Disclaimer: Do not own newsies. Nor do I own 'Hackensack' by Fountains of Wayne, but I do own the CD. Kickass CD. Everyone should own it. Also, I am fully aware that Hackensack is a city in New Jersey (Shortie told me that), but for story purposes, it's set in Louisiana. DEAL.

Hackensack

Do not own newsies. Nor do I own 'Hackensack' by Fountains of Wayne, but I do own the CD. Kickass CD. Everyone should own it. Also, I am fully aware that Hackensack is a city in New Jersey (Shortie told me that), but for story purposes, it's set in Louisiana. DEAL.

Snitch sat up straight and stared hard at the TV. That couldn't be... could it?

"Skittery Tatum," he muttered to himself. "Real name... Isaac?"

"And now for my next guest: an up and rising star with his beautiful smile and charming personality, Mr. Isaac Tatum!" Odessa Whitman, the show's hostess, cried, clapping joyously as a tall and lanky young man with dark brown hair falling childishly into his eyes walked down the aisle, waving to the applauding crowd and grinning a cockeyed grin that made many of the younger women throw furtive glances at his jeans.

Snitch leaned back in his chair, and sighed regretfully. "Hot damn," he whispered. "It is him."

On the screen, Odessa shook Isaac's hand, hugged him, and let him chastely kiss her cheek. Both of them then sat down in the beige armchairs that Snitch could only see as too expensive for him to even dream of touching.

"So, Isaac... your new movie, Measure of a Man, is doing amazingly well."

"Yeah," Isaac (Skittery, Snitch thought, that's what they called him at school) answered, grinning modestly. "Fantastic. The reviewers, they all called it horrible, and yet we are still makin' tons of money. I think it's the teenagers." His grin strengthened as the audience laughed.

"Well, I enjoyed it and I hardly call myself a teenager," Odessa answered. Again, the audience laughed. Snitch rolled his eyes.

"Frickin' sheep. God save us all," he said.

But Isaac was grinning. "You're kidding, miss. Surely they card you every time you buy beer or try to get in to see an R-rated movie."

Another audience laugh, but Snitch smiled this time.

"Didn't I tell you he was charming?" Odessa was grinning pleasantly.

Charming, yes, Snitch thought, but he was always like that. That's why I fell for him back in high school. So charming and polite and caring. Looking out for everyone. Yes. Charming is the perfect word to describe him.

The interview carried on for a few minutes, Isaac making himself loved by everyone. Odessa finally looked at the camera and said, "After the break, we'll be taking calls from viewers to talk to Isaac. If you're interested, please give us a call. And ladies, he's single!"

Isaac's smile wilted slightly. He tapped Odessa's shoulder and whispered in her ear. She laughed, patted his arm, and spoke again: "Sorry. I mean: young men, he's single!"

There was the smallest of pauses in the audience, then more laughter and applause as the camera pulled out and a phone number was flashed on the screen.

Snitch was staring at the screen, hard. He sat up and looked at the phone on the dirty table beside him.

"Hey, Pa!" he called. "Pa, you using the phone?"

"Naw," his father called back from upstairs. "Go ahead, but don't get too caught up in anything; we gotta get down to Mrs. Tibideaux's to put in that tile floor by six!"

Snitch picked up the phone and dialed the number. He wasn't sure why he was bothering; it wasn't like anyone was actually going to pick up the phone; at least he didn't have to worry about time zones. Hackensack was settled in Louisiana, just outside Vermillion, and therefore, in the same time zone as Chicago.

Snitch blinked in surprise when the phone started ringing. He nearly dropped it out of apprehension of what he would say; he had called the show completely on a whim. I'm insane! He thought blindly, but love makes you do crazy things. Even love this old, love from high school, love that should be stale and dead, rotting in the ground with maggots crawling through it, but I still feel it. I felt it when he grinned that uncertain grin that I recognized from all the essays he shared with our first period class senior year.

"Hello, Thank you for calling the Odessa Show, may I help you?"

Snitch coughed in surprise. "Um... yeah, I'd like to speak with Isaac Tatum?" He hesitated. "He and I were in high school together. I was in his first hour our senior year"

"Oh, really!" The woman on the other end of the line sounded ecstatic. "That's fantastic! Here, what's your name?"

"Danny Riccio. They called me Snitch at school."

"All right... and where are you located?"

"Hackensack, Louisiana."

"I thought he sounded Southern," the woman muttered to herself. "Okay, we'll get you on there to talk to Isaac, hon. Just hold."

With that followed the sound of a Chicago radio station playing Santana's "Why Don't You And I." Snitch settled back into his chair and tried to control his breathing.

The show returned after a Honda commercial. Skittery was still sitting in the luxurious armchair, but Odessa was standing, looking into the camera. "And welcome back. We're here with Isaac Tatum, America's newest gay heartthrob... that's right, boys!... and we're going to take a few calls for him. Our first caller is Terry Harper from Michigan, hello Terry..."

The conversation with Terry seemed to last for hours, and Snitch could feel sweat beading on his forehead and along his neck. Sweating? Why? Not like he was actually going to be able to say anything once his turn came anyway.

"Thank you Terry, and good-bye," Odessa said finally. "Our next caller... oh, this is a surprise for you, Isaac! He says he went to your high school back in Hackensack, Louisiana, and that you had first period together your senior year!"

Isaac's face brightened. "Really? Great!"

"Okay, here's Danny 'Snitch' Riccio from Hackensack, Louisiana."

Snitch noticed the light confusion on Isaac's face and sighed. "Hey, Skittery."

Isaac blinked, then laughed. "Wow, how long since someone called me that? Years. Hiya, Snitch."

"You don't remember me, huh?"

"No, I do. The quiet boy that sat in the back," Isaac smiled. "You had beautiful blue eyes."

Snitch blushed hotly, and noticed that the collar of his shirt was soaked with sweat. "Oh... well, um... thanks. Guess you remember me after all."

"Of course, chat."

Snitch paused. Chat? Louisiana slang for 'cute'? From Skittery... to him?

"... Yeah..."

Odessa was smiling slyly. "Isaac, stop flirting with him. You're making him uncomfortable."

The audience snickered, and Isaac blushed firmly. "Sorry, Snitch. Did you have a question?"

"N-no..." Snitch stuttered. "Just wanted to say hi." He paused. "And..."

Isaac waited. "And... what?"

"And... and if you..."

"If I what?"

Snitch hesitated. "And... and if you ever get back to Hackensack, I'll be here for you."

Isaac stared at the camera, probably for lack of a place to stare, but his eyes seems to penetrate Snitch's with a frightening intensity.

"... Okay. Thanks, Snitch. I'll keep that in mind," Isaac smiled. "Chat."

Snitch smiled as well. "Good," he said quietly. "That's all I have to say... chat."

He hung up the phone and slumped into his chair, still smiling. Odessa was wearing a huge grin on her face as she turned back to Isaac.

"Well, that was a sweet reunion. You ready for another call, Isaac?"

"Sure thang," Isaac grinned as the audience giggled at his Southern accent.

But his eyes were still staring into the camera. Into Snitch's eyes.

Two Years Later...

Odessa smoothed her dress and stared at the camera. "We go in five... four... three... two...!" She smiled into the camera as the theme music for her show started to play. "Today we bring back an old guest, who says he has a special surprise for us all! I don't know if you all remember his show from two years ago, so here's a clip to remind you."

On the TV screen in the background played the scene from where Isaac had spoken on the phone with Snitch. The cutting made the images all the more dramatic.

When the clip ended, Odessa was smiling at the camera again. "And so, here he is again, Mr. Isaac Tatum!"

Isaac peeked into the aisle and walked out, waving and shaking the hands that were offered to him. His bangs had been dyed red, and his right ear had a gold hoop through the cartilage, but he still had his cockeyed smile and modest eyes, and so he remained unchanged in the eyes of the audience.

"Isaac!" Odessa cried cheerfully, embracing him and giggling like a schoolgirl as he kissed her knuckles. "Glad to have you back!"

"Glad to be back, and I'm not just saying that because I'm obliged to by the manners of an A-list star." She laughed as he grinned.

"You're still as charming as ever," she said, grinning. "But let's get right down to business. I'm sure our guests and viewers are dying to see your surprise!"

Isaac's grin widened. "Fantastic! Let's bring him out. I want ya'll to meet someone, though some of ya'll probably remember him. Snitch!"

From the aisle shuffled a tall boy with light-brown hair that curled around his ears and brilliant blue eyes. His smile was hesitant and shy, but his entire face brightened as Isaac stood to welcome him, to kiss his forehead and put a hand on his leg as he sat down on a couch that was even more splendid than the chairs from two years ago.

"So you're Danny 'Snitch' Riccio?" Odessa asked, smiling as she leaned forward.

Snitch looked at Isaac, as if asking permission to speak. When Isaac smiled and nodded, Snitch looked at Odessa and gave a demure, "Yes ma'am."

Odessa grinned. "Are you shy, Danny?"

Snitch blinked, then nodded. "I... I'm not used to publicity. Skittery says I will be eventually." He looked at Isaac, who grinned and kissed his head.

"He's precious, Isaac," Odessa commented.

"He is," Isaac agreed. "And honest."

"Honest? How so?"

Snitch gave a full grin to Isaac, who grinned back. "You remember what he told me last time I was on the show?"

"... Yes," Odessa said thoughtfully. "That he'd be there if you ever went back home..."

"And he was," Isaac replied. "Just like he said." The audience sighed with delight at the romance of it all. The boys shared a modest kiss before turning back to Odessa and allowing her to interview them freely.

Throughout the interview, their hands were locked together over Snitch's pantleg, as if neither boy would ever release the other.

And I will wait for you
As long as I need to
And if you ever get back to Hackensack
I'll be here for you
And if you ever get back to Hackensack
I'll be here for you

END

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This is possible the dumbest story I've ever written.

I like it 'cause it's fluffy, but I don't like it 'cause the story itself is dumb.

But I love the song.

And I love that the boys are from Louisiana. LOUISIANA ROCKS SOCKS, WOO! 3s to SITA AND TWITCHY. XD XD XD

OH! GOD! THIS IS MY ONE HUNDRETH STORY! WOOT!

My Hundredth and First story will be for Twitchy. I PROMISE. XD No matter what. I'll get started on that as soon as I can.

Anyway... I'm gonna go watch Drumline. G'night ya'll!