Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters from the Disney movie, "Newsies." The only character in this story that I claim ownership over is Shadow.

Hey guys. Sorry I've been a little slow on the updating. All I've had time for in the past few days is studying and sleeping. But just four more finals and I'm done. Anyway, long chapter. Here goes:

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I lingered behind at the restaurant for a little while after the guys left. I wasn't in the mood to walk back to the lodging house with them. I would rather go alone.

The silent walk home gave me time to think. The farther I walked, the more my anger was replaced with guilt. I felt bad for snapping at Kid Blink and the other guys the way I did. They had been nothing but nice to me. And it certainly wasn't their fault that Skittery had ignored me all day and then basically dropped me like a hot potato.

The first thing I did when I got to the bunk room was pull Blink aside. I led him just outside the doorway leading to the stairs. We were still visible to the other newsies, but we weren't able to be heard.

He seemed hesitant to make eye contact with me. At first I couldn't think of the right words, so it was quiet. "You okay, Shadow?" He asked. "You seemed pretty keen on walkin' home alone..."

"Fahget 'bout dat..." I said. "Listen, Blink... I'se real sorry I snapped at ya before. Somethin' came over me 'nd I didn't mean to." His usual smile returned to his face. "It's a'right, Shadow. I jus' didn't want ya to be mad at me or nuttin'." He replied.

I glanced into the bunkroom. Snitch was talking to Skittery about something, keeping his voice down. Although Skittery was listening, his eyes were on me. When I glanced at him he looked away.

I smiled back at Blink and tried to hide the fact that something was still bothering me. "A'course I ain't mad at ya... I just ain't in da best mood right now..." I said, figuring there was no use lying to him.

Surprising me, he pulled me into a big hug. When he moved away, I saw he grinned even wider. "Well, I'se got somethin' that'll cheer you up. Ever hoid of Medda Larkson?" He asked. "Think so. She's got a theater or somethin' near heah, doesn't she?"

Blink nodded. "I'se never been to any of her shows or nuttin, but people 'round heah really seem to like her... why do ya aks?" I replied. "Da guys and I stopped by her theater on da way back heah. Jack's real good friends wit her, 'nd sometimes she holds shows for da newsies. She's gonna have one of dose dis Friday night." Blink said. I shrugged. "Sounds like fun." I replied. "Oh, it is... All da guys love it. I'm sure ya will, too."

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Blink and I learned soon after buying our papes that it was going to be a slow day. Not only were the headlines bad, but it was too hot for people to walk around. Most tried to seek refuge from the heat by staying inside.

We decided it was best if we split up. That way we could each cover two different places. If we stayed together, we would have to split the customers that were scarce as it was. We agreed to meet at Central Park in a few hours once we were both done.

I only bought 30 papers and it still took me forever to sell them. When I finally got rid of the last of them, it was late afternoon. I started heading towards the park.

When I walked through the entrance, it dawned on me that Blink and I had forgotten something. Since we had made the plans around 6:30 AM, we were both still half asleep. We hadn't decided on a specific meeting place within the park. Central Park was huge, which meant he could be anywhere.

I decided I would search around for a while until I came across him. Or at least another newsie who might have seen him.

I eventually came to a group of about 4 or 5 newsies. I couldn't tell who they were yet because I was nearly 20 feet away. They were all sitting on a cluster of huge boulders, balancing on the ones that were flat at the top.

They were all sitting facing the other way, so even as I approached them I couldn't tell who they were. I recognized their voices to be Racetrack, Dutchy, Itey, Snitch, and Mush. Blink wasn't with them.

I walked closer to ask them if maybe they had seen him, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard something.

"Yeah, I sorta feel bad for Shadow..." Itey said. "Why? She said she don't like him. I heard her say it. So what would she care if Skitt's spendin' a lot of time with dat waitress?" Snitch replied.

So that's where he's been... I hadn't talked to him in a couple days. Skittery had been steering clear of the lodging house, only stopping there when he had to sleep. For the rest of the day, he would sell papers and spend his time somewhere else. Now I knew that somewhere else was Tibby's. I thought he had just been trying to avoid me and the guys, but that wasn't it. He was with Grace.

"Speakin' of da waitress..." Racetrack said. "I hoid dat Skitt aksed her to go to Medda's tonight wit him. Looks like he's got a new goil..."

That was all I could bear to hear. I slipped off in the other direction quietly, breaking into a run when they couldn't hear my footsteps anymore. I couldn't understand why overhearing what I did hurt me so much.

My legs were weak and my chest was heaving by the time I was halfway to the lodging house. I saw the statue in the square. The one of some guy named Horace Greeley.

I collapsed near the base of the statue and rested my back against it. The streets were clearing out now that it was near dusk. I pulled my legs up to my chest and rested my folded arms on my knees.

I stayed there long after I caught my breath, trying to clear my mind. I never needed anyone before I came here... I was fine on my own. "I don't need Skittery..." I mumbled, trying to convince myself more than anything. The words sounded like a lie to me.

It was starting to get dark. Medda's show would be starting soon. I knew I should be getting back to the lodging house so I could get ready, but I was unsure if I even wanted to go. Still, Blink seemed so exited when he was telling me about it. I would hate to let him down like that.

I pushed myself up from the ground and headed towards the lodging house.

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The bunk room was buzzing with excitement when I entered. The newsies scrambled around, trying to get ready as quickly as they could.

"Hey, dere ya are, Shadow..." Itey said when I walked through the door. "We'se been lookin' for ya. You'se better hurry 'nd get ready. We'se leavin' in 'bout 20 minutes." Itey told me, completely unaware that I had overheard their conversation at the park.

I quickly washed up and changed. I shook out my hair as much as I could, but it still wouldn't be dry by the time we left. Even though my hair was almost naturally straight with a few light waves, I still liked to wear it up to keep it out of my face. Tonight I was too frustrated to care. I figured I would leave it down for once.

I threw on some clean clothes and went into the bunk room again. Blink was waiting for me next to my bed. "Heya Blink..." I said, sitting down on my bunk.

I stole a glance over at Skittery's bunk. For once he was actually in the bunk room. He was sitting on his bed pulling on his shoes. I looked away before he caught me staring at him.

"Hey... what happened today? I was lookin' all around for ya at Central Park 'nd I couldn't find ya." Blink said. I had completely forgotten about Blink earlier after I heard the guys talking.

"Oh God, Blink... I'm so sorry. I went dere to look for you, but den... um... somethin' happened dat made me a little scatta'-brained." I said honestly. Blink gave me a confused look and sat down next to me. "You'se okay, Shadow?" He asked.

I nodded and shook it off like it was nothing. "Yeah, 'course... I'm fine." I said, smiling at him. I hoped he couldn't see the disappointment behind my smile.

"A'right, good den." He replied, putting his arm lightly around my shoulders. "Uh... Shadow?" He asked, looking down at the floor.

"Mhm?" I reached down and grabbed my shoes that were sitting next to my bed. Blink took his arm off my shoulders. "Well, see... I'se wonderin' if you wanted to go wit me tonight—I mean, you'se gonna be wit me anyway because you'll be wit da guys who will be wit me... but I mean wit me... It don't gotta be a date or nuttin', I mean it can be kinda like a friend thing but—"

"Sure, Blink. That sounds great." I interrupted him, giving him a reason to stop tripping over his words. I finished putting on my shoes and stood up.

Just then, the bunk room door flew open and Race ran in. He was out of breath and his eyes searched around the room frantically.

"Blink! Dere you are!" He exclaimed, running towards him. By now, most of the newsies had quieted down thinking that something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Race?" he asked. Racetrack ignored the question. "Blink, we'se friends, right? Good friends?" He asked, still trying to catch his breath. Blink shrugged. "Yeah, 'course we are."

"I need ya to do me a favor... A huge favor." Racetrack said. Kid Blink sighed. "How much do ya need?" He asked, assuming he needed someone to spot him money for a bet on the races.

Racetrack shook his head. "No, it ain't dat... I need you to take a goil out to Medda's wit ya tonight. As a date." He said. Blink arched his eyebrow at him. "Uh... Race, I'se sorry... I can't." He said.

"Please, Blink! I'se beggin' ya! Just for tonight 'nd you'se never gotta see her again if ya don't wanna. But I hoid she's real pretty, too... please!?"" he asked. "If she's so pretty then you go wit her." Blink reasoned. Racetrack let out a frustrated sigh. "No! I'se already got a date... I met her while sellin' today. I aksed her to come wit me tonight, but she refuses to go witout her best friend, so I told her I'd find a date for her."

"I can't, Race... Jus' tell her you couldn't find a date for her friend. I'se sure she'll understand. " Blink suggested. "She won't understand! If her best friend doesn't go, den she won't go! I don't get why she's bein' like dat... women are real strange..." Racetrack said, scratching his head. "Watch it, Higgins..." I said, crossing my arms.

He looked up at me, noticing I was next to Blink the whole time. "Oh... Sorry Shadow. Didn't mean you. But please, Blink! I really like dis goil! Why can't ya jus' go wit her friend?" he begged.

"I'se goin' wit Shadow..." Blink said, motioning to me by tilting his head in my direction. "But Blink!! I—woah, really? You 'nd Shadow?" Race said, completely forgetting about the dilemma he was in.

"Yeah, me 'nd Shadow." Blink said, crossing his arms. "Dat so hard to believe?" Racetrack put his hands up in defense. "Nah, I jus'... Didn't expect it." Judging by the other guys' looks, they didn't expect it either. They had been watching us with shocked expressions. None of them moved. Except Skittery. He stood up from his bed and walked out of bunk room without saying a word to any of us.

Racetrack watched Skittery leave and turned to the newsies for an answer, but they just all shrugged. Racetrack shook his head and rolled his eyes. "A'right... Which one of ya bums don't got a date tonight?" he asked them.

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Thanks for reading, and please review if you can.

ktkakes, ImaSupernaturalCSI, -BeeVee-THEEAmazing: Thanks for the reviews, you guys. You're the greatest :D

Oh! And the 2007 Newsies Rally in NYC is July 27-28. The girl organizing it would like everyone who's coming to RSVP soon, so if you guys want the information tell me and I'd be more than happy to send you the link.