Author's Note: I leave this story alone for THREE years and now I choose to start it up again? What are the odds? In any case, I am not ripping off the entirety of Megan McCafferty's series, but I am still inspired by her works. Because I'm older and (hopefully) more mature, I think I can carry on a whole Newsies fic by myself, don't you think? I hope you all still sort of remember me! (I apologize for the horrendousness of the fic previously written, originally known as simply 'Life Sucks.')


So, there I was, letting little Jinx drag me all the damn way to Manhattan, hitching a ride on the back of a carriage. (For the record, I'm short, but she is shorter.) Jinx was an incredibly excitable creature and that certainly got on my nerves, though I didn't let on. I would never let on; she and Fang were the only pseudo-friends I had in this borough. Pathetic, I know, but Faith was my, well, soul mate. I know that term is typically used to describe two people in love, but we just fit, you know? Finishing each other's sentences and all that. With Jinx and Fang, it was more of interrupting my sentences with a squeal or a yell.

Anyway, the whole ordeal was ridiculous, to be perfectly honest. I really had no problem with Skittery; he was a good kid, tall, not bad looking at all, and occasionally temperamental, but that, I suppose, was a part of his charm. We were greeted with a wide wave from Racetrack, who then beckoned a few others over for a full Manhattan salutation. "'Ey! Ladies! What brings you two over to our humble part a' town?" he asked, wriggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. Oh, he knew. I think the whole of New York City knew at this point- how gossip spreads so quickly, I shall never know.

"Um," I said eloquently, "well, I- I- I-"

While I stammered to get a full sentence out, Racetrack had slung a friendly arm around Jinx's shoulders and they started off without me, expecting me to follow. And, I scurried after them, holding my skirts in fisted hands, hopping over puddles. Most hated how the city looked after the rains, but I didn't. As the two chatted, probably discussing me and Skittery in an unusually business-like manner, I guess I lost control and hopped right into a puddle, letting out a squeal.

"Steady on, Rox," said a low voice from behind. I whipped around to see Skittery standing there, hands fiddling with his suspenders, the pink of his long johns visible from under his plaid button-up shirt. And that grin. Holy Toledo, how did I miss that wonderful sheepish grin? He lifted his cap to run a hand through mousy brown hair, and, honestly, all I could do was gape at him. GAPE. Oh, and there went that heart fluttery thing within me, and that throat tighten-y thing, and that inarticulate thing.

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle.

I think I like him too.


Jinx and Racetrack, I guess, had gotten a little caught up in their conversation and had wandered away, probably to the tracks, or something; those two were easily distracted, after all. This left me to fend for myself in the new world of teenage romance, or something to that effect. Skittery, how was I not aware of your adorableness?

"I guess you heard the news," he started with the shrug of his thin shoulders, fingering the change in his pocket. (I'm assuming that it's change here, unless he carries jewelry around?) Peering a little closer, I could see the blush creeping onto his cheeks, and I suddenly became worried. Was he embarrassed? Oh, god, he probably was- I mean, I'm not exactly Miss New York Bombshell, I'm not even close to, what's her face, Cowboy's girlfriend!

"Uh, yes," was my well-expressed reply. After a moment, I took a breath and continued (on that same breath, mind you), "Yes, I think it's really great that you like me and everything, because I think I like you too, but if you don't want to be, you know, together, then I completely understand now that I have just made a complete fool of myself in front of you."

Instead of the expected look of horror, there was a look of amusement on Skittery's face and he took a small step forward, careful to avoid the puddle that had soaked the edges of my skirts. "Nah, you didn't," he said simply. Ah, a man of few words- he balances me out, I think. But, ahh, I'm getting way ahead of myself, here.

Like the idiot that I am sometimes, I blurted out: "When did you decide that you liked me?"

With a wider grin, he responded with, "We got into a little discussion the other night at Medda's an' girls came up o' course." He winked and I swear to God, I nearly melted. "Several names came up an' I just… I mentioned you." He took to jingling the change in his pocket while I stood there, grinning moronically.

'And so the gossip chain began," I said in quiet tones, taking a smaller step towards him. I felt so incredibly giddy at the prospect of a guy actually liking me and not pretty Jinx or seductive Fang or charming Faith or any other girl for that matter. Me. He liked me, the quirky smartass from Brooklyn. During this whole revelation, I had forgotten completely about how the water was slowly creeping up my skirt until I reached down to grab it. I scrunched the wet material with my fingers and cringed. "I need to dry off," I added suddenly, turning red. He probably thought I was some little kid, jumping into puddles and all.

"Hey, let's go to Tibby's, there's a fireplace there," he suggested, grabbing my hand and breaking into a run. I made a grab for my skirts again in an attempt to keep up with his long strides, trying to bring myself back home, on the ground, from my daze.

Oh, how one smile can change the mind of a girl.