*This is a heavily rewritten chapter because it was in desperate need of editing. Sorry it took so long to update. You can thank my procrastination and busy school schedule.
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Pushing through the doors, I see David waiting outside alone. Looking around, I didn't see Les anywhere. "David, where's Les?" I ask. I hope Les was coming with us so it wasn't just us two.
"Jack said he'd take him home so we didn't have to take him with us to Brooklyn." David answers. My hope crashes with that sentence. David walks over to me, standing at my side. "So how do we get to Brooklyn?" he asks, somewhat timid.
Taking a deep breath, I steady myself. This won't be that bad. Looking up, I give him a strained smile. "You know the spot where I sell at?"
He nods at me, his brows scrunch in confusion.
"Well just on the other side of that bridge is Brooklyn and I happen to know someone who can take us to Spot. Follow me."
I lead the way to the bridge and David follows behind. A silence filled the air between us that was both comfortable but it felt as if we both had something to say. As we walked, I would sneak of few glances at him out of the corner of my eye when he wasn't paying attention. My mind drifts off to what Katherine said about him liking me. After considering it, I dismissed the idea with the shake of my head. Then I started thinking: Do I like him? I didn't think so. Sneaking another glance, he catches me this time and smiles at me. I turned my face away and pretend nothing happened. I hear his small laugh at my actions and my heart fluttered at the sound.
Frowning at myself, I push away the feeling, refusing to accept that I might be developing feelings for him. Letting people in and caring for them terrifies me. Against my better judgement, I learned to care for Crutchie, Race, and Jack but I never let myself get too close to the others. Sure, I really like and I'm friendly with the boys but I have to remind myself too often not to let them in. Not to let myself care for them too much. Caring for people and then losing them caused too much pain. I've experienced enough to know to letting David in will probably result in more heartbreak but a small part of me, the stupid part, was telling me to ignore my brain and follow what I was starting to feel.
I sigh in relief as we reach the bridge, grateful to turn my mind back to the task at hand. Hurrying across, I spot Skittery and start waving at him. He waves back once he recognizes who I am.
"Books, what ya doing on Brooklyn's side of the bridge?" Skit questions as David and I approach.
Smiling sweetly at him, "Skit I need ya ta do me a favor." I say.
He looks suspiciously between me and David, cautious at the mention of a favor. He jerks his chin up at David. "Who's the kid?"
Waving my hand, I silence David before he could speak, anxious to get to Spot quick. "This is David. He's new."
"The names Skittery but most people call me Skit." Skit sticks his hand out and they both shake hands. I tap my foot, waiting for the introductions to be over with.
"Pleasure to meet ya."
"Any friend of Books is a friend of mine." Skit turns back to me. "So what do ya need?"
"I need ya to take to me see Spot Conlon."
Skit freezes in place, fear takes over his visibly pale face, eyes widening. "What! Why?"
"That's between us and Spot. Jack sent us on business. Now can you take us or not?"
Skit clears his throat, composing himself. "Eh, I can but yous on ya own once ya there."
"Why are you so scared? Spot's your leader. Shouldn't he be your friend?" David interrupts. I watch, interested, at what Skit will say.
Skit takes a moment to gather his thoughts. "Spot is our leader and he got our backs but he can be very intimidating. He earned tha name King for a reason and Ise would hate ta be on tha wrong side of the King."
I look to David unimpressed before following Skit. He leads us down to Brooklyn's docks and I'm not surprised this is where Spot would be. It has a nice view compared to my docks on Manhattan's side. Skit stops us before we get closer. "Yous on ya own now. I gotta run." He warns.
"Thanks Skit. I owe ya one." I tip my hat at him as he leaves. David pokes my arm to get my attention. Following where his hand was pointed, I see a boy with brown hair near some stacked wooden crates and flats. Looking sideways at David, I jerk my head in Spot's direction. "Let's go meet the King."
"Wait! You sure about this?" David asks, looking concerned.
Chuckling, I poke fun at him. "You're not getting scared, are ya?"
"Everyone else seems afraid of him. There's gotta be a reason for that. Just.. be careful." He pleads. If I didn't know any better, I'd say David Jacobs was worried about me.
I give him a smile, hoping it would calm him down. "Careful is my middle name David Jacobs." Sliding up to him, I place a hand on his back. "Now let's go. Can't keep him waiting." I push David forward and stride towards the King.
As we get closer I see Spot setting up glass bottles on a crate. Walking away, he glances at us and then turns away, facing the bottles. Pulling out a slingshot, he aims, bringing the slingshot eye level and concentrates on his targets. I stand, arms crossed and glaring, waiting for him to say something. He ignores us and fires at a bottle, shattering it. He fires again and three more explode, the broken glass crashes to the ground. We wait in silence, my patience was being tested but I wasn't going to be the one to break the silence. I wasn't giving Spot the satisfaction.
David looks at me worried, his face showing his growing anxiety. I could feel him shifting uncomfortably next to me. The worry fades slightly when I mouth the words "Trust me" and give him a, hopefully, comforting smile. My hand reaches out before my brain can catch up with my actions. My fingertips brush his hand just as Spot calls out "So what are two Manhattan Newsies doin on my turf?"
Letting my hand fall to my side, ignoring David's stare, I hide my small smile of satisfaction at Spot speaking first. "Ise take it ya heard about the strike?"
He aims at the last bottle. Firing, he strikes true, the broken shards join the pile of glass at the foot of the crate. "I might of."
"So are ya willing to help us?" With that, he turns to look at me. Surprise and delight light up his eyes at the realization that I am a girl. Despite the distance between us, I can tell that the great "King" of Brooklyn is hardly taller than me, we're almost eye level which amuses me. He must have a big personality to make up for the lack of height.
Tucking his slingshot in his pocket, he saunters to me and stops, invading my personal space. The close proximity unnerves me, my breath quickens involuntarily but force myself to breathe normally, refusing to show any discomfort. Fighting the urge to step back, I refuse to let him think that he could intimidate me. Beside me, David tenses up, ready to step in if Spot tries anything.
"Well, hello there doll." Spot smirks at me. His eyes scan me up and down, the look on his face makes me sick to my stomach.
"Don't call her that." David pulls me behind him, shielding me, before I could spit in Spot's face.
Rolling my eyes, I push myself in front of him, turning to face David. Placing a hand on David's chest, I scowl at him. "I can take care of myself." David holds his hands up in surrender and backs up half a step but continues to glare at Spot.
"Is he ya bodyguard doll?" Spot laughs behind me.
Whipping around, I step closer to him, pissed off. "No. I'm tha one that will pick you up and throw you over the docks if you don't speak to me with respect. You may intimidate others but you don't scare me one bit King." I snarl in his face. He's taken aback but recovers quickly.
"Don't talk ta me like that." Spot growls but the threat falls flat. I've thrown him off.
"Then don't talk ta me like I'm an object." I glare at him until he drops his eyes. Satisfied that he'll listen now, I continue, softer. "Spot, the newsies need ya help. Manhattan may be tha one in trouble but Pulitzer will come after Brooklyn next and we won't be able to stop him without your help. All the newsies look to you. Don't let them down."
"How do I know ya won't run at the first sign of trouble? How can I trust that ya won't run off at the first sign of bulls? I can't risk my boys for that." He crosses his arms, taking a defensive stance.
"We won't. I promise. Our boys aren't scared of the bulls. We're willing to fight." I hear him say behind me and I turn my head to look at hi.. Determination fills his every word. He really believes in this cause now and I hate to admit it but his determination is rubbing off on me. David looks to me for approval and support. I nod at him, smiling slightly, and David smiles back, relieved.
"I want ta believe ya. I really do but I can't risk it. I need ya to convince me." Spot doesn't sound like he believes us at all.
"How can we convince ya when ya refuse to show up ?" I say, frustrated. Spot says nothing. My anger starts to rise as I realize that Spot already decided not to help us before we even showed up. "Some leader you are. Think about that while we're fighting to save you." I spit out. Spot's face fills with fury and it pleases me that I'm getting to him. Spot lunges at me but David pulls me back, my back hitting his chest, before he could catch me. It wasn't necessary, since I didn't need his protection, but a small part of me, underneath all my anger, thought it was a nice gesture.
"Okay, time to go." David quickly mutters under his breath as he backs away, taking me with him, from Spot.
"You and yous boyfriend just run away now! I betta not see in you in Brooklyn again!"
"Just think about it!" David hurriedly calls over his shoulder, leading me away from a seething Spot and on our way back home. His arm locked over my shoulders keeps me from going back to give Spot a black eye. Leaning down, David whispers in my ear. "Maybe pissing off the leader of Brooklyn wasn't the best idea."
"He was never going to help us! He was just toying with us!" I want to scream out in frustration but Spot is still in earshot.
"I know," David says sympathetically. "I know." He repeats softer, squeezing my shoulder. I let him keep his arm around me. It was a comfort to the utter defeat I was feeling. How was I gonna tell Jack that Brooklyn wasn't joining and it was probably my fault because I had to make the King of Brooklyn mad?
I force a deep breathe out of my body, attempting to calm down. Then I noticed David was silent next to me. "Why are you not angry?"
"I am angry. Just not because Spot won't help us." Studying his face, David was staring straight ahead, jaw tense and eyes glaring. David's arm gripping me suddenly seemed to be anchoring him to me just as much as it was holding me back from Spot. I didn't realize how much Spot got under his skin until this moment.
"What are you angry for then?" I ask, genuinely curious yet concerned. David didn't seem like the angry type. We might argue but then he was more annoyed than mad and he was never truly angry-not like now. The unaffected facade he put out in front of Spot was gone now.
David clenches his jaw before answering. "Because he had no reservations about hurting you. He would've and I--it made me want to hurt him." He admitted- his voice low and frustrated. David abruptly remove his arm from around my shoulders and shoves his hands in his pockets. I suppress a shiver running down my spine from the sudden lack of warmth, annoyed at the chill. It's the middle of the goddamn day. I shouldn't get cold.
"You're angry because Spot would hit a girl?" I asked, unimpressed. The notion that somehow a guy hitting a girl is worse than a guy hitting a guy AND guys feel the need to protect girls is ridiculous.
"No. I'm angry because Spot would hit you because-" David cuts himself off, taking his cap off with to mess with it, trying to find the words to express what he wants to say, what he's feeling. As he remains silent, I grew uncomfortable and surprised at the realization that it really wasn't about me being a girl-just me being me. I guess I'm not used to the idea of people caring about me, even Jack and Crutch caring about me seems limited in time like I'll wake up one day and they'll be gone or just stop caring.
"To be fair, I started that fight but...thank you for having my back." I admitted, even though I didn't need him to protect me. Strangely, it felt odd but good to have someone to support me.
"Anytime." Giving me a sideways smile as he pulls his cap back on, covering his messy hair.
I let the silence hang between us for a moment. But then our little problem starts nagging at the back of my brain.
"What am I going to tell Jack? I failed." I quietly admit, still angry and defeated.
"Look at me." I raise my eyes to meet his. " You did not fail. You did your best. It's up to Spot about whether he wants to be a coward or a leader."
"Well.. maybe I could have yelled less." I cringe. Any other time, it would've been hilarious to put the King of Brooklyn in his place but we needed him, as much as I hate to admit it, and I blew our chance.
To my surprise, David bursts out laughing, his body shaking with it, and his laugh, infectious, spreads to me. "I think I would be more scared of you than Spot Conlon when you're mad."
"Don't be!" Giggling, unable to help it, I poke his side, although a big part of me was pleased that I could be intimidating. My anger and frustration dissipates at the sound of our laughter. I'm left feeling light... and happy because of David Jacobs. Reluctantly, I didn't push away my feelings this time, I just kept smiling, my heart skipping a beat. Maybe I could allow myself to enjoy being happy with David.
We fell into step, my arm almost brushes his as we walk, and make our way to the bridge and halting before we cross over to Manhattan. "I guess you should be head home. Don't need to be stuck with me anymore." I said, trying to play it off as a joke, and tuck a stray hair behind my ear.
"Maybe I don't wanna head home yet." David mutters so low I almost couldn't hear.
"Maybe I don't want ya to head home yet." My words slip out of my mouth before I could stop them. Refusing to look him in the eye, the tips of my ears grow warm as I utter those words, pulse quickening with nervousness. I can't believe I just said that.
"I could walk you back to the Lodge?" David asks, hopeful, after a beat. I watch as his feet shuffle around, betraying his nervousness too. It makes me feel a little better.
Slowly and shly, I smile at him, stepping closer. "I'd like that a lot."
His demeanor changes from shy to comical in seconds. Taking a step back and bowing dramatically, David offers me his arm. "Milady."
"Oh shut it David." I shove him and he stumbles a few steps, laughing. David straightens up and offers me his arm again. This time I take it.
"You know, you can call me Davey." David says, eyes focused ahead but with a small smile on his face.
"I thought you didn't like Davey?" I tease him.
"It's starting to grow on me." Glancing down at me, he stares at me long enough for me to grow uncomfortable, despite the flutter in my heart. At that flutter, I broke eye contact and focused on the road beneath my feet while cursing myself for reacting for some silly love-struck girl.
We only walked a couple of blocks before I started smelling something heavenly and my stomach reacted to that smell, loudly. Pulling back on David's arm, I make him stop and he turns to look at me, worried. Lifting my nose, I start to sniff the air, the smell is familiar but i can't place it yet. "Davey, do you smell that?" The shop to the right of me was a tailor shop but looking further down the shop windows I saw a sign for a bakery.
"What are you talking about?"
Squealing with delight, I run down to the window, dragging poor David with me, ignoring his question. Behind the glass, breads, cookies, chocolates, and pastries dominated my view and I'm pretty sure I started drooling, which was embarrassing. Then, my eyes drifted to the prices set up near the display and my stomach dropped as well as my smile. I take a couple of steps back, prepared to leave. Against my will, my stomach growled loudly. My hands fly to my stomach trying to silence it but it was too late, David heard it.
"Someone's a little hungry." David says, amused.
"Uh, no. I'm not." I felt ashamed that I couldn't afford the food and I'd rather not explain that to David. I needed every cent to pay rent at The Lodge. I couldn't just waste it.
"But--"
I cut him off with a sharp wave of my hand. "David, I said I'm not. Let's just go." As much as I wanted to, I couldn't afford to buy any of those baked goods. Turning on my heels, I try to walk away but tense up when David grabs my wrist, holding me back.
"What's the matter? Don't you want to eat something?¨ He asked, looking genuinely concerned. He doesn't understand.
Lowering my head to hide my embarrassment, I stare down at my dirt-covered boots and mutter out, hoping this will end the conversation. "I can't afford it Davey. Let's just leave."
It didn't.
I feel him pause and hear his soft "Oh". But then his demeanor changes to something playful and comical. "Well, it's a good thing I'm hungry. I could use a bite to eat." He actually winks -winks- at me and waltzes into the bakery with me trailing behind him.
"David, what are you doing? Do not buy me food!" I hiss, my annoyance growing. I swear if he was trying to buy me food I was going to hit him.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He retorts faking innocence, staring straight ahead as he looks around the bakery. Ignoring me, he hands the baker coins in return for two pastries as I glare, arms crossed, at his back. Facing me, David proudly holds up the food, a grin taking over his face. Eyes narrowed, lips pursed, I direct my annoyance to him.
"You're such a little--"
David stops me from finishing: Bending down, he taps my nose with a finger, chiding me, causing me to scrunch up my nose. "Hey! Be nice. Or else I'll be eating both of these."
As much as I wanted to refuse him, my stomach wanted food more. So I pout my lips and say in a sugary sweet tone, "Please forgive me." Despite my obvious faked sweetness, David relented, giving me a pastry and a amused look. Taking it, I pause and give him a genuine smile.
"Thank you Davey."
"Don't worry about it. It was nothing" He brushes off my thanks in between mouthfuls.
"Stop that. I am trying to thank you for doing something that you didn't need to do."
"I didn't need to..but I wanted to." David says quietly and stops for a moment. "I'm sure my family can spare a few cents." He adds in a lighter tone, watching me, although I know it's probably a lie. Holding my gaze, neither of us break eye contact; the intensity of a simple stare makes my breath hitch. Reluctantly, I lower my eyes, clearing my throat, and take a bite of my food. I almost moan at the deliciousness of it. I haven't had anything this good in a long time, other than the dinner at David's.
As I start eating I start to realize how hungry I am. I can't remember the last time I actually at a meal. My body is a little thinner than I remember. Not that I'm all skin and bones but I've definitely lost some weight. Now I'm really grateful for the warm pastry David bought me. Halfway through the pastry, I comment almost as an afterthought "You know, I used to want to be a baker when I was little."
"You did?" His eyes crinkled in delight, laughter dancing in them.
I nod. "I used to watch my mom take these simple things--sugar, butter, flour-- and create the most delicious things and it amazed me. I was her little shadow in the kitchen, watching her nonstop until I knew how to bake and then she let me help her. I felt this kind of.." I paused, trying to find the right word, "..unadulterated happiness when I had my hands covered in flour, creating something new. That feeling was unlike anything else..." I trail off, realizing that I was rambling. Looking to David, I see him giving me a surprised but wide smile. Like he didn't expect me to say so much about my past. Laughing to cover my embarrassment, I throw my hands over my face, hiding my grimace and red cheeks. "Sorry, that was embarrassing. You didn't want to know that."
"Act-Actually I did."
My hands fall down to my sides and I look to him, surprised. "You did?"
He rubs at the back of his neck, "Yeah, I did..I wanna know more about you."
"Why would you wanna do that?"
"I told you. You intrigue me."
"Oh, okay." I didn't know what to say so I just finished my food instead. David stay silent next to me, hands in his pockets and we reached the Lodge without saying anything else.
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, I shuffle on my feet in front of David. "Thanks for walking me back."
"I had a good time." David admits, smiling down at me.
"Me too" I agree, smiling slowly in return. Standing in front of the Lodge, we just stare at each other, not waiting to say goodbye but not knowing what to say either, before I turn to walk up the stairs. I hear David's footsteps gradually walking away. Halting, I spin around and call out to him before I can stop myself. "Davey!" David turns back, equal parts puzzled and interested.
"I know I hate people questioning me but I don't mind with you. Oddly enough, I trust you enough to want to tell you things about me" I bite my lip at the embarrassment at that statement. It is true though. I may have only know David for a short time but there's something about him that makes feel comfortable enough to open up.
"I feel that way too." The statement warms my heart.
"Well maybe next time we can talk about you and not me." I joke.
"Next time." He promises, grinning.
"Goodnight Davey."
"Goodnight Texas" He laughs as I roll my eyes at the nickname. Deciding it's best to end the night at that, I turn away from David and head into the Lodge.