Disclaimer- I don't own Newsies or any of the songs I use in this fic.

A/n: this is 'The Sweetest Thing' by U2.R&R!

Chapter 5: The Sweetest Thing

Racetrack

She sits in the corner, smoking a cigar and dealing out cards to the boys. She's so oblivious to me and my watching her.

"Mornin' Face, can I play?" asks Snipeshooter, settling beside Kid Blink at the card table. She nods slightly and deals him in.

Morning Face, can I play? I want to shout across the room to her, but stop due to my fright and the nervous feeling that has taken over my stomach.

God knows that she wouldn't ever see me like this, I doubt she knows me outside the Lodging House. I'm just another figure for her to gamble with, for her to win money from.

"'Eh! Racetrack! Wanna join in a round of poker?" she shouts from the nearby table.

She wants me to and how can I say no?

"Sure, I'll play."

My love she throws me like a rubber ball
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
She won't catch me or break my fall
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Baby's got blue skies up ahead
But in this I'm a rain cloud
You know she likes a dry kind of love
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing

She looks at Kid Blink in a way I wish she'd look at me. She's envious of him and she's desiring him. She's leaving me quickly, slipping out of my grasp before I have the chance to actually grab her. It's not fair, Blink has the advantage and I have nothing to call my own.

I'm losing you
Hey hey hey, I'm losing you yeah
Ain't love the sweetest thing

Mush

"Goodnight Coin," I whisper to her every night before we sleep. Sleep. Even here I see her, because she is my dream.

My eyes don't allow me to see any wrong about her, sifting out all the poor atmosphere that may surround her. Love is blinding and love is blackened. She has burned me to a crisp with never-ending promises and dreams of the future. Love is scalding and charred, leaving me in its path until morning when we wake up and I know she's real and I know she's mine.

I wanted to run but she made me crawl
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Eternal fire, she turned me to straw
Oh oh, the sweetest thing
You know I got black eyes
But they burn so brightly for her
Mine is a blind kind of love
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing

I made her promises. I told her that we'd get off the streets and we'd be together, but how do I expect to live up to these promises? How can I get us out of here? I'll never make enough money as a newsboy to do these things and being a newsboy is all I know how to do.

She's going to leave me whet I tell her I'll never be able to give her anything.

I'm losing you
Oh oh oh, i'm losing you yeah
Ain't love the sweetest thing
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Oh oh, yeah

Crutchy

She helps me up the stairs, smiling politely as I stumble. She never tires of waiting for me, she never seems to be impatient of my natureor my lack of able body. What's the use in saying I'm perfect? Everyone knows it's not true. There are so many things you observe and realize that you'll never be able to do when you're like me. But at least with her I know that there's someone who doesn't care if I'll be able to change the world, she just cares that I can be with her right now.

Nothing's easy and nothing comes without an effort and a struggle. Music is always there though, smiling and helping me up the biggest stairs I'll ever have to climb.

"Promise me you'll always be there, Crutchy," she said one day.

"I promise. I won't leave, I have nowhere to go anyways."

She smiled and kissed me on the cheek.

Blue-eyed boy meets a brown-eyed girl
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
You can sew it up but you still see the tear
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Baby's got blue skies up ahead
And in this I'm a rain cloud
You know we got a stormy kind of love

It's all rough around the edges and I don't think I'll ever get if exactly right, but then it wouldn't be interesting. How mush do you expect living out on the streets like this anyways? Music is already more than I've anticipated.

Jack

I look for a reason to go to Brooklyn and see him. Does he remember my last name?

Is it pathetic how I can't stop thinking about him, even when life is so good here in Manhattan? Spot, how could you reduce me to this? I'm afraid of what may happen and I even more afraid of what might not.

Life will keep going, the earth will keep spinning, and The World will keep printing. There is no time in my life for this distraction. But what if I don't care? Spot, come rescue me! I don't know what's going on and I don't know how to fix it, not that I really want to. Being unsure of what will come gives you a rush. It gives you a indefinite feeling of exhilaration and freedom.

Sweet, bitter longing.

Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Oh oh, the sweetest thing
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing

[End Chapter]

((That's all. I hope you like how I involved everyone! I'll be away for a while, Montreal. There's more info in my bio. I'm away a lot this summer so I don't know how soon I'll complete this fiction! Review anyways!!!))

Shoutouts:

Jacky Higgins- I went to check your account at fictionpress, but I have trouble reading more than two chapters of the same story at a time. Tell me if you post a new story and I'll be sure to read and review!

Padfootismyhero- I don't think I hurried enough, however, I did just write this whole chapter in school. And I'm uploading it here too.

Coin- thanks for the background!!! Just in case Mush ever tries running a background check on you...