Ladders walked up to me and sat down on the stairs next to me. He had just spoken with one of Jack's newsies, and came back to tell me what he had heard.

"Jack's holding a city wide rally with all the city's newsies, and he wants you there," Ladders told me. "It's tonight at nine."

I nodded in response. "Okay."

"Are you alright?" Ladders asked. "I mean, what was that yesterday? With the Manhattan boy. Do you know him?"

"I did." I told him, resting my head on my hands.

"Who was it?"

"An old family member."

Ladders raised his eyebrow. "Brother?"

I nodded and he hummed in understanding. "Is he as ridiculous as you?"

"Probably more." I replied. "When's that rally again?"

"Nine. Tonight."

"Okay."

~

Something was going to go wrong, I could feel it. It was that deep gut feeling that was eating at me, and making me jumpy. I didn't want to be here, but I had to be.

"Ladders?" I muttered to my second. "If anything happens to me tonight, get the boys out of here."

He gave me a sideways glance and nodded. "Okay, but nothing is going to happen tonight, you're just nervous."

Nervous. I knew what nervous felt like. This was not it. I was scared. I didn't want to do this.

I sighed and patted Ladders shoulder. "Just remember what I said."

I walked away from them as they headed up towards the balcony, instead turning to go stand over where Spot was waiting.

I spat in my hand as he held his own out, and we shook. I stood next to him, watching as all of the newsies began filing in. There were people from all over.

"You ready for this?" Spot asked.

I shrugged. "Ready as I'll ever be."

I watched as the boy named David walked over to us and shook our hands, before turning and walking in front of us two. "Newsies of New York," Where was Jack? "Look at what we've done! We have newsies here from every turf and pape here tonight. Tonight we're making history. Tonight we declare that we are just as much a part of the newspaper as any reporter or editor. We are done treated like kids, from now on we will be treated as equals."

I nodded slightly, the kid sure did have a way with words.

"You want to be talked to like an adult, start acting like one." I watched as Jack walked out from behind one of the stands.

"Here's Jack!" David cheered.

There was a smattering of clapping, then Jack continued. "Pulitzer raised the prices without a word to us, and that was a lousy thing to do. But I have talked with Mr. Pulitzer personally, and I have his word that if we call off the strike, he will not raise the price again for two years."

People began shouting before Jack even finished his sentence, myself and Spot included. What was he talking about? Why would we back out before we were done, we were actually beginning to accomplish something here, we would never gain their respect now.

"Wait! Wait!" Jack shouted. "There is one other thing I have to do."

I leaned back against the rafter, Spot pausing, before doing the same. Ladders looked at me from his spot up top, and I nodded. He waved a hand and the boys in Queens immediately hushed. Slowly, the rest of the kids did too.

"Crown," My eyes widened as Jack turned to me. "Give me your hat."

I swallowed nervously, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. "What?" I asked.

"You heard me." He demanded. "Give me your hat."

I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. "No."

I turned and glanced at Spot, who shook his head. He didn't know what was going on. He stepped forwards. "What are you doing Jack?"

Jack scoffed. "Come on Spot. You can't act like you don't want the world to know the secret."

I stumbled backwards as Jack began approaching me. "Leave him alone Jack." Spot snapped.

"Get out of my way Spot, or I'm taking you down with her."

My eyes widened. How did he know? Who told him? The only person who I didn't trust was Spot.

"You told him?" I turned to Spot.

"I never told him anything," Spot said. "He found out someway else."

"Give me your hat!" Jack shouted. "I want to show those boys in your turf how long you've been lying to them!"

The crowd was watching nervously, not sure what to make of the confrontation between the three leaders. I made eye contact with Ladders and he nodded, beginning to mutter to Clothespin. I watched as Queens began neatly filing out.

"No!" I told him, slipping around him, heading towards the door. I knew what I was doing, turning my back like that, I knew he was going to reach for my hat. Let him. If he was going to harm anybody, It was going to be himself.

I winced slightly as he tugged it off, feeling a few hairs get pulled out. My hair fell in messy waves around my face. There were several gasps as it was revealed.

I whipped around and slammed my fist into his face. Jack stumbled, falling to the ground.

"Is this what you wanted?" I asked him, snatching my hat from his hands.

Jack stood back up and turned to face Queens, only to find the only three still there were Ladders, Clothespin, and Cheery. "You see what she's been keeping from you?"

"Oh my god!" Cheery shrieked. "She's a girl! It's not like we already know this." I bit my cheek to keep from laughing at the sarcasm coating his voice.

"They know?" Both Spot and Jack asked.

I had forgotten that Spot was even there.

"You lied to me!" Spot shouted.

I huffed and spun around, heading towards the door, just as someone screamed. "Jennifer?"

I froze, before turning to look up at who had shouted. It was Anthony-Racetrack. I nodded at him. As much as I wanted to stay and speak to him, I had to go.

"I'll see you around Anthony." I waved at him, before turned and walking towards the door.

"Does this mean you're out of the strike?" David asked.

"Yes." I replied, before pushing the door open, and walking out, shoving my hat on my head as I walked out.

~

"You lied to me!"

I winced. This was not how I wanted to start this conversation. I had just been pacing the streets, needing a breather after that evening. I twirled the lit cigar I was holding before stuffing it out on the wall, before placing it in my pocket.

I spun around. "I think we are even, considering you told Jack I was a girl."

"I never told Jack anything!" Spot told me, coming up to where I stood, in an alley, leaning against the wall.

"Sure. Then how did he find out?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

Spot gave me an angry look. "How would I know? But that doesn't excuse the fact you lied, to my face."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not entitled to tell you everything, and I never lied, I didn't tell you everything."

He clenched his fists. "If you weren't a girl you'd be trying to talk with a fist in your mouth."

I took a deep breath to keep myself from getting angry. I didn't know why he infuriated me so much. "I told you the truth about Queens and my gender. I didn't have to tell you any of that."

He took an angry step towards me. "You just lied to me and every other boy that was there."

I stepped towards him, holding my fist up. "If I weren't a girl, you'd be staring at me through one swollen eye!"

He growled and stepped forwards. "Don't let that stop you, give me your best shot!"

I hadn't realized just how close we actually were. Our noses were nearly brushing and our chests were both heaving from the heat of the argument. The tension was thick enough to cut. Our eyes connected and we glared at each other, pure hate in our eyes.

I scoffed and shoved him back, walking to the end of the alley. "Get out of here Spot. Go back to your strike."

He grabbed my shoulder and spun me back around. "I left the strike, so did the rest of the turfs. Manhattan pulled a far too severe stunt and no one trusts them or me now. Everyone wants to know what you are doing know. They trust you because you kept your secret."

I shook my head in disbelief. "You are all insane."

"Take that up with the turf leaders who are all following you now."

I stared at him. "Get out of here Conlon."

"Back on a last name basis again Higgins?"

I threw my hands in the air. "You're impossible." I muttered. "Just leave me alone."