*Here is chapter 3. I really enjoyed writing this, it's a big turning point in the story. I'm glad I had already written this though because I'm so sick right now that its hard to even type. I also want to apologize for all of the previous and future spelling/grammar/tense mistakes that I will make in this story. I type so fast that I make a lot of mistakes and when I read over it I miss allot of them. Please keep reading, and tell me what you think*

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Newsies. Although I wish I did. I do however own everyone else that you never heard of before.

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Chapter Three

It was Sunday and two days had passed since that offal occurrence in the restaurant. I have tried to keep myself busy at school, but somehow my mind kept sweeping back to those cold blue eyes. The pure power and arrogance that radiated off of Spot Conlon sent shivers down my spine. He was a born leader, any who looked upon him could tell. Proud and strong, those who followed him did it not because of fear but more out of intimidation and blatant respect.

I could feel the anger once again rising in my chest at the mere thought of him. Spot was everything I had been taught to stay away from. I was trained to marry only the best. Men who had parents and proper educations, men who would go somewhere in life. Not a boy who had been raised on the streets of Brooklyn and sold newspapers for a living. But that was beside the point.

"Oh, Hanna! Are you alright? I have never in all my years, known someone as crude and vulgar as that boy!" Julia had said when she followed me back to school that day. I just nodded my head as rage prevented me to speak my mind.

As I look back now shame washes over me when I think of how I had behaved. My mother would have died of shock had she seen me screaming at that boy. A waste of there money is was. Considering this school was here to teach me manors and how precisely to act in such circumstances.

I did not know what had come over me. Between Spots improper comments and that conceded smirk of his, I had lost all sense of decency. When you are raised in a well-to do society, men wouldn't dare raise there voice to a lady. Let alone show such disgrace as to spit at there feet. But I had not been dealing with men, they where poor orphan boys, hoodlums. Kids who have spent there entire lives scrounging for food because people like my parents, are to selfish to share.

Deep down I knew that all of my anger was not coming from his atrocious display towards me, but more from the fact that I understood why Spot Conlon had every right to despise me. I was the prodigy of resentment that flowed through his veins. In his eyes I cared nothing for the hardships he nor his friends had to face everyday. Why should he show me respect when I have shown him none?

I hated myself for being so gullible and letting my ignorance get in the way of my judgment. I took advantage of the fact that the Manhattan newsies were much more forgiving. Making me forget that they were not the only victims of pure selfishness. All throughout New York there were kids living on the street. Not all of them would except me as a decent women, for some of them have never known one.

I laid there on my back, starring up at the stone ceiling of my room. The sun has barely risen in the sky and the candle on my bedside table had flickered out only moments before. I let my mind carry me away, trying to clean the wound in my soul that was left from Spots harsh words. It wasn't until a soft nock on the large oak door, brought me back to reality.

"Who is it?" I asked politely, my voice slightly groggy from sleep. I stood up and walked over to my dresser where I had took out a light cotton robe. I threw it quickly over my nightgown and tied it around my waste.

"It is Mrs. Umberg, may I please come in?" spoke of voice, soft and stern. I quickly ran over and opened the door. Mrs. Umberg is the head of house for the first year students and I wondered why she was standing at my doorway so early in the morning.

"Of course," I said moving to the side as she floated gracefully into the room. Her dark brown hair was tied up into a rather complicated design and was adorned by a hat that matched the deep blue embroidery on her dress. She looked around the room and then smiled at me softly. I smiled awkwardly in return.

"You have one of the nicer rooms, Hanna." Mrs. Umberg said as a far away daze came over he eyes. "I remember the room I had been placed in my first year at this school. It smelled of rotten cabbage and moldy wood." I laughed slightly, not sure as to whether it was appropriate or not. I did not wish to sound anxious but I knew she did not come here merely to discuss my living quarters.

"May I ask why you have come to call upon me?" I could not help it. My curiosity was getting the better of me.

"Oh yes," Mrs. Umberg said and her eyes seemed to sadden. Suddenly a cold sweat came over me. Something was wrong, I just knew it. She paused for a few moments and then spoke hastily. "Just get dressed child, you will be meeting with the headmistress. I will return in four minutes time." She spoke no more and quickly walked out the door, shutting it behind her.

The first thing that came to my mind was that someone had caught me and Julia sneaking out. But then I realized that if it were true, we would have gotten in trouble ages ago. Whoever had seen us surely would not have waited two days to tell. Yet if it was not because of that, then what could possible be important enough to alert the headmistress.

I did not have much time to think about it, for I had to get ready quickly. I took out a dress made of violet twill and cream colored flannel, that was adorned with heavy lace. It was a dress my mother gave me as a gift before I came to school. I twisted my hair into soft curls and pulled it back with a purple silk ribbon. As soon as I was finished tying the bow, Mrs. Umberg returned.

She did not speak and I followed her down the dreary hallways and up many flights of stairs, until we finally reached a hallway with red carpet. On the walls hung pictures of old headmistress from many years before, since the school had been founded. All of them looked just as stern and prudent as the current one. At the end of the hallway there was a large oak door that I know leads into the office, even though I have never been in there myself.

Mrs. Umberg opened the door and I noticed that her hands were trembling as she did so. Inside was one of the most extravagant rooms I had ever seen. With deep blue carpet and velvet tapestries, that matched the chairs which sat in front of a large wooden desk.

Sitting behind the desk, with her hands folded, was a very old women. But even with her somewhat fragile exterior, there was an aura about her that commanded obedience. Her gray hair was in a tight bun on the back of her head and her lips pressed into a frown.

"You must be Hanna Grimmuald," the old women stated confidently. Looking me over with what seemed to me as pity.

"Yes, headmistress." I replied shakily as I curtsied in the proper fashion. Of course, my mothers lessons haven't completely gone to vain. I know of how to speak, walk and talk like the best of them. But I remained worlds apart in spirit.

"Sit down child, I am afraid we have some rather distressing news." Even though I guessed that something was wrong, her words frightened me more than anything I have felt before.

I walked over and took a seat in one of the chairs. Only then did I notice the police officer who sat in the chair to my right. What was a police officer doing here? I wondered confused. Surely he couldn't be here to arrest me. Even though fear consumed my very being, I forced myself to speak.

"What is it? What is wrong?" I asked and the police officer looked away solemnly shaking his head. I turned to Mrs. Umberg who did the same. By now the silence was killing me more than the fear of what had happened. Suddenly the headmistress spoke, but her voice was low and I had to strain to listen.

"There was a fire," she said and I remained confused. "It was your home Hanna. It had burned down during the night." Even though it was distressful news a wave a relief washed over me.

"Oh, it is alright. We have a summer house in Virginia, we could live there until my father finds another suitable house in New York." I spoke confidently now. It was as if a huge weight has be lifted from my shoulders. My father has been saving up money for years, we were planning on moving to a larger house anyway. But as I saw the headmistress and the cop exchange saddened looks, I knew that it wasn't all. "What is it? Why will you not speak to me? Something is wrong, I wish to know what it is!" My voice was rising now, as the anger took control. I could hear Mrs. Umberg sobbing behind me and then a painful reality hit. Even as I listened to the Headmistress speak, she seemed to be a mile away.

"It was your parents…they were inside the house…it was to late to save them before the roof collapsed." My mind went into a blank. All I could feel was my heart pounding in my chest and the soft puff of air as I breathed. Surely this was some kind of joke, or maybe a punishment. I felt like I had accidentally drank to much wine at a party. Dizzy and sick to my stomach, I got to my feet.

Sweat was pouring down my face and I grabbed the chair to steady myself. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably now. The cop stood up to help me. But I stepped away quickly, knocking over a lamp.

"You must calm yourself, Hanna." I heard the headmistress speak softly. But I didn't want to hear her voice anymore. I didn't want to hear anything. All I wanted was to wake up in my own bed and find that it was all a dream. But it wasn't a dream, it was my worst nightmare.

I could not help but feel as if I was watching the scene from somewhere else. As I saw myself running out the door, down the many flights of stairs and out onto the front lawn of the school. I could hear the heavy footsteps of the cop behind me, but I wouldn't stop. I dashed behind the building and through the crack in the fence. I didn't know where I was going to go, but as long as it was anywhere but there.

I pushed past people on the street and could hear there angry comments as they yelled after me. But I didn't stop, I wouldn't stop until I was far away from that school. Muddy water splattered the bottom of my dress as my feet stomped into puddles. The ribbon in my hair had long blown out and my curls were left in tangles. Soon I could feel the pain in my chest, as every breath I took felt like daggers. But I wouldn't stop, I just kept running.

I ran around a corner and then Smack, I crashed head first into what felt like a brick wall. But when I looked up groggily, I was shocked to see that it was Mush that I had ran into. He seemed equally as shocked to see me. Especially in the pitiful state that I was in. I watched as he knelt down in front of me, sitting the papers beside him.

"Are you alright?" I heard him speak kindly. I noticed something different in his voice this time and when I looked down at the newspaper, I figured out what it was. Mush knew what had happened, all the newsies did. I turned away in shame and climbed to my feet. Shaking away the hand he offered to help.

"No," I spoke softly shaking my head. Somehow seeing the picture of my house in flames, made everything seem all the more real.

My head was spinning and I started to wobble on my feet. Mush stepped closer but I backed away. I didn't need his help. This was my punishment for disobeying my parents. I had put them to shame and now they would never come back. All because I had wanted freedom from a life I had taken advantage of. I guess it was true what they say. That you never know how much you love something until its gone.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned around quickly to see Racetrack. He stopped when he saw me and pain filled his eyes. I continued to stare at him, but soon everything started to get fuzzy. I saw him fading into darkness and the ground came up to meet me excruciatingly fast. When I felt strong arms wrap around my waist and lift me into the air, I lost complete conciseness altogether.

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Thank you's:

Ash: I'm glad you like my story. I know, I am horrible (and I repeat, horrible) at spelling and grammar. Also with past and present tense stuff. Once I get an idea for a chapter I write it so fast that I make a lot of mistakes. I know that bothers a lot of people and I apologize. I wish I could say that there won't be any more mistakes, but that won't ever happen. So I'm sorry but I hope you still will enjoy my story.

Splashey: Yep trust me, there will be a lot more rivalry to come. I didn't want to write a story where Spot and Hanna get along right at the beginning, because I wanted to stress the difference in there personalities and lives. Plus it wouldn't be as interesting if there wasn't a little bit of a conflict. Of course she learned to gamble. I love Race's character and there will be a lot more of him in the story. But I am not going to reveal any secrets. So I'll keep my mouth shut for now. Keep reading and I hope you enjoy the next few chapters as much as you have been.

Coin: Thanks for the compliment. Don't worry, I am trying to make my story as original as possible. Even if the plot has been used multiple times before. I hope you continue to read and like I told my other reviewers I am sorry for all of the spelling, grammer and mistakes that I make with tenses. I have always had problems with those things.

Raeghann: Thanks for the offer. If I have any questions I will be sure to ask you. I'm glad you like the way I characterized Spot. It gets hard sometimes writing the story and still trying to keep him in character at the same time. I hope you liked this chapter. It took me a little bit to write this, because I knew where I wanted to take the story but how to start it was confusing me.

Emotions: You don't understand how happy I am that you decided to read my story and that you enjoyed it. It means a lot to me when someone tells me something like that. Thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate it. Well I hope you liked this chapter also. Let me know what you think!

Luv

Leila3