STRIKE! ; davey jacobs

EIGHT

viii. WHAT A SELLOUT

JOSEPHINE STOOD WITH THE NEWSIES
even with jack being gone, she refused to leave her boys. it wasn't just jack anymore. not like when she had only known him. she loved these boys. "racetrack! racetrack i need your help!" david had shouted, pulling racetrack in by his shirt. "i hear you! i ain't deaf!" racetrack shouted back, shoving david off. josephine placed a hand on david's back, rubbing comfortingly. "knock it off, boys! come on!" she shouted, glaring at a few older boys that were bickering. spot had broken up a small fight between two younger newsies, "break it up. break it up." he told them. they answered instantly, too afraid to not listen to spot conlon.

"just tell me i'm seeing things. just tell me i'm seeing things." spot had said, looking at who was walking out of the circulation gates. josephine's face dropped when she saw jack in a suit. "you're not seeing things. that's jack!" racetrack shouted. josephine pushed in besides spot and race, "he's dressed like those scabs!"

"jack? jack, look at me, will ya? come on, it's
me, mush. look at me. what are you doin', jack?" mush sounded as betrayed as everyone felt. jack was refusing to look at everyone. "this ain't happening. this can't be happening. what are you doin' jack? come on, what are you doin'?" kid blink shouted. boots shouted too, "come on. what is this? where you get them clothes?"

"mr. pulitzer picked them out himself. a special gift to a special new employee." wiesel said, smirking. josephine shook her head. "he sold us out!" spot exclaimed. "i'll give you a new suit! you bum! i'll soak ya!" racetrack shouted at jack, trying to push past the policemen. "let me get my hands dirty! come here you dirty rotten scabber! traitor!" spot shouted, trying to jump over the police to get to jack with his cane. the newsies had to pull spot back and behind a bunch of them just to calm him down and stop him from the potential danger of the policemen.

josephine and david stared at jack. both couldn't believe what they were seeing. "you two want to talk to him? come on, come on. go right ahead." wiesel said. josephine and david were allowed past the line of policemen.

"so, this is why you didn't escape last night. you're a liar! you lied about everything. you lied about your father being out west, 'cause he's not out west! you didn't even tell me your real name! you made jo lie to everyone for you!" david exclaimed, glaring at jack. jack shrugged, "so? what you wanna do about it dave?" "i don't understand you." david sighed, shaking his head. josephine couldn't even bring herself to say anything to jack.

"oh, so let me spell it out for ya. you see, i ain't got nobody
tucking me in at night, like you. it's just me, i gotta look out for myself." jack stated. josephine shook her head, "no. i care about you, jack! i looked out for you every chance i got!" "what's that mean to me now, jo? hanging out at irving hall for a night before you go home?" jack asked, not caring how his words stung. josephine's face fell. she could hear kid blink and skittery yell something at him from the crowd. even racetrack and spot were angered even more by his words.

"and you had the newsies." david said, glaring at jack now. jack rolled his eyes, "oh, what'd being a newsies ever give me but a dime a day and a few black eyes? you know, i can't afford to be a kid no more, dave.  for the first time in my life, I got money in my pockets. real money. money, you understand? i got more on the way and as soon as i collect, i'm gone, i'm away. alright?" "well, that's good. that's good because we don't need you! we don't need you! all those words you said, those were mine." david snapped. jack shrugged, "yeah, but you never had the guts to put them across yourself, didja?" "i do now." david stated. he began to walk away, but stopped and looked at josephine. "don't you ever, talk down to david like that, sullivan. you hear me?" jack said nothing, the boy just stared ahead as if josephine wasn't even there. he knew it would make her mad, she hated when people didn't acknowledge her, especially men.

josephine lunged forward, but david caught her, pulling her back. "maybe you'd like that ring on your finger, hmm? my nephew would be happy to slip it on there." that's when it hit her, this was the uncle she had heard about. of course, he worked at the world. she knew that. "never! i'd rather die than marry that prick!" josephine fought against david's grip, but it was no use. especially with the police pulling the two back. both teens were shoved back into the group of newsies. "you hear me, sullivan! you're worst than that prick! you're a backstabber and traitor!" josephine spat. she was still fighting against david's grip. now skittery and kid blink were also added to the equation. holding the girl back as jack and police made their way through the crowd. "i'll find you and soak you for what you said to davey! i promise you francis!"

"he's foolin' 'em, so he can spy on 'em or something. yeah, yeah, that's it. he's foolin' 'em!" les had said, looking up at josephine. les threw himself into josephine, hugging her tightly. it made her stop fighting against the other boy's grips and then her eyes watered as she nodded. "yeah, he's spyin'." racetrack said. the boys all looked at josephine, worried for how she was taking it seeing as she knew him the longest. she hugged les back, assuring him that it would be okay. "come on, les." she looked at david. "i'm going to take him home, is that okay?"

david nodded, "yeah. come on." david pulled her into a hug. he allowed himself to give her a small kiss on the head. "i'll see you guys, tomorrow. maybe." david mumbled. josephine held hands with les and they walked ahead of david.

"ya know, i think she needs someone right now. jack and her have been friends since they were little." skittery mumbled, looking at david. kid blink nodded, "it's hurting her more than she's letting on, david." "go, she needs you more than we need you here." racetrack said. david nodded, going after his little brother and josephine.

david's family was surprised to see josephine with the boys. since the rally, they expected that she'd be back at work. "josephine, do you want something to eat?" ester offered. the teen shook her head, "um, i was heading back out. going to go to irving hall. i have work tonight." josephine wanted to be alone. she needed to be alone. she didn't want anyone seeing her cry over something like what jack kelly had said to her. les had given the girl another hug which led her to crying, "thanks les." "can't you stay?" the little boy asked. "hey, i'll see you tomorrow, okay? i'll be here first thing in the morning? i promise." josephine said. she wiped away at her face, shaking her head at herself. les nodded, "okay."

david have the girl a hug, "i'll walk you." "thanks, davey." josephine mumbled.