Brooklyn~~ Spot Conlon x OC

Chapter Eight

I told them not to put me on the goddamn stand. I totally freak in front of crowds. Especially since I don't know them. It was me, Jack, Dave, and Spot standing in the front. I tried to move back slowly to hide from everyone, but Jack kept pulling me forward. People were cheering, but the world was starting to fuzz. I could hardly see Race, who was sitting right in front of me.

"Carrying the banner," Jack shouted, bringing me back to reality. People started cheering and yelling again. I felt shaken. "So, we've come a long way, but we ain't there yet. Maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on, but that's fine. We'll just get tougher with it." Jack's yelling was all I could hear. I knew I was gonna have to say something soon but I really didn't want to.

"But also we gotta get smart and start listening to my pals, David," Jack said, patting us both on the shoulder. I was trying to breathe and I guess Spot could see my hand shaking at my side because he hooked one of his fingers around mine. I'm not sure if anyone could see but at this point, I'm not sure I even care. We both turned our heads to Dave and Jack, waiting for more words to spew from their mouths. "Who says 'Stop soaking the scabs'," Jack finished.

"Hey, look, any scab I see, I soak them. Period," Spot said to Jack. Damn, sassy much? Everyone started cheering at that. Dave rushed to the cleared space in front of us so I took the opportunity to step back out of everyone's main spot of sight. Spot took this opportunity to fully grab my hand instead of just my finger.

"No, no, no, that's what they want us to do. If we get violent, it's just playing into their hands," Davey said. He was right.

Spot let go of my hand and walked closer to Dave. "Hey, look, they're gonna be playing with my hands, all right? Because it ain't what they say, it's what we say," he said.

"And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make 'em," I said sternly. Spot looked at me a but shocked. Everyone started either cheering or fighting. I couldn't tell.

"You got no brains," Jack yelled. "We're starting to fight each other. It's just what the big shots wanna see. That we're street trash. Street rats with no brains, no respect for nothing including ourselves." Everyone started to calm down after he yelled that. "So here's how it is. If we don't act together, then we're nothing. If we don't stick together, we're nothing. And if we can't even trust each other, then we're nothing," Jack yelled. "So what's it gonna be?"

"We're with you, Jack," Race said flatly. They all nodded in agreement.

Spot and I were leaning against one of the pink posts, watching everything play out. Jack turned to him. "So, what do you say, Spot?" Now I was looking at Spot. he seemed to be staring off at everybody else, but I wanted to know what was going on in his head.

"I say that what you say is what I say." I could here the smile in his voice and it made me grin. Jack took in both Spot and Dave's hands. Spot grabbed mine and we raised them in the air to show what we were doing was actually happening. There was no going back now. Spot and I smiled at each other.

Suddenly, all the boys started cheering even louder than before. I turned around to see Medda. I smiled and nodded at her. She started singing her song and while everyone else sang along, Spot never let go of my hand.

All the boys were dancing around with her and having a blast. Spot and I sat at a table with Dave, Jack, and Sarah. Jack and Sarah really seemed to have hit it off. She had a really cheesy smile plastered on her face.

"Guys!" Dave said to get me and Spot's attention. "Don't make a scene, but look over to Denton. He's talking to—"

"Snyder." Spot looked at me and Dave in confusion. "A guy who's tryna take Jack and put him back in the refuge," I explained to him.

"Shit. No way, what do we do?"

Dave created a plan to get Jack away from Snyder as fast as possible, and from the looks of it, Denton seemed to be trying to do just that. Dave and I walked toward Medda while Spot walked the other way. I didn't know what he was going to do and it worried me, but I was in charge of getting everyone out of the way so Jack could get clear through.

I called out to Race to get clear but he wouldn't listen to me.

"What do you want, Joey?"

"Joey," I questioned. No one's ever called me that before except my folks. But, by the time I got my head back in the game, whistles had already begun to blow.

"Shit, shit, shit."

Race immediately became 'gentleman Race' and was slowly starting to escort Medda back to her room safely.

"Jo, what's happenin'?" Mush asked me, scatter-brained.

"Snyder's here looking for Jack. Dave already took him off, we better go before they gets us too," I responded. He looked up for a second before looking back down at me and grabbing me to take me out of the way as well.

"What's gonna happen to Jack if they get him?" he asked again.

"He'll go back to the refuge. We can't let that happen though, alright?"

"You got it, Jo!" Race called from in front of us.

As we got closer to Medda's private rooms, she started calling out to us to stay with her. Race started to walk away before he was kicked in the stomach. Then the same guy punched him in the face and Race grabbed onto a pillar to hold steady.

Medda escaped whoever was holding her back and slapped the guy who hit Race in the face. "He's just a child! Can't you see that? Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" she pleaded. She was being dragged back into her private areas for safety.

"No, drop him! Race!" I called as they dragged him away, hoping someone would listen to me. "Why does no one ever listen to the goddamn girl?" I muttered to myself. I started to run to the other side of the building, hoping to find either Spot or Jack and Dave.

I ran out the doors, but it was even worse outside. Mor officers had more newsies everywhere I looked. I wanted to yell and scream at them to let everyone go, but I knew it was no use. Suddenly, I saw Jack run out the doors with Blink. I knew the exact same thoughts were going through his mind when he saw everyone as well. A horse was about to try and crush him so he ran back to the doors. I hesitated for a moment, watching as they attacked Blink.

I can't help him.

I can't help any of them.

I followed Jack inside to see a horse about to crush him again.

"Hey! No horsing around in the lobby, bucko!" I shouted at the guy who was on the horse. He backed away and Jack ran up the stairs. I was about to follow, but the police beat me to it. He was punched in the jaw and just as quickly, Dave came around the corner with all the newsies left following behind.

All of us clawed our way through the crowd to get back to him. Dave and I both had our hands on him, trying to drag him away from whoever was clutching him, but it was too late.

A/N

First authors note, yay! Anyway, sorry I've been so inconsistent with this fic. It'll be done soon, I promise! This was supposed to be done yesterday but half of it didn't save, so I waited till today. But I'm actually glad I did. I think it's better than earlier. I'll write in more private Spot and Jolynn scenes too. Hope you guys are enjoying it so far!