Okay so: I dont have any good excuse for waiting this long to update but I promise you I WAS WRITING. I had a whole other chapter and a half written after the point that this chapter ends. Unfortunately it is gone for some reason and I can't find it anywhere so it may just have to be rewritten. Thankyou for your patience, here's chapter seven.

CHAPTER 7

Zoey was thinking that maybe she shouldn't have yelled at Spot. The Brooklyn newsie boys were just as silent when she left as they had been when she arrived. She was pretty sure she heard a loud, angry shout and a thumping sound come from above just as she opened the door to outside. It was probably about five o'clock, and her stomach growling grotesquely reminded her exactly how long it had been since she ate.

She was relieved that it wasn't her feelings that felt bad about dumping on Spot but instead just her hunger and sense of self preservation. She didn't have money, not anything that she could use anyways. That thought lit a spark inside her. Her bag. Everything she owned was still inside the boarding house. This was the last straw for her, for a reason unknown Zoey's heart filled with irrational anger and annoyance.

Zoey turned around, stood tall, and stormed down the street, making her way back to the lodging house. She didn't knock as she burst through the doors. She briefly noticed several boys drop their jaws in the middle of conversation, but she walked on by. One boy about Long-legs' height moved as if to stop her from going upstairs, but one hard look sent him back into his seat.

She made her way to the smallest bunk room and grabbed her knapsack, and phone charger (useless as it was) and spun on her heel making sure she hadn't missed anything. But of course… she had. As soon as she realized it was missing she remembered exactly where it was. Zoey's footsteps echoed off the thin walls. Last night when she was woken up and moved she had grabbed a teenager's most precious item without even thinking about it.

Zoey reached the nasty green door and decided it would be best to act as she had been for the past five minutes. She all but threw open the door, and walked into the bedroom as if it were her own. Zoey didn't know it but words were already on her lips as she stood with her hands on her hips and chin held high.

"Where's my phone?"

Spot's mouth was curled into a small sneer, though surprise still marred most of his face. "You're what?"

Zoey looked past him and to his right, seeing her shiny purple a white phone case on the window sill. "Never mind." She took a few steps and snatched her phone, her mood lightening considerably.

"Don't you have some Harlem boys to be makin' eyes at?" Spot taunted from behind her.

"None of your business Mr. Mob Boss."

She spun on her heel and left the way she came, walking tall and steady. Zoey doubted whether she would even be scared to run into one of the Harlem boys that had tried to mug her last night. The boys were done eating an early dinner, and Zoey saw a thick piece of bread and a couple apples that must have been left over. She snatched both up, knowing none of the boys would talk to her even if they objected.

Zoey ate as she walked, listening happily as her phone and other modern objects clanked every so often on the small bottle of whiskey she had packed to go to Clarice's. She didn't open it though, no matter how strong the urge. She was a lot of things, but she wasn't a day drinker. Yet. It was only when she made it maybe a mile's walk away from the lodging house that her moneyless position bothered her.

She mindlessly twisted the ring around her finger then caught herself staring at it. It could be worth… Zoey shook her head. No. If they could survive on their own she could too.

"And the girl is conflicted," a drawling voice spoke from her left. Zoey rolled her eyes.

"I'm not," she said. "Because I still don't want to hang around losers- that list just so happens yourself and Spot as well, now." She turned around, unsurprised to see the boy that Spot had deemed from 'Harlem'. "What do you want?"

"Just a nice conversation with a pretty lady."

"Because those are so hard to find in these parts."

"Well these ain't my parts," he said, looking down at her with hard eyes. "So actually, it is."

Zoey stared back, through with being intimidated by average scum. "Not my problem."

"But it could be."

"You know…" drawled Zoey, matching the newsie's attitude, "Harlem isn't even an actual borough." She rested her weight against the brick wall beside her casually. "Shouldn't you basically belong to Manhattan?"

The boy gritted his teeth slightly in what Zoey guessed to be annoyance. "You should watch who you speak to that way. Not all Harlem boys are as nice as I am."

As if she didn't know, she was born and bred New Yorker, and it seemed like things weren't all that different in the past from the present. People thinking they were badass simply because of where they live.

She mock saluted the nameless boy and began walking in her original direction. She had a feeling he wouldn't try to stop her, and she was right. Zoey glanced slightly behind her and he was gone.

She didn't know how long it was before she finally got to the Manhattan lodging house, but her hands were chilled and her feet hurt. A warm glow could be seen through the windows, conversation and laughter drifting out into the street. For the first time since she had been interrupted by the rogue newsboy, Zoey paused. She had no idea if she'd be able to stay here. She recalled that only a day or so ago the lodge house had been completely full.

Either way she had nowhere else to go, so Zoey took a deep breath and opened the door. Immediately an object bumped into her, causing her to almost fall down and close her eyes reflexively. She felt a hand on either of her shoulders, holding her steady. Part of her brain rose in excitement at the thought of the person being Skittery.

When Zoey opened her eyes though, it was the smiling gaze of Christian Bale, Jack Kelly- staring back at her. She gave a grateful smile in return, allowing him to step back while leading her into the room where all of the boys she had seen the other night chatted.

"What brings you ta this neighborhood?" Jack asked in a friendly manner, looking behind her as if he was expecting Spot and his crew to be there as well. "What's Spot up to? I didn't know we were having a party tonight."

Zoey rubbed her arm nervously. "We're not, at least he's not- well, maybe he is. But not here! I mean…" She shook her head. She could do this. It can't be that hard to talk to someone, and Jack sounded like a reasonable person. She took a deep breath and said, "Spot doesn't know I'm here."

Jack's eyes widened then narrowed and his eyebrows scrunched together a bit as he seemed to realize what was going on.

"Do you think… I could stay here?" Zoey asked, wary of her words. She knew the head of Brooklyn and the head of Manhattan were close friends- or at the very least, close colleagues.

Jack sighed, but a small smile was present on his face. "Yeah, youse can stay here. What'd that big dummy do now, then?" His eyes held laughter as he swung an arm around her shoulders and steered her towards a small group of the guys.

Skittery gave her a shy smile when he caught sight of her, Boots and Race greeted her loudly while others waved. Zoey could feel the warmth of the room and couldn't help but let her face break into a wide smile.

"Does Spot-o know youse is here?" Race asked. "I thought we wasn't getting together until next week."

"Spot could care less where I am right now. He probably thinks I'm in Harlem," she said, trying not to let bitterness deep into her voice.

"Why would he think that?" Jack leant against the railing of one bunk bed. Despite his casual stance, she saw him stiffen unconsciously when the rogue area was mentioned.

Zoey rubbed her arm a bit ashamedly, and mumbled, " 'Cause I told him that's where I was goin'."

"And he jus' let youse walk away?!" Race shouted, causing her to jump. Many of the boys were grumbling now, whether because she had lied to Spot on her whereabouts, or the fact Spot had let her leave.

She nodded and ducked her head by way of answering. Then the room exploded into uproar.

"No good, lousy ass-" from Skittery.

"Dangerous,"

"Harlem Jack! Cowboy can you believe-"

"Ah-right, Ah-rights, Calm down all of you's!" Jack shouted over the sudden clamor. He took a deep breath and addressed the whole crowd, but only looked at Zoey. "I'll figure out the details in da morning, after we sell our papes. Zoey can sleep here tonight, and for as long as it's needed, but 'ventually," he said, nodding to her, "youse gonna have ta pay your own way here."

Zoey shook her head in agreement, she knew the boys worked hard for their lodging.

An awkward silence followed Jack's announcement, and some of the boys looked uncertainly at each other. Zoey shuffled her feet.

"Well," Race spoke with his voice raised and clear. "We've got a new house-mate, and a lady at that!" He winked at Zoey. "This calls for a celebration, eh?!"