A Drunken Mess: A Sprace Story.

Chapter 1- Reminisce

"Hey, Spot!" Blink calls "there's a party at Medda's, at nine tomorrow night you comin'?"

"Yeh, sure," Spot answers. "I suppose I can leave Ace in charge for a night."

"Well, see you at Nine, be ready!"

Spot watches as Blink runs to catch Mush, scooping him to his side by his waist as he walks by. Spot sighs and continues walking back over the bridge to Brooklyn. He remembers why he was in Manhattan to begin with. After the strike, Spot had become more friendly with the Manhattan newsies, though many are still frightened of him. Especially Boots. Spot knows each and every one of the boys' closest friends, for: Boots-Snipeshooter, Kidblink-Mush, Jack-Davey, just to name a few. Each one of them had a closer bond with one person out of all. The only one he couldn't work out was Race. Spot had known Race since the age of ten, when Spot caught Race with papes held high on his shoulder, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Admittedly, he tried to soak the also 10-year-old Race for selling on his turf. Race argued back, saying he was only selling at Sheepshead and that it was "not a big deal." Spot put the boy down. He was taken aback. He watched as the boy walked off after picking his papes off the ground. Spot had never had someone argue back with him before, after all he was the King of Brooklyn, but somehow Race didn't care. He saw the boy the next day and decided to apologise for the previous day. Strangely, Spot felt bad for trying to soak him, he couldn't figure out why he was feeling this way towards this boy, he just wanted to know more about him, something was drawing him in, was it those pools of chocolate in his eyes. 'No, he couldn't be, maybe Spot was just having an off day', he recalls thinking, but either way, he apologised and asked the boys' name. The boy answered, "Racetrack but most call me Race", In which Spot replied with, "Well then, I'll call you Racer." Spot still remembers the grin on Race's face, he seemed to find the nickname amusing, Race says, "Ise' best be going to bet on the race."

That was five years ago, and he now sees Race almost every day either entering or leaving Sheepshead. They never really speak, just the occasional nod of the head or hat tip, acknowledging the other was there. Spot begins to think why he couldn't match a friend up to Race. Considering Race was not able to go to Sheepshead due to the strike, he was in Manhattan all the while, but he was always in a group, gambling or standing with a different person each time Spot saw him. Which is when Spot decided to become friends with him. This didn't happen often. Spot didn't have many friends, he scared them away, but the only one he hadn't scare away was Race.

5 years later, and something was still yearning in Spot to find out more about Race. Their first interaction was when all the boys were grouped together before their photo. Race was standing rather uncomfortably, and Spot and Blink were laughing. He decided that he couldn't become friends with him from one measly laugh. The next day rolled around, and they were all sat at Tibbys' when Denton brought the pape round. They were in the papes! In delight, the newsies began singing. They all crowded round the table looking at themselves before Skittery rather grumpily said "So what, you get your pictures in the papes huh, so what's that get ya" Race scolds him for this and smacks him round the face before saying "Ya get your pictures in the papes ya' famous, ya' famous you get anything you want. THAT'S WHAT SO GREAT ABOUT NEW YORK!" Spot remembers watching Race walk past him and recalls his singing voice, 'He can sing...' Spot thought, Race then steals the paper and dances on the table, which got them all laughing. Jack leans back on the table and Race steals back the pape and sings "Look at me, ain't I pretty? I'm the King of New York" Spot nods subconsciously and then realises, 'did I actually just do that... no, I- I can't be. I can't be queer, can I? No, if I were my fellas would- no, I don't want to think about it.' Spot brushed the thought away. Throughout the strike, Spot gets closer to Racetrack. Soon enough, they were laughing over the beating Spot nearly gave him 5 years back.

After reminiscing the whole way back to Brooklyn, he talks with Ace, telling him he has to be in charge tomorrow evening. Ace jumps at the idea eagerly, saying, "I'll do good, Spot, I promise!"

"Yeh, yeh, well, don't mess it up." Spot replies, whilst walking up the stairs to his room.

Spot pulls off his suspenders and shirt and gets into bed, hastily falling asleep after a draining walk from Manhattan.