Chapter 22: Jack Kelly's POV

                                    

                                          
Well, this is something that I certainly never planned on. Three months ago, if someone were to tell me that I would ever come back to New York or even talk to any of the other boys, other than Crutchie and Jojo, then I would have called them insane enough to be committed in a padded room.
I never wanted to see, talk, or have anything to do with the rest of them and I had made that clear the moment that I bought those tickets to come back to New York, but look at what happened to me ever since I came back; I am back in the Lodging House and the rest of the boys want to be around me again. 
"So, Jack? What was it like in Santa Fe?", Romeo asked. The other boys and I were in the dining room celebrating the fact that we won against Harlem, but I always had a feeling that the boys wanted to ask me some questions, especially ask me questions about whether or not I wanted to stay in New York and be a Manhattan newsie again.  
"It was alright. It wasn't anything like New York. It was everything that I could have ever dreamed of"
"What did you even do over there?", Tommy Boy asked.
"Well... Crutchie, Jojo, and I found another Lodging House over there and joined them and we just rode some palominos over there"
"That sounded... great" 
"So, does that mean that you are going to go back to Santa Fe? You seemed pretty well established over there", Racer asked. 
"And what would make you say that, Racer?"
"Crutchie and Jojo told us that you already have tickets for a train back to Santa Fe. You brought at the same time that you brought the tickets to come back here, so does that mean that you will go back?". I looked to be in deep thought about that question and most of the boys looked disappointed and upset that I was just going to return back to Santa Fe while the rest of them, mostly the younger ones, protested and begged me not to leave.
"Look, everyone. Calm down!". Everyone calmed down and focused their attention onto me. "... Before I tell you all my decision, I think it would be better for me if I tell you all something that I always wanted to say to all of you. No-one will ever understand how much pain that any of you put me through, but I never want for any one of you guys to experience what I have been through. But at the same time, I will never understand how much pain that I put all of you through when I just left in the middle of the night and just left a letter... but the most important thing that I have always told all of you is that no matter what, we are all still a family and we have to support each other. I have done some stuff that I never should have done and I wish that I could take it all back, just like when I decided it was best to keep the truth about what happened at the strike rally a secret from all of you, and I am certain that all of you have done some stuff that you never should have done that you all wish that you could take back, just like the poor treatment that all of you have given me. But just like Davey once told me, we should just move on from the past. We shouldn't be stuck in it for too long. It won't do any of us any good"
"So, what does that mean?"
"Does that mean you are staying?", Finch asked in cautious and hesitant excitement.
"... I will stay and become a Manhattan newsie again". All of them cheered and welcomed me back into the Lodging House.
"I always knew that you would want to come back, Jack", Davey stated with a smirk. 
"Whatever, Davey, but I mean, can you blame me? Look at them, how could you stay away from all of this for forever?"
"I don't think that you really can. So, does that mean you are the leader again?"
"If all of them want me to be?"
"Of course, we do! You are the only leader that we want around here!"
"Well, there is your answer"
"Yeah"
"Promise that you will never leave again?"
"As long as all of you promise that none of you will ever treat me like that ever again"
"Deal", all of them shouted.
"Then it is settled. I am here to stay at the Lodging House forever"
"Welcome back to the Lodging House, Jack. Newsies Strike leader and leader of the Manhattan newsies"