Hello friends. So I'm trying to keep my promise and update a lot more then I had been. And here is the next chapter!

Shoutout to biankies :) Thank you SO very much for reading my fanfic and leaving some extremely nice comments.

Now, to the story!

Chapter 6

It was real fun to have Race as a friend. We acted like complete toddlers around each other and bet on everything in sight.

He challenged me. "I bet you can't eat that whole burger in thirty seconds."

"Oh really? And how much are you willing to put on the table?"

Race grinned and slapped a nickel on the slab of wood, looking smug.

"Fine, but are you ready to lose?"

"Your mouth and capability to swallow will be the judge of that."

I shrugged and looked disinterested, but I was excited. A good bet and smack talk really turned on my competitive side. A small group of newsies gathered around our booth. Polka elbowed me.

"Prove him wrong, yeah? Girl power."

I laughed a bit and then got my game face on.

Specs, a newsie with glasses and a brain, nominated himself the judge.

"On your mark, get set, go."

And with that I grabbed the sandwich and started to chomp down on it. I furiously chewed and swallowed, gulping down a swig of water. I was almost there. I inhaled the rest of the burger, successfully satisfying my taste buds.

"And she's done with 5 seconds to spare." Specs sang, raising my hand in the air. The newsies all cheered and laughed at Race as he reluctantly put the 5 cents into my waiting hand. I was probably quite a sight, with sesame seeds on my lips and ketchup, mustard, and mayo slathered all over my smiling face.

Jack came over to slap me on the back and congratulate me. "Welcome to da newsies Blues. You'll fit right in our messy, ragged army."

I looked up at my new friends, who already felt like a welcoming family, and grinned happily.


After we paid the tab and left Tibby's, the newsies showed me and Polka where we would be living. The Newsboy Lodging House of Manhattan. Joy. But it was better than a box in an abandoned alley, so I'll take it. We walked in, and I immediately loved the vibes in there. Very homey with a staircase leading up to the bunks, I suppose, a couch squeezed into the corner with a bunch of stools and a bookcase, and a big oak desk with a friendly lookin man standing behind it.

"Heya Kloppman!" the boys greeted.

The elderly gentlemen tipped his bowler at them and then turned to Polk and I. "May I help you two lovely ladies?"

Jack stepped up with us. "Klopp, dese gals are gonna stick around us guys for awhile. Can ya get em signed in?"
"Oh sure Jack, sure," then he turned to me and Polka, "Ya sure ya wanna live with these hooligans though? They are mighty loud and full of trouble."

Polka and I exchanged glances and slowly nodded.

Kloppman shrugged and gestured towards a jar filled with some change. "It's alright with me if you both pay a nickel every week and obey the curfew, which is midnight."

Then he turned to the boys, waggling his finger at them. "And absolutely NO funny business from you all."

The newsies all protested and threw their hands in the air.

"When have we eva done dat, don't cha have any faith in us, etc."

Kloppman shook his head and waved them away. "Jack, get them a bunk and give em da run down."

Jack nodded and showed us upstairs to the bunkroom. He walked over to an empty bed right up against the wall and closest to the window, my favorite.

"Alrighty then, dis will be your guy's shared bunk. Choose between yourselves who gets which level. Now for da grand royal tour. Bathrooms to your left, my room's to da right. I suggest getting up earlier than da others if ya want privacy. Rise and shine at five a.m."

With that he walked away and left us by our bed.

Polka shouted, "I call top bunk!" which is perfectly fine with me cause I roll when I sleep, plus I got the nightstand and easy access to the fire escape and window. So I plopped my tired butt down and threw the few things I brought with me under the bed. With a few cautious looks around the room, I slowly slid the cane out from inside of my pant leg and stuffed it under my mattress. Man, tomorrow I gotta find a better hiding place for it. And with that I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, not looking forward to the early start to my day in the morning, but pleased that I found a place where I sorta felt like I belonged.

PLEASE REVIEW! AND THANKS FOR READING (;