SOMEONE LIKE YOU ; jack kelly

SIX

vi. SOMETHING TO FINALLY BELIEVE IN

MARGARET STILL PLANNED TO GO TO THE RALLY, SHE OWED IT TO THOSE BOYS. whether jack hated her or not, she would still show up for him. it's what happened at the rally that surprised her. she hadn't figured that they boy would take the plea deal and turn his back on the newsies. it hurt her to see it, she thought he'd deny the money, but also she knew he had no choice. it was either that or go to the refuge and bring every one of his friends down with him.

still the girl cared for the boy, she had spoken to specs, he was disappointed, but he was the least upset of the boys. "he sleeps up on the roof. i can take you up there. just gotta go out the window and onto the fire escape. climb up there. come on," specs said, leading the way for the girl. margaret nodded, "i'm sorry, specs. for any harm that i've caused. i swear, i meant none of it." "don't worry about it... just try and talk to him. i think he's got a thing for ya." this made margaret sadly smile, she hardly doubted that he still did after what she had done to him, still she wanted to show him how sorry she was. so she waited for him on the rooftop. she had been looking around, her eyes catching something rolled up and sticking out of an air vent pipe. she took them and started looking through them, they were drawings. she stared horrified at what she was looking at, she couldn't believe it.

she noticed the tall boy coming up the ladder. "that was some speech you made," she had said, catching his attention. "how'd you get up here?" he bitterly asked, walking toward the girl. "specs showed me-" the boy snatched the papers out of the girl's hand, "what and he said you could go through my stuff?" all but one drawing was taken from the girl. "i just saw them rolled up, sticking out of there. i didn't know what they were... these are drawings of the refuge, aren't they? is this really what it's like in there? three boys to a bed, rats everywhere, and vermin?" "a little different from where you were raised," jack asked, rolling his drawings back up. the girl lowered her head, "synder told my father that you were arrested stealing food and clothing. this is why, isn't it? you stole food to fed those boys and clothes for them, didn't you?" jack turned away, embarrassed as they girl continued. "i-i don't understand if you were willing to go to jail for those boys, how could you turn your back on them now?"

jack whipped around towards the girl, glaring at her as he pointed his finger at her, "i don't think you're one to talk about turning on folks!" "i never turned on you or anyone else!" and she was right. she would never do that. "no. you just double crossed us to ya father. ya father!" jack snapped. his height was slightly intimidating to the girl, but she could easily handle it. "my father has eyes on every street corner! he doesn't need me spying for him. i never lied to you, jack. i didn't tell you everything..." "if you weren't a girl, you'd be tryin' ta talk with a fist in ya mouth," the boy angerly said, shaking his head. margaret looked up at the boy, "i said i worked for the tribune and i did. i told you that my professional name was plumber and that i shared it with my sister. you never asked for my real name." "i didn't think i had to unless i knew i was dealing with a backstabber!" "and if i were a boy, you'd be looking at me through one swollen eye!" margaret held up her fist, placing it under the boy's chin. she was starting to get angry at the boy, she didn't want to be, but she was.

jack took her hand, holding it to his chin, "don't let that stop ya, huh, give me ya best shot!" margaret stared up at the boy for a moment before she grabbed his face and pulled him down for a kiss. it was long and agressive, both their anger dissolving in the moment. they part ways, staying silent as they looked at each other. jack leaned in for another kiss, but margaret ducked down slightly. "i need to know that you didn't just cave for the money." her words were soft and quiet, she wanted to kiss him again, but she needed to know why jack did what he did. "i spoke the truth. you win a fight when you got the other fella down eatin' pavement. you heard your father. no matter how many days we strike, he ain't givin' up. i don't know what else we can do..." the boy got quiet, but margaret smiled. "but i do!" jack began to say something, but the girl cut him off, "really, jack? only you can have a good idea? or is it because i'm a girl?" "i didn't say nothin'..." "right now would be a good time to shut up. being boss doesn't mean you have all the answers just the brains to recognize a good one when you hear it."

she gave jack a soft, small smile. he nodded, "i'm listening." "good for you. the strike was your idea, the rally was davey. my plan will take us to the finish line. katherine, my sister, helped me with it once i stopped crying. i think her and i make a pretty good team even with being blacklisted." she smiled proudly as she held the paper up to jack's face. he read over it, "the children's crusade?" margaret snatched the paper back, reading more of her and katherine's handy work. "the children's crusade?" jack asked again, unsure. margaret turned to face him, "think, jack, if we publish this- katherine and my words with one of your drawings! and if every worker under twenty-one read it and stayed home from work. better yet! came to newsies square, a general city-wide strike! i mean, even my father couldn't ignore that," she said as she smiled widely. she'd love to see the look on her father's face. "only one small problem, we got no way of printing it." "come on, there has to be one printing press he doesn't control. we just need to... think..."

jack groaned, "oh no." "what?" margaret asked, looking at jack. the boy looked back at her, "i know where there's a printing press no one would ever think we'd use!" "then what are we waiting for!" margaret tapped the boy's shoulder with her hands in an excited manner. jack stopped the girl just as she began to climb down the rooftop, "wait, stop. what's this about for you? i don't mean the children's crusade. what's this about? am i kiddin' myself or is there something?" he asked as he gestured between him and her. margaret smiled as she climbed back onto the rooftop, "of course there's something." "well, don't say it like it happens everyday! i'm not an idiot, margaret. and i don't want you promisin' nothin' you gonna take back later. but standing here tonight... lookin' at you... i'm scared that tomorrow's gonna come and change everything," jack ranted, letting his feelings be known to the girl.

margaret smiled softly as she walked to the boy, "you snuck up on me, jack kelly. i didn't even see it coming." "for sure?" the boy asked, staring down at the girl. margaret nodded, staring up at the boy, "for sure," she softly said. she turned away, looking at the sky. "till the moment i found you, i thought i knew what love was. now i'm learning what is true. that love will do what it does. the world finds ways to sting you and then one day decides to bring you something to believe in for even a night. one night may be forever, but that's alright. tha's alright. and if you're gone tomorrow, what was ours still will be. i have something to believe in, now that i know you believed in me." "we was never meant to meet and then we meet. who knows why? one more stranger on the street, just someone sweet passin' by. an angel come to save me, who didn't even know she gave me something to believe in even for a day. one day may be forever but that's okay. that's okay. and if i'm gone tomorrow what was ours still will be. i have something to believe in, now that i know you believed in me."

margaret looked up at jack and jack looked down at margaret. both teens had a soft, small smile on their faces as they looked into each other's eyes. they kissed again, just as long as the first kiss, but this time it was gentle and sweet. jack pulled away, shaking his head, "if things were different..." "you mean if you weren't going to santa fe?" "and if you weren't an heiress. if ya father wasn't after my head!" "you're not really scared of my father," margaret stated, raising a brow to the boy. jack shook his head as he placed his hands on margaret's waist, "no, but i am pretty scared of you!" "don't be," she softly said, closing what little distance was between the pair. jack smiled as he stared down at the girl, "and if i"m gone tomorrow?" "what was ours still will be," margaret said, looking up at the boy with soft eyes. the close and in the moonlight, she could see the slight heterochromia in his one eye, the small hint of brown in his blue eyes was beautiful. his eyes were just beautiful. "i have something to believe in," jack mumbled, smiling. margaret smiled back, "now that i know you believed in me." the pair shared another kiss, this one longer than the first two and it wasn't as gentle as the second one, but just as hungry as the first one. margaret pulled away, "we should go tell davey and the others about the plan! we need all their help. i can get katherine, darcy and bill to help too! let's go!"

the excitement from the girl was the cutest thing jack had seen from her. it was like she cared more about the strike than anyone else. like it was the most important thing to her. her hand tugged on the boy's had, pulling him towards the ladder. they had a whole night of work ahead of them.