---Sorry it took so long to post! I've been totally buried in school! So today I'm posting on a majority of my stories if not all of them. Sorry to keep you for so long! Sorry if the chapter sucks I'm really tired.

Chapter 33.

Soda walked down the street taking a glimpse at everyone who passed. She had to keep a look out for the Meyers' they most likely would be looking for her about now. She crossed her arms and walked a little quicker. She tried to figure out some kind of plan in her head. She somehow had to get Mr. and Mrs. Meyers to relent on the court idea. If only they had some kind of an idea that they were going against their own son. Try getting through to them...it's impossible... Soda thought grimly. She soon heard very loud footsteps that seemed to be walking at the same pace she was until they sped up.

Soda turend around quickly to face Bernard. "Lindsey, what the hell are you doing out here?! You're in for a great welcome home when you get back to the manor." Bernard said grabbing her arm. She glanced over to the right to see a girl staring at the scene of Soda and Bernard. She looked about in her 20's and somewhat familiar to Soda but she was quickly ripped away from the spot. The girl's glance followed Soda until she was pulled around the corner and out of sight.

Back at the manor Soda was thrown in the door and was met by being pulled by the arm into the den. "Lindsey where the hell were you?! Mr. Meyers growled. "Why don't you just put a tracer on me or something?!" Soda yelled back at him. One thing was for sure. She wasn't going to let them get to her. "I might have an idea..." Came Mrs. Meyers jolly voice from the hallway. She came boucing into the den. "Maybe we should send Lindsey to some sort of boarding school..." She suggested. "Just send me back to the orphanage." Soda muttered and exited the den.

"How badly are you wanting to go back to this orphanage?" Mr. Meyers asked. "Really badly, but you wont let me." Soda said rolling her eyes. "Are we wasting our time with you?" Mrs. Meyers asked. "You know...for rich scabs...who can afford a proper education... you two are pretty dumb." Soda said shaking her head.

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"Welcome back Hallie." Collingwell said thrusting her into a chair in her office. "Well Mistress...I guess you're stuck with me again." Soda said simply. "I'm not suprised...what family could stand you? You were a born brat." Mistress said running a hand through her ratty gray hair. "Yeah that's me." Soda said shrugging.

"You know...your attitude is going to take you to some unwanted places if you don't watch it Lindsey Hallie Basham..." Mistress Collingwell said slamming her office door. She quickly turned right around again. "Now I have to sort a bunch of paper work..." She said harshly. "Not my fault you put me with a moron family." Soda muttered. This really set Collingwell off. "You were lucky to get any family. I doubt that any other family will want to take you after the way you behaved." Collingwell said darkly.

"You know...you acuse me of an attitude...but with all do respect ma'am but so do you." Soda said back crossing her arms. "How dare you..." Collingwell said walking closer to the desk drawer where she kept her belt. "Go ahead...hit me...what else can I do about it? My life sucks and I have no reason to care anymore." Soda said giving Collingwell a dark look. "I've underestimated you so many times...I can't wait for the day where I can say I have you completely...it's about time you stopped fighting and you realize it's no use and it's over." Collingwell said with a satisfied smirk.

Soda had nothing left to say other than, "I don't see why you haven't given up on me yet...and you'd move on and let me leave. If I'm no much of a burden to you and your ratty old orphanage then why are you keeping me?" Soda asked. She got Collingwell there. She stood stunned for a little while. Until she found words.

"Because, you're an orphan...and by law I have to keep you in here." Collingwell replied. "Well, since you hate me so much, why couldn't you have made an exception?" Soda asked. "You know why." Collingwell responded quickly. "No...Mistress...time's running out to talk about these type of things and you know that the answers aren't in me and that you know." Soda told her.

Collingwell glanced over at her. Their eyes met for a chilling minute. Collingwell let out a deep sigh and pulled up her desk chair. "Well Hallie, you've been a pain in the ass since I've known you. It's been 15 years and you're still a pain...but yet I've grown to live with it. Sorry to say it but you're the worst brat here besides Alex." Collingwell said.

"Maybe if you tried begin nice the orphans wouldn't give you suck a hard time. Then you would have less yelling to do, you'd be off your feet more...and you'd have more time to yourself..." Soda said.

"I'm not nice and I never will be. I hate kids. I hate you. I hate the world and yes I may take it out on the orphans...but that's only because you're screw ups." Collingwell said with her usual tense expression. "Look, you can try it...or you can be a wench for the rest of your old life. Your days are numbered Collingwell...your time is running out." Soda said leaving her office and walking out of the drafty orphanage and to the lodging house.

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"You boys are free to go." A cop said unlocking their cell door and leading the Newsboys out into the sunlight. "Don't let me see you in here again." He said closing the refuge gate behind them. They ran back to the lodging house in a flash to go inform the other guys of their release. Jack had to check up on how the lodging house was doing so he ran ahead of the group but only by a few steps. They finally reached the lodging house and ran up the stairs and into the lodging room to find Soda sitting on her bed.

"Soda!" They all yelled and ran up to her and they took turns hugging her until Spot came over. "Alright alright, stop hogging me goil!" He yelled laughing.

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There came a knock on the orphanage door and Collingwell opened the door slowly. It creaked really loudly. "May I help you?" Collingwell asked. "Actually yes ma'am you can." Came the girl form the doorway. "Wait a second... don't I know you?" Collingwell asked opening the door all the way. "Well if you can remember Cassie then yeah....I guess you would know me." The girl said.

"Cassandra? Well um.. what brings you here?" Collingwell asked clearing her throat. "Well when I was out I saw a girl with a very tall man and she looked a lot like

Lindsey...so I was wondering if she was still here." Cassie said. "Well she was here but she ran out like she always does...Once a brat always a brat I'd say." Collingwell said. "Well I see you don't really like her anymore..." Cassie said.

"I hate that wretched girl. But if you're looking for her you wont find her here," Collingwell stopped and stared across the street. A cop was standing beside Collingwell. "There she is!" Collingwell yelled to him. Soda was standing in a crowd of Newsies. Spot was doing the same until the cop came and pulled them over to the orphanage. "I've had it with you two. There is no way you're getting otu this time. You two will be under lock and key and under watch." Collingwell said. Cassie was still standing right in the doorway.

"Who's that?" Ashley came running up to the door. Cassie nearly cried. The last time she saw Ashley she was barely old enough to speak. "You remember Cassandra?" Collingwell asked. "CASSSSIEEEE!" Ashley yelled and embraced her in a huge hug. Soda turned and stared at her. Her blazing green eyes burned through Cassie. "Hallie?" Cassie asked hoping that it was her.

"So...you'se finally came back? What for?" She asked still one of her wrists was held by the cop. "To see you." Cassie replied. "Why now?" Soda asked backing away form her. Cassie felt a little hurt that she was acting like that. "I don't know..." Cassie said truthfully. "Alex... let's go.." Soda said starting to climb the stairs. Spot followed slowly. Cassie looked down at the floor. She knew why Hallie was angry with her. She left her alone in this living hell for the past 10 years. She was going to make it up to her one way or another.... she had a plan.

Collingwell followed them up the stairs and threw them into a closet and locked it with the keys she kept in her pocket.

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"Who knows how long we'll be in here..." Spot said. Soda was sitting with her knees up to her chest and she was breathing heavily. "I'se guessing seeing Cassie wasn't da best think on you're agenda." Spot asked. "Nope." Soda replied. "It's alright, atleast we'se are togetha again...dat's all dat matters." Spot said giving her a kiss.

"Yeah you'se right..." Soda replied with a smile. "So if we'se keep getting sent back here...how are we'se gonna be Newsies too?" Spot asked. "Well...somehow we'se have to get away once and for all. I'se know I'se don't belong here...and you'se know you'se don't belong here...so we'se got to find a way...to never have to come back." Soda said. "Well...we're going to need a plan...an unbeatable plan..." Spot said thinking.

---Sorry to say that's all for now. I can't make any promises to when the next time I can post again. BLAME SCHOOL!!! lol. Well without school I couldn't write so uhhh don't blame school. but yeah... I'm thinking that I will probably most defianatly write in the next week. Since tomorrow's friday night so I think it's looking pretty good. Sorry again if it sucks.

Casey