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Post by Spot Conlon on Sept 13, 2017 10:13:32 GMT -5
For once in his life, Spot had no idea what he was doing. It seemed to be a running theme these days, but here he was standing in front of the girls' lodge. The guys would be talking about this for weeks... Well, that is if they even saw him. If luck was with him, then maybe no one would see. But sooner or later, they would all know. He wasn't even sure if what he was doing was a good idea. But he'd been thinking about it a long time now. Talked to Jack sorta and then did a lot of talking with Thunder. So now it was time to do something about all that thinking.
He paced back and forth along the porch. Was he really ready for this? He looked at the small package in his hand. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...
No, no. He shook his head. He would go through this.
"Lacey... I've been thinkin' and was wonderin' if you would um..." Spot made a face. That wasn't it. He began pacing again, trying to think of what he would say. "You see, I missed your birthday and just wanted to give this to you?"
No, this was hopeless. He hit his head against one of the supporters for the porch. He was in over his head with this one. Jack and Thunder only helped so much.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 2:19:28 GMT -5
To say that it had been a long day would have been a massive understatement. Lacey had seemingly lost all of the drive she had previously possessed to sell papes, having come down with quite a miserable fever and having been too focused on the terrible chills that she was having. Nonetheless, she had managed to sell them all by working a bit later that day, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to the Lodging House, eat something warm (soup sounded wonderful), and go to bed early.
Her hazel eyes downcast, the female pulled her jacket tighter around her body, gripping it tightly whilst burying her face into her scarf. The weather was in no way cold - she felt ridiculous for wearing clothing like that when the weather was still warm - but she was freezing and sick. She just couldn't afford to miss a day of selling at that point. She was already risking running behind on her payments for the lodging anyway.
Upon approaching the house, though, her gaze fell upon a familiar boy standing in front of the lodge, and a small frown formed on her face as she approached. "Spot? Is somethin' wrong?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 15:54:36 GMT -5
”Spot? Is somethin’ wrong?”
Spot was not usually the type to get caught off guard so easily, but with his head up in the clouds you really couldn’t blame him.
“Ack!” He whirled around, looking Lacey almost dead in the eye.
He quickly looked away, blushing slightly in embarrassment. This really wasn’t going the way he had planned, not like he even really had a plan. But even if he did, it certainly wasn’t this.
“Nothing... nothin’s wrong,” he cleared his throat. “I was um... just wanted to give somethin’ ta you.”
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 15:59:17 GMT -5
"Ack!"
Lacey shot Spot a sheepish smile, mumbling a quick apology whilst wiping away some of the beads of cold sweat from her forehead.
“Nothing... nothin’s wrong.”
"You sure?" She raised an eyebrow. When she had arrived, Spot looked almost as though he was giving up on everything, and he wasn't looking much different now.
“I was um... just wanted to give somethin’ ta you.”
Glancing down at the package in his hands, Lacey couldn't force back the blush that almost immediately reddened her cheeks.
"Oh, uh... That's real nice, Spot..." She trailed off, suddenly a bit confused, "Wait, why?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 16:03:36 GMT -5
”You sure?”
Spot quickly nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure. Everythin’ is just fine,” he added for good measure.
But in all honesty, he was not fine. This was not what he had in mind. Thunder and Jack made things sound so easy. He wished he could just go straight back to the docks or something, but it was too late now. He wasn’t one to back off on something he had already started.
”Oh, uh... That’s real nice, Spot... Wait, why?”
Spot was keeping his focus on anything other than Lacey. He was too nervous for this. Ha, how strange. Nothing made him this nervous. Well except for the time Jasper was really sick or the time Rip almost killed him. But other than that, Spot usually had a pretty level head.
“Uh... no reason?” He coughed. “I mean... I know your birthday was a little while ago and I um wanted to give you something?”
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 16:08:58 GMT -5
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure. Everythin’ is just fine."
Lacey nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was hardly believable, but she wasn't going to push it when Spot seemed eager to get away.
“Uh... no reason?”
It was difficult to hold back a snicker or two at the excuse, but the female managed to hold her tongue once more.
“I mean... I know your birthday was a little while ago and I um wanted to give you something?”
Ah. So there was the reason, and it made much more sense than she had thought. Her birthday had been such a long time ago that she had hardly even thought that it was an option. Although she wouldn't complain - she was flattered that Spot had remembered and given her something at all.
"Thanks, Spot," She beamed, taking a couple more steps towards the familiar leader, "Could I, uh, open it with ya here, or are ya wantin' ta leave as much as it seems like ya do?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 16:14:53 GMT -5
”Thanks, Spot.”
“You’re welcome...” he mumbled, still feeling rather shy and embarrassed. Why hadn’t Thunder warned him that it could be like this? It was supposed to be real simple. Say hello give girl present. Easy. But noooo, it wasn’t easy.
”Could I, uh, open it with ya here, or are ya wantin’ ta leave as much as it seems like ya do?”
“It doesn’t matter-“ Spot stopped short as he registered that latter half of her sentence. “No, no, no... I don’t want ta leave! I mean...” Oh how things had taken a turn. Foot in mouth. That’s what it was. “I just... um,” he huffed and held out the small package, still not quite able to look her in the eye. “I wanted ta talk... just um didn’t know you’d be here so soon,” he admitted.
Spot hated working without a plan. That was probably why he was so nervous and stuttery and just all over awkward.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 16:22:12 GMT -5
“You’re welcome...”
There was definitely something off about Spot. Lacey had never seen the normally stoic leader of Brooklyn this worried about something before, and it just made her wonder what she could have possibly done wrong without realizing it. "Spot, are ya sure you're okay?"
“It doesn’t matter- No, no, no... I don’t want ta leave! I mean...”
Slowly reaching out and taking the present from his hands, Lacey took a moment to admire the wrapping of the present. It wasn't sloppy like a lot of the presents that the newsies would give to one another around the holidays, with little tears and parts of the present poking through. It was wrapped beautifully. Spot had taken time to make it look good.
“I just... um, I wanted ta talk... just um didn’t know you’d be here so soon."
"Do ya wanna talk inside or out here?" She frowned a bit. "Or if you're not ready ta talk yet, I could even go in for a bit and ya could come find me when you're ready."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 16:28:07 GMT -5
”Spot, are ya sure you’re okay?”
Spot nodded again, still not looking at her. Well, he technically was looking at her but not quite eye to eye with her. “Positive,” he promised.
”Do ya wanna talk inside or out here?”
He pursed his lips. Talking out here would be okay, but you never knew who would walk around the corner. “Um... inside. That is if Ms. Harbour doesn’t mind,” he added hastily. He would hate to get on the bad side of the lodge owner. He had already been on not so great terms with her when Darcy had still been around. He wasn’t planning on worsening the thin good graces he had with her now.
”Or if you’re not ready ta talk yet, I could even go in for a bit and ya could come find me when you’re ready.”
Spot shook his head. “No... now is fine. Now is perfect.”
He knew if he didn’t do it now, he would never have the courage to follow through later. Best get it done right the first time.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 16:35:12 GMT -5
“Positive.”
It wasn't until that point where Lacey realized that Spot seemed determined not to look her in the eye. All of a sudden, there was a sinking feeling in her stomach, and she began to dread whatever this conversation could be about. Was she being removed from her status as a bird? Was she being kicked out of the newsies? Was she being kicked out of Brooklyn?
She cursed at herself under her breath. That wasn't even something that happened. Spot wouldn't do that to her even if it was. There had to be a reasonable explanation.
“Um... inside. That is if Ms. Harbour doesn’t mind."
Lacey shook her head, walking to the door and holding it open for him. "I'm sure she won't. Most of the girls are probably either still out or up in their beds, anyway."
“No... now is fine. Now is perfect.”
Faintly smiling, Lacey found herself nodding. "Well, let's head inside then, and if it would make ya feel better ta talk first, we can do that, but if it would make ya feel better ta do the 'present openin' first, we could do that, too."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 16:40:49 GMT -5
”I’m sure she won’t. Most of the girls are probably either still out or up in their beds, anyway.”
Spot cracked a small grin. “If she gets mad, it’s your fault then,” he teased lightly, feeling a little more at ease knowing that Ms. Harbour might not mind his presence.
”Well, let’s head inside then, and if it would make ya feel better ta talk first, we can do that, but if it would make ya feel better ta do the ‘present openin’ first, we can do that, too.”
He shrugged lightly as they entered the lodge. “Either is good with me,” he answered softly. “You can choose... I mean, it is your birthday present,” he added shyly.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 16:46:16 GMT -5
“If she gets mad, it’s your fault then."
Lacey giggled, "I can take that."
“Either is good with me. You can choose... I mean, it is your birthday present."
Closing the door to the lodge behind them, Lacey gestured to some chairs set up in the corner next to a tea table, where Mrs. Harbour would sometimes set out hot cocoa in the winter, or iced drinks during the summer for them. She would also use it from time to time for things like games and actual tea.
Taking a seat in one of the chairs, she glanced at Spot briefly once again with an almost childlike grin on her lips. "Could I open this first? I mean, I think I've waited long enough." She teased, placing the package down gently on the table in front of her.
She was incredibly eager to see what Spot had given her. She would be grateful no matter what it was, however - the main thing that made it special to her was the fact that it was from Spot in the first place.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 17:07:22 GMT -5
”I can take that.”Spot smiled slightly. “Good, ‘cause I don’t want to face Mrs. Harbour’s wrath again.” He followed her over to the tea table and took a seat across from her. ”Could I open this first? I mean, I think I’ve waited long enough.”His cheeks turned a slight pink as he coughed. “Sure... I don’t mine. Go ahead and open it.” Spot was a little nervous but excited to have her open the present. He wasn’t sure if she would like it... He had done his best though. He knew a little of what girls like and knew Lacey decently. She should like it, at least he hoped she would. His breath hitched slightly as Lacey opened the carefully wrapped package. It was two gifts. They were a bit small but still Spot wanted to do the best he could with the gifts. A light green hair ribbon from Chinatown and a necklace with a few Irish charms he had gotten from Thunder. It wasn’t much, but it was the most Spot could do for her. ((I got to run a few errands real quick. Thought I’d give you a heads up. I’ll be back soon. ))
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 17:15:18 GMT -5
“Good, ‘cause I don’t want to face Mrs. Harbour’s wrath again.”Lacey giggled, "Me either, but I'll take one for the team." “Sure... I don’t mind. Go ahead and open it.”The female could almost feel her hands trembling as she carefully unwrapped the gift in front of her. She felt almost bad disturbing the paper when it had been so beautifully put together, but the moment that her hazel eyes were met with two presents in the paper, she ceased every movement she was making - she could swear her heart had even stopped for a second. Turning her gaze from the presents to the boy in front of her took another few long seconds, tears threatening to begin welling up in her eyes, although she refused to let them. She didn't want to look overly emotional in front of Spot. Instead, she carefully reached across the table, gently squeezing his hand. "They're beautiful. Thank you so much." She didn't truly know what to say. Green was, of course, her favorite color, and so she could understand the hair ribbon (she needed one anyway - quite badly), but the necklace was something that she most definitely hadn't been expecting. She wasn't sure that she had ever worn jewelry since she had become a newsie. Picking up the necklace, she made sure to put it on carefully, taking off the scarf so that it would be more easily seen. Beaming, she then tied her hair back with the ribbon, beaming with happiness over the new presents. [See you later! ]
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 18:18:00 GMT -5
”Me either, but I’ll take one for the team.”
Spot grinned. “Aw well, I’m sure she’ll take it easy on you since you’re one of her goils.”
”They’re beautiful. Thank you so much.”
He turned away a little to hide his embarrassment, but he was truly happy that she liked him. He had assumed that she’d like green, but he could have been wrong! It was a 50/50 chance and he had gotten it right.
“You’re welcome,” he said softly. “Glad you liked them.”
He stared at his hands a moment. It seemed now was the time to talk. “Guess we can talk now, huh?”
Spot gave her a shy smile, trying to hide the nervousness he felt. He almost swore Lacey could hear his heart thumping so loudly. It was now or never.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 18:22:56 GMT -5
“Aw well, I’m sure she’ll take it easy on you since you’re one of her goils.”
Lacey giggled, "Funny, I was just hopin' the exact same thing."
“You’re welcome. Glad you liked them.”
Lacey could barely contain herself. It was a better pair of presents than she had gotten from anyone since her parents had passed. It meant a lot to her. She would be wearing both of them every day that she could from that point forward, and happily so.
“Guess we can talk now, huh?”
The over-zealous excitement quieted down almost immediately. Now, the more serious part of things. She had no clue where this conversation was going to go, and she was panicked about it. However, doing her best not to show any of that panic on her face - Spot already looked terrified enough behind the smile, she nodded a bit. "That we can. What's goin' on?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 18:45:00 GMT -5
”Funny, I was just hopin’ the exact same thing.”
Spot chuckled softly. “Well, maybe you’ll be lucky since we both thought the same thing.”
”That we can. What’s goin’ on?”
He swallowed. Here went nothing... “Well um. I just been thinkin’,” he started slowly. “Talkin’ a bit with my brother and... and stuff.” He sighed. Why couldn’t he just come out and say it? It would make things so much easier! “And well, IthinkIlikeyou,” he confessed all in a rush. His cheeks were completely flushed. That was not the way to say it... but it was too late now. How would she react? If she understood him that is.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 18:51:53 GMT -5
“Well, maybe you’ll be lucky since we both thought the same thing.”
Lacey smiled, "Incredibly lucky." She was mostly sure that Ms. Harbour wouldn't have a problem with it, but she supposed that there was still always a chance.
“Well um. I just been thinkin’. Talkin’ a bit with my brother and... and stuff.”
This was obviously something that was difficult for Spot to get out. She felt bad for him, but she did her best to just sit there with a reassuring smile on her face while he tried to explain the situation to the best of his ability.
“And well, IthinkIlikeyou.”
There it was. The words that she had wanted to hear from Spot for such a long time, all jumbled together, but still there. Lacey sat there in stunned silence for a couple of long moments, her eyes widening ever so slightly as she tried to process what had just happened. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times as she tried to find the words to express exactly what she was thinking.
"Oh, Spot..." She finally exhaled, her voice so weak from the lack of air behind it that she could barely hear it herself, "I've felt that exact same way about ya for a long time. And, uh, I don't really know what ta say. I'm flattered." She blushed. Wow. This is hard, isn't it?
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 18:57:10 GMT -5
”Incredibly lucky.”
Spot shook his head. “Nah, I don’t think it’ll take that much luck. If I don’t hear any complaints about you, I doubt you’d need that much luck to stay in Mrs. Harbour’s good graces.”
”Oh, Spot...”
He didn’t dare look at her. He wasn’t sure if this was a good reaction or not. After all, this was all based on assumptions from Jack and Thunder. What if they were wrong? What if Lacey didn’t actually like him in that sort of way? What did he just step into?
”I’ve felt that exact same way about ya for a long time.”
Spot looked up at her in surprise. “You have?”
He was glad the feeling was mutual, of course, but he was slightly caught off guard. She had feelings for him... for a long time? For how long, he wondered.
”And, uh, I don’t really know what ta say. I’m flattered.”
He cracked a small grin. “You and me both...” He cleared his throat, still unsure of himself. “Well.... we can take it slow. I’ve never done anythin’ like this before. Maybe, um, we could um, go on a couple of dates sometime... and then see what to do next?” He looked over at her for her opinion. Relationships went two ways. He wasn’t quite used to this, but he was willing to go through this to see what his feelings really were.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 19:07:13 GMT -5
“Nah, I don’t think it’ll take that much luck. If I don’t hear any complaints about you, I doubt you’d need that much luck to stay in Mrs. Harbour’s good graces.”
Lacey laughed, "She really is a nice woman when ya come in before curfew every night and keep up with payments. I don't think it'll be a problem."
“You have?”
"Yes I have," She laughed. She had always been convinced that she was being too obvious when it came to her crush on him, but perhaps Spot just hadn't noticed, or it hadn't been as obvious as she thought that it had to be.
“Well.... we can take it slow. I’ve never done anythin’ like this before. Maybe, um, we could um, go on a couple of dates sometime... and then see what to do next?”
A faint blush dusted Lacey's cheeks. "Yeah, dates sound nice... So does movin' slow." It was a relief to know that Spot wasn't going to feel the need to rush into anything, as Lacey was also severely lacking in experience when it came to relationships, but she figured that the best sort of relationships would be the ones that felt like the changes happening were natural and appropriate for the time.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 19:12:53 GMT -5
”She really is a nice woman when ya come in before curfew every night and keep up with payments. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
Spot nodded. “Sounds like she’s a lot like Mr. O’Quinn then.”
”Yes I have.”
“Um... wow,” was all he could say. He really shouldn’t have been that surprised though. It wasn’t like Spot ever paid any mind to what the girls thought of him. It would have been out of character for him if he had noticed that Lacey liked him. Why if he had known he probably wouldn’t have gone to Thunder and Jack for advice.
”Yeah, dates sound nice... So does movin’ slow.”
Spot nodded, glad she agreed. He always thought it was foolish to rush into things. He had learned from the past that you always need to be thinking ahead.
“Maybe a night at Medda’s or somewhere over in Staten sound good?” He would make plans for other places, but not just yet. They both needed to take things slow first. The time would come for other places in New York.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 19:18:06 GMT -5
“Sounds like she’s a lot like Mr. O’Quinn then.”
Lacey smiled. Mr. O'Quinn had always seemed nice when she had been over to the boy's lodge. Perhaps that was the type of person that it took to keep all of the newsies in Brooklyn under control.
“Um... wow.”
Lacey chuckled. She hadn't figured that she would get much more of a reaction than that from him.
“Maybe a night at Medda’s or somewhere over in Staten sound good?”
Beaming, Lacey nodded, "Yeah, sounds good ta me. I'll be lookin' forward to it, either place, really..."
Truthfully, a night sometime with Spot was more than she would have ever believed before maybe a minute earlier that she would have ever gotten, so the fact that there was even a choice at all was insanely exciting to her.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 19:21:19 GMT -5
”Yeah, sounds good ta me. I’ll be lookin’ forward to it, either place, really...”
Spot nodded, finally meeting her eyes. “Next Friday sound good?” He was still shy about asking, not at all commanding like he was with his boys. This was a side of Spot most newsies never got to see.
He was looking forward to it as well. He would make plans to make things were just right and that he was stuttering and stumbling over his words like he did earlier. No, he would be better prepared this time. He knew what he was getting himself into now, and well, it wasn’t so scary anymore.
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Post by Lacey on Nov 22, 2017 19:28:50 GMT -5
“Next Friday sound good?”
"Next Friday sounds perfect." Lacey grinned. That would give her enough time to save up some extra money, as well, just in case she ended up needing it for something, like tipping Medda or buying something extra if it was fitting for the situation. It would be fun, and she was going to have a hard time selling until then when it came to her mind wandering.
The only thing that she could picture going wrong was being so nervous that she was too on edge the whole night long. She'd have to ask some of the other, more experienced girls for advice when it came to how to deal with things like those.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Nov 22, 2017 19:31:46 GMT -5
”Next Friday sounds perfect.”
Spot smiled back. “Good... then it’s settled next Friday.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Um... I guess we can meet at the docks? I mean... not just for next Friday,” he quickly added. “I mean... to just talk and um yeah.” He scratched the back of his neck, unsure of where he was going with this. “Whatever works best for you I mean. If you don’t want to meet at the docks or...” he trailed off not wanting to get tangled up further with his words.
He was just glad that Lacey didn’t seem to mind how awkward he was in this moment. He normally wasn’t like this, really!
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