A/N: hello all! This is my new one-shot about Racetrack. :D Enjoy!

Racetrack Higgins woke up with a stretch of his arms. He rolled over to see Snipeshooter was still asleep in his bunk, the dirty blanket pulled over his mess of curly hair. Race got up and dragged his feet into the washroom as the other boys began to stir, the noise of morning filing the air.

"What day is it, Blink?" Racetrack asked as he splashed the cold water from the pump on his tired face. Blink thought for a second while pulling his hat down over his blond bangs.

"Wednesday!" He decided, smiling at Race as he dried his hands on a rag and walked into the bunk room. Race followed with a new spring in his step. It was finally Wednesday. And Racetrack knew what that meant. He finished getting ready and headed out the door with the other newsies.

The sun was up, the sky was blue, and it was September first. Once at the distribution center Racetrack bought only 25 papes from Weasel and strolled to a bench by the gates. He sat flipping through the newspaper as Mush came and sat down next to him.

"You going to Sheep Shed Bay today Race?" Mush asked as he shaded his eyes from the sun. Race nodded and smiled, unafraid to tell a white lie.

"I think I'm gonna go every day for a while, actually." He said looking down the busy street as Manhattan came alive. Mush started to talk about the front page story as Racetrack's mind wandered to the busy day ahead of him. He checked his pocket watch quickly.

"See ya later Mushy." Race said with a wink as he set off down the street. He shouted the headline and sold quickly as he neared his destination. He pictured the one room building he knew well and unconsciously began to walk a little faster. He looked at the river happily as he crossed the Williamsburg Bridge and turned directly down a little street. It was a street you wouldn't have seen if you didn't know it was there. Houses lined the broken brick. He hurried down the sidewalk, nodding hello to the Irish ladies he passed as they took care of their children.

At the end of the street was a simple white building, smashed in-between two tenant houses. It had a red door and two small windows. Racetrack opened the door and the sound of talking and laughter filled the air. He shut it behind him and smiled as he said hello to Anna and her brother Frank. He hadn't seen them since April.

He sat on a hard chair behind a simple wooden desk. It had an ink well in the top and the top opened to reveal a simple book. Race pulled it out and caressed the red and tan binding. A woman entered and began to call the children to order. He kept his eye trained on the book as he read the blue inscription and smiled. School History of the United States. By John Bach McMasters.

"William Higgins?" The school teacher called. Racetrack put down the book and smiled. This is where he belonged. He knew it.

"Present."