Always and Forever... Maybe *Spot Conlon*

Chapter 7: Mush

The next day all the newsies are gathered inside Tibby's. I slept in late, and no one woke me, so I'm running towards the doors at the same time as Denton arrives.

"Hey Denton!" I say cheerfully.

"Hey, there's my favorite lady newsie," Denton says, smiling.

I smile back. "Ya sound like the otha newsies."

Denton laughs and opens the door for me. I walk inside.

"Hey sleepin' beauty," Jack calls.

I shake my head. "Shut ya stupid mouth."

Everybody sees Denton and a bunch of hey's are exchanged.

"Hey, hey," Denton says, walking up to Jack. He lays a newspaper on the table. "Bigtime."

"Whatcha got there Jack?" Kid Blink asks. We all start leaning over his shoulders.

"Where's me picture? Where's me picture?" Spot asks. Jack swats him away and I stifle a laugh. 

"All them words there, they all about us?" Boots asks.

"Look Jack, ya look like a general!" Mush says, pointing at Jack's smiling face.

Jack brushes him away. "Please get ya fingers off my face."

"Where does it say my name?" Spot asks.

"Would ya quit thinkin' 'bout yaself?" Jack says.

"He can't, he's got a big ego," I say just loud enough for Spot, who I'm standing near, to hear. He doesn't look up but smirks, so I know he heard me.

"Hey, uh, Danny, what's happenin' here?" Race asks, pointing at me on the page. I lean over Jack to look at the picture closely.

I'm standing between Kid Blink, who's smiling at the camera, and Spot, who's smirking. Me, though? I'm looking at Spot, my mouth partly open in shock, eyebrows raised.

Mush glances between Spot, Jack, and I. "Good question. What's happenin'?"

Spot smirks. "Ya see, fellas, she's just so in love with me she can't help but look at me."

I punch his shoulder. "You wish. I ain't in love with nobody." Mush glares at both of us.

"You got us on the front page," Davey says to Denton, drawing the attention away from me.

"You got yourselves on the front page. Now I just gotta make sure you stay there," Denton replies.

"So, what, you get your picture in the papes? So, what's that get you, huh?" Skittery asks.

Mush stands up and looks at Skittery, shoving his shoulder. "Hey whatta you talkin' bout, huh?"

"Hey shut up," Jack says. "You've been in a bad mood all day."

"I ain't been in a bad mood," Skittery says defensively.

"You's been glum and dumb," Race says, shoving Skittery, who runs into Mush. "What's the matta with you? You's in the papes, you famous! You famous, you get anything you want!" He slams his hands on the table. "That's what's so great about New York!"

"A pair of new shoes with matching laces," Mush sings.

"A permanent box at Sheepshead races," Race sings.

"A porcelain tub with boiling water," Spot sings and I almost die right there. His voice is just... perfect.

"A Saturday night with the mayor's daughter!" Kid Blink sings, jumping onto a table.

Race grabs the pape and jumps onto another table. "Look at me! I'm the King of New York! Suddenly, I'm respectable, staring right at ya, lousy with stature."

Jack grabs the pape and leans back onto the table. "Nothing with all the muckity mucks, I'm blowing my dough and going deluxe."

I grab the pape out of his hands. "And there I be, ain't I pretty? It's my city, I'm the Queen of New York."

The boys start fighting for the pape and I step back, getting out of the way.

"Not a bad voice, darlin'," Spot whispers in my ear.

"Right back at ya King of Brooklyn," I say, ignoring Mush's glances.

The signing continues along with dancing on tables. After that, the boys plan for a rally as a waiter brings out a tray of root beer.

Davey grabs a glass and the rest of us follow suit. "Hey guys, to our man Denton."

We all raise our glasses. "To our man Denton!"

We sit around the restaurant for a while longer. I sit at a booth with Kid Blink and Race. I see Mush talking angrily with Jack. After a few more minutes, Mush walks over to Spot and says something. Spot shakes his head, glancing at me, and then back to Mush. Mush walks over to me.

"Can we's talk?" Mush asks.

"If it's 'bout Spot, I don't wanna hear it," I say. "Nothing's happenin'. I ain't falling for him, and I neva will."

Mush stares at me. I stare at him back.

"Fine," Mush says and he walks away.

"That the truth?" Race asks.

"'Bout Spot and I?" I glance over at Spot, who's talking to some of his newsies. I look back at Race. "Yeah, it is."