Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who reviews my stuff!
Shoutouts!
Carlie: Thanks, I'll try to make them longer! Or not, I'm lazy!
Fastdancr: You're welcome- I like having you in my story, and I like having you insult Spot, even if you're nicer now!
Chapter Seventeen
The next evening at Tibby's, Jack and Fast were having dinner before going to Medda's. There was, as usual, a large crowd of newsies, including Spot and Singah. The engaged couple hadn't announced anything yet; they were waiting for the arrival of the Brooklyn newsies who were going to Medda's with them. Seeing Trolley and Creamer arrive, Spot stood up and yelled for attention. He took Singah's hand and pulled her up too.
"Hey everybody! Listen up! Me and Singah got something to announce! We'se getting' married!" As everyone cheered, Spot leaned down and kissed his fiancée. Cat-calls followed that, and Jack took advantage of the noise to take Fast's hand. She giggled, but didn't pull away. She leaned closer into him, thinking (though it was hard, because of all the noise) very similar thoughts to those Jack had been having the night before. –Fast, you can't love him! You just met him! And what about Riley?- -Riley be damned! He left you and he ain't comin' back. Besides… Jack makes you feel something… all shivery when you're near him! Riley was just there. Girl, you love Jack!- She sighed. It was annoying, thinking too much. She decided to stop thinking and just be with Jack.
Jack whispered in her ear. "Let's get outta here now… Wanna go for a walk?" She nodded, and they got up. Singah noticed them leaving, and nudged Spot, who gave his trademark smirk (A/N- jeez, I just put that in? what's wring with me!). He was right. Jack loved her! And she obviously loved him too. –Now how long will it take for them to admit it to each other?-
***
Jack and Fast walked along the streets, holding hands, just happy to be together. They came to a deserted corner bench at sat down.
"Hey Jack, why don't you have a nickname like the rest of us?" Fast was curious- every newsie had a nickname to keep safe on the streets. She got hers from being the fastest dancer in Philadelphia at a contest… whoever could jig the fastest won a prize, and she got the name.
"Well, before the strike, I was in the Refuge… The jail fer kids. I escaped… but the Warden, Snyder, knew me as Francis Sullivan. Me nickname is Jack Kelly… no one calls me Francis any more… and you can see why. It's da dumbest name ever."
"I was just wondering. And Cowboy? I heard them call you Cowboy."
"Dat's cause I used to wanna go to Santa Fe. That was me dream. But now they just call me dat cause a me hat. Why you called Fastdancer?"
"I'm called Fastdancer cause of this contest I won in Philly, this jigging contest. I danced the fastest, and they called me Fastdancer. I was really little an' it just kinda stuck. But me real name's Jen… I don' use me last name. What're Singah and Spot's real names? If they don' want nobody to know then…"
"Nah… they don' mind. Singah's real name is Elizabeth… We call her Singah cause she sings real good. Spot's name is Kieran, but he started as a newsie when he was real little and the leader of Brooklyn, I think it was Critter then, called him Spot. Dat's all, really."
"Thanks fer tellin' me." She looked at her watch- it was time for the show! "Hey Jack… It's time for the show!"
"Aight, den! Let's go." He helped her (unnecessarily) to her feet, and they started walking towards the Irving Theater to see Medda perform. Before they turned the corner to the theater, Jack stopped her. "Hey Fast? Would you mind… umm… would you mind if I kissed you?" He blushed.
"No, I don't mind…" and he leaned in and kissed her gently. Before it got to deep, Jack broke it off and said, "Thanks… Ya know… I really like you…"
"Me too, Jack… I like you too." She blushed. "Let's go in…" He took her hand and led her inside.
***
After the show, all the couples left for their boarding houses. Fidget and Trolley had become an item, and Inky with Creamer, Lashes with a Bronx newsie named Nails, and Lashes' friend Star with Racetrack… Race had complained about Spot and Singah being mushy, but he was treating Star like a goddess, waiting on her hand and foot. Obviously, there was a lot of love going around the Lodging House- maybe it was contagious.
Singah had decided that she was going back to Brooklyn with Spot, and that Fast could have her bunk. They said goodbye, waited for Trolley and Fidget to bid their adieus, and departed.
Shoutouts!
Carlie: Thanks, I'll try to make them longer! Or not, I'm lazy!
Fastdancr: You're welcome- I like having you in my story, and I like having you insult Spot, even if you're nicer now!
Chapter Seventeen
The next evening at Tibby's, Jack and Fast were having dinner before going to Medda's. There was, as usual, a large crowd of newsies, including Spot and Singah. The engaged couple hadn't announced anything yet; they were waiting for the arrival of the Brooklyn newsies who were going to Medda's with them. Seeing Trolley and Creamer arrive, Spot stood up and yelled for attention. He took Singah's hand and pulled her up too.
"Hey everybody! Listen up! Me and Singah got something to announce! We'se getting' married!" As everyone cheered, Spot leaned down and kissed his fiancée. Cat-calls followed that, and Jack took advantage of the noise to take Fast's hand. She giggled, but didn't pull away. She leaned closer into him, thinking (though it was hard, because of all the noise) very similar thoughts to those Jack had been having the night before. –Fast, you can't love him! You just met him! And what about Riley?- -Riley be damned! He left you and he ain't comin' back. Besides… Jack makes you feel something… all shivery when you're near him! Riley was just there. Girl, you love Jack!- She sighed. It was annoying, thinking too much. She decided to stop thinking and just be with Jack.
Jack whispered in her ear. "Let's get outta here now… Wanna go for a walk?" She nodded, and they got up. Singah noticed them leaving, and nudged Spot, who gave his trademark smirk (A/N- jeez, I just put that in? what's wring with me!). He was right. Jack loved her! And she obviously loved him too. –Now how long will it take for them to admit it to each other?-
***
Jack and Fast walked along the streets, holding hands, just happy to be together. They came to a deserted corner bench at sat down.
"Hey Jack, why don't you have a nickname like the rest of us?" Fast was curious- every newsie had a nickname to keep safe on the streets. She got hers from being the fastest dancer in Philadelphia at a contest… whoever could jig the fastest won a prize, and she got the name.
"Well, before the strike, I was in the Refuge… The jail fer kids. I escaped… but the Warden, Snyder, knew me as Francis Sullivan. Me nickname is Jack Kelly… no one calls me Francis any more… and you can see why. It's da dumbest name ever."
"I was just wondering. And Cowboy? I heard them call you Cowboy."
"Dat's cause I used to wanna go to Santa Fe. That was me dream. But now they just call me dat cause a me hat. Why you called Fastdancer?"
"I'm called Fastdancer cause of this contest I won in Philly, this jigging contest. I danced the fastest, and they called me Fastdancer. I was really little an' it just kinda stuck. But me real name's Jen… I don' use me last name. What're Singah and Spot's real names? If they don' want nobody to know then…"
"Nah… they don' mind. Singah's real name is Elizabeth… We call her Singah cause she sings real good. Spot's name is Kieran, but he started as a newsie when he was real little and the leader of Brooklyn, I think it was Critter then, called him Spot. Dat's all, really."
"Thanks fer tellin' me." She looked at her watch- it was time for the show! "Hey Jack… It's time for the show!"
"Aight, den! Let's go." He helped her (unnecessarily) to her feet, and they started walking towards the Irving Theater to see Medda perform. Before they turned the corner to the theater, Jack stopped her. "Hey Fast? Would you mind… umm… would you mind if I kissed you?" He blushed.
"No, I don't mind…" and he leaned in and kissed her gently. Before it got to deep, Jack broke it off and said, "Thanks… Ya know… I really like you…"
"Me too, Jack… I like you too." She blushed. "Let's go in…" He took her hand and led her inside.
***
After the show, all the couples left for their boarding houses. Fidget and Trolley had become an item, and Inky with Creamer, Lashes with a Bronx newsie named Nails, and Lashes' friend Star with Racetrack… Race had complained about Spot and Singah being mushy, but he was treating Star like a goddess, waiting on her hand and foot. Obviously, there was a lot of love going around the Lodging House- maybe it was contagious.
Singah had decided that she was going back to Brooklyn with Spot, and that Fast could have her bunk. They said goodbye, waited for Trolley and Fidget to bid their adieus, and departed.