I was walking through the streets of New York at mid morning, only a few months since I had arrived from London. I made sure I was blending in with the crowed; I didn't want to be found. Not that I would be anyways, the only person that noticed me was the one I was trying to hide from.

How can a person say he loves you and mean it, if he hits you all of the time? Why I stayed with that bastard for so long, I couldn't tell you. Something kept me to him, and I think it was the fact he was the one person in the entire world to realize I was alive. Something inside me yearned for love and the passion that he gave me. He really was a wonderful man minus his violent nature, but it was just becoming too much.

My face was met but a very powerful right hook, when he came home the night before from drinking. That did it; I decided I was going to be gone. I snuck out once he passed out. And thus, there I was walking down the street trying my hardest not to be seen.

I felt my face, and I could tell that it was swollen some. It must have been bruised as well. I sighed; it is not like I cared as much as I should have. The only thing I really cared about was getting as far away from him as possible.

Thinking of all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours and farther back just made my heart begin to break. I felt all the pain I had endured in my life all in that moment as I walked slowly down the street. Nothing seemed to matter to me then, as I mattered to nothing in the world.

UMF! I ran right into someone and landed flat on my bum.

"Ise so sorry miss!" I looked up to see a boy about my age, 16, standing above me. He was holding a pile of papers in one hand, and the other one was held out towards me to help me up. I took it.

When I was standing, I noticed the boy was not much taller than me, and I was fairly short. The boy was wearing some sort of hat and raggedy old clothing that didn't match; however, he had a beautiful pair of brown eyes: warm like the Earth.

"It's quite all right. It was my fault; I wasn't watching where I was going. I am so very sorry," I said in my foreign British accent.

He gave me a weird look.

"What?" I sad confused.

"Youse appolagized ta me!"

I gave a smile. "And why shouldn't I have? It was my fault."

"No one eva apologieses ta us newsies, or much less noticeds wese alivefer dat matta."

"Well, you're human and alive just like me, so you deserve respect as well."

He smiled at me and stuck out his hand, not holding the papers, to shake mine. "Ise Racetrack."

I shook his hand. "I'm Antoinette."

"Dat's a pretty name." Racetrack replied.

I was flustered and just smiled and nodded. "Well I must be going. It was lovely meeting you, Racetrack."

"Ya, you too."

I turned and kept on walking at my not too fast, not too slow pace. I was beginning to think that maybe it would have been wise to stay with Racetrack for awhile, just incase I was found. It might have been safer being around another person.

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A/N- Just wanted to say how excited I am about this story. This is my first Race fanfiction, which is a little ironic since he is my fav. None-the- less. I hope you pplz enjoy this story. I apriecate all those who review. you might just get a Newsie prize if you review.