A/N - Whoa boy I have a feeling that these next couple of chapters
are going to piss some of you guys off.*peeks out from under bed* Don't
hurt me too much I promise that everything will work out in the end, but
certain things have to happen first.
Shout Outs!!
BrkLnLady - I know it may seem like it, but it's not totally Spot's fault, more his newsies and how they are reacting. But then again how would YOU react to someone whose family had tormented you and killed one of your close friends? I'm sorry you're upset :/
Chelsea - I would hope that most authors' write stories with the intent to touch their reader's personally. That's what makes a damn good story. I'm the same way with guys, I am not forward at all, unless I'm tipsy which isn't always a good thing. We'll see about the war thing, I have a couple of ideas kicking around in my deranged head.
Pokey7 - I agree with the whole vacation thing. 'cept she'd be going to New Hampshire, not Maine. Although Maine is very nice, I love New Hampshire muchly.
Netangel182 - Well I'm glad you like my story. I do agree that closure would be nice but there's still a few chapters coming before the end of the story. I'm not sure how many but I don't think I'll make it run on too much longer.
Cabby1 - Don't worry Misery isn't going back to Spot. I can't say if she will in the end or not but as of right now, she's leaning towards Racetrack. I'll keep that in mind with your character, it could help out some aspects of my story. I'll email you and let you know what I decide, thank you for such free use of Meesh!
Just Duck - Rescue Race from another funk aye? *glances at Race* *Race gives the thumbs up* If Misery leaves there are reasons which will get explained, but if she does leave she won't be gone forever.
Jocelyn Padoga - I know it would seem cowardly if she was to leave but for someone without many choices it would seem like the right and easiest thing to do. Sometimes those are the moves that seem cowardly when they are in fact the smartest.
Pmochizuki - Yay new reviewer! I think..*dances* Yeah most of my reviewers are rather angry shall we say at Spot but they should be mad at me, since it's how I'm portraying him, muahaha. Wow you think he's like the character in the movie? That's friggen awesome! I have plans for Spot; I can't say whether or not they will happen in this story or in another one. But he will definitely not end up alone.
Nutters - Yeah I emailed ya! Hahaha.Yeah Spot's not making himself look good at all here. Poor bastard, he can't help it. You'll just have to wait and find out if Race and Misery get together and make sweet, sweet, lovin'. *snickers*
Erinsailorditz - Don't worry if she leaves she will definitely come back. More than that I can't really say just yet. *shakes a fist at Brooklyn* It's funny how much of an ass I'm making Spot out to be when he's my favorite.
My Dog Ate My Penname - Hehehe, awww. There are reasons to my insanity I PROMISE!! O_o
Spot: She's lyin like a damn rug I tells ya
Ahem..*smacks Spot* who d'you think she'll believe you or me? *tries to look sane*
A/N -Netangel182 was my 100th reviewer! *glitter and balloons* Okay I'll shut up and start the story. -A/N
The next day at the distribution center two new kids showed up. A brother and a sister by the looks of them. They had apparently been newsies in Queens but had been run out of the territory by the leader there, Fray when he had broken up with the sister. The boy was tall with very short brown hair and startling green eyes. He called himself Snap. His sister was tall as well with the same features although one of her eyes was blue. She went by the name of Mockery.
I leaned up against the loading dock and crossed my arms. The boys were all quite taken with Mockery and I found it amusing. Most of the other girls did as well, all except for Nell who was fuming at the competition.
"Are you a newsie or a streetwalker Nell?" Nell gaped at Bourbon and told her to watch her mouth, with clenched teeth. Flouncing off, Bourbon leaned close to my ear and told me that Nell had been a whore before becoming a newsie. I rolled my eyes and inside felt bad for her.
When the window was opened and the boys were buying their papers, the girls hung back at the end of the line. A sad reality that no matter how nice the boys were in whatever borough, they still bought their papers first. Not even a strike could change the fact that it was relatively a man's world.
I was so absorbed in thinking about the conversation I had had with Spot that I didn't even notice when it was my turn. Slapping a few coins onto the counter I acquired my papers and headed off. Racetrack caught up to me a few moments later to the amused grins of most of the boys to which he promptly made an obscene gesture.
"Want some company?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I laughed. For once, it seemed he was going to be able to pull off his wise guy routine around me. Then we got away from the other kids down the street and he was all silence and downcast eyes. I poked his side playfully.
"What's this, you're all quiet now? No fun I tell ya. I could have a better time hanging out with a bunch of nuns." Racetrack's mouth quirked up into a grin and he prodded me back with his stack of papers.
"Shut your mouth bummer we got to sell these papes." I rolled my eyes. Today was going to be a 'rolling my eyes' kind of day I just knew it. Especially if I was selling with Racetrack. I loved being around the kid, but he could be exasperating with his sudden attitude changes when his company changed. There was a shout and our heads whipped towards the sound.
A man wearing a bowler hat with a gray vest and nice pants was bearing down on us, a scowl on his face. Race's eyes widened slightly before he grabbed my hand and yanked me down the street at a dead run. I stumbled along behind him, confused. I didn't know what was going on, but I came to the conclusion as we dodged the crowd and other obstacles that he had short-changed the man when he sold him a paper.
Luckily there really wasn't anyone around because it was fairly early. We managed to easily outdistance the man and I glanced back to see him stopped, doubled over, his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. We were passing through an intersection when I turned my head to yell at Race to stop, and my foot caught in a crack between cobblestones and twisted underneath me.
I landed flat on my face, letting go of Race's hand to throw them in front of me. I lay on the street for a second before Race hollered that a carriage was coming and helped me to my feet, pulling me to the other side of the street. I gasped painfully and gritted my teeth.
"Jesus, are you okay?" Race's dark brown eyes were worried and held no hint of fun like they had moments before. I ducked my head, my face flushing with embarrassment. What the hell was wrong with me that I couldn't manage to do anything with out getting hurt?
"No, I'm not okay," I finally managed to stutter, avoiding his eyes.
"It hurts like a bastard, I need to sit somewhere for awhile." Racetrack cast about with his eyes, looking over my head where I leaned against a building. He spotted an alleyway and glanced back at me. I shrugged my acceptance and he helped me hobble over to it. We sat in the alley on discarded crates, setting our papers down between us so that nobody could sneak up and run off with them.
"Let me look at your ankle," Racetrack commanded. I protested but he threw me a look and I didn't say another word as he lifted my leg up into his lap and pushed my pant leg up past my ankle. He started unlacing my boot and when he was finished, gently took it off. He turned my ankle slightly in either direction and I yelped when he went to the left.
"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to see if it was broken. It looks like it's swelling up something horrible." I gingerly wiggled it myself and shook my head.
"It ain't broken, just need to watch where I'm going." I figured he was done so I started to draw my foot away to put my boot back on but he held onto it firmly. I gave him a puzzled stare and almost blushed a shade of crimson when I saw him studying me intently.
"Misery," he said his voice husky. I knew he wanted to kiss me then, but he seemed to be hesitating. I had had enough of that from him. Looking him squarely in the eye I scooted forward on the crate and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Do I have to do everything myself?" I joked, my voice sounding as hoarse as his. He shook his head and then he kissed me. I think I startled him by kissing him back. I truly believe that he thought I was hung up on Spot still. Granted, I had had feelings of confusion when it came to the two of them but something inside of me had always been rooting for Racetrack. And now, it seemed that something had made itself known.
We broke apart, and I leaned my head against his shoulder for a second, embarrassed. Race tightened his grip around me and kissed the top of my head. I grinned into the scratchy fabric of his shirt. Once you got the kid started apparently he was hard pressed to stop.
"I've been wanting to do that forever," he said finally. I pulled away and punched his shoulder.
"What took you so long?" He looked at me seriously and shook his head. Pulling the stub of his cigar out of his vest pocket, he lit it while I busied myself with lighting a cigarette.
"I didn't want to mess with something Spot had so obviously staked his claim on."
"If you wanted me you should have done something about it regardless." He cocked his head and nodded slowly. A breeze found its way down into the alley and ruffled our hair.
"You're right, Mis. The fact is though, that I do want ya and I am willing to fight Spot for ya. I just didn't want to intrude on something if it was making you happy." I blanched and looked at him. How could I not have seen what a guy this was right in front of my face? Then fear settled into the pit of my stomach. Spot had said he was going to send the telegram today. Now that I had started things going with Racetrack, I didn't want to leave. I also realized that there were other people here holding me back, tying me down.
If I left I would miss Bourbon's somewhat motherly advice, Pistol's wit, Jack's father like qualities, and the rest of the Manhattan newsies. Christ I would even miss some of the Brooklyn ones, Riddle and Pokey being amongst the few. Racetrack noticed my silence and he blew a smoke ring.
"I'm sorry if us kissing made things..different." He sounded apologetic and I grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked his head down.
"Don't apologize, that's not what I'm thinking about." He gave me a small, pleased smile but then looked affronted.
"What, you mean I wasn't any good?" I burst into peals of laughter and patted his cheek. He grinned at me and I felt a warm flush run through me. It was so good to finally be able to have both sides of Racetrack collide when he was around me. I wanted his fun, wisecracking side and his gentle shy side to mix not separate. I knew he'd always be the former with his friends, but I didn't care as long as I got both. Looking into his eyes I almost blurted out Spot's plan right then and there.
I bit my lip and stopped myself at the last minute. For some reason, I didn't want Race to know that Spot was going to send me away. I really didn't think it would help make matters better. What needed to get dealt with was how I was going to be able to stay.
"So what happens now?" His question was hesitant and he wasn't looking at me when he asked it. I sighed and slid my hand into his. His hands weren't that big, and they were rough from street life. I liked them like that.
"With what, us?"
"Yeah you dope," he said with a smile.
"You cad!" I slapped his face gently and pretended to huff and puff while he laughed at me. He ended my mock sulking by capturing my mouth with his. That occupied us for a few moments.
"Oof, I've created a monster," I exclaimed slapping my forehead. Race laughed and helped me stand up. My ankle didn't hurt half as bad so more. In all actuality I probably wouldn't have noticed any pain anyway. I was walking on air. God, how utterly unlike me to be so disgustingly romantic but I honestly couldn't help it.
We spent the rest of our day selling papers while I thought of a way to stop Spot's boys from hurting the Manhattan boys. The only thing I could think of was for me to leave the lodging house. In doing so, I would lose a great deal of protection, and I didn't have anywhere to stay. Brooklyn would still menace us unless we stood up to them, or Spot put his foot down with a show of force.
Racetrack gently steered me around a fruit cart I had been about to walk into. I snatched an apple as we walked by. He shook his head and cut down a side street with me in tow.
"You're thinking again," he stated taking a bite out of the apple when I held it out to him. I nodded absently and he snickered.
"I can tell because you almost walked into something. So easy to read." I narrowed my eyes and smirked. 'If he only knew' I thought inwardly. Nothing more was talked about until we reached the lodging house. I half expected Race to let go of my hand, but he held onto it firmly as we entered. The lobby was full of boys and girls' chattering animatedly about going to Medda's that night. Most of the talking stopped when they noticed us standing there.
"What's this? Race and Misery? TOGETHER?" Mush crowed with laughter and slapped Blink on the back who grinned at Race and triumphantly held out his hand to Bourbon.
"Pay up, I bet they'd be together by the end of the week." Bourbon scowled and handed over a few coins. A few other kids groaned and put coins into his hand as well. My face was beet red but Race wouldn't let go of my hand. None of the ribbing seemed to bother him; he just took it all in good stride and finally drew me closer to him by slinging an arm around my neck.
"Yeah I got a girl," he said to Jack who was laughing loudly, "and YOU don't." Jack stopped laughing abruptly and flipped Race the bird. He and Sarah hadn't worked out too long after the strike. She wanted to settle down and although Jack yearned for a family he was in no way shape or form ready for that yet.
Pistol sidled close to me and whispered into my ear that she was glad I had chosen Racetrack. Indeed, Race was beaming and for once his smile was genuine and not tinged with sarcasm. Bourbon socked me on the arm and I looked at her incredulously.
"What was that for?"
"Couldn't you have held out for a few more days? I would have won the bet then." I rolled my eyes at her.
"Next time don't bet on your friend's love life like that," I retorted with a glower. Bourbon shrugged and slapped me on the back so hard that my front half lurched forward and I winced.
"Good job kid, I knew you'd pick right." Then she jammed her hands into her trouser pockets and sauntered off whistling a merry tune. It was then that Jack announced that people better start getting ready to head to Medda's because the curtain rose in less than an hour. A stampede was made for the stairs and a throng of kids headed up.
Racetrack bowed low and held out his arm to me like a gentleman. I pretended to curtsy and he smiled and spoke with a fake, absolutely horrid attempt at a British accent.
"Shall we milady?"
"Indeed we shall milord." And with that we followed the rest of the kids upstairs to get ready to go to the show. Little did we know how much of a trial the show was actually going to be.
Shout Outs!!
BrkLnLady - I know it may seem like it, but it's not totally Spot's fault, more his newsies and how they are reacting. But then again how would YOU react to someone whose family had tormented you and killed one of your close friends? I'm sorry you're upset :/
Chelsea - I would hope that most authors' write stories with the intent to touch their reader's personally. That's what makes a damn good story. I'm the same way with guys, I am not forward at all, unless I'm tipsy which isn't always a good thing. We'll see about the war thing, I have a couple of ideas kicking around in my deranged head.
Pokey7 - I agree with the whole vacation thing. 'cept she'd be going to New Hampshire, not Maine. Although Maine is very nice, I love New Hampshire muchly.
Netangel182 - Well I'm glad you like my story. I do agree that closure would be nice but there's still a few chapters coming before the end of the story. I'm not sure how many but I don't think I'll make it run on too much longer.
Cabby1 - Don't worry Misery isn't going back to Spot. I can't say if she will in the end or not but as of right now, she's leaning towards Racetrack. I'll keep that in mind with your character, it could help out some aspects of my story. I'll email you and let you know what I decide, thank you for such free use of Meesh!
Just Duck - Rescue Race from another funk aye? *glances at Race* *Race gives the thumbs up* If Misery leaves there are reasons which will get explained, but if she does leave she won't be gone forever.
Jocelyn Padoga - I know it would seem cowardly if she was to leave but for someone without many choices it would seem like the right and easiest thing to do. Sometimes those are the moves that seem cowardly when they are in fact the smartest.
Pmochizuki - Yay new reviewer! I think..*dances* Yeah most of my reviewers are rather angry shall we say at Spot but they should be mad at me, since it's how I'm portraying him, muahaha. Wow you think he's like the character in the movie? That's friggen awesome! I have plans for Spot; I can't say whether or not they will happen in this story or in another one. But he will definitely not end up alone.
Nutters - Yeah I emailed ya! Hahaha.Yeah Spot's not making himself look good at all here. Poor bastard, he can't help it. You'll just have to wait and find out if Race and Misery get together and make sweet, sweet, lovin'. *snickers*
Erinsailorditz - Don't worry if she leaves she will definitely come back. More than that I can't really say just yet. *shakes a fist at Brooklyn* It's funny how much of an ass I'm making Spot out to be when he's my favorite.
My Dog Ate My Penname - Hehehe, awww. There are reasons to my insanity I PROMISE!! O_o
Spot: She's lyin like a damn rug I tells ya
Ahem..*smacks Spot* who d'you think she'll believe you or me? *tries to look sane*
A/N -Netangel182 was my 100th reviewer! *glitter and balloons* Okay I'll shut up and start the story. -A/N
The next day at the distribution center two new kids showed up. A brother and a sister by the looks of them. They had apparently been newsies in Queens but had been run out of the territory by the leader there, Fray when he had broken up with the sister. The boy was tall with very short brown hair and startling green eyes. He called himself Snap. His sister was tall as well with the same features although one of her eyes was blue. She went by the name of Mockery.
I leaned up against the loading dock and crossed my arms. The boys were all quite taken with Mockery and I found it amusing. Most of the other girls did as well, all except for Nell who was fuming at the competition.
"Are you a newsie or a streetwalker Nell?" Nell gaped at Bourbon and told her to watch her mouth, with clenched teeth. Flouncing off, Bourbon leaned close to my ear and told me that Nell had been a whore before becoming a newsie. I rolled my eyes and inside felt bad for her.
When the window was opened and the boys were buying their papers, the girls hung back at the end of the line. A sad reality that no matter how nice the boys were in whatever borough, they still bought their papers first. Not even a strike could change the fact that it was relatively a man's world.
I was so absorbed in thinking about the conversation I had had with Spot that I didn't even notice when it was my turn. Slapping a few coins onto the counter I acquired my papers and headed off. Racetrack caught up to me a few moments later to the amused grins of most of the boys to which he promptly made an obscene gesture.
"Want some company?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I laughed. For once, it seemed he was going to be able to pull off his wise guy routine around me. Then we got away from the other kids down the street and he was all silence and downcast eyes. I poked his side playfully.
"What's this, you're all quiet now? No fun I tell ya. I could have a better time hanging out with a bunch of nuns." Racetrack's mouth quirked up into a grin and he prodded me back with his stack of papers.
"Shut your mouth bummer we got to sell these papes." I rolled my eyes. Today was going to be a 'rolling my eyes' kind of day I just knew it. Especially if I was selling with Racetrack. I loved being around the kid, but he could be exasperating with his sudden attitude changes when his company changed. There was a shout and our heads whipped towards the sound.
A man wearing a bowler hat with a gray vest and nice pants was bearing down on us, a scowl on his face. Race's eyes widened slightly before he grabbed my hand and yanked me down the street at a dead run. I stumbled along behind him, confused. I didn't know what was going on, but I came to the conclusion as we dodged the crowd and other obstacles that he had short-changed the man when he sold him a paper.
Luckily there really wasn't anyone around because it was fairly early. We managed to easily outdistance the man and I glanced back to see him stopped, doubled over, his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. We were passing through an intersection when I turned my head to yell at Race to stop, and my foot caught in a crack between cobblestones and twisted underneath me.
I landed flat on my face, letting go of Race's hand to throw them in front of me. I lay on the street for a second before Race hollered that a carriage was coming and helped me to my feet, pulling me to the other side of the street. I gasped painfully and gritted my teeth.
"Jesus, are you okay?" Race's dark brown eyes were worried and held no hint of fun like they had moments before. I ducked my head, my face flushing with embarrassment. What the hell was wrong with me that I couldn't manage to do anything with out getting hurt?
"No, I'm not okay," I finally managed to stutter, avoiding his eyes.
"It hurts like a bastard, I need to sit somewhere for awhile." Racetrack cast about with his eyes, looking over my head where I leaned against a building. He spotted an alleyway and glanced back at me. I shrugged my acceptance and he helped me hobble over to it. We sat in the alley on discarded crates, setting our papers down between us so that nobody could sneak up and run off with them.
"Let me look at your ankle," Racetrack commanded. I protested but he threw me a look and I didn't say another word as he lifted my leg up into his lap and pushed my pant leg up past my ankle. He started unlacing my boot and when he was finished, gently took it off. He turned my ankle slightly in either direction and I yelped when he went to the left.
"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to see if it was broken. It looks like it's swelling up something horrible." I gingerly wiggled it myself and shook my head.
"It ain't broken, just need to watch where I'm going." I figured he was done so I started to draw my foot away to put my boot back on but he held onto it firmly. I gave him a puzzled stare and almost blushed a shade of crimson when I saw him studying me intently.
"Misery," he said his voice husky. I knew he wanted to kiss me then, but he seemed to be hesitating. I had had enough of that from him. Looking him squarely in the eye I scooted forward on the crate and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Do I have to do everything myself?" I joked, my voice sounding as hoarse as his. He shook his head and then he kissed me. I think I startled him by kissing him back. I truly believe that he thought I was hung up on Spot still. Granted, I had had feelings of confusion when it came to the two of them but something inside of me had always been rooting for Racetrack. And now, it seemed that something had made itself known.
We broke apart, and I leaned my head against his shoulder for a second, embarrassed. Race tightened his grip around me and kissed the top of my head. I grinned into the scratchy fabric of his shirt. Once you got the kid started apparently he was hard pressed to stop.
"I've been wanting to do that forever," he said finally. I pulled away and punched his shoulder.
"What took you so long?" He looked at me seriously and shook his head. Pulling the stub of his cigar out of his vest pocket, he lit it while I busied myself with lighting a cigarette.
"I didn't want to mess with something Spot had so obviously staked his claim on."
"If you wanted me you should have done something about it regardless." He cocked his head and nodded slowly. A breeze found its way down into the alley and ruffled our hair.
"You're right, Mis. The fact is though, that I do want ya and I am willing to fight Spot for ya. I just didn't want to intrude on something if it was making you happy." I blanched and looked at him. How could I not have seen what a guy this was right in front of my face? Then fear settled into the pit of my stomach. Spot had said he was going to send the telegram today. Now that I had started things going with Racetrack, I didn't want to leave. I also realized that there were other people here holding me back, tying me down.
If I left I would miss Bourbon's somewhat motherly advice, Pistol's wit, Jack's father like qualities, and the rest of the Manhattan newsies. Christ I would even miss some of the Brooklyn ones, Riddle and Pokey being amongst the few. Racetrack noticed my silence and he blew a smoke ring.
"I'm sorry if us kissing made things..different." He sounded apologetic and I grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked his head down.
"Don't apologize, that's not what I'm thinking about." He gave me a small, pleased smile but then looked affronted.
"What, you mean I wasn't any good?" I burst into peals of laughter and patted his cheek. He grinned at me and I felt a warm flush run through me. It was so good to finally be able to have both sides of Racetrack collide when he was around me. I wanted his fun, wisecracking side and his gentle shy side to mix not separate. I knew he'd always be the former with his friends, but I didn't care as long as I got both. Looking into his eyes I almost blurted out Spot's plan right then and there.
I bit my lip and stopped myself at the last minute. For some reason, I didn't want Race to know that Spot was going to send me away. I really didn't think it would help make matters better. What needed to get dealt with was how I was going to be able to stay.
"So what happens now?" His question was hesitant and he wasn't looking at me when he asked it. I sighed and slid my hand into his. His hands weren't that big, and they were rough from street life. I liked them like that.
"With what, us?"
"Yeah you dope," he said with a smile.
"You cad!" I slapped his face gently and pretended to huff and puff while he laughed at me. He ended my mock sulking by capturing my mouth with his. That occupied us for a few moments.
"Oof, I've created a monster," I exclaimed slapping my forehead. Race laughed and helped me stand up. My ankle didn't hurt half as bad so more. In all actuality I probably wouldn't have noticed any pain anyway. I was walking on air. God, how utterly unlike me to be so disgustingly romantic but I honestly couldn't help it.
We spent the rest of our day selling papers while I thought of a way to stop Spot's boys from hurting the Manhattan boys. The only thing I could think of was for me to leave the lodging house. In doing so, I would lose a great deal of protection, and I didn't have anywhere to stay. Brooklyn would still menace us unless we stood up to them, or Spot put his foot down with a show of force.
Racetrack gently steered me around a fruit cart I had been about to walk into. I snatched an apple as we walked by. He shook his head and cut down a side street with me in tow.
"You're thinking again," he stated taking a bite out of the apple when I held it out to him. I nodded absently and he snickered.
"I can tell because you almost walked into something. So easy to read." I narrowed my eyes and smirked. 'If he only knew' I thought inwardly. Nothing more was talked about until we reached the lodging house. I half expected Race to let go of my hand, but he held onto it firmly as we entered. The lobby was full of boys and girls' chattering animatedly about going to Medda's that night. Most of the talking stopped when they noticed us standing there.
"What's this? Race and Misery? TOGETHER?" Mush crowed with laughter and slapped Blink on the back who grinned at Race and triumphantly held out his hand to Bourbon.
"Pay up, I bet they'd be together by the end of the week." Bourbon scowled and handed over a few coins. A few other kids groaned and put coins into his hand as well. My face was beet red but Race wouldn't let go of my hand. None of the ribbing seemed to bother him; he just took it all in good stride and finally drew me closer to him by slinging an arm around my neck.
"Yeah I got a girl," he said to Jack who was laughing loudly, "and YOU don't." Jack stopped laughing abruptly and flipped Race the bird. He and Sarah hadn't worked out too long after the strike. She wanted to settle down and although Jack yearned for a family he was in no way shape or form ready for that yet.
Pistol sidled close to me and whispered into my ear that she was glad I had chosen Racetrack. Indeed, Race was beaming and for once his smile was genuine and not tinged with sarcasm. Bourbon socked me on the arm and I looked at her incredulously.
"What was that for?"
"Couldn't you have held out for a few more days? I would have won the bet then." I rolled my eyes at her.
"Next time don't bet on your friend's love life like that," I retorted with a glower. Bourbon shrugged and slapped me on the back so hard that my front half lurched forward and I winced.
"Good job kid, I knew you'd pick right." Then she jammed her hands into her trouser pockets and sauntered off whistling a merry tune. It was then that Jack announced that people better start getting ready to head to Medda's because the curtain rose in less than an hour. A stampede was made for the stairs and a throng of kids headed up.
Racetrack bowed low and held out his arm to me like a gentleman. I pretended to curtsy and he smiled and spoke with a fake, absolutely horrid attempt at a British accent.
"Shall we milady?"
"Indeed we shall milord." And with that we followed the rest of the kids upstairs to get ready to go to the show. Little did we know how much of a trial the show was actually going to be.