Chapter 18: One more night

"I'm so excited for you!" Chewy said as I told her all about my dress, "Your gonna look gorgeous!" she assured me. I smiled at her and sat down on my bunk. Spot walked in.

"Hey, Chewy, can I talk ta Stormy? Alone…" He added, as Chewy nodded her head and head stayed in her place. "Oh, oh, yea, ok, um, later Stormy." She said.

"Hey, whats up…?" I said looking at him strangely. "Um, I wanted to talk to you about…Miracle." He said cautiously. I smiled at him. "Yes…" I said, trying to make him talk faster.

He sat beside me. "I-I really like hoir, and um, I'm kinda wonderin how I should tell hoir…"

"Aww!" I cooed. He laughed at me. "That's so sweet!" I clapped my hands together. "If it was me…" I thought for a minute. "See, I'm the romantic, I love flowers, and candy and such, but I bet she'd like another moonlit walk, and you can sit by the docks and tell her…" I suggested.

He thought about it. "Sounds good. Thanks Stormy." He said, spitting in his hand. I rolled my eyes and did the same.

"So?" Chewy asked. I looked at her. "Huh?" "What did he say?"

I laughed "Just for some advice, nothin big." I told her. "But I have to go, and practice, I'll be back later, and um, we'll meet up at Tibby's?" I questioned. She nodded her head and I left for Medda's.

*~*At Medda's*~*

"So it goes 'I got a fever, an inflammation, that's what I got, you turn the heat on me, some like it hot…'" I asked Medda, she nodded her head while fiddling with my dress. "I think your ready." I smiled. "I'm excited!" She laughed at me.

 "Come here bright and early tomorrow and we'll get you changed. Franny will do your makeup. Oh, and here, take the lyrics just in case." She said, adding that I should go to bed earlier than usual. I nodded yes and ran over to Tibby's.

*~*~AT Tibby's*~*

"How was the dance practice?" Race asked me. "Huh? Oh, it was good…" I said, forgetting he didn't know. A sly smiled crept across my face.

"Ok, what are you hiding?" I laughed. "Now, what makes you think I'm hiding something?" I asked him, putting my hand over my heart in false offense.

He smiled. "I just know, and I'll find out…" he said.

"Sooner than you think." I mumbled so Ponine could hear me, and we laughed under our breath. Race looked at me and gave me a false glare, but continued eating.

"Who's up for a game of pokah?" Race challenged us. "Deal me in." I told him, "I could use the money."

He smiled and dealt me in. No one else had wanted to play since by cheating, Race usually won. "Anty up goily, get ready ta lose." Race said to me, putting 3 dollars on the table.

After 10 minutes I said, "I see your 3 dollars, and put in 2." So now I had put 5 dollars in the middle, and the total was 8. I had a royal Flush in my hands and but had my poker face on, which was just smiling sweetly at the guys around me, and winking at Race every time he put in money.

"Cards Down." He said *I'm not sure what you would say when you thought you won…so we'll just say its cards down. lol*

I smiled at him as he put down a flush and started toward the money. I grabbed his hands as he looked at me confusingly and showed him my Royal Flush, winning the game. I took the 8 dollars away from him and put it in my pocket.

"Where'd ya learn ta play like dat?" He asked me. "Just a little thing I picked up at the poker hall."  By this time hours had passed by and a lot of the newsies were ready to go to sleep.

I laid down next to Race as he put my arm over my stomach. "I didn't even cheat…" I told him smiling smugly. He laughed at me.

"How did ya do it? I mean, No ones ever beaten my wit a royal flush." I winked at him and looked around the room. I saw Itey and Ponine snuggled together in their bed, and I saw Crutchy holding chewy as they slept. Spot and Miracle had gone to Brooklyn, and Jack still had to find a girl. I smiled and drifted to sleep.

*NOTE!! Lol. Next fanfic. I write I VOW not to be with race, and if I am…hit me! Lol. I know it must get confusing, because there are so many couples, and the couples in the stories are a lot alike, so I'm gonna try to finish this one up tonight so there not so hard to read ok? lol.*

*StormyOne*