GAMBLING ON LIFE

Disclaimer: I own Booker and everyone else mentioned in later chapters that aren't in the movie...The dialogue (from the movie) belongs to the guys who wrote the script

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Please r&r!!

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Chapter Two:

When I finally come to, I realize I'm in the lodging house once more with another body in my bunk. It creeps me out because I am the only girl newsy and I have the room all to myself. My side of the lodging house isn't as big as the boys' room but its comfortable and I like it.

I glance down at the arm that is slung around my waist, holding me protectively. What happened after I fell asleep in Medda's dressing room? I try to roll over just a litte, trying not to wake the body nor make the both of us fall off the top bunk. I look at the face and sigh. It's only Jack.

I roll back over and try to get comfy, which takes a few tries. My eyes flutter shut again and Kloppman's voice pierces my ears, making me jump. It doesn't wake Jack, only makes him hold onto me tighter.

"Carry yoah banner!" Kloppman yells, at the door. "Ge' up!"

I wiggle myself free of Jack's arm and jump down to the floor, where I hear Jack groan. I see him prop himself up on his arm and look at me, while I get dressed. It isn't the first time he's seen me naked, its probably the third. The first time was when the boys at the Refuge took my clothes as a joke; the second and third times were when I got in a fight with some renegade newsies and they decided to tear my clothes and leave me in an alley.

"Why was you in mah bed, Cowboy?" I ask, turning my back to him so I can put my shirt on.

He chuckles and replies, "Last nigh', when we came back to tha lodgin' house, you didn' wanna sleep alone so you had asked me ta sleep wid you. I didn' mean anythin' by it, Booker."

"It's a'right," I say, softly, pulling up my pants. "Nothin' happened, did it?"

"No," he says, and I hear him lay back on the bed. Jack's never been a good early riser but maybe that's because he always comes back to the LH late.

I put on my newsy cap after shoving my shoulder-length blonde hair in it and go to my bunk. I step up on the bottom bunk and hear Jack's shallow breathing. That lets me know he's asleep but he never falls asleep this quick, no matter how tired he is.

I push him and smile when he tries to act being asleep. He's never been a good actor, except when it comes to his past, selling papes, or anything personal to him, but when its sleeping, well, he sucks. He smiles and pulls me up onto the bed, pinning me beneath him. We stare blankly at each other for a very long time.

He leans down and presses his lips to mine, my mind immediately races as my best friend starts to kiss me. I shut my eyes and start to kiss him back. This feels so right but at the same time so wrong. He pulls away suddenly and jumps off the bunk and turns his back to me.

"Jack?" I ask, softly.

He says nothing as we hear Skittery yell through the door, "Time ta get up!"

"I'm sorry," he says. "This don' change nuttin, does it?"

I jump down and turn Jack around so that he's facing me. He's about an inch or two taller than me and instantly looks down. I lift his face so that his brown eyes meet my gray ones.

"Jacky boy," I say. "It don't change nuttin between us, unless-"

It's my turn to look down. "Booker, I hafta tell you somethin'. How long 'ave we known each otha? Four, five yeahs? Each an' ev'ry day I've been fallin' in love wit you."

"What?" I gasp. Love? Jack Kelly, my best friend loves me? My thoughts have now decided to do gymnastics in my head, making me confused about the entire deal.

"I know you prolly don' feel tha same way," Jack says, quickly. "but, I had ta tell you."

"You love me?"

He nods. "Yea."

I turn my back to him and hear him walk away. I'm trying to sort through my thoughts before Jack leaves the room to go the boys' half and get dressed. Do I love him too? Does this mean something?

"Jack," I say. "Stop. I hafta tell you somethin'. Don' say nuttin until I'm done, ok? Eva since we met, you've been so good ta me that it hoits. You've been mah best friend for yeahs. And to tell ya the truth, I've been fallin in love wid you too. I love you, Jack."

He says nothing but runs to me and gathers me in a hug. He starts planting kisses all over my face as if I've been away for years and just returned. Butterflies have begun to fly in the pit of my stomach, making me feel very different. I've never felt this way towards someone before and its all new to me.

"C'mon, Booker," he says.

I nod, following him out of the LH and towards the distrobution center.

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"Finally!" Boots yells. "Yoah finally heah!"

We look around when Boots addresses us and we notice that no one is holding any papes. What's going on? By this time, every newsy has gotten their papes and are ready to start a new day.

"They jacked up tha price! Ya heah that Jack? Ten cents a hundred!" Kid Blink yells. "Ya know, its bad enough that we gotta eat wut we don' sell, now they jack up tha price. Can you belie'e dat?!"

I look at Skittery when he says, "This'll bust me. I'm barely makin' a livin right now."

"I'll be back sleepin' on tha streets," Boots says, throwing his hands up in defeat.

Jack's eyes meet mine as we hear the newsies complain about the situation we find ourselves upon. Why would Pulitzer jack up the price? He's making a ton of money so why does he need to cheat us?

"Pipe down its just a gag!" Jack yells, trying to get the newsies to be quiet. "So why the jack up, Weasel?"

Weasel smiles and replies, "Why not? It's a nice day. Why don'tcha ask Mr Pulitzer, yoahself?"

I walk towards the gate when I notice Mush, Race, and Jack talk. I have nothing I can add to help because I know what Jack is thinking. I know he's on the verge of strike. It's as plain as day that he's thinking about it. He's read to many papers about the "Trolley Strike".

"No! You ain't goin' anywheah!" Jack says, pushing Mush back. "They can't get away wid this!"

Les sits down next to him, saying, "Let him think!"

I turn around as Blink hands him a cigarette, which Jack gladly takes. He never smokes unless he's nervous or agitated. Davey and Jack start talking quietly and I can't hear anything so I push myself through and sit next to Jack. He notices, smiles weakly, and continues to talk to Davey.

"But if we go on strike, den we are a union, right?" Jack asks.

"No, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money," Davey replies. "Maybe if we got every newsy in New York, but..."

"Yeah, well we organize. Crutchy, you take up for collection. We get all the newsies of New York together!" Jack exclaims standing up.

"Jack, you shoah this is a good idea?" I ask, nervously.

He nods and replies, "Yeah. Trust me, Booker!"

I look around before Jack takes my face in his hands. He looks me in the eyes before giving me a quick kiss. I melt and I hear the newsies yell things towards us. Yep, they approve of us. He pulls away as exits the distrobution center, holding my hand tightly in his.

"We need to get woid out to all tha newsies!" Jack says, loudly. "What did ya call 'em?"

"Ambassadors?" Davey says, standing in front of Jack and I.

"Yeah! You guys gotta be am-bastards," Jack says. I stifle a laugh.

Kid Blink takes Harlem, Race takes Midtown, Mush takes the Battery, Crutchy takes the Bronx. Bumlets, Skittery, and Specs takes Queens, Pie Eater, Snoddy, and Snipeshoot take East Side, but no one takes Brooklyn. What's wrong with Brooklyn?

"Brooklyn? What about Brooklyn?" Jack asks. "C'mon! Spot Conlon's territory. What'sa mattah? Ya scare o' Brooklyn?"

"We ain't scared o' Brooklyn!" Boots says. "Spot Conlon makes us, a lil noivous."

"I'll go ta Brooklyn," I offer.

"I'll go too," Jack says. "Boots you too! And Davey can keep us company."

Davey cringes a bit before telling Jack to take our demands to Pulitzer. Jack seems a bit frightened but goes anyways. Leave it to Jack to be fearless. I'd never have the guts to go myself, even if Jack was at my side. Jack takes Les inside and I noticed Davey talk to some reporter guy. I can't hear their conversation but it seems like the reporter likes Davey.

I turn when the door to "The World" opens and some guy shoves Jack and Les out. I run to them and Jack looks at me in defeat. So maybe Pulitzer didn't want to listen to us now but he will later, once we have every newsy on our side.

The reporter and Davey walk up and the man offers to take us to lunch, to talk about the strike. I didn't mention my fears about going with this man but he kind of freaks me out.

"So, this snooty mug says to me, 'You can't see Mr Pulitzer. No one sees Mr Pulitzer.' You know, real hoidy toidy. You know the type?" Jack says after we all get comfy in a booth at Tibby's Restaurant, one of the only restaurants we can afford.

I chuckle as Jack continues the story. Denton seems interested in what we have to say but something doesn't feel right. I can't explain it but I feel wierd being in this restaurant, not being able to pay for any of the food I'm eating. Denton says he'll pay for it but why is he helping us? It's kind of creepy that a man is helping a bunch of orphaned newsies.

It takes us about a half an hour to finish eating and Denton leaves, but after Jack tells him no pictures of the both of us. We both know that if there are any pictures of Jack and I, it could be seen by Snyder or the bulls and off we go back to the refuge.

"C'mon," Jack says. "Off to Brooklyn."

We exit Tibby's where we meet Boots and we go on our way to Brooklyn.

Off we go to Brooklyn!

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A/N: Please review...most of the dialogue is taken from the movie..Sorry about it!