FAMILIAR | Spot Conlon

Chp. 13: Alyssa Menken

"You're gonna wanna sit down for this" She takes a seat across from me and so do the boys. I don't really care if they hear it's not like i'm gonna see them again.

I tell them about everything from me becoming a newsie from changing my name to meeting Nick.

"Oh hey I's know Nicky"

"Really Jack? But he's in Queens and we're in Hattan"

"Well yeah but he's the Queens newsies leader and I'm the Manhattan newsies leader."

Wait, these guys are newsies. That's pretty great actually.

"Are you guys newsies"

"Yep. And you are too right?"

"Mhm"

I continue with my story and talk about Jess and the fun I had and selling papes. Then I get to the most recent part.

"We were playing truth or dare and~" I look over at the boys and they are all listening very enthusiastically.

"You guys plug your ears. Only women get to hear this part"

They all groan but still plug their ears. Boys am I right.

"So I was about to kiss Spot and~"

"You were?! Oh my god do you like him"

"Maybe..." She sounds like Jess when she found out too.

"Ok so yeah we were dared to kiss and then the messenger comes in and says Alyssa Menken your mom is here looking for you"

"Hold on. Regina is in Brooklyn? Never thought that would happen"

"I never thought I would either but here we are"

I tap David on the shoulder and he turns around with the other 2.

"Pretty much my mom came for me and I didn't want her to" I caught the boys up on what was happening.

"And here I am. I can't go to Brooklyn or Queens so I'm stuck."

"And I love being a newsie"

"Come be a newsie with us!" The little boy says, Les, which I think is the first time I've heard him speak.

"Yeah she can be a newsie right Jack" David says.

"Yeah Davey she can. Newest goil newsie in Hattan" Newest? Guess there's already a girl newsie.

"Well Snyder's probably gone so we can head out Medda. Camryn you can come wit us"

"Sounds good" We all say goodbye and walk out of Meddas.

"So how do you know Medda" Davey asks Jack.

"Oh she was a friend of me faddas"

Davey checks his watch and looks at the rest of us.

"It's getting pretty late. My parents are gonna be worried"

"What about yours" Davey asks. I answer before Jack does even though the question probably wasn't for me.

"My dad pretended to love my mom and after they got married and had me he left robbed our whole house before he left us and my mom is looking for me"

"Ooh, you've got it pretty bad eh"

"Yeah but what about yours Jack"

"My parents are out west looking for a place ta live. Like this" He pulls out a brochure of Santa Fe.

"As soon as they find the right ranch they're gonna send for me" I don't buy his bs for a second. I think about calling him out but I don't want to be rude and expose him in front of the Jacobs.

"Then you'll be a real cowboy"

"What do you mean Les" I look down at him.

"Oh well he's Cowboy" I've heard about the Cowboy from Hattan. Spot talked about him a few times. It's nice to finally meet him I guess.

"Nice nickname Jack" I nudge him playfully.

"Haha yous so funny"

"It's my specialty" I flip my hair and we all laugh.

Then there's a bang. Jack gets up and the rest of us follow him to where it came from. When the scene comes into view all I see is a bunch of people and fire. The people start running towards us and we move to the curb.

"Jack why don't we go back to my place and divy up. You can meet my folks" Davey says trying to break Jack away from the rally. Jack pays no attention to Davey.

"Can I come?"

"Yeah of course Camryn"

A guy gets socked in the jaw right in front of us.

"It's the trolley strike Davey. It's a couple of dumbasses must not have joined or something"

"Jack let's get outta here" By now Davey is pleading for Jack to leave.

A fire carriage drives by us heading for the fire the strike caused.

"So maybe we'll get a good headline tomorrow Dave" The news here must be as slow as it has been in Brooklyn. There hasn't really been any good news.

"Look at this. He slept the whole way through it" Jack looks at Les who I just realized fell asleep on a bench. Jack pulls him up and puts him on his shoulder.

Davey leads us to his house.

"Should I knock or somethin"

"Nah just go in"

"Kay" I open the door and see what must be David and Les's parents.

"My god what happened" The woman says when she sees Les on Jacks shoulder.

"Nothing Mama, he's just sleeping" Jack gives Les to his mom and she puts him over on a bed.

"We've been waiting dinner for you. Where have you been?" His dad asks. Considering it's probably about 9 it makes sense he'd be worried. David sets his money on the counter.

"You made all of this selling newspapers?" His dad sounds somewhat impressed.

"Well half of its Jack's" David opens the door a bit more and let's Jack in.

"This is our selling partner and our friend" I didn't know they were selling partners but that's pretty cool.

"Jack Kelly, my parents" Jack and his dad shake hands.

"That's my sister Sarah" David points at someone in the corner. She's a very pretty girl who looks around Jacks age.

"Oh and this is Camryn. Uh she's our friend too"

"Pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs Jacobs"

I shake his and his wife's hand as well.

"Esther maybe David's friends would like to join us for dinner"

I nod my head and he pulls up some chairs for us. The dinner was very lovely. Jack talked about how great their kids were. I observed and didn't talk much. They all seem like such a perfect family it makes me jealous. After dinner me, Jack, and David go outside on the balcony.

Then his dad pops his head out the window and tells Davey he has to go inside. It was a really nice night all together.

"Why don't you guys stay here tonight"

"No thanks I's got my own place. Oh and Camryn you can come with me, since you'll be a Manhattan newsie and all now"

"But yer family's real nice Dave, like mine" I roll my eyes. I cannot believe David actually believes him.

"See you tomorrow Davey"

"Carrying the banner" David says. Not sure what that means but ok.

"Carrying the banner" They shake hands and Jack and I head out.
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lol i just realized this chapter is super long. your welcome i guess.