Chapter 8: But...My parents are dead...

"Ok, I'll tell you how I knew he was in trouble...I sort of...followed him around a bit, thats how I knew he was in trouble and thats how I know so much about bein a Newsie" Chewy confessed.

I didnt look at her, but nodded to tell her I understood.

"So," she said, "Where were the boys earlier? Sellin dere papes?"

"huh? o yea..." I said breaking out of my daze. "Yea, and now there at Tibby's."

We walked inside Tibby's and everyone grew silent. Chewy hadn't noticed because she was too busy walking over to Crutchy. Crutchy introduced her to everyone as they nodded hello. I didnt have time to ask who the new girl newsies was, the one sitting on Itey's lap because Race took me aside and told me to read the pape.

"Why?" I asked, as we walked to an isolated table in the corner of Tibby's. But he just pointed down to the headline.

"MISSING GIRL, PARENTS WORRIED SICK"

I looked at him questioningly, as if reading my mind he told me to keep going.

A 16 yr. old girl was found Missing almost a week ago. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a bracelet that read: "Emily". Her parents are worried sick and are willing to offer a 500 dollar reward for her return. Her parents wish to add a note:

My dear daughter,

please, if you are reading this, we miss you dearly. We can only dream of you returning to us safely and unharmed. Please come home, With Love,

Your Mom and Dad.

"No...NO!" I screamed. Again, Tibby's grew silent. I rushed out onto the street, where it had started to rain. I realized why everyone had fallen silent, Race told them that he knew the article was about me, but my parents were dead, so they couldn't have put it in the papers. Race came after me and hugged me tightly in his arms just as I started to cry.

"Look, look, it's ok, nuttin's gonna happen to ya now dat Im 'ere. I swear, I wont let nobody touch ya, you'se got me woid." He spoke softly to my ear as he held me closer. This made me cry harder, I knew now that I loved him, but how was I supposed to tell him that when someone was after me?

I pulled away from him, now soaking wet from the rain and turned to face him.

"Did you mean what you said, about neva letting anyone get to me?" I asked him, already knowing the answer.

A broad smile spread over his lips "Of Coise!" he said, right before he pulled me in for a kiss.

"Oh my god, dere still in Tibby's!"

Just as we started walking inside, Itey and his new girl were walking out. This time, I got a good look at her. She was really pretty, she had brown wavy hair and hazel eyes. Her and Itey obliviously like each other alot because as soon as they got to the door of the lodging house, they kissed.

We walked back inside and I told everyone about the night of my parents death. "Ey, we'se all gotta keep an eye on 'er (her) cause I aint gonna let anythin happen to me goil."

I smiled at the sound of it, his goil...I sighed, god he's great. After awhile we all decided to order and I told them it was all on me. I took out a twenty (out of the 100 I grabbed from the night of the death) and paid the waiter. Race smiled and asked me where I got that kinda money.

"Oh, I took it from my house the night they...died, did I leave that out?" I said as I laughed.

As the boys and I went back to the Lodging House most of the boys played poker, but chewy insisted on taking me to meet the new girl newsie.

"You have to meet her! She's...shes...my sister."