Learning Magic

Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I don't own newsies. I do own Magic.

There were a couple of groans throughout the room as Jack announced we would be playing truth or dare. Other boys seemed either quite frightened by the game, or quite excited. I for one had no idea how it was going to go, therefore I was neither upset, happy, scared, or sad about this announcement.

"Skitts, since ya jus' like ta complain all da time, why don't you start us off?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair. He was one of the luckier ones that had time to get one. Skittery looked around the room, and stopped his gaze on Pie Eater.

"Pie, truth or dare?" He asked him, smirking.

"Dare." Pie responded without thinking. Maybe that meant you never pick truth here. I wasn't planning on it. They would probably ask me some personal question that I would have to tell the whole room. Race instantly shoot up off the floor and whispered something in Skittery's ear. Skittery smirked at Pie Eater as Racetrack retreated to his seat on the floor.

"Tomorrah ya gotta steal from da vendor dat sits righ' next ta Tibby's." Pie winced when he said that. "An' ya have ta pick ya 3 witnesses. I'se is already one of dem. Now, pick da oudda two." He told him, smiling wider as every second passed.

"Alrigh'" Pie Eater started slowly. "I guess I pick Snoddy and Boots as my other witnesses." He sighed. Skittery laughed, and high-fived Racetrack. Pie Eater glared at them, and then proceeded with his turn. He chose Dutchy, who choose dare. Again Race jumped up and walked over to Pie and whispered something in his ear. This time Pie Eater smiled and told Dutchy what his dare was. This continued on for another 20 minutes. Racetrack jumped every single time and whispered the dare in the person's ear. No one chose truth, and it was starting to bug me.

"Alrigh', I chose Jack." Mush declared. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." He said proudly, leaning back once again on his chair. Again, Race jumped up, ready to deliver the excruciating dare. "Race! Sit down fer once!" Jack told him. Reluctantly, he obeyed, sitting down before he could tell Mush what the dare should have been.

"Uh, alright." Mush said hesitantly, not so confident now that he didn't have a clue what he was going to say. "Um, eat a bug." He said, almost as if he were asking him a question. Some boys sniggered at this, Jack paid no mind.

"Fine, find me a bug, an' I shall eat it." He said, his voice full of confidence. Even I let out a small laugh when he said that.

"Jack's dare is on hold den until a bug can be found." Race announced to the room of newsies. We all agreed to this. "Jack, your turn." Race reminded him happily.

"Righ'. Alright den, Race, truth or dare?" He asked, for once leaning forward on his chair, hands clasped like he was praying.

"Dare." Race responded, mimicking his every move. He removed his cigar from his mouth, and placed it on the mantel above him.

"Good, I was hopin' ya would say dat." Jack smirked at him, making Racetrack's face fall, and the smile disappear from his face. "I dare you, Racetrack Higgins, ta kiss Magic Andra righ' heah an' righ' now." He said, smiling insanely, leaning back on his chair once more. I was totally taken aback by this comment, and apparently so was Race.

"Wha' da hell Jack?" I asked him, not loudly, so Race wouldn't be offended. If either of us would have been offended, it would have been me. His face was of pure horror from the moment the words left Jack's lips.

"It's jus' a dare Magic, calm down. Besides, he don't have ta take it. He can jus' beg for truth. Which I am most certain he will do." He told me. I didn't believe him, but tried my best to. "C'mon now Race, I've neva known ya ta back outta a dare." Jack continued to taunt his friend.

"Alrigh'." Race said finally giving in. "But only cause it's Magic. If it were any other whore I would've said no righ' on da spot." I smiled at his comment, not knowing how to take it. Every newsie in the room was on the edge of their seats. If they weren't sitting on chairs, they were boiling over with anticipation.

I stood up to meet Race, who was on the other side of the room. He did the same. Swallowing, looked at him, telling him with my eyes just to get it over with. He was telling me the same. Slowly, Race put his hand on the back of my neck and brought my face closer to his. I closed my eyes, so I wouldn't make him nervous by watching him. I parted my lips, and before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine. But it wasn't like Spot's kiss. His had been simply because he was drunk and didn't know better, nothing more than two lips touching each other. Race's on the other hand was extremely passionate and caring. It did not seem like a truth or dare quick kiss, no, it seemed like much, much more. Finally, realizing the shock that had spread throughout my body was now gone, I pulled away. He was smiling, and his cheeks were red. I smiled at him, going back to my spot next to Jack. He was sitting rather uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, he insisted that he was ok, and watched the rest of the game with a rather rigid look on his face. I felt Boots lean behind me and whisper something like, "Wish ya didn't go off an' do dat eh?" I figured Jack just glared at him.

At long last, Jack called the game to an end. Some boys, led by Kid Blink, started a poker game. Not many boys participated, but some did. To my surprise, Race did not join them. Instead I watched him walk up the stairs, somewhat miserably, and into his bunk room. Determined to ask him about tonight, I followed him. He collapsed onto his bed, head in his hands. I quietly crept up to his bed, and watched him as he began to mutter profanities into his pillow.

"Race." I started, whispering because more boys were coming in the room.

"What?" He asked bitterly.

"Can I talk ta ya? But, not heah. Too many boys 'round. Come ta my room." I told him, taking his hand and leading him out of his bunkroom.

"Ya is lucky ya get your own room." He told me once we got to my room. I nodded.

"I is a goil. Makes poifect sense." I said. We stood there in awkward silence before I spoke.

"What was dat kiss down dere for?" I asked softly.

"Dat kiss? It was fer truth or dare. Why?" He asked me, fiddling with his suspenders.

"Fer real Race? It seemed like much more." I told him what I thought about it.

"It was fer truth or dare ok?" He said, raising his voice yet again, stomping out of the room. I followed after him, stopping at my doorway.

"Yeah, well your one hell of an actor!" I yelled after him, slamming my door. I grabbed my pillow and started to yell and scream into it. I sure hoped Jack wouldn't want another damn talk tonight. I was in no mood to talk to anyone. I decided that I wasn't going to come out of my room the next day. I didn't want to talk to anyone, nor did I need to talk to anyone.

I woke up the next morning with my face buried into my pillow. I was breath fast and hard. I felt myself out of breath. I had that dream again. Someone would call to me, I would walk out of the streets, just as a trolley is about to run me over. Next thing I know, someone is behind me, about to attack me, then, I wake up. Every time it's like that.

"Dollface, time ta get up" I heard a knock on the door and Jack's voice.

"I ain't comin' out taday. Get outta heah." I moaned, my voice still sounding awkward since I had just woken up. He went for the doorknob, but I beat him to it, slamming myself against the door, not allowing him to come in.

"Doll, lemme in!" He demanded.

"No!" I shouted back at him. Suddenly there was a loud, rapping noise on my door, one that could not have been produced by a hand, or a fist.

"Open da damn door righ' now!" I heard a new voice tell me.

"Why?" I asked, a little frightful.

"I'se said so."

"An' who might you be?" I asked, using all my strength to keep them out.

"Ya don't recognize me? It's ya old pal Spot." The voice said mockingly.

"Like I would let you in!" I raged, furious that he was here. I thought he was the leader of Brooklyn, why on earth would he come down here?

"Magic, be nice. Now let us in." Jack said calmly. I debated on whether I would let them in or not. Maybe Jack, but not Spot, or anyone else that was out there. I slowly cracked my door open, showing only my face. Spot looked furious, Jack was equally mad. A couple newboys had gathered to watch the scene unfold. I prayed that they weren't mad at me.

"Alrigh', Jack, come in." I slid the door open and few more inches. Spot tried to squeeze through too, but I slammed the door on his hand.

"Fuck!" I heard him yell, cursing all the way down the stairs and out the door.

"Ya shouldn't have done dat." Jack told me, placing his cowboy hat on his head.

"Why not? An' wha' do ya want with me?" I asked bitterly, refusing to look at him. He ignored my second question, but answered the one concerning Spot.

"He's already pissed at ya. Can't guarantee ya safety now. If ya stay heah I can, but out dere on da streets, no can do." He told me. This made me more aggravated.

"Wha' makes ya t'ink dat I am gonna go out dere? I haven't yet have I? Besides, sleeping da day away sounds poifect righ' bout now." I told him. "Now, what did ya want?"

"I want ya ta get your ass out dere and clean! Dat's the only reason I'm keeping ya heah." He said, turning me around so I was facing him.

"Why was Spot heah? Why wasn't he in Brooklyn, wheah he belongs?" I asked menacingly.

"Business, now get out dere an' clean." He told me, ushering me out of my room. I obeyed, only for his satisfaction. The minute he left, I walked back to my room and sat in the dark corner, refusing to move at all. I think I ended up falling asleep, because when I finally realized that I was cold, it was dark outside and I could hear the boys downstairs, laughing at something. I noticed a shadowy figure on the other side of the room, staring at me.

"Who're you?" I asked. I couldn't see across the room at whoever it was.

"Racetrack. I'm s'posed ta make sure ya'se ain't dead." He chuckled.

"I'se ain't dead." I said lightly, a hint of amusement in my voice.

"Course you'se ain't. I t'ink dey jus' wanted me outta dere, so I wouldn't beat dere butts in pokah." He said, grinning. I smiled. I felt a little uncomfortable with him now, that we had fought yesterday. He didn't seem to show any sign of it, and I hoped he wouldn't talk about it. "Ya okay doll?" He asked me. I nodded slowly. I didn't know what to think anymore.

"Why are ya heah?" I asked him, not believing that the boys had really sent him here.

"Jack was makin' sure ya'se was okay. Honest." He told me. I took his word for it. Suddenly, he stood up and walked over, and sat next to me. He took my hand in his, and pulled me close. My body tensed up as I laid my head on his shoulder. I didn't really know what was going on, but, before I knew it, tears spilled out of my eyes and I was crying my hardest into him. He didn't say anything, just stroked my hair and let me cry. I cried myself to sleep, not a wise thing to do.

a/n

Look at that! MUHAW! I updated! HAHAH! I have an idea for this story, and if I ever get time, I'll update more! Hehe! I'm so proud! Please review, even if doesn't let you, somehow, tell me what you think!

A BIGG thanks to my reviewers! I love you all!