Ready or Not, Here Comes Brooklyn

Chapter 3: Improving the Truth and A Leap of Faith

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write this chapter!! I will be posting more regularly. (Hopefully😊) Hope you enjoy this new chapter!
Elizabeth Topaz

I watched Jack stand up and rub the kid's head.

David looked put out as he said, "I don't want your papes. Here take them back."

He shoved the papes at Jack. Jack just stared at David as he tried to have them back. Jack's face said, "I want you and your little brother here to be my selling partners along with Pen here."

"No. Absolutely not. We don't need your charity."

"It ain't charity if you have to pay me back. We'll split the money 70, 30 and you get to watch me work."

David scoffed, and Jack mimicked the scoff menacingly.

"That is not a deal or fair." David said still trying to hand Jack back his papes.

"Course it is!" Crutchie said hobbling twords us. "You get to watch the Jack Kelly at work. That is priceless. Most Newsies would give their shoes to have one day selling papes with Jack Kelly."

"If they would give their shoes, he must not be very good at what he does." David rebuffed.

"Actually," said Mush coming up to stand next to me, "He has got to be amazing for a Newsie to give up his shoes. The streets are harsh and shoes are hard to come by when you have got no money."

"Alright," David said defeatedly, "But it still isn't even. 50,50."

"60,40 and i forget the whole thing." Jack said with a smirk.

"Fine."

Jack smiled, spit in his hand, and offered to David to shake. David looked at it with disgust.

"What'sa matta?" Jack said, "Having second thoughts?"

"No." David said then he gestured to Jack's outstretched hand the spit slowly running down his plam, "But that is disgusting."

The Newsies burst out laughing. David looked dumbfounded as he watched us all laugh at him.

"What?!" he said exasperatedly, "It really is disgusting."

Skittery clapped David on the back and said through tears of laughter, "We know. We do it to see how serious you are about the deal. If you are serious about it, you will spit in your hand shake hands. It is also a show of power. If you hesitate or act squeamish, you are automatically placed as a softie. So congrats, Teddy Bear."

Jack chuckled next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He lead me out into the street outside of the distribution center.

"Alright! Listen up!" Jack turned to face the mob of Newsies behind us, "We are Newsies! And wit out us nobody knows nothing! We are what makes New York keep runnin! Carrying The Banna!"

"Carryin the Banna!" The Newsies echo loudly causing everyone on the street to turn and stare. When they saw we were Newsies they all started heading towards us to buy papers.

All the Newsies started selling their papes and heading off in separate directions. Jack led Les, David, and I down the street to a boxing ring in the middle of the street surrounded by drunk men and people smoking cigarettes and cigars. He led us into the thick of the crowd and the smoke immediately made me start coughing.

"Are you okay?" Asked David looking at me with a concerned expression on his face.

I nodded as I continued to hack up a lung.