Fists and Fights- A Sprace Fanfiction *COMPLETED*

~Chapter Three~

"What's a Newsie?" I asked in curiosity.
All of them gasped. "What do ya mean what's a Newsie?!" He said like I was crazy.
"Erm.." I mumbled. "Look kid, become a Newsie, ya won't regret a thing." He said.
I was pretty convincing. "Can youse at least tell me what it is?" I said.
"Ok, a Newsie is a boy who sells newspapes foah a livin." Another boy with a eyepatch said jumping into the conversation. "And we sleep at the Newsboys lodgin house where it's run by Mr. Kloppman. Rent is five cents a week." Another boy says.
I thought about it for a second. Why not? "Sure." I said with a smile.
"Great! Come on Newsies! Let's go!!" The boy says. All of them cheer and started running to the door. I smile and follow them.

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We arrive to the lodging house and the boys introduce me to Mr. Kloppman. We go upstairs and they get me situated in my bunk. God, it's been so long since I've slept on a bed. Why didn't I think of running away earlier? The boy in the bandanna introduced me to everyone. "I'm Jack and these guys are Mush, Blink, Skittery, Specs, Snoddy, Itey, Mike, Pie-Eater, Dutchy, Crutchy, Snipeshooter, Bumlets and Jake." Jack said.
That was a lot of names. But I payed close attention and I'm pretty good at remembering things. "Hi. Uh.. I'm Anthony Higgins and uh.. hi.." I said awkwardly. Everybody gave me a welcoming smile and we sat at our bunks. A kid named Mush was above me. "Hey. Uh.. Mush?" I said.
"Yea?"
"What time do we wake up?"
"Like.. around seven?"
I smiled. I usually had to wake up at five.
I drifted off into a peaceful slumber..

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I wake up to Mr.Kloppman yelling at us to get up.
"UP, UP, UP!! GOTTA SELL DA PAPES. GET READY, GET READY!!" He yelled.
He finally arrived to my bunk. "MUSH!!" He screamed. Mush shot up out of the bed. "YOU GOTTA GET UP WHEN YA GOTTA GET UP!!" He yelled at Mush. Mush jumped down from the bunk scratching his eye. Mr. Kloppman kneeled down next to me and gently shook my shoulder. "Mornin Anthony!" He said.
"Hiya Mr. Kloppman." I replied with a crooked smile.
He smiled back and continued shouting at the other Newsies.
I got up. I had no clothes so I guess I was just gonna wear these. I almost headed out when Jack said "HEY! GOTTA HAVE PROPER NEWSIE ATTIRE."
"But I-" Jack cut me off. "BOOTS. GIVE EM SOME OF YA CLOTHES." He ordered.
Boots quickly nodded and handed me and white button down, plaid vest, dark brown pants, and a Newsie cap. I smile at him and ran to the bathroom to put it on.

When I was done I looked in the mirror. I smiled with my crooked teeth and headed out with all the other Newsies.

I bought 50 papers. Jack told me how to sell.
"Ok, so, this headline is no good trash." He explained.
I read the headline. Mayors' son breaks his toy train.
I cringed at the headline. "Ok, whatchya gotta do is stretch the truth a bit, like this. "TRAIN CRASHES KILLING HUNDREDS!!" Jack yells. Two men immediately come up to him and buy his papers. "And that's how ya do it." He says walking back to me in pride. I slowly nod and yell the headlines, but Jack interrupts me. "Hey, hey, hey. This is my selling spot, youse gotta find yer own." He said sternly. I quickly nod and start running to find a selling spot. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't even know the city I was living in. I find myself on a giant bridge. "Maybe there's a good sellin spot down there." I said to myself as I ran. I look and see another Newsie. Not from our lodging house though. He glared at me with cold, blue eyes. I just nervously waved and kept running.

I was still searching when I heard cheering and screaming. "Huh?" I mumbled. I walked over to the sound and see a small-ish stadium like structure. A push a few people out of the way to see what all the commotion is about. I finally got to a place where I could see what's going on. "Horse racing!" I excitedly said. I started to watch, a boy came up to me, about my age. He had dark brown hair, and dark green eyes. "Hey, ya new round dese parts?" He asked. "I guess you can say that." I replied. I started watching the races again. "So.. ya like Brooklyn horse racin?" He asked. "Huh? What's Brooklyn?" I asked confused. The boy smacked his forehead. He opened his mouth to say something but instead he said "Ya know what, forget about it, anyway.. I'm Ace." He said spitting in his hand and stretching his arm over to me. Oh! Spit- shaking! Jack does it all the time. I spit it my hand and shook his. "So.. what's ya name?" Ace asked. "Oh. Anthony." I said paying attention to the races. "Anthony? Uh ok, wanna bet?" Ace asked. I shrug and nod. "Ok, which one do ya think is gonna win?" Ace asked crossing his arms.
"Uh.. that horse." I said pointing to a spotted horse. "Good choice, good choice. I think that one is gonna win." Ace said pointing to a brown horse. I nod. "If I win you owe me a buck." Ace said. Dang that was a lot of money. But, I enjoyed doing this for an odd reason. "Uh.. ok." I said nervously. We were cheering and laughing.
"Ha. Spot would've chosen your horse too." Ace said. "Who's Spot?" I asked.
"Dang, you've been held captive somewhere haven't ya." Ace said seemingly nervous and worried. "Uh.. n-no! N-no! What are you talkin bout?" I said hesitantly. "Uh..ok?" He said.

About thirty minutes later the race was over. "Haha! My horse won, hand over the buck." I said happily. He groaned and handed me a dollar. "Well Anthony, see ya round!" He said as he started to leave. "Uh- ok see ya!" I said looking at the dollar in my hand. I started to leave when I saw Jack run to me. "WHERE WERE YOU?!" He asked angrily. "Looking for a selling spot?" I said. "Doesn't look like it. Why are you hear at Sheepshead races?" He said crossing his arms. "Oh, funny story. So I heard cheering and wondered what is was and came over here and started gettin all interested in da races. And this kid named Ace came up ta me and we became friends and he bet which horse would win." Jack cut me off. "WHAT?! YOU WERE BETTING?! FOR HOW MUCH?!" Jack said looking at me like I was crazy. "Uh.. a dollar?" I said nervously.
"A DOLLAR?! OH.. MY-" I cut Jack off. "Relax! I won!" I said as a showed him the dollar. His faced turned into a excited smile. "Ha! Ya got luck kid!" Jack said patting my shoulder. "Not so sure about that.." I mumbled to myself remembering the days with John. "What?" Jack asked. "Huh? Oh.. nutin." I said. "Ok then.. let's get back to the lodgin house buddy." Jack says as he pats my back. I nod and we go walking back.

Jack stopped and his eyes widened. "Uh.. did ya see anyone, kinda lookin at ya weird." Jack said worried. Then I remembered. The boy with piercing blue eyes glaring at me.
"Uh.. yea, actually." I said scratching my neck. "How did he look like." Jack said.
"Uh... sandy brown hair.. stormy blue eyes.." I said. Jack's eyes widened.
"Somethin wrong?" I asked. "What? Oh.. n-no." Jack said. I brushed it off and kept walking.

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We entered the lodging house.
"Aye, where were you?!"
"Where ya been!"
"Finally!"
"Guys, relax! I was at a horse race!!" I said.
"What..? Jack is he talkin bout Sheepshead down in Brooklyn?" Blink asked.
Jack slowly nodded. Mush smacked his forehead. "Don't go ta Brooklyn!! Or else Spo-" Blink covered Mush's mouth. I raised an eyebrow. "Oh! And I won a dollar!" I said with the dollar resting in my palm. "Dang, kid! Howdya get it?" Skittery asked.
"I'se was bettin wit some kid named Ace." I said shoving the dollar in my pocket.
"Wow! Ace is the best better in New York!" Dutchy said patting my back.
"Hey! You still don't gotta nickname!" Specs said.
"Yea!!" Everyone said.
"How bout Betty?" Mush joked.
"Ha-Ha, very funny." I said.
"Hey! How bout Racetrack!" Blink said. I like it. Everyone else seemed to like it too.
"I mean.. you did spend the day at Sheepshead and you did win a pretty good bet with a pretty good better." Snoddy said.
"I like it!" I said.
"So be it! New name is Racetrack. For short.. Race." Jack said.

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