Undisclosed Desires by Bridget Kathleen (websites to read books for free txt) 📖

She messed with her dress as she heard the crowd of Medda's cheering for her. Her show was starting.

"Are you ready, darling?" she asked Sophia with a warm smile on her face.

Sophia looked up and gave her an awkward smile. "I think so..." She finally said.

Medda patted her on the shoulder and walked to the stairs, before walking up to the stage she turned around. "Sophia?" She looked up at Medda again from her hands, waiting for her to speak again.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Sophia nodded slowly. "It's been two years. Think of the impact it will have on him." she told her. Sophia knew in her heart that the moment she got back in New York she should have gone straight to Spot, but for some reason Sophia didn't. She just couldn't. Like she had to make some a grand entrance or something. As if showing up at his doorstep and scaring him shitless wasn't enough. As of right now, Spot thinks she's dead.

Medda gave her a nod and headed up on to the stage. The boy's went wild, whistling and cheering. It brought a smile to Sophia's face. She stood up from the chair and walked over to the curtains. She parted them a ways, trying to get a good look at the crowd. She spotted Jack with Sarah, David with his younger brother, Les. Boots, Racetrack and a few others. Then, from the corner of her eyes she saw Spot. His hair had grown out a little more and she could tell he had gotten taller because his knee's almost touched the bottom of the table he was sitting at in the back. He didn't look like he was having to much fun. Blink came over and tried to pull him up but failed in the process. Spot pushed him away slightly and rested his chin on his palm.

Sophia put the curtains back and went to sit back down, but before she got the chance, Medda was done with her song and dance...this was it! After the crowed settled down she heard her speak, "My friends, I have here tonight with me a very special friend. She is here to sing for all of us tonight. I'm sure you will find her to be quite a beauty." I pulled the red hooded cloak over her head, covering her eyes. As she stepped through the curtains and on to the stage her heart beated fast. What are you doing Sophia, she said to herself. She walked on to the stage more, the crowd was quite. Before she started to sing, Sophia looked up little but not all the way. She looked at Spot, he looked at her, though he didn't know it...and she started to sing.

Chapter one.

Two years earlier.

Sophia and her brother, Tommy, got off the train and took Their first steps on New York.

"Next, stop," started Tommy. "Brooklyn!" he said exaggerating a bit. Sophia laughed.

"Let's just hope we don't get killed while we're at it, huh Tommy?" she teased.

"Yeah, yeah." he said, picking up his things. Sophia did the same.

A year ago Sophia and Tommy's parents died of yellow fever, so did their baby brother. So her older brother and her thought it would be best to move to a big city and start somewhere new, so they did. And here they were, New York City. On their way to Brooklyn. The two hitched a ride with an old man and his wagon all the way to Brooklyn. The ride wasn't too bumpy and the little breeze felt nice with the warm weather. Summer was just starting. Tommy had told Sophia that he heard of this guy named Spot. Spot Conlon to be exact. He told me that every one pretty much feared him or respected him. She didn't think it was true. Not everyone can fear or respect just on guy in all of New York, but Sophia kept her mouth shut as he told the stories about the Newsies and how they were gonna become one ourselves. To be honest, Sophia was nervous. She had never worked outside of home a day in her life and she was going to sell papes to complete strangers!

Tommy pulled her into an alley and handed Sophia a bag. "What's this?" she asked him.

"My clothes. I don't want you selling papes looking' like a girl, ok?"

Sophia sighed. "Alright." she took the clothes and went behind a wall to dress as Tommy guarded the way.

"And pin your hair back too, will ya!" he hollered back. I nodded and got dressed. At times he could be so bossy but Sophia knew he meant well. As she finished dressing Sophia put her shirt and skirt in the bag where his clothes once were and walked back out."Ready." she told him.

He turned around and gave his little sister a big grin. "Hope this works," he started. "You look like a pretty boy now." he laughed.

Sophia rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. C'mon." she told him, kicking him playfully in the leg.
When they got to this Spot's place a bunch of boys were swimming and telling jokes. When they saw us approach their precious leader's territory some of them stopped and looked at us. Sophia grew nervous. What if they could already tell she was a girl? One of the boys stepped in their way, not letting them pass. "And who are youse two? Whacha doin' here?"

Tommy took a breath and said, "We here to see Spot. Your leader!"

The boy smirked. "Awright. Foist...we need ta know ya names."

"Names Tommy and this here is my lil brother, Tony." Great, Sophia thought. Tommy and Tony. You're so original, Tommy.

The boy nodded and waved his hand to have them follow him. They stopped at some docks and the boy yelled up to what looked like a watching tower. "Eh! Spot! We gots some boys here! Theys wants to see ya!" Spot turned around, looking irritated but then climbed down from his post. "Whacha want, kid?" he questioned.

The boy cleared his throat and then pointed at the two newbies. "Theys wanna speak with ya." and then stepped aside. This Spot guy didn't look very dangerous to me, but that was my first mistake about him. "What do ya twose wants?" It sounded more like an order than a question.

"We want to be part of the Brooklyn gang." Tommy stated.

Spot gave a short laugh. "Oh really. Wells, ya both gots ta prove yo selvs foist." he crossed his arms, tilting his head to the side.

"Right," said Tommy. "What do we have to do?" he asked.

A smirk slipped across Spots face. "Ya gots ta sell papes, kid."

"Seems easy enough." Sophia blurted out. Tommy looked back at his sister giving me a silent shoosh.

Spot looked back at Sophia. "And who do we gots here? Some runt?" he said, walking up to her. "Sure are pretty short, kid. Whats ya name?" Sophia looked up at Tommy and then at Spot. "Tony." she answered, trying to sound as much like a boy as she possibly could. He gave her a small smile and then he looked at her serious again. "I think we'll call ya Smalls from now on. Dat a problem?" She shook my head. "Good," he said. "cuz every one heres got a nick name." he looked over at Tommy. "Tony and Tommy eh. " He laughed a little. "We'll call you Tom Tom." Tommy nodded. "Good, good. Now about the papes...you gota sell a thousand papes in one week. Youse both can stay here during that time, but...if youse can't make it...too bad for you. Ya outa here. Got that?" The two both nodded. "Good." he said. "Hey you!" he yelled to the boy standing off to the side. "Show these boys their rooms will ya." The boy nodded and Tommy and Sophia left Spot to follow him.

He showed them to their rooms. There were a few bunk beds...there was one bunk left in the far corner. Tommy and Sophia both eyed each other. "You take it Smalls." he nudged her, calling her by Sophia's new name.

Sophia took her suit case and placed it under the bunk bed. Tommy did the same. As Sophia looked around the room to see if they were left alone and they finally were. "Where will you sleep?" Sophia asked Tommy, not having to stress about sounding like a boy or not.

"Right besides ya. On the floor."

Sophia gave a small nod. She was worried about him. Always giving up things for her sake.

Night came and Sophia lay in bed, unable to sleep with all the snoring going on. She tried to sleep but couldn't so she slipped out of bed, while re-adjusting her hat and trying to be as quiet as she possibly could and tip-toed outside to get some fresh air. As soon as she reached the docks, she gave out a sigh and took in the smell of the sea.

"What youse still doin' up, Kid?"

Sophia turned around and saw Spot. "Uh!..."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "uh...?" he repeated.

"Just getting some fresh air." she told him, trying to sound like a boy again.

Spot stopped narrowing his eyes at her and then said, "Awright...just be ready to sell papes foist thing in the morning."

Sophia nodded. She only stayed out by the docks for a moment longer and then went back to get a decent night sleep.

For being the last to fall to sleep Sophia was surprisingly the first to wake up. This gave her a chance to get ready before the guys and avoid being noticed. Just as she was finishing up, Spot came down to wake all those boys. Some got up right away while others still refused to get up. This made Spot mad so he would hit them with the cane. Not hard I would expect, but enough to get them the hell up. Tommy was next to be ready. He pulled one of the suit cases up from under the bed, opened it up and handed me a quarter and himself one too. He placed the suit case back under and held on to the coin tightly. Tommy and Sophia's parents had some money saved up, but before they could use it for anything, everything changed and they took the last 3 dollars.

Before SOphia knew it she was waiting in line to get her papes. She saw kids younger than her. It was sad. She wanted to help them but Sophia knew that she wouldn't be able to. She had to look after herself and her brother as well. When she got to the front Sophia bought 150 papes and then walked off. She looked down at them. How would she sell all these...better yet, how would she sell 1000 papes in a week? She thought to herself. All of a sudden Sophia felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a black kid. "Hi! Youse look new 'round here. Whacha name, boy?"

"Smalls..."

"Ah, right, Smalls. Ya see...a good way ta sell papes is ta bend the truth a little."

"What you mean?" I asked.

He laughed a little. "Ya see here," pointed to a story in the paper. It