you can't outrun it

chapter 19

the main manhattan boys come to Brooklyn to help us plan; Race, Skitt, Mush, Blink, Bumlets, Jack, swifty the rake. spot gathered all the main brooklyn fighters and spies, we sit in a restaurant in the outskirts of Brooklyn, we pull a few tables together and start to plan

"so we gotta make it so that there's no possible way of youse getting hurt" Spot says looking into my eyes

"we can post spies and fighters in pairs around where you are, the spies will keep an eye out and if they see anything they send the fighter in" Ace says and we nod

"so me and jack will wait in alleys and isolated places so he's more likely to strike" i say "i just wish there was a way we could know where he is" i moan

"well if we contacted him, he'd know we're onto him, so it's best to just, hope" Jack says, i nod and sip my water. we talk for a little longer and form a solid plan. after we finish spot pulls me to a booth in the corner

"hey, erm i'm really not happy about this" he tells me

"well we're doing it, tomorrow will be the day he gets locked back up" i tell him

"i know, i just wish there was another way" he says sadly

"i know this probably won't help, but if this is our last day together, let's do something special" i say smiling

"our last day?" spot asks a tear falling down his cheek, i wipe it away

"i'll be fine, i promise. but if i do die, which i won't, i don't wanna die a virgin" i say smiling, he looks at me and smirks a little

"i ain't happy about the bait thing, but that other thing, i'm all for" he says, i grin and take his hand, we say goodbye to the boys and go back to the lodging house, we start to kiss before we reach his room, he backs me through the door to our room, not breaking contact, we back up to the bed and i sit down and crawl backwards, he hovers over me pulling away, he stares into my eyes "you sure?" he asks, i nod smiling and he leans back down, kissing me again

-

me and spot walk out of our room and there's no one in the house, thank god. i take spots hand and he squeezes mine, we walk outside and there's boys jumping into the river

"wanna go for a swim?" i ask spot, he nods and he takes off his shirt, shoes and socks. i do what i did when i went to the river with jack, pip and skippy, except i rolled up my trousers because i'm not wearing shorts, spot dives into the water and i follow, when we emerge we look at each other for a second before he splashes me, i gasp and splash him back, we keep splashing each other until we just burst into a fit of laughter, i swim towards him and put my legs around his waist and hold onto the back of his neck, i kiss him and then hear a whistle from behind us, i turn around preparing to soak whoever it was, but the person in greeted with is my childhood friend Liam, my eyes widen and i let go of spot

"champ?" i shout, he then looks closely at me

"runner?" he shouts back, we swim towards each other and i hug him, i then lead him over to spot

"spot, this is my childhood bestie liam, liam this is my boyfriend Spot" i tell him

"spot, as in spot conlon? the leader o the brooklyn newsies?" he asks, looking nervous

"that's me" spot says proudly

"i was actually about to come find you, er my parents were killed in a fire and i was wondering if i could join your newsies" Liam told him

"oh my god Champ i'm so sorry, i loved your parents" i say hugging him, we swim to the docks and sit on the edge

"it happened a few months ago, i was working in a factory but when a guy lost his arm, i left" he tells me

"so what d'ya say spot, could ya add a new newsie?" i ask

"he has to pass a few tests, it'll have to wait until... after, but he can stay at the lodging house till then" he says

"after what?" liam asks

"we're putting my father back in jail" i tell him shrugging, he nods, he knew what happened, he was there the day my father got arrested. "so we'll take you to the lodging house, the boys will love you, and you're newsie name?" i say

"you called him champ, why's that" spot asks

"when we were little, liam won a trophy at some spelling bee, i got kicked out for shouting and snuck in, when i saw him i said 'well done champ' and the name sort of stuck, the security chased me out so people at our school started calling me runner" i explain, he nods "i don't wanna go home yet, you boys wanna swim some more?" i ask

"sure" they both say at the same time. we stay in the water for a few hours until it's time to go home, we walk back and go straight to bed, we change into our underwear and get into bed, he hugs my back as i face the other way, his warm chest is pressed against my back, his arms are rapped around my waist and i hold his hands, stroking his knuckles with my thumb.

the next morning i wake up before spot it's still dark out, i assume i've only been asleep a few hours, ages until it's time to get up, but i can't get back to sleep, i crawl out of spots arms and stand up, i wash my face and get dressed, i go over to our bed and crouch down to him, i kiss his nose and smile, his eyes flutter open and he smiles at me, then remembering the day, his smile fades

"don't do it," he says "we can just stay here and cuddle, he can't hurt you in here" he tells me sitting up, i sit on his lap and put my legs bent on either side of him, i hold his face in my hands

"we have to do this" i say sternly, he nods sadly, i wrap my arms around his neck and pull myself to him, i move my legs so i'm kneeling and push my face into the crook of his neck, he holds me tightly. "go back to sleep, we have ages until we have to get up"

"where you going" he asks

"i just need to clear my head, i'm going up to the roof" i tell him standing up

"i'll come with you"

"i wanna be alone"

"you sure?"

"i just want to think" i assure him, he nods and pulls my hand so i lean down to him, he pecks my lips

"i love you Tiger"

"i love you too Spot"

really short but i wanted the plan in another chapter.