-Chapter 3: That's Rich-

-20 March, 1899-

-Medda Larkin's Theater-

"Hey, Ms. Medda!" I call as I wander backstage with Davey and Les.

"Mr. Kelly! I thought you were in Santa Fe."

Davey snorts. "you actually think he has enough money to leave New York?"

"I call his 'penthouse' Santa Fe, because that's where he does most of his dreaming. And who are you?"

"I'm David-" he switches to my nickname for him. "Davey. I'm Davey and this is Les."

"I'm nearly ten!" Les says with enthusiasm. I turn dramatically.

"What did I tell you about giving away your real age like that?"

Les grins. "I'm sorry, Jack Kelly!" He gives me a hug.

"And it's not Jack Kelly. Just call me Jack! Honestly." I give Davey a can-you-believe-this-kid look.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy that I'm meeting you! You're like a superhero!"

I chuckle slightly.

"Anyway, we're running from Snyder. Again. Can we hide out here?"

Medda gives us permission and is then called on to sing. I go to sit up in a box. I'm surprised to see one other person there, a girl. She's writing something. A review, I guess. It's that girl I saw this morning. The one I promised to give a paper once they came out.

"This is a private box," she says. I grin and shrug. "So please go away. I'm working."

"What kind of work?" I ask, just to irritate.

"I'm writing a review on the show. Now if you aren't going to watch, could you leave?"

"My name is Jack Kelly." I say completely ignoring her.

"Really? Somewhere out there, someone cares. Go tell them."

I laugh. "A smart girl, huh? I like smart girls. Beautiful, smart, independent." I begin to make up a poem off the top of my head.

"I got no use for moonlight or sappy poetry. Love at first sight's for suckers, at least it used to be. Girls are nice, once or twice, til I find someone new. I never planned on someone like you." The next act starts and I can hear it in the back of my mind, but I ignore it. I take a pen that I find on a seat and an extra paper from her. I repeat the poem and start sketching her. She's beautiful, as I said before. She has striking facial features and reddish-brown curly hair.

"What are you doing?"

"Quiet down! There's a show going on!" I say with an impish grin.

"You are the most impossible boy-" I shush her. "Ever." She continues in a whisper. I drop the paper and climb out of the box, still grinning.

…..

-Jack's 'Penthouse'-

-21 March, 1899-

-1800 hours-

I sit there, waiting. Mr. Pulitzer said Jack Kelly would come here sometime today. He comes everyday, but I've been waiting for four hours. That means from two o'clock to six o'clock. I thought about waiting at the Newsie House, but then there will be someone to defend him. I see a head pop up and say "Are you Jack Kelly?"

"I'm Finnick Odair. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Finnick Odair. The boy I almost killed last night. He got away somehow. That's what the other kids at the Academy call 'Victor's Instinct.'

"I'm Katniss Everdeen. I'm looking for Jack and was told I would find him here. You?"

"Same as you. Looking for Jack. He ran away last night with the two new newsies, which gifted me with fifty-one lashes. Because I'm seventeen."

I am horrified. I get why these kids are trouble. They're abused. How can I kill them?

"That's awful. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be gone that long, but I had a run in with Snyder the Spider. Chances are, I'll get sixty-eight, because I'm the cause of every one of Gordon's troubles." someone new says. Jack.

I bristle at the name. Does Mr. Gordon own the Newsie House as well as the Academy?

"When did you two become newsies?" I ask, hoping to slowly find out more about 'Gordon.'

"When I was fourteen. Three years ago." The same year I was taken to the Academy!

"Who you?" Jack asks, noticing me for the first time.

"I'm Katniss. I wanted to…" I hesitate. There's no way I can kill him with Finnick here. Two against one. The odds aren't in my favor. And besides, an assassin usually kills a person from afar. "I wanted to warn you. Mr. Pulitzer is raising the prices of papers."

Jack snorts in disbelief and shares an eye roll with Finnick. "He's threatened before, but he never does. I won't believe it until I see proof," he pauses. "Thanks anyway, Katniss. Hope to see you around."

"And you." I say as I climb down.

"Katniss!" Finnick calls down. I glance up. "How did you know this?"

"I'm friends with Pulitzer's daughter." I lie easily. I remember seeing a girl come in as I left. Finnick nods and I walk away. I think these boys may be harder to take down than I thought.

…..

-Finnick POV-

"She was lying." Says Jack as soon as we know for sure that she's gone.

"I agree. But she was beautiful."

Jack raises an eyebrow at me. I give him a grin in return.

"Girls are a waste of time."

Now it's my turn to raise an eyebrow. "I saw the way you looked at that red head this morning. The one you tried to sell a pape to an hour early. Jack laughs and I join in.

"But you're right. She was lying. I recognize her voice. I don't know where from, but I didn't even know Joe had a daughter." I say once we're done laughing. The mood sobers up and I change the topic to one even darker. "We might want to get back to the House. Crutchie needs you, Jackie. He took a pretty bad beating last night."

"Remind me to wring Gordon's neck the next time I see him."

"Will do," I say smiling. "You don't need to get into anymore trouble. Let's head home."

"It ain't my home. Somewhere out there is a real him with a real future, just waiting for me."

I choose to ignore him. When Jack gets all dreamy like that, there's nothing you can say to convince him otherwise. Nothing.

…..

-The Newsie House-

-21 March, 1899-

-1900 hour roll call-

...

"Kelly! So glad you could join us!" Mr. Gordon says when he sees Finnick and I enter. "Davey and Les left an hour ago after receiving a proper punishment. Almost. Mason took the little one's half of it."

I turn and see Johanna laying on her bed, moaning and grinning at the same time. Finnick is livid.

When I'm led outside for my punishment-God knows what it is-I grin at the two Delancey brothers, Oscar and Morris.

"Give me your best shot." I say.

I walk back inside smiling. Finnick grunts when he sees me come in. I laugh a little. Johanna is mad that I can take on both brothers when she can't. Gordon leaves, locking the door. In unison, all of us sit up and and I turn on the single light in the room. Everyone else lights candles.

"Who talks first tonight?" Johanna asks.

"Me," I answer immediately. "Finnick found himself a girl."

Finnick punches me. "You did too." I laugh.

"Ooh. Is she pretty?" Race chimes in immediately.

"No. She's just fun to bother." I say.

"Yes. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Finnick says at the same time as me.

Race laughs and lights his cigar. I glare at him.

"You're worse than Finnick!" I exclaim.

"Yup. And unlike Finnick, I don't plan on quitting."

Yes, I know I changed up the pre-Never Planned on Someone Like You dialogue, but I wanted to shorten it a bit.

Also, who thinks Race is the BEST! Honestly, guys, 'The Woild Is Ya Erster!'