To Sapphy: I completely agree that red-heads rock! We are amazing, and that's all I have to say about that subject. Blue eyes, I heard that guys go for blue eyes (winks and bats eyelashes) or is that us? Anyways, here is the next chap, hope you like it.

Here is the bloody disclaimer: Don't (own newsies), Won't (you please not use Geneva, her being my character), Can't (sue me cause I put up this stupid disclaimer.

Chapter 3

~Race's P. O. V~

I wasn't sure what to think of this girl. She cirtainly wasn't pretty in that sense but she was exactly my hight and looked, good heavens, I didn't know what word to use for it, fun? I turned my attention back to the conversation.

"So, I bet my friend Ji Won Q30 (That's Quetzales, the curency in Guatemala, which is where I live) that Mr. Rabbanales, one of my teachers, would get my other friend steffie in trouble by next period. Easiest Q30 I ever made."

"What? what did you say?"

Geneva looked confused, "I said, I bet my-"

"You bet?"

" 'Course! doesn't everybody? besides, she always get into trouble, it was almost unfair."

"Do youse like hose races?" I was doubtful, but I noticed that she was grinning.

"I love them!"

I knew it! Fun was definately the right word. I asked her to go with me to the sheepshed for the afternoon races.

P. O. V. C. (Geneva)

Race looked really nice, and I started to open up fast, which sometimes I just do unconciously, so when he asked me to accompany him to the races I was eager, I had never seen one live, just on TV, but I liked them.

Me and Race ended up at the sheepshed right after Tibby's so there was no time for the explination that Jack and Boots wanted. I figured it could wait for later.

"So, which one are you betting on?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe Shirley."

"Which one's that?"

"The one on the far left, I'm going to go place my bet."

"Don't," and at the contorted look he gave me, I added, "I mean, bet with me. If Shirley wins, I will help you with your papes tomarrow, no profit on my part. But..." I was thinking quickly, I hated when people gambled against the house, they almost always lost. "If Lightningbolt wins, I'll still help you with your papers but I keep the money I earn." I had gotten the name from listening to an old man behind us. From the smirk on his face I was afraid that I had chosen unwisely.

"A'right, sure, whatever you want."

Crap, this wasn't good, I hated that look, it was kind of cockey, as if victory was near at hand no matter what. The worst part was, I was more than likely that he would win. When the race was on I thought for a long time that I was totally screwed and I would be stuck helping Race for nothing, but when the two horses that we had bet on were neck and neck I started to sweat. It was almost impossible to tell which one was first for the longest time but when the winner was announced I was astounded. It was Lightningbolt.

"YES!" I shouted, jumping up, "YES-OW!" I was immediately assulted by a stabbing pain in my lower back.

"What's wrong?" Race asked, his face worried.

"I have this spot in my lower back," I tried to explain, "Where the muscles tighten up rea-"

"Yeah, a muscle spasm, I know how dat feels, hoit like heck, don't dey?"

I was a bit surprised, people in 1900 didn't know about that stuff, did they? Race seemed not to notice my surprised look and stood up.

"It might get woise and you won't be able to sell wid me tomarrow." He said with a wry smile, "Let's get you to the lodging house, BEFOAH it gets woise."

After this comment he half-carried me to the lodging house and set me on the one bed that didn't have a top bunk.

"Now," He sounded uncomfortable, "Untuck youse shirt and move it up to...here." He pointed gingerly to the middle of my back.

"Righto," I said quickly, not caring about anything but taking away the pain.

P. O. V. C.

Race was getting nervous, he had rubbed Mushes feet and ankles when he sprained them once but he had never rubbed anyone's back that he knew, let alone a girl. He looked at her and didn't want to, but he knew she was in pain by the sharply drawn breaths whenever she moved. He started rubbing her back softly, he didn't know what girls could take.

"Oh! for goodness sake, Race! Rub like a man!" Race caught something in her tone that made him relax.

"A'right, calm down." And he started rubbing like he did when he worked for his uncle. Geneva relaxed immediately.

"So," she started, "Where did you learn all of this?"

"My uncle lived in Asia for a while and he learned acupunture and stuff like dat. He could get rich guys to pay him for that stuff and he taught me how to do it so he could get more money."

"That would explain a lot." She answered. "And where is your uncle now?"

"He died 'bout 4 years ago. Hepititus, or something like dat."

"I'm sorry," Geneva said, uncomfortably "I didn't know."

"Nah, it's a'right, I really didn't like him that much, family, you know, but we didn't get along at all. I was mad at myself cause I was almost happy to see him go." Race almost slapped himself. He had never told anyone that before, why did he just tell a girl he didn't even really know.

"Oh," she sounded sad, "well, you did learn something from him, didn't you?" After a short silence Geneva asked, "I know you don't know me very well, but would you be sorry if I died?"

That jolted Racetrack for a moment. "Yes," he said truthfully, after a moment of thought, "I would be sorry if you died."

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End of chapter 3, hoped you liked it. Suggestions, ideas, and reviews are welcome.