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'Stupid, stupid, STUPID!' Bright Eyes thought as she made her way back to the Lodging House. 'Ya just gave Pulitzer entrance ta probably hoit ya friends! Way ta go Brighty! How'm I gonna 'splain dis to da boys?' She thought angrily. "Bright Eyes?" The voice startled her so much that she yelled aloud, startling the speaker as well. "Les, what da heck you sneakin' up on me for?" The small boy shrugged and took her hand. "I wanted to know where you were. I was worried 'bout ya." Bright Eyes stared off into the distance as the two walked. "Nothin' ta worry 'bout Les. Ya don't need ta worry 'bout me. Can take care of meself." Les was silent for a few minutes. "Why did you go to Mister Pulitzer's house?"

Bright Eyes froze in her tracks. Then she knelt down until she was eye level with Les. "Ya followed me all da way dere?" Les nodded. "Listen, its nothin' ta worry 'bout. Pulitzer just wanted ta see me ta make sua I was sellin' right, 'kay?" Les nodded but still looked unconvinced. "But why did he want to see you 'bout that? He coulda just gone out in the street and watched ya!" Bright Eyes sighed and stood up. "Yer startin' ta act nosy like yer brother David. I don't like nosy people. Now when I say somethin' I mean it 'kay! Its nothin' ta worry 'bout. Ya undastand?"

Les nodded and smiled. "Wait till I tell the boys that I got ta see Mr. Pulitzer's house!" "NO!" Les jumped at Bright Eyes' sudden exclamation. Bright Eyes blushed, then bent back down to Les' face. "No, listen, ya don't need ta blab dat I went ta see Pulitzer, or dat you saw da house neitha. Lets keep it 'tween us." Les was now thoroughly confused. "But why?" Bright Eyes smiled sadly. "Cause da boys probably wouldn't undastand why I was dere. Dey would wanna know why, and ask questions dat I couldn't answer at da moment."

Les looked down at his shoes. He had never known Bright to want to keep things from the Newsies, but he also admired her greatly. "I won't tell then. But maybe someday?" Bright Eyes smiled, relieved. "Yeah someday. Now lets get home before da boys send out anotha seaich party!" The two then proceeded down the street, Bright Eyes throwing in a little skip here and there, until it ended up with Les laughing hysterically as the two began to skip as fast as they could go down the cobblestone streets.

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"Ta da!" All the heads in the Lodging House turned to see Bright Eyes and Les, laughing and redfaced tumble into the room. Everyone laughed as the two took bows right and left until Les fell on the floor laughing heartily. Bright Eyes made a curtsy then plopped down on the floor next to Racetrack and Jack, laughing. Jack smiled and rubbed her head fiercely, until she pushed him away, giggling. "So yer in a betta mood I see." Jack said as Bright Eyes smoothed down her hair. "Yeah, needed ta get out ya know." "Where'd ya go?" The question made Bright Eyes stiffen slightly, but she relaxed as Les spoke. "I found her over by the docks Jack." It wasn't exactly a lie. The docks were two blocks away from Pulitzer's house.

"You didn't even let me know that you were gone Les. I was really worried." David put in, glaring at Les, who put his head down shamefully. Bright Eyes put an arm around his shoulder and spoke to David in defensive tones. "Hey cool it Davey. Me an' Les was just lookin' fer trouble. An' plus, he was wit' me, so he wasn't alone ya know!" All the boys agreed solemnly with Bright Eyes, causing David to throw his hands up in the air. Then he put his hands on his chin, giving a sort of thinking position before he spoke again. "Bright Eyes, I have a proposition for you." Bright Eyes was confused. "A propa what?" When David smiled at her remark, Bright Eyes gritted her teeth at her ignorance. "A suggestion."

Bright Eyes waited for David to continue. He coughed and went on. "I talked to my teacher Miss Weathrop and she said that she would love to help us with the rally party. On the condition that you come to school and observe the classes." "What!!" Bright Eyes and Racetrack yelled in unison. They looked at each other surprised, then Bright Eyes began talking in fast frustrated tones. "Why da heck did ya do dat Mouth? You know dat I've neva been to a school in my life!" "Besides," Racetrack added, blowing cigar smoke in David's face. "It sounds ta me dat da teacher wants ta have a little bit of fun wit' Bright. By showin' how, sorry Bright, how she don't know as much as everybody else, jest cause she cain't go ta school." As he spoke, Racetrack put a protective arm around Bright Eyes' shoulder. Collective affirmations then began to develop around the room "C'mon Race. Dats probly not da idea." Jack said defensively.

"O.k. if you don't want to come, thats fine. We just won't have any extra help with the rally commemoration." David said regretfully. Bright Eyes' blue eyes rolled up to the ceiling and she threw up her hands. "Fine, fine Davey. I can see dat you really tink dat we need help. When do I need ta be dere?" David smiled. "Meet me at the Greely statue at 8:00. You won't regret it." Bright Eyes stuck her hands in her pockets. "I betta not. An' I hope yer teacher don't mind if'n I hafta soak somebody fer makin' fun of me." David's eyes widened. "You can't beat up kids in school," he started. "It'll give ya a bad name, I know Davey." Bright Eyes finished. "But I only do what I hafta do, an' if dat happens ta be what I hafta do, so be it."

"I'm comin' witcha Bright. An' if dose kids are gonna 'tempt ta make fun of ya, they'll be messin' wit' my fists." Racetrack said smacking his fists together as the rest of the Newsies yelled their encouragement's. "Tanks Race." Bright Eyes whispered. Racetrack gave her a small smile and patted her on the back. "No problem Bright." Jack watched Racetrack from a few feet away. The boy's face was a tad flushed as his hand lingered on Bright Eyes' back. Then he saw his hand softly touch one of the brown curls hanging out from under the girl's hat. 'Sarah.' Jack thought. 'I useta do dat ta Sarah all da time. Just da thrill of touchin' her was enough ta show dat I was in love at da time. I wish, I wish dat we had been what each of us was lookin' for.'

David, also saw the strange look come over Racetrack's face, and for some reason unknown to him, he became angry. 'Why do I feel this way about her? It isn't right. I mean, she is a Newsie and I am a person who has a reputation and is educated. So why do I have feelings for a girl Newsie, who is tougher than I am at all? It doesn't make sense. Does Racetrack like her? I wonder. They weren't always friends the boys have said. Something like when they were little and they got in a fight or something. If thats true, why should he like her now?' He thought At that moment he saw Jack walk away from his spot and sit on his bed across the room. David decided to ask the Newsie about this supposed incident and how it came about.

"Um, Jack?" David peeked up on top of the bunk bed at Jack, who at the moment was sprawled across it. At the sound of his voice, Jack's foot swung across and hit David in the face. "Ouch!!" Jack smiled and peered over the edge of the bed. "Dats what ya get when ya surprise me Davey! Whaddya want?" David made a face and rubbed the now sore spot on his cheek. "Geez, all I wanted to know is something about Racetrack and Bright Eyes." Jack jumped down from the bed, missing Davids head by inches, and sat on the lower bunk. "Like what kinda stuff Davey?"

David took a breath and began. "Well, I've heard some of the boys talking about one time when Bright Eyes and Racetrack weren't always friends. When I asked them about it, they just walked away. Did it even happen?" Jack grinned. "Oh it happened all right. Long time ago though. Bright Eyes was about oh, maybe 7 and so Race is a yea olda dan her, so he was 8. Dis is what happened." Jack then preceded to tell the story, creating a picture something like this for David.

The streets of Brooklyn were incredibly busy that day, even more so than usual. Bright Eyes, or Annie as she was called then, took advantage of the day to shout out her exaggerated headlines, bringing people in like bees to honey. So busy was she that when a boy plowed into her from behind, she fell over and on top of her papers. "Heya watch it kid? Where do ya think yer goin'?" The boy jumped up, holding a bunch of papers in his hands. "Sorry fer da mess me friend. Didn't even see ya!" The boy remarked as he dusted himself off. Annie took in the details of the boy. He was short, only a few inches or so below her. He had dark black hair that was covered with a black hat. Hanging out of a pocket in his black and gold checked vest, was a battered gold pocketwatch.

The boy then tipped his hat, and to Annie's surprise, began calling out headlines! In her spot, he was calling out headlines! "I'll kill 'im! But maybe he don't know what he's doin'. But I'll settle dat." Annie rolled up her sleeves, set her papers down on a nearby bench and walked over to the boy. "Hey! Whaddya tink yer doin'?" The boy looked up. "Sellin' whats it look like? Ya blind er sometin'?" Annie clenched her teeth together tightly. "Yer sellin' in my spot. If you've been a Newsie fer a long time you'd know dat you neva sell in anotha Newsies' spot!"

The boy shrugged and wound up his pocketwatch carelessly. "Well I've been a Newsie fer a while, an' I know dat all ya say is true. But da only problem is, I don't allow meself ta be bossed around by a goil wit a frightful attitude. Really, ya should get dat looked at!" The boy didn't even see the punch coming toward his stomach till it was too late. He fell down on the ground clutching his stomach and groaning. "Dats what ya get." Annie then began to walk away, but fell flat on her face. When she looked behind her, she saw that the boy had her by the foot, smiling devilishly and he wasn't about to let go. Annie kicked him in the face with her captured foot, and it was released with a cry of pain.

A scuffle ensued, and was eventually broken up by the coming of the police. Annie and the boy made a break for a nearby alley as the police searched the vicinity. The boy had come out of the fight with a black eye and an assortment of bruises and cuts, as did Annie. As they sat in the alley panting, the boy spoke again, this time with a tone of something close to respect. "Yer a good fighta kid. Sorry fer da woids. Me name's Racetrack." Annie shrugged. "Tanks I guess." The boy looked at the girl incredulously. "Tanks ya guess? Are ya tankin' me er not? Whats yer name? I told ya mine." Annie stood up slowly and began to walk out of the alley. "Look, I don't owe anybody nothin'. Least of all you. An' I neva feel obligated ta tell me name, if'n I don't want ta. So lets leave it at dat." She then exited the alley leaving a flabbergasted Racetrack in the darkness.

"O.k. I still don't see why she would like him at all. I mean, they were fighting and stuff and they were still on the wrong foot with each other!" Jack rolled his brown eyes at David's complaints. "Da problem wit' you Davey is ya neva wait long enough fer someone ta finish a story. Let me finish!"

Racetrack forgot about the girl whose name he didn't know after a while. You meet some people who don't tell you their name and then some. In fact, Racetrack didn't think about her at all until about five months later, when he was out walking in Central Park by himself. He had been selling all day and was tired, but he decided just to see how life was in Central Park for a bit. Sort of as a way to get away from his troubles for a while.

He was walking around when he began to hear noises. Strange noises. "Jest some drunk I bet. Betta steer clear." Racetrack thought. He was about to turn away from that section of the park, when he recognized a voice. It was that girl's voice. She was yelling at someone. Racetrack followed the voices till he came to a part of the park surrounded by bushes. In the middle of this section was a girl and a man. The man was yelling at the girl, and the girl was in turn doing the same. "I won't be goin' back wit' ya! I won't I swear! I'll die before I do!" The girl yelled. "Listen here, ya either be comin' back wit' me, or I'll be makin' ya!" A drunken male voice spoke, with a strong Irish accent.

"I won't, I tell ya!" The girl again, Racetrack realized. What was going on? "Allrighty den, ya've made me choice!" With that the man began to advance upon the small girl with a large night stick, swinging with swooping blows. One of the blows hit home, and the girl fell to the ground with a moan. Something inside Racetrack began to boil. He remembered his mother, being beaten by his father. Her beaten body lying on the floor nearly every night, praying that her children wouldn't wake up, while he would be lying under the stairs watching, eyes wide with horror. Racetrack yelled and ran towards the man, hardly thinking as he punched his fist into the man's stomach, causing him to fall down flat. Racetrack then punched his head, and the drunken man fell down into unconsciousness.

Racetrack stood by himself panting, contemplating what he had just done, and at what could've happened to him if the man hadn't been nearly so drunk. He then remembered the girl and he ran to her side. "Hey, ya o.k? Dats a nasty bump dats growin' on yer head." The girl sat up slightly, staring at Racetrack with a look of something like shock. " What's wrong? Dere sometin' wrong with me face? Maybe me nose got bigga or maybe I gots meself a new eyeball in da middle of me forehead?" The girl laughed softly.

Then she became serious again. "You saved me from 'im. Why? I was so nasty to ya befoa." Racetrack sat down beside her and began to play with the grass at his feet. "Well, a couple reasons. One, because of somethin' dat happened to me a long time ago. An' two, I jest couldn't leave ya in a mess like dat. Whetha ya were mean ta me or not. Nobody deseives ta be treated like dat. An' plus, Newsies help each udda." The girl comprehended what he said, and her eyes glazed over. "Thank you, Racetrack."

Racetrack started. "Ya remembered me name?" The girl laughed sweetly. "Yeah, even if people is mean ta me, I neva fergets a face or a name." Racetrack then took the opportunity to ask, "What do I call ya? I still don't know." " Oh ya can call me Annie I guess. I don't have a Newsie name. Don't really need one. I tink I'll be seein' ya again though. See ya lata Racetrack." She then spit on her hand. Racetrack did the same and they shook hands. Then waving, Annie left Central Park and went back to Brooklyn. Racetrack stuck around for a few minutes, but eventually he too returned to his home.

"So dats da story Dave. Not much to it. So you were right. At one point in time, dey wasn't 'zactly, well, pally shall we say. Why'd ya wanna know anyway Dave?" Jack asked, shoving his hair out of his face absentmindedly. David looked at the group of Newsies now playing poker, Bright Eyes, Racetrack, Blink, Mush, Snoddy, Skittery and Snipeshooter. "No real reason. I guess." Jack rolled his eyes and put his hand on David's shoulder. "Poor guy. Youse been bitten by da love bug."

David whirled around and stared at Jack, wide eyed. "How, what? What do you mean?" Jack then laughed loudly causing the other Newsies to look over to see what the commotion was. "Ya wanna share sometin' wit' us Jackey?" Racetrack yelled. Jack laughed again and waved his hand at the snickering boys. "Davey, I ain't stupid. I been in love too rememba? An' dat little puppy dawg routine you put on is absolutely hysterical. In short, I've known da whole time!" Looking at David's red face, Jack moved closer to him. "Why'd ya wanna know dat?"
David shrugged, now thoroughly embarrassed. "I don't know. I just wanted to see if there was some way that, Jack she just doesn't even give me the time of day and I hate it! I can't explain my feelings and its driving me up the wall! Not to mention my parents because I rightly can't tell them that I'm in love with a Newsie!" David looked at Jack and was surprised at what he saw. Jack's face was taut and his lips set in a straight line. Jack stood up, grabbed hold of David's shoulder and he practically dragged him out the door and downstairs where he let go of him as they stepped outside. Jack then stood in front of David almost menacingly.

"You can't tell no one dat yer in love wit' a Newsie? Dat what ya said? You said dat like a doity woid Dave. If Bright had heid ya say dat she woulda soaked ya! So do I hafta do it for her Dave? Huh?" "No!" David protested weakly. Jack pushed David up against the side of the Lodging house, his words coming out in fierce whispers. "Listen Dave, its not Bright's fault dat she ain't as well off as you, but ya know what? She's got sometin' betta dan' anytin' you'll eva get. She's got friends dat care 'bout her. Not friends who are afraid ta be seen wit' her cause of her status. An' if Race likes her, good! At least he ain't ashamed of her cause of who she is! Befoa Race said sometin' 'bout you invitin' Bright ta school so dat she could get made fun of. I defended ya cause I tought, oh Dave would neva do dat, no, neva! Well now I'm startin' ta wonda."

Jack let go of David's shoulders as he stepped back. David rubbed them, looking at Jack, dejected and mad. Jack began to speak again, this time not nearly so angrily, but still with a tinge of frustration edging behind his soft voice. "Dave, tings aren't always pictua poifect 'round here like dey is fer you. We got a life ta live, an' ta do dat we need money. Ta get money, we needs a job. An' when ya get a job at a young age ya don't have time ta leain stuff dat udder kids get ta leain. Dat doesn't make us undaprivaliged or nothin'. It jest makes us undastand life betta dan da well off folks, who don't know what life is till dey start ta lose stuff. We don't need yer pity. Save it fer some poor depraved rich folks."

With that, Jack walked back inside the building. In a few minutes, David heard him and the rest of the Newsies laughing and chattering inside. David slumped down against the building and just listened to them. Jack was right. They did have something that he would never have, and if he tried to take it for himself, it would elude him, forever.

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Promptly at 8:00, Bright Eyes and Racetrack arrived at the Greeley statue to wait for David. Each had dressed in their slightly nicer Newsie clothes. Racetrack had donned his black and silver striped vest and had combed his hair out extra hard. Bright Eyes had washed her face better than she usually did and had gotten all the snarls out of her hair, with the help of Racetrack and Crutchy, who insisted on helping because he couldn't go, on Bright Eyes' promise that she would tell him everything when she got back. She had then borrowed a black vest with small blue stripes running down the front from Mush, who had reluctantly handed it over with much convincing on Bright Eyes' part.

The only way she had convinced him to lend it to her was to say that when the girls saw him wearing it while he was selling, they would say that they had recognized him from somewhere, when in reality in had just been the shirt that rang a bell to them. "It'll woik Mush honest! Lots of goils will love ya fer it!" She said earnestly as Mush reluctantly handed over the vest. "Ya betta be right, or I'll hafta hoit ya! Ya really think dat de'll notice me?" He said as an afterthought.

Bright Eyes saw David hurrying over to the statue, and she took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothin'." She and Racetrack then met David halfway and the threesome headed off to the school. When they arrived, Bright Eyes and Racetrack stared at the tall brick building with the words, ACADAMY OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN, inscribed on its front. Bright Eyes gulped and Racetrack looked nervous. "What are you waiting for? Lets go!" David said enthusiastically. Racetrack took Bright Eyes' arm and began to lead her up the stairs and in a way, leaning on her for support. Bright Eyes looked over at him and gave him a small smile. "I'm noivous too."

"Now wait here. I'll be right back, and we'll announce you." David then ran into a school room, shutting the door on them. "Oh happy day." Bright Eyes mumbled. "Well, what do we do? I've neva been to no leainin' place befoa." Racetrack said eyeing the children through the window in the door. " Well, I guess dat we tell a bit 'bout ourselves, den we sit an' let da teacha make da next move." Bright Eyes guessed. Just then, David opened the door and waved them in.

Bright Eyes and Racetrack both walked in, hesitantly, staring at the room of curious faces. A lady, with blonde hair piled in ringlets on her head, and dressed in a blue skirt and light blue blouse stood from her desk and walked over to the two. "Well, it is a pleasure to see the two of you today. I am Miss Weathrop. David has told us so much about you." She said pleasantly. "Oh yeah? What kinda stuff?" Racetrack said, eyeing David in his seat. "Oh just about where you live, that sort of thing. Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourselves. You, girl. Why don't you start?" When Bright Eyes began to speak up to speak to the class, she thought she saw a glint pass across the teacher's eye. 'But a glint of what? Probably jest noivous, havin' a bunch of street rats in 'er classroom. Well I'll show 'er!' She thought, setting her lips in a determined line.

"Me name is Bright Eyes. An' dis here is me friend Racetrack" Bright Eyes said in a loud voice. "Don't you have normal names, not to be offensive." The teacher put in. Bright Eyes glared slightly at the teacher as she spoke again. "Dats our names. We got udda names, but dese are da ones we prefer. My names Bright Eyes cause of da color of me eyes. An' Race here, cause he likes ta hang out at da horse races. We both live in a Lodgin' House wit' a bunch of udda boys. We get up in da mawnin', sell da papes, den come home. Nothin' like what some of yer faddas an' muddas do I 'speck. Any questions?"

"Yes I have one. What is it like working for your living at such a young age?" a young girl with blonde hair spoke up, as she eyed Racetrack. Bright Eyes, having not expected an answer, didn't answer her immediately, but it didn't take her long. "Well, its kinda tough makin' yer own livin', but ya get used to it." Other questions followed. Answers were given by both Bright Eyes and Racetrack. There were questions about the Newsies, about the strike, lots of things. During this time, Miss Weathrop hadn't said a word, but when the questions had ceased, she spoke to Bright Eyes. "Bright Eyes, what is it like, being a girl Newsie amongst all of those boys? Isn't it hard? Doesn't your selling go worse because of who you are?"

Bright Eyes heaved a sigh. She had expected a question like this, but she found it odd that it had come from the teacher. "Well, I don't care 'bout livin' wit' all dem boys. It don't bodder me. I get me own room fer me privacy an' stuff." "But what about your selling? Doesn't it go down because you are a girl?" Miss Weathrop interrupted. Bright Eyes looked a little pale when she spoke, and her voice trembled a little. "Me sellin' don't go any woise dan da udda's." Miss Weathrop sighed then pointed toward two chairs at the back of the room, indicating that it was time for the serious work to begin for the class. Bright Eyes sighed shakily and made her way down the aisle with Racetrack close behind her.

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At three o'clock, the school session let out for the day. At the lunch break, Racetrack and Bright Eyes had left the school to get their own lunch at Tibby's, but were back by the time school started again. Bright Eyes stood by Racetrack as they smoked outside the school fence, David having made them promise to wait for him when school got out. "So whaddya tink Race?" Bright Eyes asked taking a drag out of the cigarette and blowing a smoke ring. "Its o.k. Wouldn't wanna be dere though. Wouldn't survive a minute wit dose goils!" Bright Eyes laughed. "Dey shoa couldn't keep dere eyes off ya could dey? Don't blame 'em!" She stopped laughing suddenly. "Didn't mean ta say dat Race." Racetrack grinned at Bright Eyes, his brown eyes twinkling. "Don't worry, I'll keep yer secret. I'm trustable." Bright Eyes grinned. "Trust woithy Race."

The two then jumped when the school bell rang with a loud bang. Children poured out of the building yelling and screaming. When the children from David's class came out, they began to come towards the two Newsies and ask questions. One boy in particular was extremely curious. "What's it like to smoke a cigar?" He asked Racetrack, causing Bright Eyes to laugh out loud. Racetrack then began to swagger back and forth. "Well me friend, its very simple. Ya breathe in, blow out, ya breathe in, blow out. Dats it. Besides da question polls are closed." All the boys and girls moaned, the girls, Racetrack noticed, moaned particularly loudly. But they all scattered eventually, showing David shoving through the crowd.

"So, how was it? Your first day at school?" David panted, excitedly. "Well ta tell ya da truth Dave, I don't know how ya's can go dere every day! I couldn't stand it!" Bright Eyes countered. "Well you get used to it after a while. Wanna come with me? I'm gonna see if I can sell any papes before dark." David asked, inwardly crossing his fingers for Bright Eyes' answer. "Naw Dave, me an' Bright gotta be gettin' back to da boys. Dey'll be wondrin' where we are." Racetrack replied while snuffing out his cigar on the sole of his shoe. Inwardly David gagged at the cigar as it lay smoking on the ground where Racetrack had thrown it, but he didn't show it. "Just Smile" was David's motto.

"Well allright. I'll see you tomorrow 'kay? Carryin' the banner." David said, smiling a rather weak smile as he walked home to his parent's apartment. "Sometimes Dave tries too hard I think." Bright Eyes said softly to Racetrack. "Yeah, but he's a good kid all da same." Racetrack said as he picked some dirt out from under his fingernails. "Hey ya Bright. Ya wanna, I dunno walk wit' me? I wants ta show ya sometin'." Bright Eyes looked at Racetrack curiously. "But you told Dave dat we should be gettin' back." Racetrack blushed and looked down at the ground. "Well, da boys probably wouldn't mind if'n we went fer a little walk. And plus Bright, ya know 'is folks don't like 'im out very late!"

"Racetrack, you little rat!" Bright Eyes grinned. Racetrack, sensing that he was in no danger of getting in trouble, grinned and motioned to Bright Eyes to follow him. They walked for a long time, talking, laughing, and telling numerous jokes that they had heard around the city. Finally they arrived at the gates of Central Park. Bright Eyes looked at Racetrack curiously as they walked through them. Then she was surprised when a blindfold was slipped over her eyes. She began to struggle but stopped at the sound of Racetrack's reassuring voice. "Don't ya worry Bright. I ain't gonna do nothin' to ya! Tought ya knew me betta dan dat!" Then he began to lead her down the numerous paths.

Finally he stopped and his hands touched the blindfold. "Now, I's gonna take dis off ya. But I still wants ya ta keep yer eyes closed. Promise?" Bright Eyes nodded her head slowly. "Sure, just as long as ya take it off. I tink' I'm gonna hyperventilate hea!"
Racetrack smiled and removed the blindfold. His hands then immediately went over Bright Eyes' eyes, drawing protest from her. "Hey Race! Don't ya trust me no more?"

"Sua I trust ya. I'm jest waitin' fer the right time." He waited for about ten minutes with his hands on her eyes, waiting. Finally, his hands lifted. "O.k. now ya can look." A gasp escaped Bright Eyes' lips as she gazed at the spectacle before her. She was at the very edge of Central Park, near the waterside, and it was all ablaze with color. It was sunset. Red, orange, pink and yellow colors danced over the water and onto the trees. "Its beautiful." She breathed. "Yeah, beautiful." Racetrack murmured as he sat down on a park bench. "I comes here a lot. Da best site in da city. Its woith the trip jest ta see dis." Bright Eyes sat next to him and they sat side by side in silence, taking in nature's beauty.
When night began to fall upon the city, the two stretched and stood from their bench. "Well what did ya think of it?" Racetrack asked Bright Eyes. Bright Eyes looked back over the now darkened harbor with a smile. "It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Tanks Race." "Cause uh," he started, "I was wondrin', if you had da time dat is, if you'd like ta see it again?" Bright Eyes smiled gently at the boy. "I wouldn't wanna see it wit' anyone else dan you." Racetrack blushed and took her hand as they walked home, talking over the Newsie's plans for the upcoming rally commemoration.

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During this time, a woman with blond hair piled high on her head, snuck into the Pulitzer house. Ten minutes later, she emerged and began to count the money given to her. Then she ran off into the night.