The next day I woke up happy. I decided to see Spot that day after I sold all my papers. From the moment I woke up I was planning out how I'd meet him. The only problem was I didn't know where his selling spot was. I knew I had to ask somebody! But Jack would get suspicious... I knew I shouldn't but I was going to ask Racetrack. He was the only one that wouldn't tell anyone if the truth slipped out. He wouldn't be suspicious so I decided to tell him.

What else should I tell him? Guilt was eating me alive and I felt live an ass not telling Racetrack. I went outside to buy my papers. It was a cloudy day. The last few days had been sunny and beautiful but today wasn't. It looked like it would rain soon. But I didn't care I was in to good of mood.

"Well somebody looks cheery." I heard.

I turned to see Racetrack.

"Good your just the person I wanted to talk to!" I chirped.

"Me? Why?"

"Well I wanted to know if you knew where Spot sells his papers?" I asked hopefully.

"Yeah Sheepshead Bay... Why?"

"Oh for Medda. She's telling him about the rally."

Guilt.

"You seem to be talking about Spot a lot lately." He said

"I have?" I feel heat go to my face.

"Yeah. No offense!"

"None taken..."

"I need something nice to wear for the rally." Race said.I could tell he was trying to change the subject.

"No, just wear casual cloths."

"I need something nice!"

"Its because your going to see Medda, isn't it?" I joked.

Racetrack rolled his eyes.

"I don't like Medda like that!"

"Well you did!" I elbowed him.

"I like other people like that..."

"Like who?" I asked.

"I'll tell you at the rally."

That day I bought fifty papers. I read the headline. Fire in the Bronx claims several lives. The Bronx was the last place I wanted to be thinking of! I walked to my usual selling spot.

"Fire in the Bronx claims lives!" I yelled.

I managed to sell all my papers within a few hours. All I could think about was going to Sheepshead Bay. The day was cool even though it was late spring. And to make it worse I hadn't put on my coat. But that wouldn't ruin my day! On the way to Brooklyn I started thinking about what Race had said about finding something nice to wear for the rally. Maybe I should?I mean everyone was going to be there (including Spot) so I should try to look nice.

I stopped half way across the Brooklyn Bridge and thought of yesterday. I smiled. Spot would be really surprised to see me! I kept walking.

On the way I heard footsteps behind me getting closer and closer! I knew I shouldn't worry but still every turn I took the boy behind me took. Maybe he is going to Sheepshead bay too? I thought. I decided to take a detour just to be safe. I saw a dark, creepy ally way. It was like the kind they wrote about in horror novels. I took a sharp turn into the ally way. I heard the footsteps again. I felt my heart pounding. In a second somebody grab me from behind! I tried to scream but my mouth was quickly covered! I struggled to my best ability, but I couldn't get out of his grip! I was turned around and pressed up against a wall! I was face to face with my attacker!

He was pale, very pale. I could see black hair under his cap. His eyes were so dark they looked black ad night. He than put his hand from my mouth to my throat! I couldn't breath!

"Your pretty of a sort... No wonder that son of a bitch Conlon likes you so much!" He said.

I was coughing and struggling! God don't let me die! I thought! It felt like I was going to faint!

"Take this as a warning! We're not just playing! Send a little message to Spot for me will you? I'm taking him down and he's never going to stop me!"

Everything was starting to get blurry then.

"You got it?" He said shaking me violently.

I feel my legs starting to buckle and I was starting to slip away when finely he let go! I fell to to the ground coughing and gasping for breath!The moment that I could stand again I got up and ran as fast as my legs could carry! Ran to Sheepshead Bay. I didn't stop running until I saw Spot in the distance. I walked up to him.

"Spot." I said my voice cracking.

He looked over at me. A look of shock came on to his face. He touched my neck gently.

"Why do you have these on your neck?" He asked.

I wrapped my arm around him and bursted out into tears!

"Lets go back to my boarding house. You can tell me everything okay?" He said wiping my tears away.

I nodded. On our way it started raining. Spot used the stack of newspapers he had left over to cover my head like an umbrella. When we got to the boarding house Spot opened the door for me. It was a little different than mine. It was mostly the same, but there was a hallway with some rooms. Unlike in the boarding house in Manhattan each of them did belong to one or two particular newsies. They did this to avoid crowding in the room with all of the bunks. One of those rooms was Spot's. It was a very nice room with a desk, little table and a bed. Nothing fancy but nice.

Spot was soaked from rain though. His shirt was sticking to his skin and dripping from the hair sticking out from under his cap. He dropped the stack of newspapers.

"I'm going to change into some dry cloths." He said taking a shirt and pants from a stack of clothing in the corner. He walked out of the room. There was a mirror hanging on the the wall. I walked over to it. I looked at myself. Brown eyes, brown curly hair, boring. I didn't find myself that interesting. I looked at the marks on my neck. They where faint but still there. I didn't think that they looked to noticeable, but they must have been because it was the first thing Spot noticed. I sat down on his bed.

Spot walked back into the room and sat next to me.

"So tell me, What happened?"

I told him everything that happened in the ally way. The footsteps, me being grabbed and me being choked. I felt hot tears going down my face... I also told him what he said...

"Steel.." He said under his breath.

He got up from next to me. He started pacing. Anger is on his face and his eyes are cold.

"Faith I don't want you coming in and out of Brooklyn by your self anymore." He said calmly.

"Spot please I-"

"No, if I would have been there none of this would have happened!"

I take his hand weaving my fingers through his. Just like he did on the bridge.

"You have a lot of pressure on you..." I said. "Things are going to be fine.

"I've already lost Queens." He took a shaky breath.

"You lost Queens?"

I realized how serious this was getting. Spot was quick to collect himself.

"Come on, I'm taking you back to Manhattan."

We got back in an hour. It was a quiet trip. We hardly talked. By the time we got back everyone was done selling.

"Spot." I said my voice nearly a whisper. "I will see you at the rally, right?"

"Yeah. I'll be there."

"Goodbye." I said

"Goodbye."

I shut the door and I went up the stairs. Jack was standing there looking at me with a disapproving scowl.

"Faith can I talk to you in private?" He said sternly.

I followed him into the one separate room. Jack shut and locked the was this about? I thought

"Several newsies saw you walking over the Brooklyn Bridge today." He said.

I felt my heart drop! At least Jack was being calm.

"Where were you?" He asked.

I didn't answer.

"Where where you?" Jack screamed.

I'd never seen him like this before and it scared me!

"I was with Spot Conlon! I-"

"Spot Conlon!" He yelled. "Spot freaking Conlon!"

He picked up a glass on the table and through it at the wall!It shattered into millions of pieces! I feel tears in my going down my face!

"Don't you know how he treats girls?" He said as he shook me violently.

"You don't know him like I do!" I screamed.

"How long have you been seeing him like this?"

"A few days..."

"So thats where you were last night!"

"I was with Medda! I was! I just saw him after!" I shouted.

"He can just forget about me helping him with Steel! I-"

"No! Please he'll hate me!" I begged.

If Jack did that to Spot who I knew how it would affect Spot!

"Jack please!" I screamed.

"There are people here who care! You don't need him!"

"I do!" I screamed.

"You know how he treats his girls! I don't want you to go through that!"

He kept trying to give my reasons, but I wouldn't listen. How could I?

"There are people who love you that way here!" He said

"Who?"

Jack didn't answer.

"Don't try to lie to me!" I screamed.

"I'm not lying why can't you just listen?" He slapped me across the face!

I just looked up and stared at him in disbelief!

"Faith please. I'm so sorry!"

I ran out of the room everyone was staring at me. I ran out of the boarding house! And sprinted down the street...