A/N: this is what I get for not saving things. See, I had almost all of this chapter typed up, but I didn't save it. I came home from a friend's house one day, and it was all gone. Fortunately, I have it all written down in a notebook, but its not really the version I want. Okay I'm going to stop complaining now. On another note, I'm really sorry that I haven't written anything since April. that's like…::counts on fingers:: 2 months of waiting for you! I hope I haven't lost any of my reviewers with my utter laziness. After I came back from April vacation, I just didn't feel like writing. Then I never got back to opening my notebook and doing something. I truly am sorry, and now that I've posted again, I'm feeling the urge to write again lets all clap for me. Wow this is a long A/N. I don't really think there is going to be more at the end…maybe a short one. But anyway, without any further ado, I give you chapter…uhh…what chapter is this??

"Scout, it's not your fault" Everyone kept saying. The rest of that night was just a blur though. A blur of pity and remorse. I didn't want to even try to recall it. All I remember clearly was falling asleep- staring at Eliza's empty bunk. It was, in some ways, less eerie than when she was still sleeping in it. Morning eventually rolled around though, and everyone seemed to have forgotten- or tried at least- that Eliza was dead. She wasn't coming back. I realized that fact, and realized I had to move on. Beating myself up about it sure as hell wasn't going to bring her back. I needed a distraction. I got one too. That day while selling with Saturday, Racetrack came up to both of us. After giving Saturday a sweet hug and kiss on the cheek, he proceeded to tell us his business.

"We'se goin' on strike. We need odder boroughs to strike wit us. Will ya do it?" he asked with a hint of pleading hope in the backs of his eyes.

"Well, we're gonna have to ask Striker, but I'm pretty sure she'll say yes" Saturday answered. It was easy to see she was in love with Race, and he was in love with her. Ah young love. I thought. I think I sighed out loud, because they both looked at me kind of funny. I just shrugged and finished selling my papers for the day. Saturday ditched me; I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose, but she is a total spaz sometimes and forgets what she's doing quickly. I assumed she headed off to Manhattan with Race. I decided to head to Mama Nuss's for a bite to eat. When I got there, all the other girls were there too. I was happy. They made me feel welcome and secure and like I was loved. They were my best friends…not to sound like one of those lonely freaks who live with their mothers until they're thirty with little to no other human contact. After we had been sitting there talking for about twenty minutes, Saturday came floating through the door. She was glowing and looked kind of high. We didn't need to ask what had made her so happy. She was always like this whenever she spent the day with Racetrack. She plopped down next to me and sighed dreamily. I remembered what Race had said so I nudged her.

"Sats, don't forget to ask Striker about the strike" I whispered to her. She looked at me with a look of confusion.

"Remember? Racetrack asked us to join today?" at the very mention of his name, the dreamy look took over her face.

"Saturday!" I whispered harshly, but smiling at the same time. She looked embarrassed now.

"Sorry, I'm not usually like this…only with him…" she answered to me. Then she turned to Striker.

"Hey Striker, Manhattan went on strike yesterday. They asked us to join. Whaddaya say?" Striker looked puzzled.

"What are they striking against?" she asked.

"Lower the papers' price" said a voice from the end of the table. We all looked at whoever had said it, and realized that it was Lucky. She simply shrugged and said,

"Saturday ain't the only one who talks to Manhattan" We turned back to Striker who considered the proposition.

"we got nothing' better to do" Saturday's face lit up as Striker said that. She knew that now she would have more time to spend with Racetrack. How cute. I started to ponder this event. I would also be spending more time with the Manhattan boys. I had only ever met Race and the one with the glasses…uh…Specs! that's what Saturday said his name was. By the way she talked about the other boys, they were pretty great. I was looking forward to meeting them. Evidently, I had been pondering for too long, because the others were starting to leave Mama Nuss's. I didn't know where they were going, but I followed anyway. Turns out, we were going over to Manhattan to tell them we had joined. Not a bad looking bunch really. None of them seemed to really stood out, but that was okay. They didn't seem to notice me either, but that was okay too. I'd be introduced sooner or later. Specs noticed me though, and glared at me the whole time. I simply smirked at him, making him all the more angry. Striker started to speak to a tall blonde boy with a read bandana around his neck and a cowboy hat that had been carefully placed in between his shoulder blades.

"Hey Jack" Striker started.

"We heard about your little strike, and we're in" it looked like it took Jack a second or two to comprehend it in his head. Then he smiled.

"2 boroughs so far. We still need some more, but we're on our way now." then he spit in his hand, just like Spot had done when I first met him, and held it out to Striker. "Glad to have you aboard" we all smiled but then another boy, shorter than Jack, with brown curly hair, bushy eyebrows, and blue eyes started talking.

"So you're in this for sure? Even though Spot Conlon isn't joining?" Milkshake almost fell over. We all looked at her questioningly.

"Spot's not going?" she looked a little depressed. Then the short boy started up again.

"Nope. He doesn't think we're serious about it" Milkshake took this as a challenge to get Spot into this. She simply smiled and headed off to Brooklyn, taking Lucky with her. (did you actually believe his "little boids" convinced him to join? No, it was his girlfriend)

We stayed with the boys for a little bit- talking to our own little "cliques". Saturday dragged me over to where Race and a few other boys were standing. She introduced me to them. Each one either smiled or nodded as she said their names.

"Skittery, Snitch, Pie Eater, Itey, and of course you know Race" not bad. I thought to myself. We talked to them for a couple more minutes. Well, actually, Saturday talked to Race for a couple more minutes while the rest of us just kind of looked at each other awkwardly. Snitch looked the most nervous for he was shifting restlessly from one foot to another, eyes darting from me to the ground constantly. He deserved to be called Skittery, instead of Snitch. The one named Skittery wasn't the least bit "skittery", as his name suggested. Instead, he looked rather bored with this whole situation. Pie Eater and Itey weren't paying attention at all. They were using crumpled up newspaper- probably some they took from a scab- as cannonballs, and we're waging an all out war against each other. From what I could tell, Itey was winning. I too was bored. I did enjoy watching Itey and Pie Eater though. I was starting to feel bad, not talking to anyone at all. I decided to talk to Skittery, since he seemed as equally bored as me. I smiled at him friendlily.

"So you're Skittery, huh?" I asked casually. He nodded. Damn this kid wasn't a talker. I almost said 'you don't seem too skittery', but I decided against it. Instead I turned my attention to Snitch.

"And you're Snitch?" his head shot up and his eyes locked with mine. He had nice eyes.

"Uh huh" he answered nervously. He obviously wasn't good around people.

"He ain't normally like this, he just ain't good around girls he likes." Skittery spoke! My cheeks turned red, in spite of myself. Did he just say he liked me? I just shrugged and smiled. Snitch looked shocked that Skittery had said that, and pushed the side of the other boy's face.
"what? You ain't too subtle ya know" he snickered as Snitch threw his hat at him. I smiled. They were simply fun to be around. I watched them chase each other around for a bit, until Skittery snuck up behind Snitch and shoved him onto the cobblestones. He smiled and gave him a hand up, then they both came back to me. They were grinning happily, until Skittery not-too-secretively whispered to me,

"He really does like ya though" I smirked and it was obvious Snitch had given up, for he simply shrugged his shoulders. After about five more minutes of mingling with the boys, Striker called us together. She said it was time to go, so we went. After saying goodbye to the guys first of course. Saturday was beaming all the way back to Queens.

Woo another chapter down. Not much left ya know. Time for shout outs ::beams::

C.M Higgins, padfootismyhero, Milkshake, whatever the hell you're going by these days- hehe. I liked that part too. I hope you like this chapter!! I love you!

Piratechic- you had lines in this chapter! Woo! Lol. I hope you like your lines ::smiles:: and the movie was West Side Story. You get Mush, because…well…he's built. that's my only reason really. I love you!

Saturday- okay so I totally dropped the ball on reviewing quickly. Whoops. But yes, I hope you liked your parts with Racey-poo. I love you!

Blue Boxer- thank you so much! Review again, you're such a self-esteem booster! Lol I love you!

Taps Riffwalk- I'm sooo sorry it took so long! I hope you liked this chapter though! I know it wasn't worth the wait…but maybe I am? Yeah I didn't think so. I love you anyway!

Fantasy3- Thankies! Review again!

I love you all. Please review again.

!Scout!