Ok, the CASTING CALL is still opened to anyone who wants to add in their character. Thanks to those of you who have reviewed! Much appreciated: ) Anyway, here's the third chapter:

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As Jack Kelly was coming up to the lodge, he saw a fairly tall silhouette off in the distance. He watched it for a moment, and then realized that whoever it was was coming his way. He stopped and squinted his eyes to see who it was, but it was practically impossible to see through the violent rain. It wasn't until a light was cast on the silhouette, revealing a newsie with coffee colored skin, that Jack was able to recognize who it was.

"Jack, where ya been?" Shay yelled over the rain. Shay was another Manhattan newsie. He was also an older cousin of Boots. Although the two were related, their looks were quite different, such as in the tone of their skin. You see, Shay was of African American and Irish decent, so his was a bit lighter.

"Just around" Jack yelled over the rain as he pushed his sopping wet hair out of his face. The rain continued to downpour, violently landing on the two newsies, so the they started walking back to the lodge.

"Just around, huh?" Shay asked.

"Yea. Took a walk after da second storm. Left 'round one." Jack said as they were under the cover of the porch of the lodge. They walked over to the door and Jack opened it up, and the two quickly made their way inside the lodge.

"So you just walked around fer an hour?" Shay asked with a raised eyebrow. Jack shook his head.

"Naw. Went ta Irving Hall an met up wit Lark der. Stayed there for a while and den wes came back" Jack replied.

"Oh." Shay said. He then looked out the window of the front door. "What ya do, stuff 'er in ya pocket? She aint hea wit ya." he said jokingly. Jack gave a laugh.

"Naw. We, uh… we had a race back hea. Guess I beat her." Jack said, deciding not to tell him about the incident with the book and the ticket. He knew that if he told Shay about it, Shay would ask questions. Jack didn't want to deal with the reactions to the answers to those questions.

"Oh, ok" Say said raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Yea… so, what I miss while I was gone?" Jack asked quickly changing the subject. Shay shrugged.

"Nuttin really at all. Most'a da newsies went back ta sleep. No one really woke up wit da second storm 'cept me. Dey all really tired I guess"

"Oh."

"Yep. I was up lookin fa someone else dat was up also, an saw dat yous wasn't der. Seein dat ise had nuttin ta do, ise thought I'd go an look fa ya." Shay said. "Anyway, ise goin out fa a smoke. Ya wanna come?" Jack shook his head.

"Naw, I'm soaked. I'm gonna go change an see if I can get any sleep in." he said. Shay nodded and then walked outside onto the porch of the lodge.

To Jack's surprise as he walked up the old wooden staircase to the bunkroom, his ears were not met by the familiar hum of voices. Shay was right. Although the rain deafeningly pounded atop the roof above them, the newsies were still asleep. Jack gave a laugh at the sound-sleepers and headed over to his bunk. He grabbed a clean set of clothing from his dresser, and walked into the washroom. He went into a stall and changed out of his dripping wet clothes. He walked out and made his way over to the sinks and placed his wet clothes over the side of one for them to dry off. As he put his pants over the side, he reached into the pocket and pulled out his train ticket. He gave a sigh of relief, seeing that the water didn't damage it too badly. Although it was damp, he could still make out what it said.

He took the ticket and walked to the back of the washroom. He looked back into the bunkroom, making sure that no one was awake. Seeing that nobody was, Jack reached between the wall and the end sink and brought out a rusty tin box. He sat down on the ground with his back to the wall and opened up the tin. He lightly put the top on the ground. It made a slight noise, so he shot his head up to see if it had woken up anyone. The coast was once again clear, so he turned his gaze back to the box. He pulled out a tattered piece of paper and unfolded it. It was a letter. He read it over the best that he could in the darkness. He had gotten the letter a month ago. It had been mailed to the lodge house. That morning, when Kloppman announced that someone had gotten a letter, everyone shot awake. No newsie in the lodge ever got mail. That's mainly because most people the newsies knew didn't know how to write, and those who did would never have a reason to write to one of them. Kloppman made his way around the room, taunting the newsies with the letter, each curious as who it was for. He finally stepped up to Jack's bed. "To Mr. Jack Kelly," Kloppman had read off the letter. He then looked at Jack and handed it to him. Immediately, Jack was swarmed by all the newsies. Before anyone else could see it, Jack read the return address. His eyes widened slightly in worry. It was from the state prison. There was only one person that Jack knew in the prison. Well, at least one person he thought he knew. Jack hid the letter once the newsies encircled around him, giving them a smirk to cover up his uncertainty and telling them that it was his 'personal business'. He didn't know if he would want the others to know what the letter said, so he decided to open it later, and when he did, he was glad none of the others saw it. The newsies soon lost interest in it over the days, so it didn't matter that Jack never told them.

Jack gave an uncertain sigh at the letter and folded it back up. He then placed it back in the box, along with the train ticket, and then put the lid back on. He got up from the ground and placed the box back in its hiding place. As he stood back up, he looked into the mirror above the sink and jumped as he saw the reflection of someone standing behind him. He quickly turned around and faced a frizzy-haired, red-headed newsie.

"What da hell ya doin, Lo, tryin ta give me a heart attack?" Jack asked the curious Irish girl standing in front of him. She raised an eyebrow.

"No. I was thirsty, so I got up to get a drink. Is that such a crime?" Logic asked, jokingly putting her hands on her hips.

"As of now, yes!" Jack said sarcastically, still a little startled. Lo gave a laugh.

"Anyway, what were ya doin on the ground?" she asked, tilting her head to see if she could see anything between the wall and the sink where Jack was just getting up from. Jack stood in front of it, blocking Logic's view.

"I was killing a spider!" he answered a little too quickly. Logic raised an eyebrow, but then shrugged it off. Had she not been so tired, she probably would have asked more questions.

"Alright, well, I'll let you bet back to your… spider…" Logic said with a yawn. She then decided that she was more tired than thirsty, so she headed off to her bunk and fell back asleep.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as she walked away. He looked back to his at his hiding place, making sure that there was no trace that there was anything there. He nodded in approval and decided to retire to his bed for the night.

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Hmmm… Jack Kelly… hiding something, are you? Haha, ok well I hope you liked it! R&R please!