Spot Conlon: A New Adventure [2]

Chapter 8

*Jazzer's POV*

"So, Ise saw youse talkin' ta Spot." Race says, comin' up onto da roof wit and standin' next ta me. 

"Yea. So?" Ise ask, confused. 

"So... do youse like him?" He asks. 

Ise jump. "What! Me? Like him? No! He ain't... he's so annoyin'! Smirkin' all da time, so full o' his-self. He's.... blech." Ise say, pretendin' ta throw up. Race laughs. Ise punch him. 

"What was dat foi?" He asks, glarin' at me. 

"Thinkin' Ise like Spot. Who else thinks dat?" 

Race stays silent. 

"Race..." Ise say warningly. 

Race sighs, and stands straight. "Everyone. But Ise didn't put nutin' into their heads. They all saw da whole thing." 

"Foi youse information, Ise was busy out smartin' him. And beatin' people up while he was just standin' there, lettin' his newsies in. In bein' grossed out dat Ise was standin' next ta Spot in da pitcha. Ise don't like dat. Ise was shoved there. Please tell me youse ain't got nutin' ta do wit dat." Ise say, pointin' me finga at him accusingly. He holds up his hands in mock surrenda, and shakes his head. 

Ise go inside and change into me night gown in me bathroom. 

Do Ise like Spot Conlon? What kinda dumb question was dat?  Ise think angrily. When Ise done, Ise head to bed. 

"Hey, Jazzer." Mush says. 

"If youse gonna ask 'bout Spot, don't. Foi youse information, Ise hate him. He ain't nutin' but a newsie dat's full o' his-self dat smirks all da time." Ise snap at him. 

Mush raises his hands in surrenda. As Ise crawl unda me blankets, Ise hear him whisper, "Yep, she like 'im, fellas." 

"No Ise do not." Ise say slowly. No one said nutin' afta dat. 

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Ise wake up early, as usual, and change. When Ise come back, da bois are already dressed and sittin' in a circle.

"What is dis?" Ise ask. Da bois look around at each odda. 

Suddenly, Ise know. "Oh, no, don't youse think foi a second dat Ise like him. He ain't worth it." 

Race comes up to me. "Don't be so defensive." He says. "Wese ain't gonna talk 'bout it any more, broddas honor." He says, rasin' his right hand like he's takin' a oath. 

"Youse bedda not." Ise grumble. Ise stop down da stairs and outside. Ise go to da park where there is a fountain. Ise like ta sit there when Ise confused. 

Why would they think Ise like him? He ain't nutin' bu a newsie wit dat pimp cane, a sling shot and a ego! He will neva let go o' it, will he? He's so self-focused all da time. Ise mean, shore he save me life twice, but he ain't- Ise stopped. Ise don't know how ta finish dat thought. He saved me life. That doesn't sound self-focused, not at all. 

Suddenly, Ise realise that he had paled - paled! - when Ise said that me name was Lizzy, and when da man had a chain wrapped around me neck. Why? 

Ise decide to ask Jack, since he had been around both times. Ise start walkin' back to da lodge, but before Ise leave da park, he comes walkin' in wit Race. 

"Jack, Ise got a question foi youse. And youse Race, if youse know da answer." 

"Okay." They responds. 

Ise take a deep breath. "When wese were at da docks yestaday, and Ise told Spot dat me name was Lizzy, he paled. When he saw dat Ise was bein' choked da death, he paled. Why? He ain't neva paled, or else everyone would be talkin' 'bout it, like they talk 'bout how feared he is. Ise want an answer, a real answer, not one o' da ones youse make up." Ise demand.