Then one of the boys picked me up and took me into an alley
with the others following. When he put me down I turned to punch the
boy but when I turned I felt a fist connect with my face and I fell
to the ground. They started kicking and punching me all over. When I
realized they were too strong, I finally gave up fighting back. Then
I blacked out. When I woke up all the boys were gone.
I hurt so bad that I couldn't get up. Why was I so stupid? I
should've listened to Saff when she told me not to go out alone. But
because I'm so stubborn, now I'm probably gonna die and without Spot
knowing that I like him or that I'm glad he was the one that saved
me. All these thoughts ran through my head as I was sitting in the
alley crying. Suddenly I heard some people talking.

"Sound like dat cryin's comin' from dat alley ova' dere." Said a boy
walking closer.

As the voices got closer, I saw who it was. It was Racetrack,
Melody, Blink, and Cherry.

"Guys over here." said Melody walking closer. "Guys, quick! It's
Pallet, she's hurt."

"Pallet, Youse alright?" asked Blink looking at me.

"You looks bad. Who did dis to yas?" asked Race

"Red an' tree a is boys… Curly..Sly.. an' Two Bit." I answered
shakily.

"Oh my gosh Pallet! They did this to you?" Cherry replied.

"Yeah….Guys my side hurts bad…Can you please help me ta the
Lodgin' House…?"

"Yeah shoa." Replied Race.

So Race and Blink stood me up and helped me walk back to
their Lodging House. When we got back to the Lodging House, Blink,
Cherry, and Melody helped me up the stairs and laid me down on an
empty bunk, while Race went and got Jack.

"What happened to er?" I heard Jack asking Race as he was walking up
the stairs.

"Red an' some a is boys soaked er. She says er side hoits an' shes
got a nice shina on da side a er face." Race replied as they were
walking in the door.

"Pallet, youse ok? Dey hoit ye real bad?" Jack asked me.

"Hey Cowboy. Yeah I'm fine. My side hurts a lil' though."

"Blink, get er some ice fer er side, somethin' ta wash da blood off
wit, and tell Saff, downstairs, ta get er some clean clothes. Da
rest a youse go wait downstairs till I says." Jack ordered everyone.

So everyone left the room, except Jack, while Blink got the ice, the
wet cloth, and Saff. Then Blink joined everyone else downstairs.

"Pallet, are youse alright? You had me scared." Saff said cleaning
the blood off my face.

"Yeah I'm fine Saff. I hurt a lil' but I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't
listen ta you two about goin' out alone." I said giving Saff and
Jack a hug.

"Well, just promise ya won't do it again. K?" replied Jack.

"Okay." I said smiling. "Hey guys, Where's Spot?"

"I tink he's out wit dat goil from Tibby's." replied Jack. "Why?"

"Oh no reason. I jest needed ta tell him somethin'."

"Oh ok…Well when he gets back I'll send im up. K?" Jack said
suspiciously looking at me.

"Ok, Jack. Thanks."

"I'll leave you two alone ta tawk an' ta finish cleanin' up. If ya
need anythin' I'll be downstairs." Jack said. Then he gave Saff a
kiss and went downstairs.

"So…what did ya need ta tell Spot?" Saff asked me curiously
smiling.

"Saff your one of the nosiest girls I've ever met."

"Ise jest curious Pallet. Please tell me." Saff said smiling.

"Saff!"

"Sorry Pallet." Saff said laughing. "Here change inta dese clothes.
Den get some rest. I'm gonna go downstairs and tell da goils how yer
doin'."

Saff handed me the clothes, then went downstairs. I changed into the
clean clothes, then I laid down on the bunk. I started to fall asleep
when there was a knock on the door.

"Pallet? Youse asleep?"

"Nope." I replied sitting up.

"Okay." Said Spot opening the door and walking in the room. "Jack
told me what happened. Youse okay?"

"Yeah. I hurt a lil' but I'm fine."

"Pallet why'd you go off alone?" asked Spot.

"'Cause I needed ta do somethin'."

"Why din't you ask someone ta go wit you?"

"'Cause I felt like goin' by myself."

"But Jack told all you goils ta not go out by yerself. You shoulda
listened ta im. Den you wouldn't have been soaked."

"I DON'T care what Jack said! He's NOT my boss an' neither are you
so stop tellin' me what I should or shouldn't do!" I yelled.

"I Ain't tellin' ya what ta do an' neitha is Jack! We'se jest tryin'
ta help you an' yer goils!" yelled Spot.

There was silence for a few minutes before there was a knock on the
door.

"Spot….Jack said to come up and see why you were yelling. What's
wrong?" Said a blonde haired girl standing in the doorway looking at
Spot and then looking at me.

"Nothin's wrong Amy. I was jest talkin' ta Pallet an' got a lil
loud." Replied Spot looking at the girl.

"Okay Spot. Well if you are done talking, I was wondering if you
could walk me home." She said smiling at Spot.

"Yeah shoa. I'll be down in a minute. K?" replied Spot.

"Okay Spot, but please hurry up. My mother will be wondering where I
am." The girl said glaring at me. Then she kissed Spot on the cheek
and left.

"Who was that?" I asked Spot.

"Dat was Amy. Me new goil." He replied.

"Oh"

"Why? Youse jealous?" Spot said smirking at me.

"No, why would I be jealous of her?" I said hoping he couldn't see
that I really was jealous.

"'Cause Ise er guy. Dat's why." he said.

"Spot, I've never seen anyone so full of himself more then you. You
think every girl likes you."

"Dey do like me. Ise strong, brave, an' Ise handsome. Why wouldn't
dey?" Spot said smiling.

"Well…I don't know maybe cause your too egotistical." I replied
smirking.

"Egotistical? Well dats bettah den bein' stubborn." Spot replied back.

"I'm not stubborn! I jest don't like people bossin' me round!" I
replied scowling at him.

"Easy Pal. Ise jest teasin'." He replied smirking.

"Well… I don't like ta be teased Spot."

"Okay, okay I won't sorry." Spot said.
While we were talking someone walked up the stairs and
knocked on the door. It was Amy.

"Spot, you said you'd be right down. It's been long enough. Can we
please go now?" Amy said.

"Yeah sorry Amy I almost forgot. Jest l'me go get somethin' den wese
can go. Stay right here. It'll only be a few minutes." Spot said then
he went into the room across the hall.

For like two minutes Amy just stood there glaring at me before she
either of us said anything.

"Hello, My names Pallet. I'm one of Spot's friends. What's your name?"

"Amy!" she snapped at me.

"Well… nice ta meetcha."

"Whatever… " she replied back.

"O….K."

For a few more minutes neither of us said anything. Then Amy looked
up from the floor and said something.

"So… your one of Spot's friends? Huh?"

"Yeah…"

"You guys spend a lot of time together?" she asked.

"Yeah…I guess. Why?"

"B'cause he's my guy and I wanted to know! Is that alright with you?"
She snapped.

"Um… I guess." I said looking confused.

"Anyways…I thought I'd tell you…Spot don't like you and
neither do I so Stay AWAY from him from now on!" she snapped.

"If Spot don't like me then why does he talk ta me?"

"B'cause he has to. Jack told him that if he didn't then he wouldn't
be able to stay at the Lodging House. And if he didn't stay at this
Lodging House he couldn't see me very much." She said glaring at me.

"Oh… " I said almost ready to cry.

Right after I said that Spot walked back into the room.

"Okay Amy. Ready ta go?" he asked.

"Yeah Spot. I'm ready." She replied smiling at Spot.

"Okay, well den lets go. See ya latah Pallet." Spot said smiling.

"Yeah….Uh Spot could I talk ta you for a sec?"

"Yeah shoa. What is it?" he asked looking at me.

"Well….uh…"

"Spot I really need to get home or my mother will be mad." Amy
interrupted.

"Oh yeah… Pallet can it wait till latah? Ise got ta get Amy
home." Spot asked.

"Well… uh… it's kind of import--"

"Sp…ot.."Amy whined pulling on Spot's arm.

"Ise sorry Pallet.. I gots ta go..we'll tawk lata. K?" asked Spot.

"Yeah FINE! GO!"

"Are you alright Pallet?"Spot asked concerned.

"ALLEZ! JEST GO!"

"Pallet…what's da matta?"

"NOTHIN' JEST GO!"

Before Spot could say anything else, Amy had dragged him out
the door. After I heard them walk down the stairs, I walked over and
slammed the door, then I laid on my bunk and cried. Why was I so
stupid? I thought Spot liked me as a friend and I had a tiny feeling
that he may have liked me more than just as a friend. But I was
wrong. He didn't like me he hated me. He was just pretending.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I quickly dried the
tears off my face just before Jack, Saff, and everyone else walked in
the door.

"Heya Pallet. Feelin' betta?" asked Jack walking over to my bunk with
Saff.

"No! I feel worse then I did before." I answered sniffling.

"Whats da mattah Pallet?" asked Saff looking at me.

"Nothin' Saff. Nothin' is wrong."

"Pallet, I knows you betta den anyones an' I can tell when sumtin's
wrong. And you was cryin' b'fore we came up heah, so don't try ta
hide anytin'. Tell me what's wrong!" Saff replied.

"Please Saff. I can't tell you. At least not in front of everyone." I
said looking at her and Jack.

"Ok den. Da tree a us will go up on da roof. Come on." Saff said
grabbing my arm and following Jack up to the roof.

"Ok, No one can heah but us. So what's wrong?" Saff asked.

"Yeah, and why was you cryin'?" added on Jack.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. It feels like I have butterflies in
my stomach."

"Oh…."Replied Saff and Jack smiling at each other.

"When does it feel likes dat?" asked Saff smiling.

"Whenever Spot's around. Thats the only time. Why?"

"Pallet, youse in love." Replied Saff smiling.

"Quoi! With who?"

"Spot." Replied Saff.

"Spot? You've gotta be kiddin'." I answered nervously.

"Admit it Pallet, you likes im. Jack and I both can see it." Said
Saff.

"No I don't." I paused for a minute. "…And even if I did, it doesn't
matter. He doesn't like me."

"Did he say dat Pallet?" asked Jack.

"No but Amy did." I said almost crying.

Suddenly a voice behind me said something.

"Amy did what, Pal?"

I turned around and saw Spot standing there.

"None a your business!" I replied.

"It is me business if you is tawkin' bout me goil." Spot replied.

"I wasn't talkin' ta you, so it ISN'T your business!"

"PALLET! Tell me what youse were sayin' bout me goil, NOW!" Spot
yelled grabbing my arm.

"Spot l'me go!"

"Not till you tell me what youse were sayin'." Spot said tightening his
grip a little.

That was it. If he wouldn't let go then I would make him let go.
So I punched Spot in the face. As soon as he let me go I ran down the
ladder, and climbed in the window. As I was climbing down the ladder,
I heard Spot yelling after me, but before he could follow, Saff and
Jack stopped him. When I got inside, everyone was looking at me. I
guess it was because I was crying. Anyways, when I got inside, I ran
down the stairs and out the front door. I didn't know where I was
going, but I had to get away from everyone, Spot especially. I
decided to head to Central Park so I could clear my head before I
went back to the Lodging House. I found a bench near a tall tree and
sat down.

I started thinking about Spot and how I could be so stupid to do
that. He just wanted to know what I was saying. I can't believe I
punched him. I had no right to punch him but he had it coming. Why
couldn't I just admit that I liked Spot Conlon. He was everything I
wanted in a boy and I just keep pushing him away. Why do I always do
that? I wish he was here right now. I would apologize for everything.
Just then Spot walked up behind me and I let all my inhibitions go. I
saw him and jumped up.

"Spot I'm so sorry. I never meant to hit you. It jest happened. I'm so
sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" I said looking at his bloody lip.

"I dunno… Depends… Why'd you punch me?"

"I jest was so mad. Amy said you hated me and didn't want to talk ta me
and then I saw you an' jest wanted to rip somethin' apart. I guess you
were that somethin'. I'm Sorry" I said crying.

"Hey Pallet. Don't cry. It's alright." Spot said holding me.

Right then, for the first time in a long time, I felt safe. For a few
minutes we just stood there, Spot holding me in his arms.

"Let's sit down and tawk now." Spot said moving to sit down on the
bench.

"Okay…" I replied sitting down next to him.

"So….Pallet, what's all dis bout Amy you was sayin'?" asked
Spot.

"Um…Well…Do you remember when you left me an' Amy in the
bunkroom tagether while you went an' got somethin'?"

"Yeah…" he replied.

"Well, I was very uncomfortable with her because neither of us was
talkin', so ta be polite I started talkin'. Well she told me ta stay
away from you cause you hated me an' the only reason you talk ta
me was cause Jack told you ta. An' then when you came back I tried
talkin' ta you but you left with her before I could ask you if it was
true. I needed ta tell you sometin' else but you were too busy." I
answered then started crying.

"Oh Pallet I'm sorry. Please stop cryin'." Spot said wiping the
tears off my face with his thumbs. "Dere, you looks much betta wit no
tears."

"Thanks Spot." I said sniffling.

"Fer what?" he replied.

"For bein' a great friend when I needed one and for putting up with my stubbornness."

"Oh… Yeah… no problem. Plus, youse had to put up wit me… So anyways now dat wese tawkin', what didya need ta tell me earliah?" Spot asked curiously.

"Um…Ok…well…you know how I got beat up an' everythin'.
Well when I was in that alley all soaked, I was thinkin' about…" I hesitated.

"What was you tinkin' bout, Pallet?" Spot interrupted.

"This is so hard for me." I said nervously.

"It's ok Pallet, youse can tell me."

"….I was thinkin' about… I was thinkin' about you… " I said
staring at the ground. Spot lifted up my chin and looked in my eyes.

"Pallet, yer all I been tinkin' bout too…" Spot replied smirking.

"You have?"

"Yup. Since da day Ise met ya. I wanted ya ta be me goil, but ya
acted likes ya dint likes me." Spot replied.

"Oh Spot I'm sorry, it's jest I didn't need me girls thinkin' I need a
guy ta protect me cause then they would think that I couldn't protect
them. Know what I mean Spot?"

"Yeah, I know what youse mean." Spot replied.

"…Oh Spot I'm sorry for hittin' you." I said looking at his lip.
"Let me clean it off." I wiped the blood off with my shirt sleeve. "There, now that's better… Spot, please forgive me for what I did ta you."

"It was nuthin', Pallet." Spot said smiling.

"Thanks Spot" I said smiling.

When I went to give Spot a kiss on the cheek to thank him,
he turned his head and locked his lips with mine. At first it
surprised me and I started pulling away, but then I realized that I
have been waiting for a days for this to happen, So I wrapped my arms
around Spot's neck and started kissing him back.
Suddenly we heard voices behind us so we turned around…

"Well, well, well look what we have heah boys."

When we turned around, I noticed that it was Red and his
three boys.

"Oh no. I'm not well enough to fight them right now." I whispered to Spot
grabbing his hand.

"Don't worry Pallet. I won't let dem hoit ya." Spot whispered
squeezing my hand gently to comfort me.