morning. Kate looked around just to make sure no one was in there then snatched the razor and went to the roof.
Kate sat on the roof for what seemed like hours just staring at the razor. Should she do it? The pain would go away. She thought. Kate slowly slid the blade over her wrists and waited for the blood to come. Finally she felt it start to run down her fingers and make puddles on the tiles that made up the roof. She felt all the pain start to leave her. She didn't care if she died. Maybe it would teach him not to play with people's hearts. Kate soon started to feel dizzy and she felt the energy in her body seeping out of her wrists. She closed her eyes and let darkness take over.
Spot was running as fast as he could so he could catch up to Kate. There was no telling what she might do. He was so into his thoughts that he almost didn't notice that he had collided with someone.
"Hey Spot, ya wanna watch where ya goin'?"
"I'm sorry Jack."
"Where you off to in such a hurry?"
"You haven't seen Kate run past here, have ya?"
"No, why?"
"Let's just say that there's been a miss understanding between me and her."
"What did Lady do this time?"
"It's a long story which I don't have time to tell ya now. Right now I have to find Kate."
"I'll keep my eyes open for her but it won't be easy finding her. Why don't ya go back to Brooklyn and I'll let ya know as soon as we find her."
"No Jack. I've got to talk wit her. I have to find her."
"Spot, go back to Brooklyn. What if she goes back on her own? Maybe she just needed some time to think and be alone. Plus, I don't want ya doin' somethin' ya might regret later." Jack said sternly. Spot hesitated.
"Fine, but as soon as you find her, let me know."
"I promise I'll let ya know." Jack said giving Spot a pat on the back. Spot just tried to smile then walked away.
When Kate woke up, she looked around and noticed that she was in the bunkroom. How did I get here? She thought. She looked to her right and saw girl with shoulder length brown hair with strawberry highlights, grey-blue eyes, and an olive complex standing next to her bunk. The girl was not overweight but not skinny either. She guessed the girl to be about 5'6". Kate then noticed that a girl with short strawberry blonde hair, light brown eyes, lightly tanned skin, and a quiet smile was also standing next to her bed talking to the other girl. She guessed the second girl to be about 5'5". Kate was growing restless and moved to get comfortable. The two girls looked at her.
"Reticent, go get Jack." The taller girl said and the smaller girl ran out of the bunkroom.
"Who are you?" Kate asked trying to sit up.
"I'm Bookworm. How are you feeling?" the girl asked. Kate didn't even get a chance to answer because at that moment Jack came bursting through the bunkroom door.
"Kate, you're awake. Thank god. We all thought you were a goner." Jack said rushing over to her bunk.
"Nice to see you too Jack."
"What the hell were ya thinkin' pullin' somethin' like that? You had us all worried sick." Jack scolded. Kate looked down at her wrists and everything came back to her. Tears started to well up in her eyes.
"I don't wanna talk about it Jack. Just leave me alone." Kate sobbed.
"She really should rest Jack." Bookworm said quietly.
"All right. Bookworm, can I talk to ya for a minute?" Jack asked moving away from Kate's bunk with Bookworm following.
"What is it Jack?" Bookworm asked as soon as they were far enough away.
"Can you find out what the hell happened? I know she doesn't wanna talk about it but you can usually get people to tell ya anything."
"I'll do my best Jack, but I can't promise anything. What about Spot?"
"I'll deal wit Spot. You just worry about getting the whole story."
Kate heard the front door slam and Bookworm then came back in the room. Kate just laid there and stared at the bunk above her and Bookworm came and sat on the chair that had been placed next to the bunk.
"So you're Spot's girl. I've heard a lot about you."
"I'm not his girl anymore." Kate said strongly.
"Why not?"
"Something happened and we're not together anymore."
"What happened?" Bookworm asked curiously. Kate looked at her. She didn't know if could trust this new girl.
"How did you get the name Bookworm?" Kate asked trying to avoid the subject.
"Don't avoid the subject. It won't help. Sooner or later I'll get it out of you. You might as well make it sooner."
"Lady is the problem. I don't know what happened between her and Spot and I don't need to know. Lady can have him for all I care."
"Lady's causing trouble again, is she?" Bookworm asked. All of a sudden the door flew open and three girls came rushing in. Kate recognized one of them from before.
"Reticent told us she was awake." Said a girl with blonde hair that was down to her butt, water blue eyes, and pale skin. Kate figured the girl was about 5'8".
"Yes Arts, she is awake." The three girls walked over to them.
"I'm Arts. Me and Angelfish found you on the roof." the one girl said.
"I'm Angelfish." Said a girl with straight brown hair that had red streaks and that lay just below her shoulders. She had milk chocolate eyes and tan skin. She looked to be about 5'6". Kate guessed that the third girl was Reticent.
"Reticent and Bookworm have been takin' care of you." Arts said.
"Angelfish is Race's girl, Arts is Jack's, Reticent is Mush's, and I'm Blink's." Bookworm said as a almost like a side note.
"So why did ya do it?" Angelfish asked.
"I don't really wanna talk about." Kate replied.
"Is it true that you're the one who got Spot to settle down?" asked Arts.
"Why don't we let her get some rest?" Bookworm said quietly.
"Ok." Angelfish said reluctantly. The girls all moved toward the door looking very sulky.
"Bookworm?" Kate asked.
"Yes?"
"How long have I been out?"
"Three days. Spot's been by a couple of times to see if you've turned up. It's been hard for Jack to hide you."
"Why would Jack have to hide me from Spot?"
"He wanted to get the whole story before he let Spot see you. He didn't want to make matters worse."
"Oh. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Now get some rest."
Jack walked to Brooklyn with his head down. Spot was going to kill him. He had kept Kate a secret for three days. It was going to be hard to explain. Before he knew it though, Jack was walking down the dock toward Spot.
"Did ya find her?" Spot asked once Jack was close enough.
"Yeah we found. We found her three days ago. Well, actually Angelfish and Arts found her."
"You mean to tell me Kelly that you've had her for three days and didn't bother to tell me?" Spot asked through clenched teeth.
"That's what I said."
"Why the hell didn't ya tell me Kelly?" Spot asked trying to stay calm.
"Because she wasn't awake yet and I didn't need ya hangin' around our lodging house all the time. Don't get me wrong Spot, it's great havin' ya around but only for so long and Bookworm probably would have kicked ya out anyways."
"What do ya mean she wasn't awake yet?"
"She tried to kill herself Spot. Arts and Angelfish found her lying in a pool of blood. We didn't think she was gonna make it overnight."
"She cut her wrists, didn't she?" Spot asked half shocked and half heart broken.
"Yeah, how did ya know?"
"Never mind how I know, how is she?"
"She's fine. I have Bookworm takin' care of her."
"Good. I'll come see her in a couple of days."
"I don't mean to seem unsympathetic or anything but we've got bigger problems. The attacks on Manhattan are gettin' worse Spot. Harlem and the Bronx are really poundin' us. I think there's gonna be a war soon. I need your help Spot."
"You know you've got our full support Jack. Just let me know when we're needed." Spot said after pausing a moment to think.
"You really do love her, don't ya?" Jack asked suddenly. He had never seen Spot this way before. The look in Spot's eyes was something Jack had never seen before. The fact that Spot was even showing any kind of emotion, whether it was on his face or in his eyes, was something Jack had rarely ever seen. Spot looked at him.
"Yeah I do."
Kate awoke to the sounds of newsies laughing and playing. She looked around and she noticed that most of the newsies had come back from selling the afternoon edition. Race happened to look up from his hand and saw that Kate was awake. He folded from the game of poker he was playing and went over to her.
"You gave us all a pretty good scare there kid."
"Hey Race."
"How are ya?" Race asked sitting on the edge of her bunk.
"I'm doing ok. I'm tired though."
"I don't doubt you are."
"So what happened with Moody?"
"It just didn't work out. Medda said I was spendin' too much time over there and it was distractin' her. She was gonna quit but I told that she shouldn't quit doin' somethin' that she loves to do."
"I'm sorry Race."
"I got Angelfish now. She's fun to be around, she speaks her mind, and she outgoin'. She does have quick temper though."
"She sounds great Race. I'm happy for the both of you."
"So what happened between you and Spot?" asked Race.
"I don't wanna talk about."
"Ah, come on Kate. You know you can tell me anything." Race pleaded.
"Race, stop badgering the girl. If she doesn't wanna tell ya, she doesn't wanna tell ya. Get over it." Bookworm said from her bunk across the room never moving her eyes from what she was reading. Kate tried hard not to laugh at him, as did the rest of the boys. Just then Jack walked in.
"Bookworm, can I talk to ya?" he asked.
"Yeah." Bookworm replied and put her book down on her bed then followed him to the lobby.
"So what did ya find out?"
"I found out that Lady's causing trouble again."
"That doesn't surprise me. What'd she do?"
"Well, from what I gather, Lady had needed to talk to Spot alone so Kate let them talk in her room. They were taking their sweet time and Kate went to go see if they were almost done. I guess she caught the two of them kissing and I'm guessing it wasn't by Spot's choice."
"So that's what this is all about." Jack said not too surprised by it.
"I'm gonna kill him!" came a voice from the top of the stairs. Jack and Bookworm looked up to see Arts, Reticent, and Angelfish, who looked madder than hell itself.
"You mean Lady." Jack said calmly.
"No, I mean Spot." Angelfish said angrily.
"Spot would never cheat on Kate especially not with Lady. He hates Lady with everything in him. He's hated her ever since she broke up with him."
"What happened?" asked Reticent.
"Well, Lady had only been in Manhattan a couple of days when Spot came to visit. Spot saw her and it was over. He fell pretty hard for her. They started going out and everything seemed to be going well with the two of them. One day Lady came walking into the lodgin' house with a guy from Harlem who was all over her. Spot tried to talk to her but she just brushed him off. After that she went out with practically every guy in Brooklyn and Manhattan. He had loved her and she broke his heart. That's part of the reason why Spot's usually so hard hearted and also a reason why he hates Harlem." Jack explained but before anyone could say anything, the door burst open and a newsie came in with two other boys behind him carrying a badly beat up one.
"What the hell happened?" Jack asked looking over the beaten newsie.
"We got trouble Jack."
AN: I know there were a lot of breaks in this chapter but I thought if I put the lines it would help you guys to know where all the changes were. Let me know what you thought of the chapter. Happy New Year!