The Angel of Brooklyn by Bianca Gray (best fiction novels of all time txt) 📖

I almost forgot!" she exclaimed. Jack looked at her confused while she pulled a piece of paper out of a pocket in her billowing tan skirt.
"Here, a boy came to me and told me to give it to you...It's from Spot," she said whispering the last sentence. Jack took the folded piece of paper and unfolded it. His eyes scanned the page quickly and then he crumbled it in his fist.
"What? What is it?" asked Sarah, worried from the fire that was blazing in his eyes.
"He's gots da nerve to spy on me? On me?! Doesn't he know dat Manhattan is one of his loyal allies, the little..." muttered Jack angrily.
"What's it say?" asked Reggie. Jack looked at him for a minute.
"Spot has had his boys all o'er Manhattan, spying on us, and he knows that i've gots a couple of new Newsies...he wants to see if yous guys are any good," said Jack pinching the bridge of his nose. Then he rubbed his forehead.
"Any good with what? And whose Spot?" I asked. Jack looked at me sadly.
"If yous guys are any good in combat. He's gonna fight yous. Id's a test..." he said. Then I heard him mutter, "If you make it alive..." I gulped. I looked at him like he was crazy.
"Combat? Combat. What has this got anything to do with selling newspapers? And you haven't told me who Spot is yet!" I exclaimed.
"Well, Spot's territory is Brooklyn and no one messes wid Spot except...actually no. No one messes wid Spot. I mean deep down lots of leaders hate him...but we respect him ya know? But no one would organize against him. And believe it or not, us Newsies get in war a lot over territory and little stuff. Knowing how to fight is good," he said.
"Spot's a weird name," I heard reggie mumble next to me.
"So what your saying is that we have to fight this boy...with what exactly?" I asked afraid we may have to use knifes or even (gulp) guns.
"Yous fists, I guess, but sometimes if it looks like Spot's gonna lose he uses his septor," said Jack all spooky-like. Then he grinned.
"Well, c'mon! Let's go! We can't keep Spot waiting," said Jack already leaving.
"Hope you guys make it back! It was nice knowing you!" yelled Sarah. I stuffed my hair into my hat while following Jack.
"Why did she say that? What? Are we never coming back?" scoffed Reggie. Jack looked at us.
"Well, some don't," he said seriously. I gulped, again. We made our way to the Brooklyn bridge and I stopped. I heard the waves crashing on the poles that held the bridge up and it felt like it was shaking everytime the water hit it. The look of horror was pasted onto my face. I would not, could not, walk on that bridge. I looked down at the treacherous water below me. It was so far away, I thought. I gulped for the third time today and started backing away from the bridge. Jack looked back at me and tapped Reggie. They said something I could not hear because all I could hear were the crashing of the waves and my heart pounding. They ran back to me.
"Reggie says yous afraid of heights," said Jack, a little breathless. I nodded my head.
"Mattie, the bridge is safe enough, it won't break," said Reggie. I shook my head no. I will not go on that bridge! Jack sighed.
"Mattie, if yous don't go on dat bridge, Spot's fellas are gonna soak ya!" said Jack a little tiffed about me not going on that bridge. Reggie and I mirrored the same confused expression.
"They're going to soak us? With a bucket of water?" asked Reggie.
"Yeah, and if you don't-bucket of water...? No! His fellas are gonna beat yous guys up!" cried Jack, just momentarily confused.
"Isn't he going to do that anyway?" asked Reggie.
"Well...yeah but if ya make him wait, more than one person will beat ya up!" replied Jack. Jack sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration.
"C'mon! Let's just go! I'll carry you if I have to," he threatened when I wouldn't move. I stuck my tongue out at him and shuffled along. Finally, we were across that freaky bridge. A smile lit up on my face.
"I did it! I crossed it!" I exclaimed while jumping around.
"Well, it's good you did, because we have to cross it again to go back to Manhattan," said Reggie smirking. I gulped and looked back at the bridge.
"Thanks, Reggie, thanks a lot," I muttered. Reggie laughed. Then Jack told us to hurry up so we stopped talking after that. Finally, we got to some crates where boys were sitting and talking.
"Well, if it isn't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick," a voice up above said. Then a boy came down from on of the crates. I couldn't see what color hair he had under his hat, but he was the most beautiful boy I've ever seen, and I already spent the night with Jack and Mush. He spit into his hand and Jack did the same and they shook hands.
"Hey Spot," said Jack. So he's Spot, I thought dreamily, he's the boy i'm going to fight, how wonderful. They were saying something I couldn't hear. I just stared at Spot and the rest of the world disappeared. I tilted my head. Hmm, if I turn this way his eyes look slightly green but if I turn this way, I turned my head, his eyes are blue-gray. A beautiful blue-gray, I thought mentally sighing. Spot turned to me and his lips were moving but I couldn't hear anything. Then somebody hit the back of my head.
"Ow!" I exclaimed rubbing the back of my head. Spot put his septor back into a loop on his belt.
"What are you staring at?" asked Spot angrily. Probably because I didn't answer him, I thought. He's even beautiful when he's angry, I thought dreamily. I saw him throw his hands up in frustration.
"What is he? Deaf? Mute?" asked Spot to no one in particular.
"Apparently," mumbled Jack. I blinked a couple of times.
"Why'd you hit me?" I asked after a while. Spot looked at me.
"Oh, so he speaks," Spot said sarcastically.
"Well, I'll be. He must've been sleeping wid his eyes open. I mean look! He's drooling!" exclaimed Jack, bursting into laughter. I glared at Jack. Then I wiped my mouth just in case.
"So are we gonna fight or what?" Spot said.
"Well, alright," I said relunctantly.
"Be warned Spot, Mattie's a real good fighter," said Jack crossing his arms. Spot guestured with his sceptor indicating the start of the fight. He took a swing and I ducked easily. He seemed slightly surprised but aimed another hit at my stomach. I turned and dodged it just in time. His momentum carried him further however and for a split second we were face to face our noses almost touching. His eyes really were beautiful.....the next thing I knew, there was a sickening pain in my side and he was smirking. I realized he had hit me with his sceptor. I doubnled over and backed away toward Jack and Reggie. I turned to look at them.
"Mattie! What happened? Why didn't you dodge that one?" asked Reggie somewhat angry and somewhat concerned.
"Yeah Mattie! Why didn't you dodge it? He was right in front of you!" exclaimed Jack in fake surprise shaking trying to hold back his laughter. I gave Jack a shut up glare and turned to face my opponent. I couldn't think of him as Spot. He's my opponent. MY OPPONENT!! He turned around and locked his beautiful eyes with me. Oh gosh, he's adorable, I couldn't help but think.
"Coming back for more?" he asked cockily. I glared at him. What an egotistical PIG! I yelled in my head. He saw the look in my eye and braced himself. Then I did a double flip and landed behind him. He was looking around. Obviously I'm too fast for him, I thought to myself.
"Looking for me?" I asked. He turned around and I socked him in the nose, slapped his face, and then I spin kicked him. He fell to the ground moaning in pain. I put one foot on his chest.
"I win," I said innocently. He glared. Then Jack coughed and I looked up. He adjusted his hat exaggerately. I fixed my hat and Spot looked at me suspiciously. I just smiled. Spot scowled at me.
"I never lose," spat Spot.
"Well you did, just now," I said looking around.
"Move your foot," he just said using his hand to push my foot off of his chest. I moved it. On the way up here, Jack told us that Spot was the "King of Brooklyn" and that whatever he says goes (well, at least in his territory...) He got up and brushed off his knees and took out his septor and pointed it at my brother.
"Yous next," he said. After watching my brother make almost the same moves as me, Spot finally pinned him down.
"I win," he said without much enthusiasm but he did smile. His "fellas" started clapping and cheering. The look Reggie was giving Spot was a look I learned to stay clear of. Reggie was angry. He doesn't like to lose. Spot's foot was on Reggie's neck and Reggie tried to struggle free so he could fight him again and again until he won.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Spot menacingly pushing harder on my brother's neck until he was gasping for air. Then he lifted his foot and my brother jumped up and rubbed his neck, breathing deeply. Spot walked over to us.
"Well, this one's good," he said pointing his septor at me.
"I told ya," said Jack proudly putting an arm around my shoulder.
"Yeah, yous got a good one here...he's gonna be pretty useful someday," he said slowly with a slight New York accent.
"But no muscle and he's all skin and bones," he said looking at Jack. Then he looked at me, his eyes smoldering like only his blue gray icy eyes could. But I was slightly angry.
"Excuse me? I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about me...IN FRONT OF ME! And I don't like the way your talking about me either. I'm not a piece of meat. I could, and would, kick your butt again to show you a lesson or something," I ranted. He turned to me.
"I dare ya to talk to me in that way again," he said soft but angry. His face was really close to mine. His soft cool breath blew on my face. I felt dizzy with him so close to me.
"Fine, I'll continue. You're such a drama queen! You carry around a septor, people call you the 'King of Brooklyn'! You're like a...a girl! Stubborn and dramatic and...I dunno just...like a girl! Not saying that girls are like that...I mean some are...but not..." I said stopping myself from saying "not me". He took his septor and hit my lower legs causing me to fall to my knees.
"I am the King of Brooklyn and you shall bow down to me," he said crossing his arms. I glared at him. Then I stood up brushed my knees off and stared at him.
"Sorry, but I don't bow down to babies," I said slowly. His eyes blazed with a blue fire.
"This kid's gots guts. But if he ever talks to me like that again, you'll be wishing he'd never had come," he said