I woke up, but my eyes were closed, and I couldn�t open them. Geeze, my head throbbed. Where was I? Slowly I became aware of my surroundings. The air felt moist, but warm, and I felt a heavy corse blanket on top of me. I was laying on a wooden bench, but my head was on a pillow. Then I thought I must have been listening to my discman, because I heard a boy singing,

�When I dream, on my own, I�m alone, but I ain�t lonely.� It was beautiful. Then he sang �All I need is a few more dollars, and again I�ll never roam, dreams come true, yes they do, in New York, my home.�

I mumered �That�s not how it goes.�

�Yer Alive!!� He stopped sining and I felt my head move. My eyes opened, and I was staring up at the face of Christian Bale, or I guess it must have been Jack Kelly. I was laying on his lap. OHMYGAW! The first thing I thought was what I would tell all my obbsessive newsies friends, like Jinx, Sparky, Mako, Water-bug, Hattie, Bee, Tuesday, Shadow, and all the others.

�Jack? Jack Kelly?� He grinned.

�I guess ya hoyd a� me, huh?� I nodded. �You must be frum around heah� den.�

He helped me to sit up slowly. �Actually, I�m from California.�

�Oh.� He looked at me strangely. �Dere ain�t too many ladies frum out dere. Dat explains yer outfit. Youse a dance hall goil, aintcha?� I took the blanket off of my legs and saw that I was wearing short jean shorts, a spaghetti strap tank top, amd red low top converse sneakers. �Yer wearing yer unda�wea�.�

�This is what all my friends wear.� He nodded, giving me fake empathy.

�I won�t think none less a� you. But until I get ya� back on da train, yer gonna need to wear some real clothes.�

�What makes you think I want to get back on the train?�

�I just figured dat youse stuck heah�, and wanna go back ta� ya home.�

I thought about how my family had just started a four week road trip, and I was not looking forward to sitting in the back seat with my little brother. �I am not going home yet, if ever. I want to stay with you.� Jack shrugged his shoulders.

�Ya still need some clothes.� He stood and offered me his arm, which I strated to take,until I heard a beeping sound.

�Whut wuz dat?�

�Uh,� I grinned guiltily. �Have you seen my purse?�

�Oh, dat blue t�ing? Yeah, it�s unda� da bench heah,� he answered, confused out of his mind.

I picked it up and pulled out my Giga Pet. �OhMyGAW!!� I started pushing the buttons. �Yoda�s food was down to zero!!� Jack gave me a very puzzeled look.

�What�s dat,- uh- Oh shoot! I don�t even know yer name!� I breathed a sigh of relief that he changed the subject. Now I won�t have to explain technology, I thought as I switched off the sound and stuck it in my purse.

�My name is Cassie, but all my friends call me ShoeGoil, or Shoe for short, because I like shoes, and I have nice shoes! (Authors note: *tee hee!!*)

�You do.� he said, looking at my feet. I grinned. �Hey, you an� me pal, Mush would get along real well. I sure do miss those guys...� He looked embarressed, so he cleared his throat. �My name�s Jack Kelly, like ya� know fer some reason, but all me pals call me Cowboy, cuz I always wanted ta� come ta� Santa Fe and be a real cowboy.�

�Are you a real cowboy now?� I asked, hoping he was, because he that is what he had wanted so bad in the movie.

�Nah.�

�Why not?� This was a shock to me.

�I didn�t have da� money. I used all me money saved frum sellin� papes ta� buy a train ticket ta� get here. So when I did get hea�, I din�t have no money. I�s been woykin� at dis hea� train station eva� since dey built it last yea�, and when I gets enough money, I�s goin� back to New Yawk, where me friends are.�

�And your girl?�

�Don�t have no goil. Not no more. I did, but when I tole her I was goin� to Santa Fe, she said she couldn�t go wit me. She�s wit �er folks now, I bet.�

�Do you still love her?� I asked, hoping he did, cuz at least in the movie it was very obbvious that she loved him.

�Yeah.� He shook his, head and laughed. �We stood up to go ta� get ya� some clothes, but we�s still standin� hea�. Let�s go.

�Jack, we can�t use your money to buy me clothes! You�re saving up to go to New York.�

�Aw, don�t werry �bout it. What�s a buck here an� there, anyways?� He bent his arm and offered it to me, and this time I took it, with my purse in my other hand.

Read Part 3

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