Wanting to find out what was going on Feister carefully, quietly, and slowly crept closer. She ducked behind some people that were walking by; luckily they paid no mind to her. Then she ducked behind a bush before peeking over the green leaves and brown twigs. She was at a distance where they couldn't see her, but that also meant she couldn't hear what they were talking about. Which meant that she could only hear snippets of their conversation.

"...why are...all the time..."

"...that's cause...I... "

"...what's wrong..... ...."

"...nothin'........friend...."

"...well.... that..."

In that moment Feister felt her heart drop, her blood ran cold; she went numb as she felt her face grow red hot. Not sure if she was sad, mad, or shocked, all she knew that she didn't like what she was seeing.

She wanted to leave, but she couldn't feel her feet, which felt like they were glued to the ground. Because this girl that she didn't know, or has even met, was kissing Mush. as in her best friend. With every second Feister grew more and more angry. Because the kiss lasted a long time.

When they finally let go she let out a sigh of relief. Then Feister saw Mush brush away the girl's hair and kiss her again. At that point Feister had seen and heard enough. She got up from her hiding spot and ran off while trying to hold back her tears. She ran down the street, pushing past people who didn't pay any attention to her.

She didn't know where she was going; all she knew is that she wanted to get as far away from the park, and her so called best friend, and his girl. She ran into a small alley, pushed her back up against the brick wall and then slowly fell to the ground while hugging her knees to her chest as she rested her face on her knees.

She sat there alone in the alley while a million things ran through her mind. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go back to The Lodging House and face him, and all the others.

"Feister?" a small, quiet, voice asked. "What's wrong?" he kneeled down beside her, trying to get her to look up. "Did the Delanceys do somethin'?" he checked her over for injuries. Luckily she was in one piece.

"Go away, Jojo," Feister replied. She felt Jojo slip his hands under her arms to pull her up. She almost plopped back down, but he caught her in time, then held the upper sides of her arms.

"What happened?" he asked again while scanning her face for a clue. But her face was blank and her eyes were empty.

"I said nothin'! So just leave it!" she yelled before running off. All she wanted was to be left alone, but by the looks of things that wasn't going to happen.

"Hey wait up," he yelled, running after her. But he lost sight of her in the busy streets of New York City. Feister was really fast, and with her height it would be even harder to find her. Jojo just hoped that she went where he thought she did, otherwise he'd be in hot water.

───── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

"Guys, is Feister here?" Jojo asked as he entered the bunk room, only a few of the boys were there taking a break before going back out again.

"Yeah." Elmer replied. "Came in here an' went straight into 'er room." he tilted his head to the door and Jojo let of a sigh of relief. "Jack tried ta tawk ta 'er but you'se know how she is. Do ya know anything?"

"I found 'er in a alley an' she seemed really upset bout somethin'; when I's asked what was wrong she just stormed off," he explained. When afternoon came Jack told Specs to stay with Feister since chances were low that she was going back out again.

Specs agreed and the few boys who were there left. Jack sighed, he would just have to sell extra papers for Specs and Feister, since Feister was in one of her moods, and he didn't want her to be by herself. Only a week as leader and he was already running into trouble.

Back in her room Feister was laying in her bed and stared at the ceiling. Her life was a mess, and falling apart, and she felt like she was going back to her old self. Back to when she was younger, before she came to the Lodge.

Later that night when all the boys came back from selling some of them started working on how to get Feister up and running again, without getting soaked. They have never seen her like the way she was at the moment, and they were all worried.

"I's sure she's gonna come round sooner or later," Elmer said to Finch and Henry. "It's Feisty we's tawkin' bout." both older boys glanced at each other and shrugged. They didn't know what to say, Feister is what they call unpredictable.

While that was going on Specs was giving Jack and Race the report on what happened that day. Which was nothing. Feister stayed in her room, quiet as a mouse, which was unusual since the small girl is pretty much the loudest out of all of them. When Specs finished reporting he went over to Crutchie and Tommy boy.

"What do we's do now Jacky boy?" Race asked while fiddling with his cigar in between his fingers. "Do we's live or let 'er cool off on 'er own?" Jack shrugged. In all truths he didn't know which one was better. Knowing Feister she'd probably soak who ever tried to talk to her, but on the other hand, newsie or not she's still a girl, and girls are well...let's just say their more confusing than anything in the world and have mood swings that change faster than the headlines.

But, there was one person out of all of them that could talk to her, without getting soaked, but would get an ear full before she spilled. But, that same person was the one that did this. But let's not point fingers just yet.

Just then Mush walked into the bunk room and Jack said, "Look who's actually here." he was still a little mad about the stunt Mush pulled from the night before, but happy he was back.

"What did I do now?" Mush asked. He was almost sure that he didn't to anything wrong. Well, besides for coming back late the night before. But besides that he was in the clear...right?

"Feister came runnin' in here lookin' upset. Jojo said he found 'er in a alley," Jack explained, he couldn't believe what he was about to say, but hopefully it would go as planned. "Look I's know she's mad at ya. But, you'se know 'er better than anyone here, she listens ta you the most, so do ya think you'se can tawk ta 'er. Ya know, see what's wrong."

───── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

Feister was laying on her stomach, face buried in her pillow, her tears finally stopped, but the sadness kicked in. She wasn't sure what to do. She knew all the boys were worried about her, but in all truths, she didn't care.

She ran away from Jojo, when all he wanted to know what was going on, she blew up at Jack earillar that day, and ignored Specs for pretty much the entire afternoon. As a million thoughts were running through her head she heard the door creek and quiet footsteps approached the bed and then she felt the side of the bed slowly sink.

"Go away," she mumbled. She didn't know who it was, and she didn't care, she just wanted him to leave.

"Feisty," a familiar voice whispered. She grumbled, this is what she gets for not locking the door because she knows that voice anywhere.

"Go away ya nitwit," she snapped, with her face still in the pillow. "I's don't wanna see yer ugly mug." a few tears fell, but she still kept her face in the pillow.

"C'mon Feisty. We's all worried bout ya," he said softly. "I's worried bout ya." he gently placed his hand on her back and started rubbing it; which made her shift away from his touch. "I's know yer mad at me, but you'se gotta at least tell me what's going on."

"Just forget it, alright!" she yelled, sitting up. She couldn't take it anymore. Don't these boys understand the concept of wanting to be left alone? Apparently not.

"Somethin' is bugging ya, I's can't forget it," he yelled back, then took a deep breath. There was no use in arguing because he would end up losing either way. "Look Feisty," he said calmly. "Can we's just forget bout last night an' can ya just tell me what's goin' on, I's yer best friend, you'se can tell me."

"Really? Yer my best friend? Because last time I's checked friends don't keep secrets from friends. You'se the one who started this mess." with that Feister got up from the bed, stormed out of her room and onto the fire escape. She slammed the window shut and then she sat down and breathed in the summer air. Her legs were dangling over the edge and her forehead was leaning on the bars.

She looked down at the empty, quiet, streets; a rare sight and sound for a city that never sleeps. None of the boys bothered her, or told her to go back inside. Instead she heard them ask Mush all kinds of questions. After awhile she laid down and closed her eyes. As she tried to sleep she couldn't get the images out of her head from that afternoon. Her stomach turned into a not, and she felt her heart drop again.

She looked up at the night sky, the moon at its fullest, and every tiny star light up the sky. She sighed, wishing that everything could go back to normal. She wished that Wolf and Jumps never left, and Mush didn't have a girlfriend.

She wanted things to go back to the way they were when she first came to the Lodge. She felt empty inside, like something had been ripped right out and tossed to the gutters. Feister felt something she hasn't felt in a long time. She felt broken.