Learning Magic

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to newsies, too bad really.

I went down stairs and found some of the boys already playing poker. I shook my head, laughing to myself. They lived for these poker games. I was surprised to see a girl playing with them, but brushed it aside as just one of the guys' friend that came to play poker with them. She had beautifully groomed blonde hair, that went down to her shoulders, and blazing blue eyes.

"May I join ya?" I asked them. Jack nodded and dealt me in. The same game went on for another two hours. Kid Blink ended up winning, and he went ballistic.

"It's only cause Race ain't down heah." Jack reminded him. Kid didn't pay any attention to him and keep flaunting his winnings in our faces. I found out during the game that the girl's name was Knots. She seemed pretty nice to me, and the boys seemed to like her.

"Well'se I'm goin' upstairs fer da night." I announced. They nodded towards me and said goodnight. "Nice ta meet ya Knotsy." I told the girl, she smiled at me, then continued to talk to Jack.

The floorboards creaked under my weight, notifying anyone upstairs that I was coming. My feet ached and with every step I took, they hurt more. I was extremely tired, and it was getting late. Slowly, I made my way to the washroom and splashed cold water on my face. It felt so good. I looked up at my reflection in the mirror and noticed how dirty my face had gotten. My hair was disheveled from not being combed all day that day, and from being out in the wind. Quickly, I wet my fingers and combed them through my hair. It helped a lot, and I was quite satisfied. I scrubbed my face clean with one of the wash rags that was laying by the sink. I heard a noise behind me and I turned around quickly. It was Racetrack.

"What are ya doin' out of bed?" I asked. He was hunched over, and he was holding onto his side tenderly.

"Don't ya t'ink it's borin' sitting dere all day an' night?" He asked. I nodded, feeling my cheeks get redder. He smiled, holding onto one of the sinks to help him stand up straight.

"Need help?" I asked, feeling sorry for him. He just looked at me. I knew he would have to swallow his pride before he would let me help him, but I didn't care. To my surprise, he nodded and held out one of his hands to me. I walked to him and took it. I slid a hand around his back to hold him up, and walked him out of the washroom. He was walking slowly, and I don't blame him. He was right, I would never know how much it hurt, but I could imagine. When we made it to his room, he collapsed onto his bunk, holding his side in a great deal of pain.

"Gawd, I'll kill him." He muttered under his breath.

"Did I hoit ya?" I asked, worried that it was me that had cause him more pain.

"No, no doll. Wasn't ya at all. Ya made it betta." He smiled up at me.

"Ya smile too much." I told him, smirking.

"Is dat a bad t'ing?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No, but it makes me smile too."

"Is dat a bad t'ing?" He repeated. I just smiled at him. The truth was, I didn't know if smiling was a bad thing or not. The way I saw it, only really, truly happy people were allowed to smile. I felt guilty smiling all the time. I knew I wasn't truly happy with my life, but I continued to smile. It confused me greatly. I got up to leave, but once again he called me back. "Ya leavin' already?" He asked.

"Do ya want me ta leave?" I asked, not turning around to look at him yet.

"No." He said. I smiled, but he couldn't see it. Slowly, I turned around and smirked at him. His eyes brightened when I did. I walked back over to his bed and sat down next to him. "Do ya need ta cry tanight?" He asked. "My shoulders always open." He said softly.

"No, not tanight. But, is your shoulder still open?" I whispered. He nodded. I laid my head on his shoulder, as he wrapped his arms around me, and held me tight. I felt him turn his head so he was looking right at me. Gently, he lifted my head off his shoulder and began to lightly kiss my neck. I shivered at the touch of his lips on my skin. At first it was just light kisses, but after a couple minutes, they were more intense and he was holding them out longer. I pulled away from him slowly, looking right into his eyes. He was blushing slightly.

"Sorry." He said, letting go of me. I just stared at him.

"Sorry fer what?" I whispered to him. He looked back at me, and hung his head.

"No, we can't do anyt'ing like dat. Jack'll throw another cow. He'll break my neck if he saw us. I didn't do nuttin ta ya last time and he broke me rib." He said quietly. I nodded, disappointed that he felt that way.

"Race, I'm not askin' fer da woild. I jus' wanted ta kiss ya." I said sadly. I could see that he longed for it to. I had no idea why I felt this way. I never really thought I liked Race like this, but I did. It was a feeling I had never felt before. It was gnawing at my soul, begging for just one more kiss. It wanted to be in his arms forever. I don't know if I really liked that feeling, but it gave me an impulse to kiss him as deeply and passionately as I could. And I did.

His eyes got wide, but he returned it, and that made me extremely happy. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and I felt him slip his arm around my waist again. I was afraid I might he hurting him, but he made no indication that this was the case. I think the only reason we stopped was because we heard a gasp coming from the doorway. I instantly pulled away and saw Knots standing there. Racetrack let go of my quickly and grabbed his deck of cards, and started dealing out a game of solitaire for himself. Knots just stared and turned many shades of red.

"I'm I'm sorry." She stuttered, leaving the doorway and running away. I was so embarrassed.

"Ya should leave." Race said quietly. I nodded, and got up to leave. He didn't stop me, though I so badly wanted him to. I walked downstairs, hoping that Knots hadn't told anyone about what she had just seen.

Knots was not downstairs however, and I figured she had just gone home.

"Did Knots leave already?" I asked Jack, brushing some crumbs off the poker table, onto the floor, pretending not to have known she was upstairs at all.

"Uh, no. She should be upstairs." Jack told me. Blushing I continued to ask questions.

"Why would she be up dere?" I asked, afraid of his answer.

"She's gonna live heah now. Didn't ya know? I thought ya did." Jack told me nonchalantly. I couldn't believe my ears. Instantly, I ran up the stairs again and into my room. I saw Knots, tucking herself into the second bed in my room. I was outraged, and left, slamming the door behind me. I rushed down the stairs, and got up in Jack's face.

"Wha' da fuck?" I screamed, slapping him across the face, walking out of the lodging house. Once I was outside I burst into a sprint and ran into the alley next to the lodging house. I was crying hard. For once, I was accepted somewhere, and I had felt special. Now, I realized Jack would pick any girl up off the street and offer her a home. I wondered how many more there would be after her. Now I knew the truth. I was a nobody and the boys pitied me. I cried harder then I had ever cried in my life. For a few, short days, I had felt that I belonged somewhere. But that wasn't the case, or so I thought.

I also thought that Race didn't mean any of that kiss. He was just doing it to make me feel better about myself. I hated them all. I heard the front door of the lodging house open and close loudly. Just by the way to door was shut, I knew that whoever it was, was coming for me, and I knew that they knew I was here. I was right. In a matter of seconds, Jack was in the alley, and on his way to me. I was trembling with fear. He never looked more angrier, not even when he hurt Racetrack.

"Wha' gives ya da right ta do dat? Huh? Tell me goily! Tell me!" He shouted in my face. Without giving me time to answer, he slapped me hard across the face. I was horrified. I always knew Jack was capable of violence, but I had no idea why he would attack me.

"Jack, wha' are ya doin'?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Wha' da hell did I do ta ya? Wha' would ya hit me like dat?" He yelled at me, shoving me to the ground. That's when the tears started to flow.

"Stop it Jack! Leave me alone!" I cried, screaming out in fear as he advanced.

"Leave her alone!" A voice ran out into the night. Jack turned around. When he did, I had a clear view of my savior. Standing up straight was Racetrack. A million things were running through my mind. How did Race get outside by himself? How had he known to come outside. Would Jack last out at him? I knew the answer to my third question. No. There was no way he would do that again.

"Wha' in holy hell is goin' on heah?" Race demanded. Jack looked from me to Race, then back to me again.

"I'se sorry Race. She, she hit me! When someone hits me, well I gets mad." He paused, looking to me. "I'se sorry Magic." He said sincerely. I nodded, but didn't get up. I believed him, and I shouldn't have hit him either.

"I'se sorry Jack. I, I don't know what came over me. I was, it's just." I said, looking up at him. He nodded too, and helped me up. I gave him a quick hug, avoiding his eyes. That was one of the scariest experiences in my life. I was sure he was going to kill me.

Race put his arms around me and whispered in my ear, "Did he hoit ya?" I shook my head. Jack just stood there in the alley, pure shock and terror written all over his face. I knew what he was thinking. He had hit a girl, and had intended on doing more. He was angry with himself, and frankly, I was angry with him too. I knew Race was mad at him, and I knew if word got out, other newsies would look down at him for hitting a girl.

We walked back into the lodging house. Many of the boys stared at us. My hand was behind his back again, so he could stand up straight. His arm was wrapped tightly around me. He led me to the steps and started walking up. I didn't know if I should go with him, but I did. When we finally made it up the steps, he started to walk a little faster until we got to his room. He shut the door behind us and sat me down on his bed, wiping my tears away with his thumbs.

"What happened?" He asked sternly. I just shook my head and started crying. He grabbed my shoulders firmly and asked again. "Tell me wha' happened." Sighing, I obeyed.

"I hit him, it's true. But, I was jus' so angry. Did ya know dat Knots goil is stayin'?" I asked him. He ignored the question.

"Jus' tell me wha' happened."

"I hit him, an' ran out. Den he followed me, an', I t'ink ya saw da rest." I said, putting my head down. "How did ya get out heah?" I asked softly.

"Dat ain't important no more. Ya stay away from Jack Kelly, ya hear? Stay away." He told me sternly. I nodded. I didn't want to move, I was too scared to get up and leave.

"May I, well, stay in heah?" I asked him. He shook his head slowly.

"Ya gotta go back ta your room." He told me, letting go of me. I nodded sadly, getting up and leaving. Once again, he didn't stop me and I walked slowly back to my room. Knots was awake, and stared at me when I came in. I hoped she didn't know what the fight was about. I fell down onto my bed and cried softly, hoping she didn't hear me.

"Uh, are you okay?" She asked me. I didn't answer, but nodded into my pillow. That was the end of that conversation. I stayed awake late into the night. I heard Knots sleeping silently in the bed next to mine. I didn't think the issue of Jack hitting me would leave our lodging house, boy was I wrong.

a/n

Oh my god! I finished another chapter! What is up with that? That's just too cool really. Anyways, yes, I know, Jack is a mean abusive jackass. Knots told me that I shouldn't have him hit Magic, but I wanted to. I dunno, I just wanted him to. Anyways, I believe that is the last of the violent Jack. :) So don't worry Jack lovers! He really isn't a bad guy, just has a temper.

I dunno when the next update will be. School is starting soon grumble and my mom is convinced that she isn't going to let me on the computer during the week. I will be writing in my notebook though. I'll do what I can! Hope you all liked this chapter! I did. I actually got a tender moment with Magic and Race. I was hoping I could.

Shoutouts!

Knots

Sparks Kelly

Erin Go Bragh

Dimonah Tralon

Shooter O'Brien