A/N: okay, here is the next chapter, let me know what you think. Also, special thanks to Becca for editing
Oh, also I know most of the Brooklyn newsies seem rather perverted, I am aware of that, I did that on purpose, it may not be realistic, but that's ok, it wasn't supposed to be
Disclaimer: I do not one Newsies. My carictors are Speed, Jump, Brige, Mayor and Mouse.
I woke up to the thump off someone falling out of their bed "Stupid Flinch you fell off your bed again?" I mumbled, before remembering Flinch wasn't here.
"No, its just me" I looked up, just Mayor. He was a year older than me, and had taken on the role of older brother. He was really nice though, and very tall, somewhat tan and had brown eyes that matched his brown hair. "Time to get up sleepy head" he said, grinning. I grudgingly pulled myself out of bed, grumbling all the while. It was my first day working as a newsie, I couldn't wait.
I slowly got ready and headed for the stairs, most of the others far ahead of me. I tripped on the way down the stairs, and executed the most girly scream I'd ever hear, next thing I knew, I was in some ones arms. I was still looking at the floor and noticed the sling shot in his pocket. Upon looking up, I saw it was Spot, I didn't like him catching me. Why couldn't it have been Jump or Mayor?
"That's some way to thank me for catchin' yah, even though you did kill me ears wid' that scream a' yours" I grunted appreciatively, at least I though it was apparent I was thanking him "what are you sayin'?"
I shook my head, giving up "thanks" I muttered before turning away, down the stairs.
As I walked down the rode towards the paper distribution center Speed tried to catch up with me, which admittedly wasn't too hard for him. This surprised me slightly, he had completely ignored me yesterday besides the one comment when we'd been playing cards.
"Hey Gossip" he greeted cheerily, "sleep, well?"
As far as I was concerned, I hadn't woken up yet "hey, and yeah, thanks" I murmured, not meaning to be rude, just very tired, he understood.
"Well see ya'!" he said, before sprinting off, I grunted a good-bye and followed slowly after.
When I made it to the distribution center I noticed Spot at the front of the line, and that most of the guys had made it here before me, so much for being early on the first day. Then I heard a voice behind me "hey, Gossip. Want to sell whit' me today" it was Jump
"Sure" I replied, smiling
"Hey your holdin' up the line!" some one called from behind me. I turned to see I as indeed at the front and stepped up.
"Um 30 papes." I said, not wanting to start out with too many, or too little, and figuring 30 was a reasonably non-descript number. I slid forward a coin and he handed me the papes, then I turned from the window to let Jump go.
He got his papers and turned to me, "well, we're off" he grinned, leading me towards the Brooklyn Bridge.
"Truthfully, I though this would be Bridges spot" I said when we got there.
Jump chuckled quietly "naw, he got his name for anoder' reason. Dis' can be your spot if you'd like, no one's really claimed it, so you can"
"Thanks" I said, smiling "but, how?"
"how what?" he asked, confused
"How did he get his name, Bridge I mean" I clarified
"Oh, right, well when he first started off he was a real wise guy, always mouthing off …."
"Like he isn't now" I muttered
"He's a lot better, trust me, now do you wanna' here the story or not?"
"OK sorry go in."
"Well he got on Spot's nerves, and well, you know how Spot gets when he's mad" explained Jump "they was on the bridge, and well, Spot just sorta' threw 'im off, he's pretty much avoided the bridge since, but the name stuck"
"Ow" I muttered
"Yeah, he was pretty badly hurt for a bit" he said, handing a man a paper "thank-you sir. Hey, you're doing pretty good for your first day" he complimented, smiling, not flirting like a lot of the others, just friendly, I always knew he was going to be cool.
It has been about three weeks since Spot and Mouse first found me on the beach. A lot has changed since then, well not a huge amount I guess, but enough. Generally I spend most of my time with Spot (though, he does get on my nerves sometimes, at least he stopped flirting) Jump or Mayor. I have also gotten pretty good at selling, usually selling on my own, or with Jump, and I've discovered I'm a pretty good lier …..
"Ow" I yelled.. I hadn't been paying attention and smashed head with someone as I was walking, landing on the ground. Jump, well, jumped to my side.
"Are you okay?" he asked, helping me
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine" I muttered, brushing myself off
"HEY, watch it next time, eh!?" I turned to see a girl with bleach blond hair, gray/blue eyes, and a very irritated look on her face. It couldn't be … but it was ..
"sis, Sis, oh god Flinch, YOU'RE ALIVE" I yelled
"what yah' talkin' about, no I ain't this is me ghost your talkin' to" She grinned, giving me a hug
"Jump, this is my sister, Flinch" I introduced, still smiling
"Nice to finally meet ya' Flinch" greeted Jump, he spit in his hand and stuck it out, Flinch did the same, shaking his hand.
"Good to meet ya' Jump" she said, politely as she could manage, being Flinch. I was so excited, I had so much to tell her, it was going to be just like old times.
Except for being a whole lot better than it was.
"Come on Flinch" I said, practically bursting with excitement "let's go the LH" I grabbed her arm and started leading her down the street.
"The what?"
"The Brooklyn Lodging House, you know, for the Newsies" I said, quickening my pace.
"You did it then, your a Newsie?!" she grinned
"Yeah, it's awesome. Mouse is so cute, Jump is wicked nice" Jump smiled here "Mayor is like an older brother, Bridge is loud-mouth jerk, and Spot is, well Spot is Spot, the leader"
"Uh, okay, I'll just nod politely and pretend I know what you're talking about" Flinch muttered, kicking up her pace to match mine.. Jump chuckled, following along.
"That works, now WALK FASTER" I yelled, practically draggin her down the strret
"Fine, gosh" she muttered, by now we where running, finally we reached the lodging house.
I burst through the doors, startling a couple of the guys as I did.
When we walked in Spot came over, looking rather cocky "So Gossip, who's your pretty little friend" he said, grinning
"This is Flinch" I said, smiling "just a warning though, she won't fall for you, trust me" I smirked
"Well then Flinch, I've heard quite a bit about you" he said, still over confident "and let her talk for herself why don't ya' Gossip, look she's speechless"
Flinch rolled her eyes, by the way he held himself, and how the others situated themselves around him, Flinch guessed this was the leader. "Oh yeah, Spot, definitely speechless" she said, pulling her arm back quickly and punching him in the mouth.
"WHAT THE HELL" Spot yelled, putting a hand over his mouth "HEY, HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME ANYWAY"
Flinch shrugged "Me and Gossip talked a bit on the way here"
"A little bit" Jump assured Spot.
"Shut up!" I said
"GOSSIP" Spot said, well screamed. Flinch sighed, never one for jumpy conversations like this
"Yes." I said sweetly
"Come hear now!"
"What if I don't want to?" I questioned innocently, he glared at me "okay, okay, fine" I said, following him to the far side of the entrance hall"
"Would you please tame your sister"
"You don't like her" I fake-sniffled, used to this reaction. Flinch was, well, anti-social to say the least.
"No, I don't. She can't disrespect me like that" he said, you did hit on her, I thought, but kept it to myself "If you know what's good for her, and you, you'll maker her play nice. We are friends and I might like her eventually too but if she refuses to follow me, I'll send her to ... Queens."
"You wouldn't" I said, knowing Flinch would never actually follow anyone, but maybe I could get her to behave.
"You know I would, so tell her to calm down, eh?" he asked "oh, and I was wonderin' if you wanted to sell wit' me tomorrow"
"Spot. Spot. Spot. tisk. Tisk. I thought we went over this before I don't like you."
"I'm not hitting on you Gossip, gosh you're so full of yourself sometimes, just askin' if you wanted tah'. So do yah? Because we was plannin' on swingin' by Manhattan aftwords"
"No one swings by Manhattan for a leisurely visit" I noted
"I gots to do some business, so you gonna' come?" he asked
"well, who's we?"
"Me, Jump, Mayor, and possibly you" he answered
"And..." I stared him down with my arms crossed, but before he had the chance to say anything I heard a thump.
I turned around to see Bridge on the floor and Flinch looking very mad "Yah' PERVERT YAH BETTER LEARN TO CONTROL THOSE PAWS A' YOURS!" she yelled. Spot sighed and gave me a look. You know the one that says contain-your-out-of-control-sister-before-Bridge-rips-hers-or-more-likely-she-rips-his- head-off-sigh look. I walked over to Flinch, grabbed her arm and literally dragged her into the newsies bedroom.
The whole way to the lodging room Flinch was muttering 'stupid pervert', 'I have to share a room wid' it' and other things of that nature. Okay some where a little … well a lot worse..
"Shut the hell up, would yah" Spot finally said, I could tell they weren't going to get along "grow up and get over it if you want to be a Brooklyn newsie"
I though Flinch was going to explode, they where to much alike, Spot and Flinch, exactly the same, yet polar opposites at the same time. Luckily she gave in and said "fine, but where is his bunk?"
"Right next to yours." I said, smiling apologetically. A growl was the only way to describe the noise she made.
"Settle down Flinch" I said "hey, look on the bright side, he can't reproduce anymore"
"Like he would a' been able to if he still had em." She muttered, angrily and then the hole place burst out in hysterical laughter. Mayor fell of his bunk, landing on Speed, and then they just laughed louder.
I managed to squeak "ya' morons" through my own fits of laughter. Spot was crying he was laughing so hard. It was going to be fun with Flinch here.
"I guess, you ain't so bad after all" Spot gasped through his laughter.
Then, I had a flashback to when I had proven myself to Spot.
(flash back)
Spot wrapped his arm around my shoulders "Yah see darlin' you could stay with me tonight, we could pull the beds together." He was trying to do that eye thing. You know the "look into my beautiful gray/blue eyes and fall in love with me eye" thing, psh yah not gonna' happen.
I smiled, and looked at him as if I was falling for it. "Oh Spot." I started sweetly, then I yangt his hair and kneed him in the stomache. "YOU PIG, YAH WOMANIZER IF YOU EVER EVEN OF THINK SUCH A DISGUSTING THING AGAIN I SWEAR, I WILL NOT BE THIS KIND!" Then I let go of his hair. I turned to the boys who where in the entry hall, and Tompson (the lodging house owner) staring at me. To the left you can go down to Tompson's room and to the right was the staircase that lead to the newsies room. The boys where scattered all around, making it pretty crowded. Then I let my face fall, and everyone started to laugh.
"She sure showed you, huh Spot?!" shouted one newsies
"What ever happened to that famous 'Conlon Charm'" yelled another
"Real smooth" some else said, I think it might have been Jump
(Flash back over)
In any case, this was a lot like that. I hadn't had so much fun since, well a long time ago, when Flinch and our brothers used to spend time together. I looked over at Spot, who was hanging on to Mayor's shoulder for balance, then he looked at me and said
"Gossip, I hate you .. ha ha .. so much, if you hadn't … ha ha … kneed me last week this .. ha ha … wouldn't hurt so bad." He gasped out through spurts of laughter
"Well you ..ha ha ... diserved it!" I said, also choking on laughter. Then walking over and flicking his hat off.
"HEY!"
"That's what you get for bringing up when I proved myself a worthy newsie" I muttered, then began laughing again when I glanced at Bridge, who was rubbing his head, where (I guessed) Flinch hit him, looking extremely dejected
After about another fifteen minutes of non-stop laughter, the hysteria died down.
"So, what was that about proving yourself as a newsie" Flinch questioned, plopping down on her bed.
"Well, we like to see the type of goil you are if we's gonna' let you stay here wid' us" answered Spot "you know, like if you's a slut or not"
"So." Flinch continued "How did you "prove" yourself?"
He snorted "I've been here my whole life, joined when I was five, I'm not obligated to prove myself, and why am I telling you this"
"Because you can't resist my mind control powers" she joked, in a completely serious tone, like it was perfectly normal "good to know if Gossip and me had gotten up the courage to join when we was five I wouldn't be mentally scarred for life!"
"Yah well too late" said Spot "and, hey Gossip I never got an answer about Manhattan"
"and …" I said, continueing the conversation from where we left off earlier.
"I have to behave." He grumbled
"AND..." I urged
"Flinch can come" He murmured, I smiled, and then he walked to the bathroom. I turned to Flinch, she was smiling, as was I. We'd finaly be able to see are old friend, Micheal, we had't seen him since before we escaped. Then I felt a rush of freezing water drench me and gasped, turning to see, Spot.
"SPOT" I yelled, wrapping my arms around my waist, that really was cold..
He walked away, smirking, as I cursed him out. 'How dare he' I though 'he will pay!' I turned to look at Flinch, who shrugged, always one to appreciate a good prank. Then Mayor (acting like the big brother he had come to be) gave me a towel and I turned to the stairs. I walked out of the lodging house and down to the shop the old widow down the street owned.
She was forever offering me free clothes, feeling bad that a "young lady had nothing but old boys clothes to wear." I never wanted to take any before, assuring her I could get my clothes other places while hoping not to be offensive. But, as the phrase goes, beggars can't be choosers, and right now I had no choice.
I walked into the store, hoping I wasn't dripping too much and the old widow (who admittedly wasn't that old, 55 maybe) walked over to me. "Oh dear" she muttered "what happened darling"
"I hate boys." I said simply
"Oh you poor darling" she sympathized "go choose two outfits, whatever you want" Her shop was sort of run down, and I felt bad for taking two, but I knew she'd be offended if I didn't and chose, slipping one on right then and draping my wet clothes over my arm.
I realized Spot really was to thank for this. I should thank him, I should, but I wouldn't, that was for sure..
When I got back to the lodging house Mayor walked over t me "time for bed" he said simply, smiling.
"What are you, my dad or my brother" I laughed, following his orders
"Whichever I need to be at the given moment" he joked, and I fell asleep
A/N: So what do you think? What are you waiting for, review!