All is fair in Love and Strikes (Sprace)

Chapter 20 | Race

I heard gasps as I stumbled through the doorway and crashed onto my bed. "The hell Race, you'se okay?" Someone said, rushing over. I couldn't tell who it was. My head was starting to get foggy from the delayed side effects of getting your ass kicked.

"Oh no I'm fine," I scoff. "Just left candyland after dancin' with fairies".

"Quick, getta rag and some wata," they said to no one in particular.

Before I knew it there was a crowd of boys surrounding me and cold, wet rags on just about every newly-acquired bruise on my body. I groaned. "Hey, Hey Racer take it easy kid." I could finally distinguish the voice. It was Jack. I smirked, pawing at the rag covering my shiner.

"Hey Jacky-boy."

"You'se certainly gotta good soakin'," Mush laughed. "What happened out dere?"

"Few boys screwed me ova."

"No shit," Blink said, rolling his eyes, or eye.

"Fine, a couple o' guys came up to me when I was about ta start headin' ta Sheepshead. Dey asked who I was, socked me in the face, I kinda started pushin' they're buttons, and low an' behold... here I am."

"Could ya tell who they were?"

"Nah, but surprise, surprise, dey think I've toined they're leada soft."

The boys looked up from me and all made eye contact in the middle. "Brooklyn."

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"Woah, woah, woah," I said, hastily sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I winced from my aching body and firmly held one of the rags to my eye. "Jack. that's a horrible idea. You gotta death wish or somthin'?"

"Lay back down Race, you're still hoirt," Jack protested.

I stood up, half out of spite, causing me to wince again. "No Jack. I won't lay down while you'se bouncin' around the idea of goin' over ta Brooklyn on my behalf. Thei'ah guys are twice ya size and we don't need a war ta start. Otha boroughs will start takin' sides and it'll be a wreck! We just got outta a strike foah Christ's sake! Can we just be normal?" I was almost begging now. All I wanted was to go back to the days where we were happily selling newspapers and fighting over selling spots, not starting borough wars.

"He's right Jack," David said. The Jacobs were back in school, but they would still stop by frequently. Especially Davey, who would come over to talk to Jack. Jack would also sometimes go to Davey's place, mostly to suck off Sarah's face, which me, Mush, Blink, and Davey all found disgusting. "A war between the boroughs is the last thing we need right now, especially against Brooklyn."

"Well we can't jus' lettem think this is okay!" Jack roared back, pointing at my injuries. "Plus dey kinda collectively agreed Spot isn't really their leada anymore so we'se don't gotta worry about the big, scary King O' Brooklyn!"

"Watch ya mouth," I grumbled. He looked at me half apologetically.

"Jack, sometimes ya just gotta let things slide," Blink said softly, holding on to Mush's hand. Mush yanked it out and stomped over to Jack's side. "Jackie's right! We can't just let em think we'se just gonna toin our backs on dis. This is a real issue, with real people. We'se gotta stand up fo' ourselves!"

I groaned and flopped back on my bed, carefully this time. They really didn't need to go risk their lives for me.

"I say we do it." All the boys turned to the doorway where Sarah was standing. "Jack and Mush are right." Jack smiled at his girlfriend's sudden appearance.

"Ight then. I'se need all the olda kids, the ones who can make at least half a coherent decision. Mush, Kid-Blink, Davey, Bumlets, Crutchie, Sarah, Itey, Dutchy, and Specs. Get ova he'ah and let's vote," Jack said, waving them over to the corner of the room. Goddammit. I don't get a say and odds are with the recklessness of the boys we're gonna be starting a mcfucking borough war.

Give or take five minutes later, after a few raised hands and much arguing, the group came back over. "Decision is made, we'se goin' to Brooklyn," Jack said, rubbing his hands together.

I scoff. "Bullshit. I don't even get a say in a matter that concerns me."

"Yeah, well you'se still woulda lost four ta seven," Jack retorted, passive aggressively.

I groaned. Well fuck me twice and pluck out my eyes this is a stupid fucking plan.

happy birthday i'm back. sorry for the short chapter but hey at least there's one at all. i think i finally know where i'm going with this story. does that mean you'll like it? *silence* yeah hope you had/have a great day and don't be like me reading mothman x reader and scouring wattpad at 1:18 on a school night

-newt