- Chapter 41 - Manhattan's New Kid VS the King -
Warnings: Anxiety
Between Canon and Modern Eras, about 1928
Third Person POV

Disclaimer: This is a part 4 to a group of one-shots I made in another book, but it can be a stand-alone.

Race (12) walks behind Jack and Crutchie.

Blink (13) and Specs' (14) arms were slung around his shoulder and he could hear the other boys laughing and chatting together.

He was too anxious.

He liked the boys, he really did, but meeting a lot of people at once scared him.

He still didn't trust people easily and even though he trusted these boys, he wasn't sure he'd trust the Brooklyn boys.

After a few minutes of talking, Specs and Blink seemed to notice his silence.

Blink also noticed him picking at his nails and skin on his fingers.

"Don't do that, you'll hurt yourself." Blink tells Race, taking one of his hands in his own. "What's up with you, kid?" He asks, a bit concerned.

Race looks at his hand in Blink's.

He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"I wouldn't say 'nothing'." Albert (13) states from in front of them, where he was walking backwards. "We know it's not nothing."

"You're gonna hurt yourself." Race points out, reaching out for him in concern.

He cringes a second later when Albert falls.

Tommy boy (13) helps him stand up. "Man, you're turning into Racer, aren't you?" He jokes. "I mean, I get that he's cool but you don't have to copy him."

Race blushes ever-so-slightly.

Specs chuckles when he notices. Race was easily embarrassed and wasn't used to compliments, so he was usually blushing.

Albert rolls his eyes, taking Tommy boy's hat off of his head and smacking him with it.

Tommy boy rolls his eyes, snatching the hat back from him.

"So," Specs starts. "What's up?" He asks Race.

Race shrugs. "Just-" he stops. "How do I put this into words?" He mutters, mainly to himself.

"Nervous?" Albert asks.

"Anxious?" Tommy boy questions.

"Apprehensive?" Blink adds.

The boys laugh, Race included.

"That was a big word, Blink." Race shoves him softly, laughing. "I'm so proud of you." He jokes.

Blink smiles playfully. "Thanks, Racer. Always my goal." He responds.

The boys laugh again.

"You don't need to be anxious, Race." Specs tells him, smiling warmly. "You have wonderful older brothers that will protect you!" He declares.

"I'm not that much younger than you." Race mutters annoyedly.

Specs chuckles.

"Also, you have such a nice smile." Race tells Specs softly. "It kinda reminds me of my mother's; warm, loving." He whispers, his eyes fixated on the locket around his neck.

Specs smiles.

Of course, the moment had to be ruined.

"Race just called Specs his mom." Albert comments, a smirk starting on his lips.

Race turns bright red. "No, I didn't!" He exclaims defensively.

Albert's smirk grows. "You totally did." He responds, a teasing/taunting mix in his voice.

"Albert!" Race shouts, taking off running towards him.

Albert boosts off, running, Race on his tail.

The boys start laughing.

"Race is going to catch him, yeah?" Tommy boy asks.

Blink nods. "Definitely." He wipes a tear from his eye after he finally stopped laughing.

"Twenty cents Jack has to pull Race off or away from Albert." Tommy boy bets.

"Deal." Specs and Blink respond in unison.

Tommy boy smirks.

At the front of the group

Jack (14) grabs Race by the back of his shirt, lifting him up and away from Albert before he could grab him.

"Jack!" Race exclaims. "I had him!" He complains.

Jack and Crutchie (13) share chuckles.

"We're not attacking Albert today." Jack tells Race. "I know he probably deserves it," Albert shoots him an offended look. "But I kinda would like him to survive to tomorrow."

Race rolls his eyes, but nods.

Jack was about to put Race down when he heard him mumble something.

"Can I smack him with my hat at least?... maybe thirty times?"

Jack chuckles. "Finch! Henry!" He calls to the two older Newsies.

Race shoots him a wide-eyed look.

Jack smirks a bit to himself. "Race wants to hang with you!" He shouts to them.

"I hate you-" Race mutters.

Jack chuckles.

"-so much." Race finishes, crossing his arms.

Jack chuckles again.

Finch (14) and Henry (14) walk over to them.

Jack let's go of Race, and Finch and Henry immediately squish Race in the middle of them, their arms around him.

"Who were you trying to kill today?" Henry asks him with a small chuckle.

Race rolls his eyes. "Albert." He mumbles, his arms still crossed. "He deserves it. He's so annoying." He complains quietly.

Finch chuckles. "I can see that." He responds.

Albert shoots him an offended look, doing a back bend over a bench, his hands on his heart.

"He's just so annoying." Race complains. "And his head looks like a good target for a hat." He makes sure Albert could hear his threats.

Albert rolls his eyes, rolling off of the bench and onto the ground.

Buttons (13), who watched him to that, cringes a bit, helping him up.

Finch and Henry chuckle.

Tommy boy turns to face Blink and Specs, a cheeky smile on his face.

He puts his hand out. "Twenty cents, please." He tells them.

Blink and Specs roll their eyes, each reaching into their back pockets to grab two dimes.

All of the boys carried change on them, which probably didn't help the fact that they bet so often.

Blink slaps his twenty cents in Tommy boy's hand first, then Specs.

Tommy boy puts the money in his pocket, before holding his hand. "I just wanted my bet money." He mutters. "Not a broken hand."

Specs and Blink share a look, before rolling their eyes in unison.

In Brooklyn

Race had been talking to JoJo (13) and Elmer (13) when everyone went quiet.

"Hey, Spot." He heard Jack greet someone.

"Hey, Kelly." The other boy, Spot (14), greets, spit shaking with Jack.

Jack smirks. "We brought a boy who might be able to beat you in Poker." He states.

Spot looked intrigued. "Oh?" He raises an eyebrow, smirking. "You've got me curious, I want to meet him." He responds.

Jack makes a gesture for Race to come to the front of the group.

Race's eyes widen, his feet backing up slightly without him thinking.

Specs puts his arm around Race's shoulder. "It's okay." He whispers in Race's ear. "I'll protect you, Anthony."

Race nods slightly.

Specs leads him to the front of the group.

Spot stares him up and down, his gaze making Race uncomfortable.

After a minute, he speaks up. "You're that Sheepshead kid." He comments quietly.

Race's eyes widen. "You're-" he starts.

Spot makes a motion for him to not say it.

Race nods.

"Ace!" Spot shouts, his eyes still staring at Race. "Come 'ere!"

About twenty seconds later, a kid Race had seen before comes to the front of the group, standing next to Spot.

Both Race and Ace's eyes widen at the same time.

"Anthony?" Ace asks.

Race cringes a bit at his name. "Yeah," he mutters. "That's me."

Jack raises an eyebrow at Spot.

Spot looks at him. "The Sheepshead kid I've told you about." He informs Jack.

Jack nods, his eyebrows furrowed. "Would've never thought that was Race." He mutters.

"Race, huh?" Ace asks the younger boy, turning to face him.

Jack nods. "This is Racetrack Higgins, our new boy as of a month ago." He informs the Brooklyn boys.

Spot turns back to face Race. "Spot Conlon, King of Brooklyn. Nice to meet you, Racer." He spits in his hand, holding it out for Race to shake.

Race nods slowly, spitting in his own hand and shaking with Spot.

"That's the fastest a Manhattan kid has ever not cringed at that." Spot comments, wiping his hand off, a bit impressed. "Tell you what, kid," he starts.

Race looks up at Spot.

"If you win against me and my best boys in a round of Poker," he starts. "You can be half Brooklyn." He smirks.

Race looks at Jack, his eyes filled with confusion.

Spot chuckles, noticing.

Jack nods.

"Okay." Race agrees softly.

A bit later

Race sat on the Brooklyn dock, his legs hanging over the side.

He wasn't play Spot for about twenty minutes.

Some of the other boys were playing first, for fun and to place some silly bets that they'd probably never pay back.

It was an unspoken thing between the two boroughs; they rarely ever paid silly Poker bets back, but for other Poker stuff and stuff in general they did.

Race just looked at the water beneath his feet, when he heard someone dig next to him.

"Hi." They greet.

Race looks up at them.

They had smokey black hair, very pale skin, no freckles, brown eyes, some scars on their body/face, and a good amount of ash/smoke on their face and clothes.

They wore black pants, boots, a black hat, black suspenders, and black wraps on their upper arms, like he had seen Albert wear at times, only in a different color.

They had a black undershirt and a red and black plaid flannel, that was tied around their waist.

"I'm Smokes." They introduce themself. "Just thirteen years old, he/him, and Spot's Third in Command." He informs Race.

Race smiles. "Racetrack Higgins, as you've heard." Smokes laughs a bit. "Twelve and he/him."

Smokes smiles.

The two boys stay silent for a few.

Race was a bit nervous, hence why he had been alone.

It sorta changed when Smokes sat with him.

"I can leave if you want me to." Smokes blurts out. "I understand this is a bit nerve-wracking. I joined Brooklyn three months ago." He explains.

Race shakes his head. "No, I don't want you to leave." He responds softly. "It's kinda nice having someone here who hasn't been with their group for years." He whispers.

Smokes smiles. "I get that and I'm not even the youngest boy."

Race groans a bit. "I am the youngest." He mutters. "And they like to remind me that I am."

Smokes chuckles. "They're annoying."

"You don't say?" Race responds, shooting him a look.

Smokes chuckles, spitting in his hand and sticking it out to Race. "I can tell we're going to be good friends." He states.

Race smiles, spit-shaking with Smokes.

"Higgins!" They heard someone Race thought he heard Ike call Hotshot shout. "Ashy! Come on! It's your turn!"

"It's Smokes!" Smokes shouts back, exasperated.

They heard chuckles.

"Hate them." Smokes mumbles, arms crossed.

"They're annoying." Race responds with a smile.

Smokes nods.

The two boys get up.

Before they split up to go to opposite sides, Smokes stops Race.

"Good luck." He tells him, patting his back.

Race nods.

During the game

Race sat across from Spot, his cards in his hands.

He stated intensely at his cards, focusing hard.

He heard whispers from behind him and across from him.

"Fifty cents Race wins."

"I wonder who will win."

"Spot can't be beat."

"I'm stressing for Race."

"Please shut up." Race mutters, his eyes still fixated on his cards.

Some of the boys laugh/chuckle.

Spot chuckles, his eyes also fixated on his cards. "I was going to tell them to shut up, but Race did it for me." He comments.

"They're stressing me out." Race responds.

About a minute later, Spot stared wide-eyed at Race.

Some of the other boys, both Brooklyn and Manhattan, were staring at him, eyes-wide as well.

Smokes and some Manhattan boys were smiling.

Jack smirks. He knew Race was good enough to beat Spot.

Spot puts his cards down. "Straight." He states, the smirk on his face telling Race he thought he had won.

Some of the other boys thought he had won, too.

Jack stares at Race. Come on, kid. I know you can do this.

Jack knew Race had something up his sleeve when he smirked.

"That would've won, except," Race puts down his cards. "I have a Royal Flush."

Spot's eyes widen and his jaw drops.

"Dang, kid." Spot starts. "You're better than I thought." He comments.

Race shrugs. "I'm not gre-" he starts.

"Take the compliment, Race." Spot responds, shooting him a stern look.

Race nods, his eyes a bit wide.

Spot spits in his hand, holding it out for Race.

Race spit shakes with him.

Spot looks at Jack. "Can I keep him?" He asks.

Jack shakes his head.

Spot rolls his eyes, turning back to Race. "Welcome to Brooklyn, kid. Wish you were a full-Brooklyn, but half will have to do." He states.

Race nods.

Some of the Manhattan boys start cheering, some (along with some Brooklyn boys) congratulating Race.

Spot chuckles.

Jack pats Race on the back. "Nice job, Anthony." He tells him softly.

Race smiles up at him. "That was fun." He tells him, the smile on his face forming into a cheeky grin.

Jack chuckles softly.

2180 Words