~~/~@

~~/~@

Jack awoke to the laughing and yelling of his friends as they entered the bunk room.

"Oh, hey shh!! Jack's sleeping." He heard Race tell them all. He sat up.

"Naw, I'm up now." He mumbled.

"Well, I guess this explains why you weren't at Tibby's today." David said.

"Yeah, I just felt really tired after selling." Jack lied.

"That's not like you. You still feeling the effects of being sick?" David asked.

"Yeah... that must be it."

Kid Blink, Race, and Mush all looked at Jack when he said that. They wondered if it had something to do with him being sick or if it was just an excuse for being tired.

"Well, we were going to go to Medda's tonight. You coming?" David asked.

"Yeah, sure. What time is it?" Jack asked.

"6:30." Race answered.

"Alright then. I'm ready." Jack jumped off his bunk. He held onto the bedpost as a small dizzy spell came and left without notice from anyone else except Race, who glanced at him with concern.

He gave Race a look that said 'I'm fine.'

"Come on. Let's go." Skittery sid impatiently.

~~/~@

The newsies all took up the first couple of rows at Medda's. They were all talking before the show, when Jack thought he heard someone call his name. The other newsies heard it too. Then Jack saw the girl who yelled it. And he saw her meet with the Kelli girl from earlier that day.

"It's not me." Jack informed the other newsies.

"OH, Jack! Hi!" He turned back again to see Kelli and the other girl coming towards him. He groaned inwardly to himself.

"You know her?" Mush asked Jack.

"Kinda..." Jack shrugged, "Hey Kelli." He greeted her.

"I see you're feeling better." Kelli said sincerely.

"Feeling better?" David asked.

"Yeah, I was walking home when I saw him fall to his knees just like that. I ran over and he was really out of it. Almost unconscious but not quite. I watche dover him on the sidewalk until he came around again. Then I walked him home to that lodging house." SHe told the other newsies.

Jack blushed furiously as the other newsies looked at him. "Wait, you... you didn't want them to know? I'm sorry?" Kelli apologized.

"No... Hey, it's ok." Jack reassured her.

"Ok. Oh.. this is my friend, Laura." Kelli introduced her friend.

"Hey, Laura." Jack smiled kindly at her.

"Hey, why don't you two girls sit with us... since you helped out Jack and all." Racetrack offered. Jack glared at him and Race raised his eyebrow in return.

"Um... OK." Laura answered. Kelli and Laura sat own next to the boys. Racetrack turned to Kelli and started talking to her.

"Um, how bad was Jack earlier when you helped him?"

"Well, it was kinda scary. I've never seen anyone like that... it just came so suddenly. ANd nobody else on the street seemed to care." Kelli told him.

"Ok... Guess I'll have to talk with him tonight." Race said. On the other side of Kelli, Mush was trying to have a conversation with Laura.

"So, Laura... I haven't seen you around the city befoe. You new to town?" Mush asked.

"No." Laura answered simply.

"So, where are you all day then?"

"School."

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"Nope."

"Oh... ok." Mush turned away quietly as the lights dimmed and the show began.

~~/~@

Thanks to all these reviewers!!

Shimmerwings- Thanks for the suggestion, but I've never written slash before and I don't think I ever could.

SparksdaNewsie- You DEMAND more? OK fine... here ya go.

SpottedOne- *HUGS* thank you.

Crunch- Thanks, I will keep up the writing.

Crazer1899- *HUGS* You're welcome and thank you very much.