We continued to sit in silence and Jack started to look annoyed and frustrated, and it felt like he would just stand up and leave at any moment. Just say something, Race! You wanted to talk to him for a reason, so just do it!
"... I missed you"
"Yeah, I heard about that. Look, you can drop the act now"
"What act?"
"You might act like you cared so much about me in front of the others, and you can ask Albert about that, he is that convinced that you missed me, but you would be the last person in this Lodging House who would actually give a crap about me. Why would you start now?"
"Jack, I have always cared about you! I never stopped. And the others still care about you too. It is just that they are too upset with you to admit it"
"Yeah, I noticed"
"Look, Jack. What I am trying to say is that I never meant to make you leave like that when... that night happened. I admit that I just wanted to hurt you, but it went too far and it was too much, even for me"
"Look, just like what I have told Albert, Crutchie and Jojo, there is nothing that you guys can do that will make me leave any of you that easily. I am not like that and all of you should know that"
"So, why did you leave? Because it was clear to me that you left because of us"
"Well, to be honest, I have told the others that I left because I didn't think that anyone would trust me anymore or even miss me, but I also think that I just left because I just couldn't handle the guilt anymore or being reminded of the hurt and betrayed faces that all of you had"
"... Why did you say that speech at the rally in the first place?"
"... When I went to Pulitzer's office to invite him to the rally, the Spider was there and Pulitzer threatened to have all of you thrown into the Refuge and beaten if I didn't shut down the strike, so I just did what I had to do to protect all of you". That is why he said that speech? Why didn't he tell us?
"How come you never told us the truth?"
"Would any of you have believed me if I did? Besides, I deserved all of the bad treatment"
"No, you didn't! You never deserved any of that! I really did deserve that punch to the face", I muttered that last part to myself, but Jack heard it.
"No, don't say that. I'm sorry that I punched you like that. I should have never reacted like that"
"But I deserved it!"
"It doesn't matter if you deserved or not, I never liked when any of you guys hurt each other and I wanted any of you to do that, and that includes me, so I never should have reacted that way"
"You are something else, you know that, Jack?"
"I could say the same thing about you, but I really did appreciate the rescue from Harlem. Sorry that I didn't make that clear, but... thank you"
"You did the same thing for me many times before. Like remember how we met?"
"How could I ever forget that? You cost me a lot of money when you knocked those papers out of my hands and into that mud puddle"
"I said that I was sorry! Anyways, you took me to the Lodging House and told me that we were going to be brothers forever?"
"Yeah, I remember that"
(FLASHBACK: EIGHT YEARS AGO)
Once again, I was running away from the Spider and his bulls. I ran around the corner to escape them, but as I did that, I ran into another boy that looked to be around the same age as me, and that caused me to fall onto the ground and caused him to drop all of his newspapers into the mud puddle.
"What even was that, Kid?! You just ruined all of the papers that I needed to sell! Now, I have to buy more. You better have some explaining to do". He looked upset, but then, he calmed down once he had a good look at me. I had some bruising around my face and I was wearing tattered clothing, but I didn't care about that. I just needed to escape from the Spider.
"Look, I am sorry about your papers, but I am being chased by Snyder and I need to escape from him!". The older kid looked like he understood the situation, then he looked around.
"Hide in the alleyway next to us. I will distract them for you". I did what he asked me to do, then I saw Snyder and his bulls come toward him.
"You! Have you seen a kid come around here?!"
"I have seen a lot of kids around this streets everyday, Spider. Which one do you want?"
"Don't play games with me, Boy, or I can throw you in the Refuge myself!"
"I am just telling the truth! I don't know what kid you are talking about! I just have seen a lot of kids around here, so I don't know which one you are looking for!"
"I don't have time to deal with you. Come on! Let's get out of here!". Once all of them left and were out of sight, the older kid waved over to me and I came out of the alleyway.
"Thank you for that"
"Don't mention it, no-one deserves to be put inside the Refuge"
"You have been there?"
"More times than I ever would have liked. Anyways, it is not safe for you to be out here. Do you have folks? I could walk you home?"
"No, I don't"
"Then why don't you come with me? I am a newsie, so you can have a job and a place to live"
"Yes, I would love that"
"Ok, let's go now"
"But what about your papers? Don't you need to sell them?"
"They are ruined anyways. Besides, I still have some money left over, so I can just tell the weasel that I sold them. I still get paid either way"
"Ok, what is your name?"
"Jack Kelly. What's ours?"
"Anthony Higgins"
"Wait a minute, I heard about you. One of the boys said that they lost money to you at the racetracks"
"Not my fault! We made a bet and my horse won the race. I won the bet fair and square!"
"Actually, that gives me an idea. Why don't we call you Racetrack? It could be your newsie name"
Racetrack? I think I like that. "I like it"
"Great"
"You know, Jack. Even though we just met, I think that we could be good friends"
"Hey. You are a newsie now, so now we are our brothers. And we are going to be brothers forever"
(END OF FLASHBACK)
"I could never forget that day. Best day of my life. I gained a new brother and I didn't have to sell papers that day"
"But I forgot about that day. You have always been there for me, for all of us. And how do we repay you? We treated you like trash and I destroyed your art book: something that was very personal for you. I'm so sorry, Jack. I never should have done that"
"Race- -"
"I brought you a present. I paid for it with my own money". I handed him the box, then he opened it. He was shocked at what was inside: a new art book. "I know that it won't replace the one that I destroyed, but it was the best thing that I could think of. I just wanted to somehow make it up to you, Jack". He continued to look at the art book and he didn't say anything. I was worried that he didn't like it, but then, he stood up and hugged me.
"Race, you didn't have to do that for me. You should have used your money like that"
"But it doesn't matter, Jack. I own it to you that much"
"Thank you. I appreciate it"
"Are we still friends?"
"Friends? Are you kidding me?". Ok, I guess that I shouldn't be that surprised. "We are brothers, Race. And you are always going to be my brother"
"I missed you"
"I know. That was the first thing that you said, but I missed you. I missed all of you". I am glad that I got my brother back. I hope that he doesn't leave us again.