Avery's POV 

We went back to the little opening in the brick wall where we left the guys before me and David went after the carriage.

"Where's Jack?" Les asked running towards us once he saw us. 

"He didn't want to come with us" I said back with a little sadness in my voice. 

"Why not?" Race asked as everyone else came towards us.

"He never told us why" David said. I couldn't understand why he didn't, but I could tell there was something holding him back. Did Snyder tell him something that made Jack stay? 

"It's getting late guys, better start heading home" David said with his hand on Les' shoulder. The newsies said goodbye to David and Les before they headed to their house. I continued to walk with the newsies since it wasn't time for me to part yet. 

"So what happened when you guys went to get Jack?" Race asked with a cigar in his mouth.  

"Well, they took him to this really nice place I think it was someone's house. When they took him inside David unscrewed the horse from the carriage so when we called Jack to run with us they wouldn't be able to us the carriage. They must have told him somethin cause he didn't come back with us. He refused and made us leave. He looked like he really wanted to come but something was holding him back." I said finishing and leaving out the part where I went back and kissed Jack. 

"We need to find out why then" Mush said in response. "There has to be a reason Jack just abandoned the strike like that"

After awhile of walking it was time for me to head back to Brooklyn where Spot was already at.

"Bye guys, see yous tomorrow" I said waving to the guys and they waved back while saying there goodbyes as well.

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I finally arrived at the lodging house and Spot came out to see me. 

"So how'd it go?" Spot asked and I could tell he was hoping Jack came back with us.

"He didn't come back with us" I said looking at the ground then back at Spot who had a shocked look on his face.

"What? Why not?" 

"We don't know why." I said and then went on to tell him everything that happened but of course leaving out the kissing part. 

"Well, tomorrow we are going to 'Hatten to figure this all out. Goodnight Avery" Spot said he headed inside the lodging house.

"Goodnight Spot" I said as I walked to my room that was separated from the boys room. I laid down on my bed but couldn't fall asleep. I was too busy wondering about Jack and what we will do about this. Before I knew it, sleep took over me.

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It was the next morning and Spot had woken me up to tell me to get ready to head to 'Hatten. Us and a few other Brooklyn newsies were going to 'Hatten to figure out everything with the strike and about Jack.

I got up and put on my favorite shirt and suspenders. I brushed my hair and put my hat over it. I hurried to put my shoes on and grabbed my slingshot. I met Spot and the rest of the newsies on the dock outside the lodging house and we all headed to 'Hatten.

It took a little while but we finally made it and all the 'Hatten newsies were in front of their lodging house. After we made sure all the newsies were here we headed to the pape distribution center.

"You guys ready?" David asked before we left.

"Yeah!' Everyone shouted.

Once we got there we all started to shout. Half of the newsies shouted "Stop The World!" While the other half shouted "No more papes!" This went of for a little bit till the gates opened. Out came a wagon with papes in the back and behind it were the Scabs. Everyone started to get rallied up till David yelled for Race to help him calm everyone down. Me and Spot went up to the front to calm a few people down till I looked up. I was in such shock of what I saw that all I could do was shake Spot and point to what I was staring at.

"Hey Race, Race come here" Spot said pulling Race to him sounding as shocked as I was at what he saw.

"What?" Race said obviously not seeing what we saw.

"Tell me I'm just seein things. Just tell me I'm seein things" Spot said and at this point all the newsies saw what we saw. What we saw was Jack dressed as a Scabber. This must be why he didn't come with us last night, that trader. I could feel my blood start to boil with anger. He really turned his back on all the newsies to become a Scab.

"No you ain't seein things, that's Jack. What's he doin?" Race said starting to sound angry as well.

"He's dressed like a Scabber" I was finally able to say.

"Jack, look at me will ya? Come on its me Mush? Look at me! What are ya doin?" Mush said as he tried to go towards Jack but the Bulls stopped him. 

"This ain't happenin'! What are ya doin Jack?!" Kid Blink asked doing the same thing as Mush. 

"Hey what is this! Where did you get them clothes?" Boots asked very angrily. I feel so bad for the 'Hatten newsies they must feel worst then me since they have known Jack longer and probably feel like family. 

"Mr. Pulitzer picked them out himself. A special gift to a special new employee." Weasel said in response to Boots with a smile on his face.

"Look at him in his little suit. Ya bum! I'll soak ya!" Race said getting angrier by the second.

"Let me get my hands dirty!" Spot said as he tried to jump over the Bulls but they caught him.

"Come here you dirty rotten scabber!" He said as me and some other newsies tried to pull him away.

"Come on Spot calm down!" I yelled as he was dragged away to the back and I followed him. 

"I'll murder ya!" He shouted as I kept on trying to calm him down.

After we finally calmed Spot down we went back up to the front. When we got up there we saw David talking to Jack. 

Jack's POV

I hated this. I hated that the guys felt so betrayed which they should because of what I'm doing. I also hated how this must make Avery feel and Spot. Avery had to go calm Spot down since he was so angry by this. They then let Davey through to come talk to me.

"This is why you didn't escape last night" David said as he grabbed my vest. I just shrugged my shoulders and said a quiet yeah.

"You're a liar. You lied about everything! You lied about your father being out west cause hes not out west. You didn't even tell me your real name!" David yelled getting angrier and angrier. 

"So? What you want to do about it Dave?" 

"I don't understand you. You are hurting people especially Avery. She believed in you and now you go and do this." David said and he's right. I must be hurting Avery by doing this but I have to think about myself.

"So let me spell it out for ya. You see, I ain't got anyone tucking me in at night. Its just me, I got to look out for myself." 

"You have the newsies and Avery. They care for you" David said pointing at the crowd of newsies.

"What'd being a newsies give me but a dime a day and a few black eyes. And Avery deserves better than me." Which is true she does but I still do love her.

"You know I can't afford to be a kid no more Davey. For the first time in my life I have money in my pockets, real money! And I got more on the way and soon as I collect I'm gone, all right!" I said getting louder.

"So you are just going to leave Avery?" David said slightly yelling to where only we can hear.

"Like I said Davey, she deserves better than me" 

"You don't see it do you? She loves you and cares for you. She begged me to let her come with me to help you escape but you didn't, which hurt her. Look at her, you can see the hurt in her eyes." David said and I looked over at Avery. He was right, she does have hurt in her eyes. I couldn't keep looking at her or I would break, so I looked away. 

"I'm going to leave David" I said looking at the ground.

"Fine! You know what? That's good cause we don't need you! We don't need you! Cause all those words you said were mine." 

"But you never had the guts to put them across yourself did ya?"  I felt bad for saying these things but I had to do this for myself. I had to get Davey to leave me alone.

"I do now" David said as he turned to walk away. He walked away before he stopped and looked at the newsies. All the newsies were mad but had some hurt in their eyes especially Avery. I could barely look her in the eye so I tried to avoid her gaze. David turned around to look at me.

"What? What's the matter?" I said in a mocking tone. David tried to come at me but Weasel and some Bulls stopped him.

"Maybe you'd like a new suit of your own." Weasel said to David. 

"Never!" David shouted as the Bulls threw him to the other newsies. 

I started to walk through the newsies with Bulls all around me. They all shouted at me but Avery. She didn't stop looking at me with her hurt eyes. I looked at her and our gazes meet. I broke our eye contact and looked at the ground. 

How could I have done this? How could I have hurt Avery like this?