Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize from the movie. My characters have not even appeared yet. Calm down. Breathe. You know, that thing that you need? Air or something......
Enjoy, and leave me a review if you want candy corns! -noms the whole bag- oops......I go get some more. -leaves-


David sighed into the cold winter air as the newsies lined up at the distribution center to buy their morning papes. The strike was now almost six months behind them, and Christmas was coming up. But for some reason, David just wasn't feeling the whole "holiday spirit."

"Hey there, Davey," a friendly hand clapped on David's shoulder. David turned around to see none other than Jack Kelly, leader of the Manhattan newsies, and David's best friend among them.

David rolled his blue eyes up at his friend. "What do you want Jack?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Hey now, no need ta get so angry with me. I was only checkin' ta see what's wrong with my pal David." Jack slung his arm around David's shoulders as they waited in line. "After all, somethin's gotta be up when my best buddy here ain't lookin' too happy. Although I can't see why, seein' as he's got dat lovely sister o' his ta keep him company in da evenin' when it's cold, an-"

"Oh, about that, actually," David spun to face Jack. Pointing his finger at Cowboy's chest, he warned, "The next time you try to sneak her out at night, I'm going to tell my parents."

"Oh yeah? Den what're ya gonna do ta me, Davey?" Jack smirked.

"We'll stop feeding you. Especially this Christmas." David continued walking up the line of moving newsies nonchalantly, as if he had just stated that the weather was slightly chilly. Jack stared at him, flabbergasted.

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" David snapped, a little more harshly then he meant to.

Jack stared at his friend. "Okay, David, stop. Right now. Stop and tell me what's wrong."

"There's nothing wrong wi-"

"Cut da crap, David, I know when something's up with you. An' it ain't just about me 'n' Sarah sneakin' out sometimes." Jack planted himself directly in David's path to keep him from going anywhere. David glared at him.

"Jack, can you move? I have to get my papes," David said, indignant.

"No, I ain't goin' anywhere until you tell me what's been buggin' you so bad these past coupla days."

David sigh and threw up his hands. Clear blue eyes met serious brown ones. David looked down at the ground, shoving his hands deeper into his coat pockets. Finally he looked back up at Jack and spat out, "It's school, alright? Are you happy now?"

"School? I thought you dropped outta school when your dad got laid off." Jack's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "'Sides, didn't you say you didn't want ta go ta school right now?"

"Not right now, no, but-" David stopped midsentence, unsure of how to continue. "Look, Jack, my family expects me to go back. There's nothing I can make of myself here, selling papes. No, don't look at me like that-" he said at his friend's look of hurt "-you know it as well as I do. We all know it. Isn't that why you want to go to Santa Fe so bad?"

"David, I don't undahstand."

"I want to go back, Jack. But if I don't go back by next fall, they'll kick me out for good."

"So den go back in da fall," Jack shrugged, not seeing any problem with this. "Most of us don't know what we're doin' in the next coupla hours, much less da next year. So don't worry about it much, alright?" Jack grinned at David, flipped up his cowboy hat, and turned around to order his usual hundred papes.

David just sighed, rolled his eyes again, and fumbled for enough change to buy himself some papes.

"Fifty papes, please."

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