DISCLAIMER: These characters do NOT belong to me unfortunately. I tried to kidnap
them from Disney and was unsuccessful. Go figure. However, Runner and Mallory are
MINE, and so is Josephine, Aunt Patricia, and Daisy! Muahahaha! So take that, Mickey!!



A.N. WowZeRz!! Lots of reviews again!! Thank you SOOO much!!! You have no idea how
completely happy I am when I receive feedback. It's like, writing is my life, and
here are people submitting reviews telling me how much they love this story!! It's
one of the greatest feelings in da woild! *dances around with a slightly scared
Runner and Spot* GuESS WhAt!!! THe guy I like wants to MEET ME!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!
And so my best friend is going to introduce us to each other This Tuesday!!!! *runs
away screaming* I'm sooooo nervous. But enough about me, the Show must go ON!!!



*Angel: Ah, Spot wanting to get acquainted in Mallory's room. A classic, my dear, a
classic. I think I might have gotten that from one of my best guy friends, Marcus,
who's quite the mischievous seducer. lol! Thanks for the reviews! I'm still editing
your story. Don't think I forgot! It's on my "to-do" list; as a matter of fact, it's
even above doing my homework. Imagine that, lol.


*bl33ding p03t: Want to know who Snap is, ay? *looks at Spot* "Should we tell her?"
Spot shakes his head. Sorry, kiddo, I guess you're going to have to read on. : )
Thanks thanks thanks for those reviews! Enjoy this next chapter...ah, in which Snap's
identity is revealed.


*Drama-Queen: No, Mallory can't kill our dear King of New York, though I agree, I would
have done just that...hmmm, or maybe just hit him over the head with that cane of his.
LoL! : ) Ooo, just like Snap, huh? You must be a tough cookie! Well then, I hope you
have fun reading Chapter 5 because Snap and Spot actually meet. Dun dun dun!!


*Snuggles: *Nods at Runner* Yes, kid, Snuggles does in fact get the award for longest
review for Chapter 4! *the newsies applaud as Snuggles is handed a golden newspaper
by Jack, and gets a kiss from the Manhattan leader* : ) Muahahaha. I got your email
and wrote back instantly! Hehehe. i'm tellin' ya, Snugs, we'se gots good things
written in our futures. Me and Andre, youse and Brian. It's going to woik out just
poifectly. Heya! Does Brian have a locker?!!? If he does, you should write him a
secret admirer's note and put it in his locker!!! And if you have a locker, tell him
in the note to write back. Mind you, I did this in ninth grade and the guy actually
wrote back! I was sooooooo THRILLED! Then, when Brian writes back, you can set up
a meeting place with him, ya know? Oh oh oh, that would be GREAT!! You definitely
should try it, goily! Dirty blondes will not be taking our men, Snugs!! LoL!! You WILL
make a move on Brian, you WILL make a move on Brian *tries to hypnotize her* Heehee!
Welperz, onto chapter the next!


*asp: Yes, I figured I would work the little change in speech into the plot somehow.
She'll be sounding different in this chapter, lol. I read over the last chapters and
I suppose it was a bit off-setting. : ) Thanks for telling me! And thanks for the
reviews! DUDE, keep them rolling in!!!


*Shortie: OMG, that happened to me too! I was doing this project for Biology and it
had taken me sooooo FRIGGIN long!!!! And then out of nowhere, the THING ERASES!!! I was
like WTF!?!? And then out of nowhere, lol, I just started crying. I'm a tad bit too
sensitive, mind you, and it was just so GRRRRR!!! And THEN, as if that wasn't bad enough,
lol, I got that flame for this story. At first I thought it was kinda funny, being
my first flame and all after having published like, 12 stories, but then it kinda got
to me and I wanted to team up with Runner and shoot a few things. : ) But then I
got your review and it really cheered me up. *Runner presents Shortie with the award
for best review that Cheers Morning Dew up* "Geez, Runner, that's a long title for
a review, don't ya think?" "Ah, shaddup!" Heehee, gotta love the kid. "Heya Runner,
ya hear that? Shortie thinks youse gots a sensitive side." *all the newsies burst
out laughing and Runner blushes* Hahaha!!! Yes, I'll admit, Mallory's speech scared
me at times. : ) Good thing ya told me about it or it would've probably went on
for ages and you would've ended committing suicide! ANd Runner certainly wouldn't
want that happening...heehee. Thanks so much for the happy reviews! They's make me
day!! Have fun with Chapter 5!!


*SportyChik425: "Spot, you wouldn't kill Runner for barging in on you and that blonde,
would ya?" *Spot glares at her* Ooo, I guess so. Ya must understand, I honestly had
to restrain the two. : ) Runner agrees with you on Spot being annoying though, lol!
What's Mallory to do when Spot won't do so much as step foot out of her house!?
*shrugs* Ah, Snap. If you wanna see a big effect, read this chapter!! Muahaha. Hopefully,
you read all the chapters...lol, but anywho. Thanks for the reviews!!! Read on and
Enjoy!


*Trek: Oooo, lookie, a new reviewer!! Yaaay! I wuv new reviewers! They're not daunted
by the number of chapters that are already posted. *Spot reminds MOrning Dew there's
only 4 chapters posted* Ah, leave it to a Conlon to ruin the glory of it all. LoL!
Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad youse is enjoying it so far!! I hope you
like this next chapter just as much!!


*gdfg: Ahhh, thanks so much!! You are the author of MY FIRST FLAME!!! How does it feel,
my dear? Hopefully, vivid details won't drive you to such extremes as shooting yourself,
and if so, am I really the one that needs help? I doubt you would even be reading
this, since my writing is obviously too "horrible" to be read, but if by some chance
you are, I just want you to know that you're entitled to your opinion. If you thought
this was crap, heya, it's a free country, right? Cheesy, dumb, retarded, and cliche?
Well, need I remind you that this plot hasn't even turned up in the newsie section?
So in that matter, darling, it's anything but cliche. Hmmm, I don't intend on seeking
help because you were not flattered by my writing. I will, however suggest that you
learn to control your anger, but that of course only ties in with the "entitled to
your own opinion". Anywho, the feedback was appreciated in any case. God Bless!









Just A Little Bet




~*~*~*~*~ "Race...do you think I talk too formally?" Mallory was never one to dwell on

the insults others had given her throughout life, but Spot's suggestion of her

'lightening up' would not stop pestering at her every thoughts. Did she really sound

like an arrogant brat? Did she really build herself up to be a careless aristocrat?




Race was so taken aback by the question that the cigar currently in his mouth nearly

fell to the ground. "Uh...er, ya want me tah answer that?"




Mallory sighed. "You just did. It is beyond my understanding, though! How do I go about

talking normally?" They turned a street corner and continued their stroll through

Manhattan on their way to the Sheepshead. Suddenly realizing that she was indeed

bored out of her wits whenever she remained within her house for hours at a time, she

had left to the Manhattan lodging house to find Jack or Race, in hopes that either one

would be willing to take her under their wing. Fortunately, she had not even approached

three blocks distance from the lodging house when Race had caught sight of her. After

the Italian bought his daily papers, he invited Mallory for a day at the tracks, and

this time she willingly accepted the idea.




"Well, it's just gotta come naturally. It's best when youse obsoive other people when

they's talk. And spendin' a week wid the newsies will get ya talkin' just as rough as

any kid from Harlem. It all comes in time, Mallory. Don't stress out about it, though."




"Are those the tracks?" She pointed to an establishment just before them, the vociferous

noice from inside escalating to an ear-piercing volume. She could already see queues of

men lining up with eager and impatient faces as they scanned through papers to see which

horse they would place their bets on that day. Some were yelling with the front desk men

over how they had been cheated by choosing a particular racer, others were collecting

their winnings with foolish grins. Vendors zigzagged in and out the crowds, selling

everything from cotton candy to drinks to stuffed horses for the younger ones in the

audience. Mallory was instantly intriqued by the environment. It was almost like a

carnival! "You go here everday, Race? It is extraordinary! I would love to be a part

of this for the rest of my life!"




Race pulled the girl aside and smiled hesitantly, as he noticed unusual glances taken

upon the girl. "Heya, this is exactly what youse DON'T say if ya speak normally. The

tracks is the tracks, there aint nuthin' 'extraordinary' about it!" He laughed and gave

her a quick hug. "All in time, hun. All in time."




He led her to the spectating area where hordes of people from all ages were already

seated, consuming refreshments and chatting over any topic of conversation that would

reach their minds. Mallory took a seat beside a married couple and waited for Race to

rest himself as well, but he only remained standing. "What are you doing? You are not

going to stand up the entire time, are you?"




"I'se gots to sell me papes, goil. Youse can stay heah and I'll be back in thoity

minutes or so tah check up on ya."




Mallory looked horrified. "You simply can't, Race! It is my first experience as a

spectator at the Sheepshead Races and you are simply going to walk out of it like that?"




"If it means that much tah youse," he said with groan, "I'll stay wid ya fer a bit."

He set his papers on the floor and squeezed in between Mallory and a rather large man

on his left who held three hot dogs on his lap and a bag of popcorn in one hand. Race

arched his eyebrows at this, for it seemed as if snacks were the last thing the plumpy

gentleman needed, but he said nothing of it. "So youse enjoyin' yaself?"




"Absolutely!" And then she did something out of the norm. She relaxed her head onto

Race's shoulder and giggled. "This has been an exciting day, I'll admit. Thank you so

much for letting me take part in it."




Race was speechless. Had Mallory just made a move? All right, so it wasn't something

to brag about to Spot and Jack, barely considered body contact. But the point was,

SHE had made the first move. He thought his heart skipped a beat and he wished he had

one of his papers in his hand to fan himself.




After the races, Mallory was practically skipping along like a thrilled child who had

just seen a circus show or a delightful flick. She wore a smile that beamed with

happiness and she couldn't even stop talking for more than five seconds! Race laughed

at the change in personality. There was still a bit of alteration that needed to occur,

but at least the girl was not as refusing as she had first been. At least she was

willing to try new things.




"What does this way lead to?" She hurried off ahead of him, sneaking into a backroom

of the area that Race had never noticed before. Looking back to make sure they would

not get in trouble with any managers, he slipped into the room as well and adjusted

his eyes to the sudden dimness.




"Mallory, where'd ya go?"




"I'm right here! Look! These are the stables, Race! Look at all the horses!" She

squeeled with delight when a nearby horse nudged her with its muzzle and neighed.

"Oh, how adorable! I wish my father and I had enough land to own a horse!"




"I don't think we'se suppose tah be heah. Let's head on back, okay?"




"Oh, you don't need to leave!" Both Race and Mallory spun around at the sound of the

voice, but eased a great measure when they saw it was only a girl around her sixteenth

year with a pail of sugar cubes and a rake. She smiled at them warmly and set the

objects she was holding down. "Sorry if I scared you. Not many people come down here

so I didn't really know what to say. Are you a newsie?" She motioned to the papers under

Race's arms and he nodded wordlessly. "Really? That's awesome!"




Mallory turned to face a horse neighing loudly behind her and patted its cheekbone. "Do

you work here all the time with the horses?"




"Sure do," the girl replied. "By the way, the name's Becca. Pleasure to meet you folks."

She held out her hand to each one and they shook as new acquaintances.




Race could not take his eyes off her. Even though she was dressed in worn-out overalls

with her reddish hair braided into pigtails and had smudges of dirt smearing across

her arms and forehed, he thought her the most beautiful creature he had ever spoken to.

In her slight country accent, she still had class. In her average brown eyes, she still

held a spark.




Becca noticed his staring and smiled. "You okay, newsie?"




"Uh-huh...I mean, oh, what?" Both girls laughed and Race flushed with embarassment.

"Sorry," he said. "I was just...uh...I was just...on me way! C'mon Mallory, we'se gots

these papes of mines tah sell! Papes don't sell themselves." He took Becca's hand

again and paused before saying anything. "It was a pleasure, miss." And for some

reason, he did not kiss her hand as he had done to so many other girls, for he believed

she deserved more than that-he just didn't know what yet.




Mallory led the way out of the stables and waved back at the girl. "Goodbye, Becca. It

was nice meeting you! I hope we meet on more occassions in the future!" She marched

on out in high spirits, but when she noticed Race constantly looking back from where

they had come, she wondered if something was bothering him.




* * * * *




Jack opened the front door to the Manhattan lodging house and dodged just in time to

save his head from being smashed by the shooter that had been launched from Spot's

prized slingshot. "Spot, what the hell is ya problem?! Ya tryin' tah kill ya allies now?!"




Spot smirked and entered into the building after spit shaking with his best friend.

"I'se just thought I'd make an entrance, eh?" He stuck the weapon into one of his

back pants pockets and yawned from the lack of amusement the action had had. "Life

gets more borin' every day. Hell, even Runnah can't find ways tah brighten things up

a bit, and ya know that kid always has some crap up his sleeves."




"If ya lookin' fer fun, youse should make a date wid one of the newest in me brood."

Jack showed the Brooklyn leader upstairs where the bunkrooms were and stopped just

outside the doorway to the girls' room. "Ya see the goil in that corner all by herself?

That's the one. Says they's call 'er Snap. I call 'er a pain in the ass!"




"Mind if I'se talk tah her?"




Jack held up his hands. "By all means, please do. Though I gotta warn ya, I'se don't

think this one's gunna be as easy as youse thinkin'. She's hiding somethin', Spot.

Personally, I'se don't even trust her!"




"It aint abuot trust," Spot remarked in a low voice. "It's all about gettin' them in

bed and then lettin' them return tah their miserable lives. If she's a loner, I aint

offerin' her a friendship. If she's gots problems, I aint no shrink. If she's had a

bad past, I'se aint got the power tah erase her memory. So why even bother, huh?"




"Damn, youse get woise by the day! No wonder youse aint never gone steady."




Spot laughed. "Actually, that's a direct quote from Runnah himself. Imagine that. The

kid aint never slept wid a goil and there he is givin' me speeches on how ya oughta

treat 'em. He's got real potential, Jack. The kid's gunna be a prodigy." The Brooklyn

leader sauntered into the room then and nodded at all the attention the girls were

giving him. Dreamy gazes, hyperventilation attacks, shrieks of adoration, and a few

bold attempts of trying to start conversations. Spot looked beyond them all, which made

him all the more wanted-except of course by those girls who pledged hatred towards the

boy, and made his way to where Snap sat on her bunk, cross legged and glaring at him.




"Heya," he said casually.




Snap rolled her eyes. "What the hell d'ya want?"




"Temper, temper, dollface. I'se just wanted tah intoduce meself." He stepped closer to

her with a proud grin. "I is, afterall, the one and only Spot Conlon."




"Never hoid of ya," the girl replied with a shrug. But sensing where this conversation

was headed, she rose onto her knees, still atop the bed, so that she and Spot were

eye level. She brought her hands to his chest and smiled sweetly. "But in any

case, what would youse like me tah call ya? Spot? Master Conlon? Oh, Sexy One?"




Spot brought his face closer to hers and whispered onto her lips. "Baby, youse can

call me whatever ya want."




"Excellent," she whispered back. And then out of nowhere she shoved him away and sat

back on her heels. "In that case, I'll call youse the stupidest bastard I'se ever

suffered through a floitin' session with! Damn! Ya really need tah woik on ya act if

youse think youse can win someone over that easily!"




Those girls who hated Spot with a passion began to snicker at the comment and joined

in the jeer with pleasure. In opposition, the Brooklyn leader's admirers gasped at the

words and glared at Snaps for being so cruel to the man they loved! But Spot was not

so easily overcome. He only cast an indifferent look at Snaps and then turned away to

leave the scene of a battle he had just lost.




* * * * *




Mallory sat on her couch with Daisy laying at her feet and recited lessons aloud to

help her correct her grammar. "So instead of saying 'It is of the utmost pleasure to

find myself in your company, sir'...I can say...'It was nice meeting you!' "




"And instead of saying 'Oh what a pleasurable time I had with you!'...I can say..."I

had a really fun time!"




She jumped to her feet and seemed to grow more enthralled. "And whenever I can, I must

put contractions into use. Ay, mother always abhorred those things! She claimed that

words were treasures that should not be compacted into some rubbish of a dialect! But

they would make my speech easier to understand I suppose. Wouldn't you agree, Daisy?"




The puppy grunted with half-opened eyes.




Mallory laughed. "Oh look! I have resulted to speaking with animals! I'll get Spot

Conlon one of these days!"




"Mallory, dear, whom are you speaking with?"




"Daddy!" The girl rushed up to the man to give him a hug and then pulled back with a

smile. "Merely practicing my English aloud."




Mr. Carter looked at her, clearly confused. "What's wrong with your English? You speak

it quite wonderfully!"




"Times are changing, and we should change with them. I no longer feel comfortable

speaking like a Medieval Times noble! We're living in the twentieth century! I must

grow accustomed to the ways of speech around me."




"You never cease to amaze me, dear." The man was about to say something but was cut

short by an abrupt coughing fit that roughened his throat and made him thump his

chest with a fist to clear his lungs.




"Daddy! Daddy, what is the matter!?"




Mr. Carter massaged his throat and steadied himself against a wall to lessen the pain.

"Mallory, give me the liquid medicine on the kitchen counter, please. Hurry!"




Mallory did as she was told in a dash and brought a spoon along with her by which to

administer the medicine to her father. It only took two spoonfuls of the syrup to

terminate the man's coughing fits, but the event had still scarred his daughter in

unexplainable ways. What if she had not been there to help him? Would he have managed

to reach the medicine? And what if he had not? What then?




She helped him to his bed and sat on its edge with mournful eyes. She could never

forgive herself if something had happened to her father while she had been off

laughing about with Spot, Race or Jack! She would bring the blame all upon herself

without hesitation. "Daddy, I won't leave your side..." but he had already drifted to

sleep.




* * * * *




ATTENTION!!! URGENT MESSAGE!!! Runner is sick in bed. I called in a few Doctors this
morning and you know what they said?!? "Sorry, m'am, but the kid is suffering from
something we at fanfiction.net call: REVIEW-INGITIS!!!" I asked how it could possibly
be cured and they replied that only a substantial amount of reviews would do the trick!
The worse part is, this sickness is contagious! Soon, Spot will get it, then Jack and
Race, and worse of all ME!!! Your beloved author! SO PLEEEEEEEEEASE help us out over
here, insanity has been borned! REVIEEEEEEEEW!!! Thanks sooooo MUCH! Love ya all!!!!