Blitz: A Newsies Story

Chapter 8: Believe It

((Hey fansies! As promised, here's the next chapter! Please comment and vote if you like it! Enjoy! -Wolf))

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Chapter 8: Believe It

"You have a boy who calls himself, Jack Kelly?" a strange voice asked, "I wish to speak with him."

I looked up from Race, Blink and I's poker game and nearly screamed when I saw the man standing at the counter, talking to Kloppman. It was Warden Snyder. He still had a nasty bruise from when I had knocked him out. My eyes were wide as I made eye-contact with Race, silently conveying the problem. Race nodded and was on his feet in a moment, beckoning several boys over. Soon, a wall made out of Race, Specs, Skittery, Mush, and Snipershooter had formed around me, obscuring me from Snyder's view.

"Jack Kelly," mused Kloppman. After a moment of thought, he lied, saying, "Never heard of him." He turned to face us. "Any a you boys ever heard a Jack Kelly?" he called.

The boys all shook their heads. "That's an unusual name for these parts," Specs said, giving Snyder a fake smile. At that moment, I saw Jack enter the room out of the corner of my eye, so I quickly poked Boots and pointed him out.

"Oh, you mean Jack Kelly!" said Race quickly before Snyder could see Jack. Boots and Bumlets pulled Jack away from Snyder, hiding him from sight.

"Yeah, he was here," said Race, which earned him some wide-eyed looks from the boys and I. "But," said Race, saving himself, "He put an egg in his shoe and... beat it!" he finished with a snicker, sticking his cigar in his mouth and smirking at Snyder.

"I have reason to believe that he is an escaped prisoner, possibly dangerous," said Snyder, not noticing as Jack left Boots and Bumlets and snuck around behind his back.

"Oh, dangerous?" Kloppman repeated, shocked.

Behind Snyder, Jack pretended to look shocked. "Me, dangerous?" he mouthed.

"Well, I better look in my files," Kloppman said, and then began to look through his massive record-keeping book. Jack ducked behind my newsie-wall, and the boys quickly held up some of the strike posters they had been making, hiding us further as Snyder turned towards us.

"Give to the newsies strike fund, mister?" asked Race, holding out a hand.

Snyder glared at him for a moment, but then gave him a fake smile and held out a nickel.

Once Snyder was finally gone, Jack and I emerged from behind the boys.

"That was too close foah comfort," I grumbled as I sat back down on the floor where we had been playing poker. Race nodded, but then smirked, and said, "Hafta say though, I think I jus did some pretty fine actin' don't you?"

I rolled my eyes at him, punching him lightly in the shoulder, and said, "Oh yeah, Racer, mighty fine."

He grumbled something about not needing my sass, and then him, Blink, and I resumed our poker game, which Race then won, though I wasn't very far behind. Once the game was over, Race looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, and then asked, "You wanna go foah a walk with me, Blitz?"

I raised my eyebrows, surprised by his offer. "Ooooooh," Blink snickered, getting to his feet, winking at me, and then leaving the two of us alone. I looked at Race for a moment, considering it. "Why not. I could use a minute away from all a these idiots," I then said with a grin, indicating the boys all around us.

Race laughed, and then, grinning, he offered me a hand, which I took, and he pulled me to my feet.

Race and I walked, arm in arm, down the street, and soon, we had left the lodging house far behind.

"So, Blitz, how do ya like bein' a Newsie?" Race asked me.

I shrugged. "I don' really know, but that's cause I haven't had da chance ta be one yet."

Race laughed. "I suppose that's true, but you'se is a part a the family now, so whether you've sold papes or not, that makes you a newsie."

I smiled at him, and then said, "Well, if that makes me a newsie, then I like it very much, Racetrack."

Race blushed slightly as I said his name. He then surprised me by asking, "What do you think a Spot?"

"Spot?" I repeated.

"Spot Conlon," said Race with a nod, watching me carefully.

I laughed quietly. "Spot's a good guy," I said, "Why?"

Race shrugged, blushing fiercely now. "I was just wonderin', cause you two seemed close all of a sudden. I mean, ya just met the kid and you're best buds now."

I raised my eyebrows. "I just met you a few days ago too, Race," I said slowly, "And Spot is just a good friend, I guess."

"You're sure?" Race questioned, "And you've never met 'im before or nothin'?"

I bit the inside of my lip, not wanting to lie to him, so I avoided the question. "What, are you jealous?" I said, a smirk forming on my face.

"Well, I, um," Race stammered, avoiding my eyes and suddenly becoming very interested in his shoes.

I laughed. "Well, Race, you don't have ta worry 'bout Spot one bit."

Race looked up, his eyes brightening. "No?" he questioned.

I laughed. "Not at all. Mush though, that's a different story."

Race rolled his eyes. "I could beat the ladies man, any day," he declared.

"Sure thing, tough guy," I said with a grin, "But Mush really ain't my type, so no worries."

Race let out a sigh of relief, and then he froze. He then began to tug on my arm, pulling me back the way we had come.

"What is it?" I questioned, glancing over my shoulder and seeing what he saw.

"Oh," was all I said as we began to speed walk away.

"Well, well, well. Hey there, sweet face! Long time no see!" Race and I froze as the Delancey brothers came up behind us.

"Run along, boys," I growled, eyeing them warily as I turned to face them, pulling my arm from Race's.

Oscar and Morris exchanged a look. "What, are we interruptin' ya date?" asked Oscar, smirking.

I glared at him. "Doesn't matter. What matter's is that ya interruptin', and I don't like it. Scram."

Morris laughed. "Come on, sweet face. Would you really pick those dirty street rats when you could have us?"

I scoffed. "Yeah, any day," I snarled.

Oscar and Morris glared at me, and then turned to Race. "You actually like this kid?" asked Oscar, knocking Race's hat off his head.

I picked it up, dusted it off, and then held it out to Race, who accepted it gratefully. "Yeah, a hell of a lot more than you two goons," I told them, giving them a deadly smile.

"I don't believe that," said Oscar, taking a step towards me.

Without thinking, I spun around, grabbed Race, and kissed him. He stiffened in surprise, but then kissed me back. When I pulled away, I spun around to face a shocked Morris and Oscar.

"Believe it now?" I snarled, and then I grabbed Race by the arm and pulled him away in the direction of the lodging house, feeling the Delancey's burning gazes on my back the entire time.

((What do you guys think? Hope you enjoyed it! Please comment and vote if you guys liked it! Stay beautiful! -Wolf))