Hello everyone! Today is a happy day, because today is my Birthday! Please if you like my story then review. It would make my birthday just to see everyone who likes my story to tell me what they think. You are all so very kind and I hope I continue to do this story justice. LUV YA ALL!

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from the Newsies movie. I wish I did, but I sadly don't. So I will just have to stick with my character, Hanna. Who belongs entirely to me.

Chapter Twelve

As I had predicted it was a long and tiresome day. The crowd was busier than usual. Due to a new twin sister act that Medda had just hired. My feet were aching profoundly and by the end of the night my shoulder was throbbing painfully. Although I was ecstatic that I had acquired almost ten dollars in profit.

I made sure to pay Kloppman when I made it back to the lodging house that night. He congratulated me on my exceedingly profitable occupation. I smiled and thanked him graciously before I made my way up to my room. Most of the newsies were sleeping or sitting around doing nothing. A few of them looked up when I walked into the bunk room but by now they had become accustomed to my late arrivals. Recently I had been offering to stay late and help clean up around the theater for an extra dollar. Any bit of money would be a blessing to me.

I walked into my small room and flopped down onto my metal spring mattress, sighing as I threw the covers over my body. I didn't even bother to get undressed because my eyelids were becoming heavy and my breathing shallow. So I had a few minutes to recall my day before I fell into a welcomed slumber.

The sun was shining brightly in my eyes and for a moment I thought that I was back in my house once more. But when I opened them and saw the same dirty wood ceiling I remembered where I was. I sat up with a groan of protest and fixed the sling on my shoulder as I counted down the day until I would be able to take it off.

I stood up and removed the work dress that I had fallen asleep in. It was Sunday and I had the day off because there were no shows tonight. I didn't really know what I would do with myself. The thought of having no work was strangely welcoming. So I smiled softly and stretched my arms in the air. After I had changed into a blue skirt and white blouse, I fixed my hair and then left. Race was laying out on his bunk with an unlit cigar in his mouth. He was counting a stack of money in his hands that I knew he must have acquired from a lucky night of gambling.

"Hey Race, why are you not out selling paper?" I asked as I took a seat on the bunk next to him. He held out the wad of dollar bills in front of him proudly.

"I made all of the money I need yesterday at da track," Race smirked gleefully. I was reminded of a little boy at Christmas time when he first sees the presents under the tree.

"So, since you aren't doing anything. Do you wan't to spend the day with me? I haven't anything better to do." I asked looking over at him hopefully. Ever since I started working I hadn't really had time to do much with my friends. Especially Racetrack who I was rather fond of.

"Well if ya don't have anything better to do." He said laughing and I shoved him playfully on the arm. "I'd luv ta spend the day wit you Dollface. But I have ta make a quick stop in Brooklyn first. Jack needs me ta give Spot a message."
I sighed and then nodded my head, "Ok, then I'll go with you."

" I dunno Doll, rememba what happened last time ya went to Brooklyn." Race spoke with a brotherly authority.

"Yes, I remember perfectly. But as you know, Spot and I have worked out most of our differences. We have agreed on mutual terms." I replied and then nodded my head as if to say that it was the end of the discussion.

Even though Spot Conlon was rather annoying, I was in a good mood and could handle anything he threw at me. But I just happened to forget to mention to Race that Spot had asked me to dinner. Because I knew that he would not approve and not want me to go. I hated lying to Race but I knew that he would not understand my feelings, it was something I would have to work out for myself.

So I waited while Racetrack got dressed and then we left. It didn't take as long to make it to Brooklyn as it had the night of the party. Or maybe it was just because I was daydreaming most of the time. Thinking about everything that had happened. No matter how hard I tried I could not come up with a positive solution to the situation with my brother. There was a small part of me saying that I should go and meet him at least. No matter how tormenting it would be to my heart.

Finally we crossed the Brooklyn bridge and made our way into Spots territory. There were a few boys wondering around on the docks, starring at me uncomfortably as we walked to the Lodging House. But most of them were out selling the morning papes. I moved closer to Racetrack as we entered the old fishing shack where the newsies slept. When we walked through the door of the shabby old building it was completely empty inside except for a sandy haired boy sitting in a corner reading a book. Automatically I recognized who he was.

"Hey Booker!" I said as I stalked over and flopped down into the chair beside him. He looked up startled but then smiled when he saw it was me.

"Well I never expected to see your face around here again," John replied as he sat his book down on the table. "So who's ya friend?" I looked up and realized he was talking about Race.

"Oh sorry," I said as I stood up and grabbed his arm, pulling him closer. "This is Racetrack." Both boy's looked at each other for a moment and then shook hands. "And Race, this is Booker. I met him at the party the other night."

"Yeah I seen ya around," Race replied.

"So what brings you to Brooklyn," Booker asked curiously. I knew he was wondering how after that night at the party, I would even step foot across the bridge. But that was only because he didn't know that me and Spot were back on speaking terms.

"I need da talk to Spot. Is he around anywhere?" Race asked Booker. "Jack wanted me to give him a message."

"Yeah he's up in his office talking to Rose." Booker replied casually as he pointed up the stairs to a brown wooden door. "Should be leaving soon though. He said he could afford ta skip the morning papes, but he still needs to sell da afternoon edition." Race nodded and then joined us at the table.

"Why is Rose here?" Racetrack asked. I wondered the same thing considering that Rose was a Manhattan newsie and most of them refused to enter another's territory. The only reason I was here was because I was with Race. Race and Spot were friends so that gave him free rain to go where he wished.

"I don't know, she stops by every once in awhile to talk to Spot. I can't figure out what they would have ta say to each other but after she leaves he's always in a foul mood." Booker replied just as Spots door slammed open and out walked my red headed enemy.

"JUST STAY AWAY FROM HERE!" Spot yelled and I cringed once more at the coldness in his voice. There were so many different sides to Spot and this was the one that I feared the most.

"MY PLEASURE!" Rose screamed back at him with the same amount of anguish and harsh hostility. She stomped down the stairs and walked across the floor. When she saw me she stopped and glared menacingly. "What are you doing here?"

I stood up to my full height which was about two inches taller than herself and glared back. "Personally I don't see how its any of your business." She just huffed and shoved past me. Booker was laughing to the right and I turned to him "What is so funny!"

He stopped laughing and didn't answer. But his eyes were shining and he had a huge grin on his face. Race was also starring at the whole scene rather amusingly then he got back to his priorities. " How ya doin Spot?"

"I wouldn't even ask." Spot said as he tried to regain his composure. I found it to be rather rude but Race didn't take it seriously. I guess it was because he had known Spot for so long, that his angry outbursts were normal.

"I know dis probably aint a good time. But I got's a message from Jack." Race said. Spot's brow's were creased and his eyes blazing as he looked at Racetrack. "It's something that I think ya outta hear."

"Well den, let's hear it." Spot said. "I aint got's all day."

"We need da talk somewhere else. Jack said that it's not something for everyone ta know." Spot sighed and then nodded his head.

He turned around and started walking back up the stairs to his office. Racetrack turned to me. "Stay here with Booker. Don't go wondering about." I nodded my head, feeling much like a little kid.

A few minutes after Race and Spot disappeared through the bedroom door I turned and looked at Booker. But to my surprise he was already starring at me. I could feel my hands start to shake and tiny beads of sweat trickle down my forehead. For in his eyes I saw something that scared me. It wasn't the intense power that lingered in Spots every movement or the crazy joy that I saw every time Race looked at me. What I saw in Booker's eyes was nothing more than pure admiration and it frightened me.

"Let's take a walk," Booker said cheerfully as he stood up and took my hand in his own. I hesitated for a moment but followed.

He led me out of the Lodging House and into the sweet warmth of the day. I could tell by the location of the sun in the sky that it was around noon. We stood there for a few moments without saying a word. I just wrested my arms on the wood railing and began starring down at my reflection in the deep blue water below.

"So, tell me how you ended up as a newsie." I asked suddenly becoming rather curious about the boy standing next to me who was practically a stranger.

"Well, lets see…My father was in the U.S. army. Everyone who knew him used to say he was a great guy, brave. I wouldn't know because my mother was still pregnant with me when she got the news that he was killed overseas. She went into labor no more than two day's after his funeral." He sighed and then looked up at the sky. "My mother she was weak and it was a difficult pregnancy. She didn't make it in the end. The doctors said that there was nothing they could do."

I placed a hand over my mouth, "Oh John, I am so sorry."

He just put up a hand to stop me and continued on with his story. "Since both of my parents were dead my mother's sister Ruth had to take up the responsibility of raising me. She was a wealthy widow who lived rather decently in a large manor in Pennsylvania. But after two years of being alone she met a rich lawyer from New York. That's how I ended up in the city. We moved here on my third birthday." I placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. I knew that this must have been hard for him to speak of. "While I was growing up I had nothing but the best of everything. When I turned nine Ruth decided to send me to a high class academy in Philadelphia. There I managed to get myself into a lot of trouble. Always starting fights and never keeping my grades up to satisfactory levels. Finally the Headmaster decided to send me home. My aunt was furious with me. After a long discussion with my new uncle, she came to the conclusion that I was more trouble than I was worth and put me up for adoption. Of course I wasn't going to stay in that horrid place for long. That's how I met Spot and the rest of the newsies."

"Oh yes, Spot…how did I know he was going to pop up somewhere." I replied sarcastically and Booker just laughed.

"He's really not as harsh as he seems. Spot just knows what he wants and expects nothing but the best from everyone around him. He's a good leader and a good friend. But I could tell that you and him don't exactly see eye to eye on certain things." Booker said smirking in my direction.

"Try everything," I said laughing and then looked back down at the water. "I just can't seem to understand him." I sighed and twirled one of my golden curls around my index finger.

"Do you want to understand him?" Booker asked curiously and I was taken aback. I looked over at him and he was starring at me intently waiting for an answer.

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "He drives me insane sometimes…ok most of the time. But then he can be so sweet and kind that it makes it so hard to hate him. He has asked me to give him a chance but I don't know."

"Would you ever give me a chance?" Booker asked and I smiled sweetly as I turned to stare at him.

"I already am," he returned my smiled graciously and then fiddled nervously with his hands.

Even though he looked away I continued to stare at him curiously. I was beating up my mind trying to get it to figure out just what its priorities were. Because I had finally come to the conclusion that there was definitely some attraction that I had with Spot. A deep an internal feeling that warmed my very soul. But with Spot came many complicated and other curious emotions that I wasn't sure I wanted to deal with.

Yet standing here before me was a rather handsome young man who adored me in every way. He was sweet and charming, everything that I had been raised to love. He was intelligent and shared basically everything in common with me, including the losses that I have suffered. But when I starred into his eyes there was nothing in my heart. When I starred into Spot's eyes I felt as if I was drowning in them and unable to pull away.

I suddenly grew angry with myself for becoming so confused. Why when I started sorting out the situation with Spot another boy had to come along and throw everything out of order. I didn't know whether I should ignore Booker's apparent attraction for me and follow my heart. Or whether I should take the easier way out and agree to give Booker a chance. Either way someone was going to get hurt and in the end I knew it would be me.

Thank you to:

Bess3- Hey, I am glad to hear from you again. I love having new reviewers and you are so nice to me. I am so happy you liked the last chapter, I hope you liked this one too even though I think it was a bit rushed. Let me know what you think. Don't worry there will be more to come with Spot also you I will be getting into more about her brother. I just like building up a backround before I start digging into the main story line. To make you feel like you are sort of connected with the characters. Well review soon and let me know what you thought of this chapter.

Padfootismyhero- Hey! I am so happy I started talking to you. Sorry I haven't emailed you in awhile. I have been really busy. I am surprised I ended up getting this chapter posted. Yeah Hanna's brother is extremely stuck up and like my other reviewer said "Pompous". That's how I planned him to be. Sorry if this chapter was a little bad, I just wrote it like in the past hour. I hope you liked it though and review. Also email me when you get the chance.

NadaZimri- Yeah I know her brother is a bit pompous, but that's exactly how I want him to be. You'll start to see more of him later on in the story. You will also start to see many sides to Hanna throughout the story. Because this is the time when she starts becoming confused about herself and disoriented. I am glad you like the chapter and I hope to hear from you soon.

Splashey- I did enjoy writing the part with Spot and Hanna. It was fun! I can't go into detail about the rumors, let's just say they were inappropriate. Because the boys think there is more going on with her and Spot than there really is. Yeah I hope to start getting more into the plot. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It isn't as long as I would have liked it to be but I'm happy it turned out ok.

Emotions- Hey! Yeah, sorry for all of the ranting. If I ever get carried away just slap me and tell me to snap out of it. Lol Sometimes I just feel like I am my character (if that sounds strange) and I get worked up over certain situations. So I won't shut up, until I prove my point. But I think I'm ok for now. Yeah I am happy Spot apologized to, but now Hanna is confused. Hmm…I wonder what is going to happen now.

Lena-Jade- Sorry about the spelling mistakes I always get "your" and "you're" mixed up. I am a horrible speller. So I know that there were most likely a lot of mistakes in this chapter considering I wrote it in an hour. But I hope you enjoyed it. I just wanted to make sure I had something to post. Also as you can tell, John West is the boy who will stir things up a bit.

Luv ya lots,

BlackWiltedRose