I woke up to the usual screams and shouts from the other newsies. I got ready by washing my face and getting dressed. I hurried outside to buy the one-hundred newspaper I always bought.
"Hey Faith." I heard.
I turned and saw Racetrack.
"Hi Race. How goes it?"
"You know the usual. Hows your income been?"
"So so. It's been hard to sell lately, but its fine."
"Why don't you let me pay today?"
"No Race I couldn't."
"Oh come on! Just this once."
"I'll pay you back."
"No need to pay me back. It's on me okay?" He flashed me a grin.
"Alright fine, I give in!"
Race bought me the hundred papers.
"Thank you Racetrack." I said.
"No problem and don't bother paying me back. I'm ok."
I walked to my selling spot and started papers.
"Man dead in Richmond! Possible murder!" I yelled.
The headline did me well. It wasn't long until I had one paper left.
"Faith! Faith!" I heard someone scream.
I turned around to see West. What was he doing here?
"West is something wrong?" I asked nervously.
"Spot's walking on his own!"
A smile spread across my face. West and I ran to Brooklyn. We hurried to the boarding house where Spot was standing in front. I ran to him and wrapped him in my arms.
"I got better. I told you so." He whispered.
I laughed a little.
"I'm so proud of you!" I said.
I stuffed my hand into my pocket.
"Keep the change. I got papers to sell." He said.
"And here's your first one." I handed him the one paper I didn't sell. He smiled a smile I hadn't seen in a while. I hadn't seen that one since he was hurt. He kissed me. Holding me close.
"I love you." He said.
"I love you too."
"Alright come on guys we have papers to sell!" West shouted jokingly.
We laughed.
"Walk with me?" Spot asked.
"Sure." I answered.
The next day was like any other day (before the whole steel thing happened). I was standing outside on the fire escape.
"Hey Faith can I ask you something?" Jack asked me as he crawled onto the fire escape.
"Sure anything." I said.
"We're having a poker game tonight. I wanted to know if you could ask Spot for me."
I started laughing.
"What is it?" Jack asked.
"Oh it's nothing."
"Will you ask him?"
"How can I say no to you?"