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Post by Lacey on Jan 10, 2019 17:40:52 GMT -5
Once Lacey had gotten back to Brooklyn, she had thought that she would feel better. She had thought that she could lay in her usual bed in the lodging house and feel better with the curfew approaching, but she just couldn't do it. She felt terrible. The whole conversation with Spot was replaying over and over again in her head, and it made her miserable to think about. She had to fix things.
When she had rushed out of the lodging house towards the Queens border, she had barely thought anything of it. She had just barreled on through, determined to find the man from the night before, or Rip himself. She was going to fix things. She was going to end this for Spot no matter what it ended up costing her.
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Post by Rip on Jan 10, 2019 17:55:45 GMT -5
It was a rare quiet morning in Queens. The boys and girls were behaving for once. But there was still a tension in the air. The newsies were restless with the questions of whether prices would rise or fall, and more importantly, if borders were going to be fixed. They needed more room to sell. Queens had lost much of their borough to Brooklyn in the past. Rip knew it was probably time to settle things and get those borders expanded again, but right now, it was time to focus on selling. It was one of his off days, so he could spend time being newsie and focusing a little more on his leadership duties. He hadn't been able to be a very good leader of late... Ace had given him an earful about it, so he promised his friend he would try. Besides, he really did need to consider finding someone to replace him as leader and soon. He wasn't getting any younger. He glanced over the boys, trying to see if there was anyone who caught his eye. That's how Blizzard had done it before him... maybe he could do it too. However, he didn't get very far in his searching when he saw a familiar face rushing in. A certain someone who he had thought wouldn't come to Queens again: Lucy. He had thought she would have been smart and stayed with her mom. Why on earth was she here?
He frowned as she seemed to be searching for someone. This seemed odd. She had told him before that she was knew to Queens. Had that been a lie? No, he wouldn't jump the gun on that. But still, he would be a little wary of this girl. She seemed to have an agenda or she wouldn't be back so soon.
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Sacrifices
Jan 10, 2019 18:01:59 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Lacey on Jan 10, 2019 18:01:59 GMT -5
The moment that Rip has come into view, Lacey almost immediately changed direction to rush towards him. She remembered more or less the lies that she had told him, but she was still going to have to be wary. It would be easy to mess up, though she didn’t know whether Spot would care much what happened to her anymore. She had screwed everything up.
“Rip! I need to talk to you.” She panted a bit as she finally approached, eyes wide and cheeks flushed from the cold. “It’s about Spot and Brooklyn.”
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Post by Rip on Jan 10, 2019 18:07:39 GMT -5
"Rip! I need to talk to you."
Rip raised an eyebrow. So that was why she was here? She needed to talk to him about something? Had something happened to her mom?
"It's about Spot and Brooklyn."
His eyes immediately narrowed and in a flash, Rip was beside her with his hand over her mouth, glancing to make sure none of the newsies had heard her. Thank goodness they seemed more focused on selling than eavesdropping and possible gossip. Times were hard. They didn't have time for chatting.
He hissed in Lacey's ear. "Not so loud. We'll talk elsewhere."
Rip took her by her wrist and pulled her along firmly. He had no intention of harm. At least, not unless she asked for it. But now, he wasn't too thrilled with her, so it would be possible she would ask for it. Spot and Brooklyn. Now why would a girl like her need to know or want to know about those two subjects?
He led her to a side alleyway, out of sight and out of earshot from any who might pass by. "Now what's all this about Spot an' Brooklyn? I thought I told ya ta stay in the Bronx."
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Post by Lacey on Jan 10, 2019 18:12:12 GMT -5
"Not so loud. We'll talk elsewhere."
The sudden slapping of a hand over her mouth caught Lacey off guard, eyes widening a bit at the sudden move from Rip. She didn't object as she was pulled along, though she stumbled a bit at first to keep up with him as she was pulled into the alleyway.
"Now what's all this about Spot an' Brooklyn? I thought I told ya ta stay in the Bronx."
"Ya did..." Lacey cleared her throat. How could she go about this? Was it really worth hiding who she was if she could possibly have the power to change everything and make it so that Spot wouldn't be hurt? He wouldn't even miss her at this point, that much she was sure about. She had messed up too much, and she couldn't forgive herself for doing something like that.
Chewing on her lip, her gaze dropped to the ground. "Look, I wanna help ease the tension between Brooklyn and Queens a bit, and I wanna know how. I wanna help, please tell me how ta help."
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Post by Rip on Jan 10, 2019 18:19:17 GMT -5
"Ya did.."
Rip raised an eyebrow as he let go of her wrist. "So then why are you here? You're mum'll be worried."
"Look, I wanna help ease the tension between Brooklyn and Queens a bit, and I wanna know how. I wanna help, please tell me how ta help."
Well, that was not all something he had been expecting to hear. Though why she would care about the tension between the two boroughs was beyond him.
"It ain't really anythin' you can help with." It was a blunt answer, but it was the truth. Easing the tension between Queens and Brooklyn was not just something that could be done. The tension had been built upon years and years of conflict. It wouldn't be easily helped, if it was even possible. "Go back to Bronx," he said firmly. "Keep outta Queens. I can't promise you safety if you keep comin' back like this. What's goin' on between Brooklyn an' Queens ain't nothin' you need ta worry your head about. Jus' stick to focusin' on helpin' your mum. Don't get caught up in all this mess in Queens. It ain't safe for ya."
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Post by Lacey on Jan 10, 2019 18:24:17 GMT -5
"So then why are you here? You're mum'll be worried."
Lacey swallowed thickly. She knew that it had all just been a part of her lie, but it still brought her mood down just a bit more to have the mention of her mom brought up... even if it was a fake mother altogether.
"It ain't really anythin' you can help with."
Her heart sunk again, but she wasn't willing to give up this time. She wasn't going to let things get messed up even more because of her. Spot deserved peace after all of this, and she wanted to get it for him. "But--" She began, but had no time to say anything else before Rip continued.
"Go back to Bronx. Keep outta Queens. I can't promise you safety if you keep comin' back like this. What's goin' on between Brooklyn an' Queens ain't nothin' you need ta worry your head about."
Lacey ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She wasn't going to get anywhere if he kept pushing her away, so she had to find a way in. She had to find a way to get him to realize that she wasn't just some random person on the sidelines. This whole conflict affected her, too.
"Jus' stick to focusin' on helpin' your mum. Don't get caught up in all this mess in Queens. It ain't safe for ya."
"My mum's dead, Rip. She's been dead for years." She was shaking a bit, but she didn't see any other option. "I ain't named Lucy, and I ain't from Bronx. I ain't just some random goil who's tryin' ta figure out what's goin' on. I deal with the tension between Brooklyn and Queens every day."
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Post by Rip on Jan 10, 2019 18:35:20 GMT -5
"But--"
Rip could see she had something to say, but he had to finish first. She was in no position to be arguing about that. Lacey had no idea of what all went on in Queens. She didn't need to be involved.
"My mum's dead, Rip. She's been dead for years."
He felt like he had been punched in the gut. Her mum was dead... That was no lie. You couldn't have that kind of emotion in your voice if it was all a lie. It reminded him of his own mother's death, but no, he wouldn't recall that day. He forced those emotions back and focused on the anger he had for being lied to you.
"I ain't named Lucy, and I ain't from Bronx. I ain't just some random goil who's tryin' ta figure out what's goin' on. I deal with the tension between Brooklyn and Queens every day."
He could piece the puzzles together. What she had said last time they met was just a ruse. She had lied well, he would give her that, but that wouldn't change how he felt about liars.
"You expect me ta believe that?" His eyes were dangerously dark. "You lied about your family before, how do I know you ain't lyin' ta me again, huh?" If she dealt with the tension everyday... there could be only one place she was from: Brooklyn. "Jus' get out of Queens and don't you dare come back here."
He took pity on her before, because he had believed her lies. But no more. Any feelings of worry or pity were gone. And on top of the lying, she was a Brooklynner. He should have known. Of course Spot would send his little birds or spies in to see what he was planning. But that wouldn't do any good. He wasn't going to drop any hints to anyone. His plans were known to him alone.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 10, 2019 18:40:49 GMT -5
"You expect me ta believe that?"
Tears pricked at Lacey's eyes. It had only taken a moment for everything to change in Rip, and in the darkness of the alleyway, he looked absolutely terrifying. But she wasn't going to back down that easily. Not when this much was on the line. She had to do this, for Spot.
"You lied about your family before, how do I know you ain't lyin' ta me again, huh?"
"I had to. I was doing it for Spot." She begged, though she knew that being a bird alone was going to do absolutely nothing when it came to trying to change Rip's mind and get him to take her instead of Spot. "He means everything to me, I had to."
"Jus' get out of Queens and don't you dare come back here."
Lacey swallowed thickly. "I ain't leavin'. I'm doin' this for Spot. Hurt me and not him. Kill me and not him. I don't care what you do, just use me instead." Her voice was trembling, but she was firm about it. She wasn't backing down again this time. "If ya take me instead... it'll hurt him. Ya don't have ta kill one another. He killed someone that you cared about... I'm askin' ya ta do the same thing."
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Post by Rip on Jan 10, 2019 18:51:26 GMT -5
"I had to. I was doing it for Spot."
Spot. He about saw red just at the mention of the name.
"He means everything to me, I had to."
Rip was figuring things out. He knew who she was now. He didn't know her name, but he knew exactly who she was: Spot's girlfriend. He had heard rumors about Spot getting a girl, and now he knew they were true.
"I ain't leavin'. I'm doin' this for Spot. Hurt me and not him. Kill me and not him. I don't care what you do, just use me instead. If ya take me instead... it'll hurt him. Ya don't have ta kill one another. He killed someone that you cared about... I'm askin' ya ta do the same thing."
It was slightly touching, the lengths this girl would go for Spot. She obviously cared about him very much, but he wasn't going to do as she asked. It wasn't that simple. Yes, doing that would break Spot. It would be rather satisfying to see him hurt, but Rip would never harm a girl like that, not even for vengeance on Spot. No, he wanted Spot to feel the same pain his cousin felt.
"I don't kill little goils."
Rip took a step towards Lacey, blocking the sun from her view. "Just get out of here. That's my last warnin' ta you."
Without looking back at her, he made his way out of the alleyway, picking up the stack of papers he had left at the distribution center and heading out to get some selling done.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 10, 2019 18:55:32 GMT -5
"I don't kill little goils."
It felt almost like her heart cracked upon hearing that. She was trying everything that she could to protect Spot, but nothing that she did was working. Lacey was losing Spot no matter what. She couldn't talk to him now because she had broken the trust, she couldn't save him from Rip, she just messed up everything. She was messing things up continuously.
"Just get out of here. That's my last warnin' ta you."
Lacey whimpered softly at his words, watching in silence as he left the alleyway and disappeared from sight. Her legs seemed to give out on her once he was gone, allowing her to sink down slowly and lean against the wall, tears still freely streaming down her cheeks. What would she do now?
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Post by Rip on Jan 10, 2019 19:00:58 GMT -5
Rip's mood had definitely soured. He had no desire to sell, but he needed to so he could keep an eye out on his newsies. He had made a promise to Ace, and he had to keep it even if he wasn't in the mood. His thoughts kept going back to Lacey. It made him angry how she had been able to slip in so easily and deceive him like that... It seemed as if he would have to tighten the borders up a little more. Not the best idea at a time like this... borders being tightened would make it hard to keep the boys in line, but he couldn't risk more Brooklynners sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong.
Tonight. He would make the border on a closer watch than it had ever been watched in years.
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