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!!
OoOogles! I almost forgot Becca and Snap. They's mine too!! BleH! : ) Ah, the list just
goes on, there's Mr. Carter too of course.



A.N. WOW!!! Again, WOW!!! TEN REVIEWS!!! Nicely done, ladies. Jack was extremely
elated when we raised so much money! : ) He had a great time in Santa Fe and his
heartfelt thanks go to all of youse!!! OMG, AN IRONIC TURN OF EVENTS, as Snap would say.
The guy I was like, IN LOVE WITH in ninth grade moved to California almost two years
ago. Now, he knew I liked him and all and he was really sweet about it. But get this,
just tonight, he tells me he's been going out with some girl and he goes on about how
cute she is and how sweet and shy and how he has pictures of her that he'll send me.
BUT WAIT!!! HERE'S THE REAL KICKER!!! The girl's name is MALLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Needless to say, I was speechless. _________


!!!~ATTENTION~!!!
For Those Of You Who Are Wondering How Old Everyone's Suppose To Be:

18 years old: Jack, Spot
17: Blink, Race, Snap
16: Runner, Becca, Mush
15: Mallory

Everyone Else is Between 16-17 : )



*Trek: Awww, I think RUnner is adorable too. Actually, his character is based on some
guy in my school, but I have no idea if he is anything like Runner, only that he looks
like him. : ) Maybe I'll talk to him one day and see. He and his friend were stalking
me one day, it was kinda weird. Hahaha. Ah, so ya like the twists in the story, eh?
Glad to hear, glad to hear. Just wait 'til things get really heated up! : )
Well, here's another chappie!


*Snuggles: Brian has to stop giving that nutcase blonde rides home or I'll come to Texas
and beat the both of them up. Alright, I'll let Brian off a bit easier. : ) Did Jack
stop by on his way to Santa Fe? He said he would. Heehee. You were up at eleven this
morning!!?? Muahaha, I didn't even get up from bed until twelve. I think that's the
latest I've ever slept! Andres, Andres, Andres. *sigh* SO far so good, I guess. lol. I
just gotta work up the nerves to talk to him. Like on Friday when I gave him that note,
I was just like "Hi....Bye" All right, maybe not that quick, but it sure seemed like
that. It was just so nervewrecking being in his presence. lol! He is pretty nice though,
that smirk is to die for! Write Brian a note, write Brian a note!!! You absolutely MUST!
Awww, poor Runner getting his heart stolen. : ( I think how they know each other will
be revealed in a few more chapters...I'm not sure yet. Ah well! WRITE THAT NOTE! LoL!


*bl33ding p03t: *GASP* You forgot to review?! Jack and Spot are so devastated!! lol, jk!
Yea, this story is just full of love triangles! Gotta love 'em though! : ) Here's
another chapter full of the lovely things, heehee.


*Shortie: OMG, the running man, lol. I did that for some talent show a loooong time ago.
Jeeez, that was crazy. I don't even think we were doing it in unison...OoOogles, I have
to get my eyebrows waxed too! Ner, especially cause I'm going to be talking to that guy
I like more often! : ) You're the only one who congratulated me on having met him,
besides Snuggles but that's different cause we email each other about our guy problems.
lol, people these days...Hmmm, considering therapy as a hobby, huh? Yea, uh...no comment.
Hahaha, jk! D00d, affable and gossamer were my vocab words too!!! And so were seduous,
tenuous, and some other word I used! w00t w00t! Go us! I had my vocab test the day I
updated, so yea. Snap and multiple personalities...sheesh, tell me about it. That goil
has some major issues. Tea tea tea! Spot, ya could've just taken the tea! *throws an
apple at him* Yah, Mal's daddy is kewl, alot like my dad, who'd let me go wherever I
wanted if it weren't for my overprotective mom!!! Haha. Awww horsies! Have you seen
Black Beauty? Good movie..actually I wouldn't know because I never saw it. But if it's
anything like the book, it's good. Made me cry. *tear* PaTrIcK RETURNS!! dun dun dun.
Originally, I was going to make Runner Patrick but I liked the name Lucas better. : )
ReMinDeR to SHorTiE from RuNNeR: "Never call me Runny again". Heehee. The ending was
like a chain letter? LoL! Well, that's a first. Anywho, thanks for raising those 2000
dollars!! And by the way, Runner is 16. : )


*SportyChik425: Conflicts indeed. Don't ya just love the classic love triangle...although
this big mess is like a love-polygon or something. Whoa, a pencil just fell on the floor
of my room outta nowhere! That was creepy! Anywho, Runner reveals how he knows Mallory
in a later chapter or maybe sooner... *thinks* I have to plan it out. Things are very
delicate now, lol. Awww, Becca's story...I think I can finagle something about that
more sooner. : ) Here's another chappie! Enjoy!


*asp: YaaaY, Race and Becca, Race and Becca! *innocent look* Way to get reviews?!
Whatever are you talking about?? *giggles* It was all for the benefit of Jacky-boy of
course! Muahaha. Fun times!! Thanks for the support! Here's another chappie!


*Skittles: Here's your shoutout, Kiddo! Don't cry, awww. : ) New reviewers rule!!
w00t w00t! OOO, I've been wanting to see Black Hawk Down for a while now!! I have it
somewhere in this mudpile of a room, lol, and I have yet to see it!! Josh Hartnett is
my bebe! Heehee. So, ya don't think Spot should get left out, eh? Hmmm, I'll take that
into consideration, but there's a big lesson he'll have to learn in this story first.
Thanks so much for the review!!! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!


*Angel: Heya, I would LOVE to be incorporated into your story!! Muahaha. Email me what
you need to know and I'll get back to you as soon as I can! Twists and turns, twists
and turns, don't ya just love it? *giggles* Great stuff, I tell ya. So anywho, you're
so sure Race and Becca will end up together, hmmm? We'll just see about that! Muahaha.
Alright, I won't be an evil author and ruin their lives. Maybe they'll end up together
afterall. : ) Can't wait for more of your fic!







Just A Little Bet




~*~*~*~*~ "Aint ya gunna take ya hat off tah show respect tah a goil?" Vixen wasn't

too pleased to be interrupted at the moment, mostly because she had been busy giving

Spot Conlon yet another hickey when his annoying self-absorbed cousin had walked into

the room and declared that she give the both of them a moment to speak.




The boy smiled sardonically. "I'se aint see no goils heah." Out of all the ladies Spot

played, Runner hated Vixen the most. She was a gorgeous whiner, nothing more and nothing

less, and he had a feeling she would grow up to be a fat, grumpy old hag someday or a

vain superficial idiot who would endlessly chase after lust and material objects.




Vixen glared at him and layed her head on Spot's chest, looking up into his eyes. "Spotty,

ya aint gunna let 'im talk tah me like that, are ya?" She slid her hands under his shirt

and gave him her sweetest smile.




"Runnah, I'se kinda in the middle a' somethin' heah, can ya come back latah?" Spot wrapped

his arms around Vixen's waist and pulled her closer up against him.




"No, I can't! I'se shoah the slut can come back any other time she wants tah. This is

important, tell 'er tah go!"




"Ya lil' shit!" The girl turned around in Spot's arms and stepped forward. "Just 'cause

youse aint got no goil tah give ya any don't me ya gotta be bargin' in on ya cousin!"




"Shut the fuck up!"




Vixen gasped and looked back at Spot for support. "Aint ya gunna soak 'im?"




"Vix, gimme a minute wid 'im and I promise youse won't heah that outta 'is mouth again,

alright?" He kissed her hard, and then showed her out into the hallway where he told

her to wait. After seeing to it that she was not in the least bit disappointed enough to

deny him her company later in the night, he returned to his room, closing the door gently

behind him only because he did not want to lose his cool in front of a girl, and leaned

against the wood in thought.




Runner laughed. "Ya gotta take me seriously when I say this. Youse really gotta..." He

didn't get to finish.




Spot grabbed him by the front of his shirt, raised him off the ground an inch or so, and

slammed him against a wall with the acidic viciousness he was known for. "The next time

youse decide ya wanna parade wid one of me goils, let me it on it, huh? It aint really

one of me favorite things tah find out me own cousin's been doing things behind my back

in front of all me friends! Another thing, the next time youse walk in heah and interrupt

me and some goil, I'll personally see to it that youse gets every bone in ya body

fractured! Is we'se clear on that?"




"Crystal," Runner replied through clenched teeth, and when Spot let him go, he was only

angrier than when he had first come in. The attack was so sudden he hadn't even time to

devise a clever comeback, not that he would want to, seeing it would only end in his

getting beaten to a bloody pulp. "Listen," he said slowly, trying to control the waver in

his voice, "I'se need tah ask ya a favor."




"What?"




"I needs youse tah end that whole bet between youse and the other guys."




Spot looked at him as if it was blasphemous to ask such a request. "Are ya insane!? Ya

know how much money I'se gots goin' fer me if I win this damn thing?! Please don't tell

me ya fell fer the goil after meetin' her fer the foist time!" He spoke calmly now, as

if the events that had occured mere seconds ago had never taken place.




"But think of what youse is gunna do tah her," the younger pleaded. "Ya gunna break her

heart real bad when she finds out! I mean, not that I care or anything, it's just

that I'd hate tah see such a nice goil get hoit like that!"




"Ya never did go for the nice ones, Runnah, what do youse care? And 'sides, I'se done

woise tah goils before. Why should this be any different?"




Runner sighed. "Please drop the bet!"




"No." Spot sat on his bed and stared at him, waiting to hear the real reason why he

wanted the bet to end. "Ya shoah youse don't like 'er? 'Cause yesterday ya looked like

youse were about tah kiss the ground she was walkin' on!"




"Ah, shaddup!"




The Brooklyn leader laughed. "So Runnah, I aint droppin' the bet. Is that all ya wanted

tah ask?"




"Couldn't youse just let this one go?" Runner rested his forehead against the glass

pane of Spot's window and watched newsies on the piers jumping into the waters and

playing pranks on each other. When his cousin answered no again, he groaned. How else

could he get to Mallory if those three were in the way? Then it hit him. "Well, d'ya

think youse could include me in the bet then?"




Spot arched an eyebrow. "Mmm, I'se gunna have tah pass on that one."




"Why, youse afraid I'se gunna beat ya?"




"Nah, I'se afraid I'll steal ya lil' goil and break ya lil' heart."




Runner couldn't think of a time when he hated Spot more than he did now.




* * * * *




Snap flipped the coin in the air, caught it, and then slapped it onto the back of one

of her hands rather machine-like. Slowly uncovering the coin, she laughed at the results

and smiled up at Jack. "Ha! Heads! I get tah pick where we'se go!"




"I still thinks youse rigged the toss," Jack said as he slid his arm around her waist

and grinned down at her. "So where does the lovely goil wanna go?"




"I hoid some of the boys talkin' about some place called Medda's?"




He nodded. "Irving Hall, great place. But youse aint wanna go there fer our foist date,

do ya? It's always too crowded and it won't give us space tah do our own thing if ya

know what I mean." He winked at her as she smacked his arm for the spicy comment, but

inside he was thinking about his true intentions of wanting to go somewhere else. Spot

would undoubtedly be at Medda's and the Brooklyn leader obviously had it bad for Snap.

He hated it when a girl never fell for his seduction spells and he wouldn't stop at

nothing until he had had her for a night. But if Jack started to date Snap, it would only

spell even more trouble when Spot's jealousy entered the equation.




"Why do we'se gots tah be alone? Ya act as if youse don't want people tah know about us!"

Snap turned to face him and took his hands off her. "So ya want us tah get tah know

eachother better foist 'fore we'se become a couple, I'se cool wid that. But if ya don't

ever wanna take me out, what's the point?" She hated coyness in men, it only enlivened

their weaknesses and kept them from doing all that they wanted to do. No, she preferred

the go-getters, the ones who never let anything keep them down. Like Spot.




"I just thought we'd go somewhere more private, so that we'se could talk one on one."




"Or do ya mean, somewhere where I'se can't embarass youse?!"




Jack shook his head and took her hands. "No, not at all. Why would I'se be afraid of

youse embarassin' me? Ya never done it before, why should I think youse'd do it now?

If ya wanna go tah Irving Hall, we'll go then. I'se just thought you'd like it bettah

at a nice restaurant or somehtin'."




"I'se never seen Medda before," she replied. "I'd really like tah see what all the fuss

is about. 'Sides, it should be fun, so long as youse promise me the last dance."




He gave her a soft kiss. "Well who else would it go to?"




* * * * *




Mallory yelped when the needle she was currently using to mend a pair of socks poked her

finger and drew a speck of blood. "Blasted thing!" She plunged the silver object into a

plush ball and used the end of her skirt to wipe the blood. "Leave it to me to be a

disgrace to the sewing population of New York women!" A knock on the front door brought

her out of her complaints and she rose from the couch to answer it.




"One minute!" she called out from the sitting room, setting away her sewing kit and

leaving the socks she had tried to make new to the trash, as she had only managed in

worsening their condition. She grabbed the doorknob, forgetting to look through the

peephole first, and swung the door open. "Good Morni...ugh, Spot! What are you doing

here!?" She motioned for him to enter and shut the door with a pout. It seemed as if

the Brooklyn leader always arrived at her house when she was in sour moods.




"Nice tah see youse too, Mal. How's ya dad holdin' up?"




Mallory glared at the nickname and proceeded to walk towards the kitchen. "He's fine,

thank you. Getting much needed rest has done him well and he has another doctor visit

tomorrow. Would you like something to drink?"




"Nah, I'se fine." He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, combing back

the strands that had fallen over his eyes. "So did ya like the play?"




"As much as I would like to say no, I actually did. The acting was phenomenal!" She

poured herself a glass of lemonade and smiled. "It's amazing the script was written by

your cousin! He definitely has the gift of writing."




Spot nodded. "Well I'se glad youse enjoyed it."




"Although I didn't appreciate you holding my hand througout the whole thing despite my

specific demands for you to stop!"




"I was cold," he said with a shrug, "and ya hand was so warm." He entered into the

kitchen and ran his fingers over the polished counter top, remembering the warmth and

feeling of belonging he had once known in his own home. "So ya wanna go fer a walk wid

me in Central Park?"




Mallory opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. It was becoming a bother to

constantly refuse Spot's invitations. Frankly, she found that she enjoyed his company.

He wasn't as disgusting a pig as the rumors dictated; in her opinion, he was as sweet

as they came, and more funner if she had anything to say about it. Back in the 1880's,

an aunt of hers was forced into an arranged marriage and the man she was to marry was of

the most boring species of human ever born into the world. "I won't be able to stay out

long, my father will be awakening from his afternoon nap in an hour."




Spot looked at her in surprise, but quickly brushed it off. "Great, we'll be back by

then if we'se leave now. Put on a jacket and let's go!" He wanted to hurry before she

changed her mind of a sudden so he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the door, ripping

her sweater off a coat rack on his way out.




"Wait! I need my hat!" She turned to get it but Spot would not let his grip on her loosen.

"Spot, I'm not going without a hat, it's freezing outside!"




"Heah, youse can have mines." He handed over his hat and smirked at the appalled look

on her face. "It aint got no fleas, darlin'."




"Oh! I didn't think it did, I was just..."




"Uh-huh, yea." He openned the door and pulled her out after him. Considering they only

had an hour to work with, he was afraid that as soon as they arrived at the park, they

would have to leave. It was quite a walk from her house, and though Spot offered various

topics of conversation, the girl's mind seemed to be elsewhere. He noticed that everytime

one from her class passed by, she would divert her gaze down to the sidewalk on instinct,

as if ashamed to acknowledge her association with a newsboy. "Mal, youse aint gots tah

come wid me if ya don't wanna. I'se shoah youse gots ya goody-goody reputation tah look

out for."




She frowned. "Oh Spot, I apologize if you thought I was embarassed of you! If you'd

like to know, I was only trying to avoid Mrs. Papernick's spread of gossip.

I knew that if she or her friends saw me in your hat, they'd be led to believe that

because of an insufficient flow of money, I'd been force to peddle papers! Or imagine,

they might've thougt I was selling myself off to any young man that passed by!"




"People is always goin' tah gossip 'bout youse whether ya like it or not. Look, there's

the park!" He took her hand, but she snatched it away.




"I'm capable of escorting myself into Central Park, thank you!" Ignoring his smirk, she

marched past him with head held high and gasped at the sights before her. It was even

better than Sheepshead! There were children dashing around the fields with kites, others

climbing trees or wading in the waters of a fountain while mothers looked on from the

benches where they socialized with friends and fathers played chess with old comrades.

Some youth busied themselves with playing pirates on the huge boughs of oak trees, and

still more were content with playing marbles on the sidewalks. There were clowns in

bright makeup juggling, telling jokes, and performing tricks that left their audiences

dazed with amazement, newsies hawking headlines, vendors selling everything from popcorn

to cotton candy, and a group of men playing southern instruments that gave off lively

and upbeat melodies.




Spot came up from behind Mallory and laughed. "Ya act like youse aint never seen anything

like this."




"I haven't!"




"Then let's sit over heah where youse can get a better view a' the place." He would have

simply led her to the bench but she reached out for his hand then, afraid of getting

lost in the happy riot, and he gladly took it, lacing his fingers with hers. "Isn't

this place great? I come heah all the time when I'se gets a chance, tah take a break

from the woild."




Mallory stared off ahead of her, trying to take everything in at once. It was as if

an immense festivity was being celebrated in which all walks of life were invited! At

this moment, she realized she was still holding Spot's hand, yet for some reason, she

did not want to let it go. She wrestled with this feeling as he continued talking.




"If ya want, we'se can come back more often. Maybe once or twice a week, it kinda gets

borin' if youse go all the time. Are ya free tomorrow night?"




She looked at him confused. "What?"




"Did ya heah anything of what I just said?"




"I'm really sorry, Spot. I was busy thinking why I hadn't seen this place before. I

might've visited once or twice in my childhood, but why haven't I been back since?"




The Brooklyn leader scooted closer to her with a twinkle in his eyes. "Come wid me tah

Medda's tomorrow."




"Who's Medda?" She scolded herself, why was she even asking? She couldn't go, she had

her father to worry about! "Wait, it doesn't matter, I can't."




"Why not?" He looked disappointed.




Mallory sighed and took her hand away. She knew this was a mistake. "Spot, it's been

a wonderful day and I loved this little walk, but I should be getting back home now.

I will not be going to Medda's with you tomorrow, whoever that is, and I wish that you

would discontinue visiting me unexpectedly." She stood up, nodded at him, and began to

turn away.




"Wait!" He stood to his feet to pull her back. "If youse have a good time wid me, why

are ya denying yaself the fun?" As she parted her lips to answer, he acted on impulse

and leaned in for a kiss, deepening it as the seconds passed since she made no clear

signs that she wanted him to stop. Her lips were soft, unlike those of his usual flings

and the taste of her mouth was sweet and spell-binding. He was reluctant to pull away for

it shocked him that he had gotten this far with her, but when he finally did, he saw that

she was speechless. That signature smirk his admirers were in love with appeared on his

face. "Did that make ya change ya mind?"




"I can't believe you did that! How rude! And in front of all these people!" She pushed

him away and turned on her heels, hurrying away from him.




"Mallory! Wait up!" He ran after her, once tripping over the wheel of a vending cart and

almost tumbling down, and eventually caught up with the girl just outside one of Central

Park's many entrances. "I'se sorry, I thought ya wouldn't mind! Okay, I knew youse would

mind but I thought I'd give it a try anyways. Why are ya so mad?"




"That was my first kiss!" she yelled back. "I wanted it to be with someone I really

cared about! Not to say I don't care about you, it's only that I was hoping it would

be something more than that, something heartfelt."




He nodded in understanding. "Ya wanna give it another go?" She nearly screamed. "Okay,

I'se sorry. But whaddya expect, youse a beautiful goil and I couldn't help myself. Mal,

ya gotta give things a chance, seize the day, ya know? Ya might latah regret not havin'

done somethin'. So heah me out, from now on I won't do anything without ya permission,

agreed? But youse gotta promise me somehtin'. Come wid me tah Medda's tomorrow. There'll

be music and dancin' and most of the newsies from all over New Yawk is gunna be there."




"I don't know," she said slowly. "I don't trust you."




He pretended to be hurt. "Ouch, that hoits, goil. That hoits!"




"You promise you won't disprespect me in any way?"




"Unless ya want me to." He laughed at her glare. "I promise, Mal!"




Mallory wasn't sure whether she could take his word or not, but she was taking a chance

for once and decided that she could. "Then I'll go with you."




* * * * *




For Lack Of Any Creative Things To say, I'll trust that you all liked this chapter
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