Disclaimer: Disney owns the Newsies, not me.

Having lunch with the newsies was interesting. The boys joked and were rowdy and it was fun to watch them but I knew I didn't fit in with the crowd. I didn't really talk with anyone, even Blink, he was too busy talking and laughing with a group of newsies. Despite that, I was having an alright time. I had yet to be injured by any of the newsies and the food I'd ordered was good. I wasn't having the time of my life but I wasn't going to complain. The only thing that was really bothering was my knee. It didn't hurt it was more of a throbbing that was just plain annoying.

"Are you'se gonna finish dat?" I looked up at an unfamiliar newsie and back down at my plate where a hand full of fries were still sitting.

"No." My voice was quiet.

"Den can I have 'em?" I nodded as a took a better look at the newsie. He was young and his hat looked too big for him.

"Thanks." I took the whole plate with him to the other table he was sitting at.

"Dat was Snipeshooter." I jumped at Blinks voice.

"Snipeshooter?" I asked I guess the newsies must hate normal names.

"Yeah. Heah I'll introduce ya to everybody."

"No Blink please don't-" Why is he standing on the table? Blink had indeed jumped onto the table and was trying to get everyone's attention.

"Blink get down." I whispered up to him. He didn't listen.

"Hey! HEY!" He yelled and the newsies looked over at him.

"What is it Blink?" Asked an older boy. "I'se trying to eat heah."

"Dis heah is Madeline Stein." I felt my face grow hot as a dozen or so pairs of eyes looked at me. I now know what an animal in a zoo must feel like.

"She's from outta town so us we'se gonna show her a good time."

"Aw Blink did ya forget 'bout da mayors daughter already?" A newsie said and everybody laughed including Blink.

"Na, course I didn't. Now you'se know Maddy it time for Maddy-" Blink suddenly grabbed my hand and lifted me up onto the table. I yelped at the sudden shock of being in front of everyone.

"-to meet all you'se bummers."

"I can meet the from the chair Blink" I frantically whispered to him but he just smiled at me.

"You'se up heah now." Obviously….I don't want to be up here.

"A' right Maddy you'se already know Jack, Race, Crutchy, Les, and ya know dats Snipeshooter. Dis heah is Skittery," Skittery just looked at me and sort of nodded, "Dats Dutchy and Specs." The two smiled at me and I tried to smile back, "Ovah dere is Boots, Itey, and Swifty." Boots nodded to me, Itey and Swifty waved, " And by da door is Snoddy, Bumlets, Pie Eater, and Snitch and I think dat's most everybody."

"Hello." I said softly and got down of the table as fast as I could. Blink followed me down smiling as he did so. The moment he was back in his seat he turned to me, "Dat wasn't so bad was it?" I gave him a look that clearly said 'are you kidding? It was worse.' but Blink being Blink just laughed and gave a reassuring hug that just made me feel more nervous.

POV-Blinks

I could tell that Maddy was nervous. I thought it was meeting the boys but after she got down from table and was still acting nervous I knew it was something else. I just couldn't figure out what it was so I tried reassuring her but that didn't help. I didn't like seeing her nervous and not being able to help was driving me insane. I would just have to work harder to make her more at ease.

"So Maddy tell me 'bout da place ya lived before comin' heah." I said softly to her, I noticed her body tense. I thought talking about her home would help her but it was obviously the wrong thing to say as she retreated into her shell.

"I have a father and a mother and three older brothers. We have cattle, horses, couple dos and cats. Typical ranch." She kept it short and I took that as my cue to change the subject.

"Are ya liking New York so far?" again I knew, as I saw her face fall slightly, that I'd said the wrong thing again.

"It's different then I'd expected." Her tone was neutral.

"Different in da bad way?" I had a feeling it was the bad way. Maddy shrugged and avoided looking me in the eye.

"My first official day in New York wasn't the greatest." She said dryly and I detected a smile tugging on her lips. I smiled thinking back to what I knew of her first day and laughed, "It could have been worse."

"How?" Maddy demanded to know as she looked at me like I was crazy.

"You could have been killed." I joked but my stomach fell as I remembered she'd almost been killed today.

"True, that's probably the only way my day could have been worse." I was relieved to hear the humor in her tone and I smiled at her. She looked at me but quickly looked away.

"Why do ya do dat?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Do what?" She glanced at me quickly.

"Dat, you'se cant look at me straight for more den five seconds." I kept my tone light and so did she.

"That's not true."

"OK den look at me." I could see her roll her eyes and sigh but she turned and looked at me. I counted in my head as I looked back at her. One… two… three…four… five- she looked away.

"See that was five seconds." She said. I smiled, "You'se proved me wrong." I don't think I was ever so glad to be wrong before. Maddy smiled in triumph at me.

"So I won?" Her eyes glimmered with mischief.

"I didn't' say dat. All I'se said was dat I was wrong." She smiled fully as I said that.

"Yeah so I won."

"Shoah ya won." I told her and her smile grew. Then I got an idea, I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You'se won because I let ya win." Her jaw dropped but then she smirked remembering the conversation we'd had earlier.

"I got you to let me win though." I smiled at her and shook my head. Les said something to her that I couldn't hear and I turned to talk to Jack. He was looking at Maddy strangely but he must of felt my eye on him because he looked at me quickly and smirked.

"What?" I asked.

"Maddy's a pretty goil." Was all he said. I wasn't expecting Jack to say that or anything like that. I raised an eyebrow, "What 'bout Sarah?"

"Oh I love Sarah but I'se just pointin' out dat Maddy's not bad to look at." Jack leaned back in his chair and shrugged. I thought about what he said and looked over at Maddy who was now talking with Crutchy while Les listened in. I couldn't see her face clearly but I remembered what she looked like, "Yeah I guess she's not bad to look at."

POV- Maddy

When Les had come up to me I'd expected another story or something but I wasn't ready for the question he asked me, " Are you Blinks girl?"

"His girl? You mean like are him and me…?" I asked hoping Les was meaning it in a different way.

"Yeah." Where did the kid get that idea?

"No I'm not his girl. Why do you ask?"

Les shrugged, "You talk to him more then anyone else." Les was right. I talked to Blink more then anyone. I guess it's time to change that.

"Well that wasn't very nice of me was it?" Les shook his head. I looked around and spotted Crutchy not to far away.

"How about we go talk to Crutchy?" I asked Les.

"Good idea." Les said. I had to move my chair over a few feet to be able to talk to Crutchy.

"How are you doing Crutchy?" The boy smiled.

"It's goin' good Maddy. How'se 'bout ya? Dat dog aint causin' no more trouble is he?" Brutus causing trouble? Now where did he get that idea? I inwardly snorted. Brutus did nothing but cause trouble.

"No Crutchy Brutus hasn't been causing too much trouble."

"Who's Brutus?" Les asked. he's Satan.

"Da little dog I was telling' ya 'bout."

"The one that attacked you?" Awe was evident in Les' voice.

"Attacked me crutch. Kinda looks like a long haired and over grown rat."

"But an over grown rat would be nicer." I mumbled and Crutchy laughed.

"hey Maddy can I ask ya somethin'?" Crutchy said quietly. As long as you don't ask me if I'm Blinks girl.

"Sure."

"Do ya like Blink?" I looked at Crutchy sharply, "In what way?"

"In da dreamy eyes, lingerin' touches, secret-" I

"I get what you mean Crutchy." I interrupted him.

"In dat kinda way?"

"I have only known Blink for two days- not even two days."

"Dat's not answerin' da question."

I sighed, "I do not like Blink in the dreamy eyes kind of way."

"Why not?" Les asked. I bit back a sigh. It's going to be a long day.

"Because the feeling just isn't there." I tried to explain. I don't think Les understood.

"Its like," I paused thinking of a way to explain it, "You go to school right?" Les nodded, "Do you like going to school?"

"No I'd rather sell papes."

"Right and if someone asked you to love school could you do it."

"No…. I get it! I couldn't love school because the feeling ain't there."

"Exactly."

"So does that mean you're gonna have to be Blinks girl even though you don't like him?" Les asked confused and I heard Crutchy's choked laughter.

"No that's not what it means."

"Oh." Was all Les could say because at that moment David walked in.

"Hey David." Les ran up to his brother.

"Hey." David put his hand on his brothers shoulder and led him to Jack. They greeted each other and some of the other newsies said hi to David. The new arrival took a seat and that's when he saw me.

"Madeline right?" He asked. He remembers my name… shocking.

"Yeah."

"I'm really sorry about your nose." He seemed sincere.

"Don't worry about it." And please don't let it happen again. "You looked preoccupied." I remembered the look on his face when he saw Chloe.

"Yeah I was." He admitted and went back to his conversation with Jack and Mush.

"Maddy?"

"Yes Blink?"

"Why are ya sittin' so far away from da table." Oh right.

"Because I wanted to talk to Crutchy." I moved the chair back to where I was first sitting.

"Ouch!" I pulled my finger from the chair when I felt at little pinch. I had a splitter.

"What is it?" Blink asked, worried.

"I have a splitter. Look" I showed him my pointer finger.

"Lemme see." He grabbed my finger with his hand.

"I see it. It's right dere." He squinted his eye. He brought his other hand up and with some struggling pulled the splinter out.

"Thanks Blink." Blink smiled.

"Hey Blink!" Racetrack yelled, "You'se comin' to Medda's tonight?"

"Of course! I aint never missed one of Medda's shows." Blink yelled back letting go of my hand.

"A'right. Maddy ya comin' too?" I shrugged showing I didn't know.

"Shoah she is." Jack surprised me by saying that. I didn't think he was talking to me.

"If she wants to." Blink added looking at Jack.

"Yeah if she wants to." Both boys looked at me and I grew confused at their odd behavior.

"I guess I'll go." I said quietly.

"It's settled den." Race said and everybody seemed to be ready to leave at the same time.

"Where are we going?" I asked Crutchy who was walking next to me.

"Da lodging house for a while den Medda's."

"OK." I assumed the lodging house was where they lived. I looked ahead to where Blink was walking with Mush. It was odd not walking with him but Crutchy was nice to talk to.

"So da feelin's aint dere?" Crutchy in a knowing kind of tone.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw blink holdin' ya hand."

"I had a splinter."

"I meant da minute after he took da splinter out."

"He let go of my hand right after he got the splinter." Didn't he?

"no he didn't Maddy." He paused then said, "Lingerin' touches?"

I laughed at that. Poor Crutchy, has no idea what he's talking about.

A/N There's chapter ten!!! No go review!!! Go on you know you want to!!!

Thank so so so much to eruptingfender9, ktkakes, NarniaRulz, SilverRain1.3. And Queen of New York (of course I'm gonna thank youJ