Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the front door of Katherine Pulitzer's house. Mr. Pulitzer answer with a disgruntled look.

"Can I help you?" He asked, looking me over. "You weren't here during that strike."

"I became a Newsie a few weeks ago." I shrugged. "Can Katherine come out?"

"You're just going to take her to that boy." He decided.

"Jack is at the races." I fibbed. "I got a few friends Katherine wanted me to introduce her to."

"Okay." He sighed before yelling into the house. "Katherine!"

She hurriedly came to the door. "Maize?" 

"Come back in two hours." Mr. Pulitzer decided briskly before closing the door.

"What's up?" Katherine asked.

I made sure none of the windows were open for eavesdropping before replying. "We're gonna go see Jack."

"Really?" Her brown eyes widened. "Thank you!"

"Anytime." I grinned. I took her to where Jack was waiting. They hugged fiercely upon seeing each other. When they finally departed, Jack turned to me.

"Elmer came by," he informed me. "He and the boys wanted you to go play games at the Lodging House."

"Okay." I nodded, spinning on my heels to leave.

"Mush is waiting for you a few doors down." Jack finished.

"Got it. I'll be back before two hours. That's when Mr. Pulitzer wants her home." I added before leaving. I walked down the side-walk just a little ways before Mush met up with me.

"Hi!" He smiled. "You ready to lose games?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I shrugged smugly.

"There ain't no way Race ain't gonna make all the bets he can." Mush decided.

"What are we gonna play?" I asked as we walked.

"I think things like two truths and a lie, act and react, or wink murder." He told me slowly.

"What's wink murder?" I gaped.

"They'll explain it," Mush laughed. "On another note, you got your eyes on anyone?"

"Why?"  I cocked my head.

"No reason." He shrugged. "I was just curious."

"Okay then." I looked across the dark street to see if anyone was around.

"So?" He glanced at me.

"What?" My gaze snapped back to him.

"You got an answer?" Mush elaborated.

"Maybe?" I hiked my shoulders in exasperation. "I ain't never thought about it. I don't know."

"Got it." He nodded. By now, we had reached the Lodging  House. The boys inside were Racetrack, Elmer, JoJo, Crutchie, Romeo, Albert, and Buttons.

"You guys ready?" Albert asked, cracking his knuckles jokingly.

"You folks is gonna lose so much money." Racetrack grinned. 

"Sure." Buttons rolled his eyes. 

"What game first?" JoJo asked, looking around. Mush walked over to join Romeo and started whispering fervently in his ear. Romeo was nodding with his brows furrowed in thought. He turned to address Mush with a serious expression. They quickly left the room, deep in conversation. 

"Two truths and a lie!" Crutchie suggested. We all nodded and sat down in the living room. Those on the couch were  me, Elmer, Crutchie, JoJo, and Buttons. Racetrack was sitting in an arm chair next to the couch.

"Who wants to go first?" Buttons looked around.

"I'll go!" JoJo declared. "Okay, here goes: I was raised in a church. My girl's middle name is Paddy. And I wanna be in the military after I get too old to be a Newsie."

"The second one." Racetrack decided. JoJo could barely contain a grin when he shook his head. "Really? Brooke Paddy Lester?"

"Brooke Paddy Lester." JoJo confirmed, breaking his stoic, poker-face character and beaming ear to ear. 

"My turn." Race declared. "I was arrested years ago because of someone in this room. I got a little sister. And I once dated a girl for three years." At the word 'someone', Racetrack's blue eyes turned dramatically to Elmer, who gawked in shock.

"That wasn't my fault!" He objected with a small voice. I turned to him to ask. "I'll tell you about it after the games."

"Okay." I nodded.

"You don't have a little sister." Crutchie accused.

"Wrong." Race shook his head.

"You got a sister?" I cocked my head curiously.

"Marion's a couple years younger than me." He nodded with a blissful smile. "She works at the theater. Why else d'ya guys think I haven't plummeted to rock bottom yet? I do it for her."

"Cute." I grinned. He rolled his eyes in response.

"You haven't kept a relationship for more than a month." JoJo informed him.

"Fine ouch." Racetrack laughed. "True."

"My turn, I guess." I shrugged. "I can juggle. My folks are from Ireland. And I hate chocolate."

"You don't hate chocolate." Crutchie decided quickly. "No-one hates chocolate."

"I hate chocolate." I told them quietly, shrinking in the couch. Elmer whipped around to face me.

"What?" He demanded in shock.

"I dunno!" I shrugged, brown eyes wide.

"The one 'bout your folks bein' Irish is believable." Buttons mumbled thoughtfully. "But it could be a trick."

"You can't juggle." Racetrack decided, snapping his fingers. I stood up. And picked a few things up.

"No way." JoJo shook his head in disbelief. I grinned and began juggling the objects.

"So your folks ain't Irish." Buttons conceded. I shook my head before putting the things down and sitting back down beside Elmer. 

"Nope." I smiled.

"My turn!" Elmer yelled. "I've been to the Refuge. I'm allergic to coconut. And my middle name is Thaddaeus."

"You ain't never been to the Refuge!" Crutchie accused with a wide grin. Elmer nodded.

"You're allergic to coconut?" I glanced at him. "Your middle name is Thaddaeus?"

"Both yes." He laughed with a slight bit of red creeping up his face.

The game continued. Romeo and Mush returned after awhile, and I had to go return Katherine home.

"I'll come with you!" Elmer volunteered. I nodded with a smile and we left.

Deuteronomy 31:6, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."