Daughter of the Refuge

Chapter Thirteen

Guys, I wrote so much today, it is amazing. So here's the next chapter!!

"Victory!" Caz cried, as she sprinted into Newsies Square, Albert close at her heels.

"I don't think so," the boy protested, his cheeks flushed light pink from the run. "Yous cheated."

"I'm a Higgins, it's what we do," she said, a playful grin dancing across her lips. In one swift movement, Albert had her pinned to the wet evening grass, laughter falling from the two of them.

"Okay, fine, I cheated," the girl folded as he rolled over, their hands loosely entwined as they lay on their backs, gazing up at the partly cloudy sky. "But Is still woulda beat you."

"No way," Albert said, pulling Caz closer to him once more. 

"You've gotten slow in ya old age."

"Cause you'se are so much younger den me," he stated.

"A whole ten months and seventeen days," she grinned, snatching his cap from his head and fiddling with it. 

"I can't decide whether it's adorable or sickenin'," Tommy Boy said, plopping himself down on one of the wagons next to Jojo, who, though his eyes were fixed on the pair, wasn't really seeing them, his mind being far too lost in the clouds.

"You know, Is gettin' mixed feelings on dat one, too," Jojo smiled, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "But wese all knew it was gonna happen sooner or later."

"Freckles!" A voice yelled as two people tore through Newsies Square. The first was a girl just barely entering her teen years that none of the newsies recognized, who had the panting Specs rushing after her, nearly plowing her over when she suddenly stopped in the center of the square. 

"Hi!" She smiled at the couple of newsies situated throughout the area. 

"Andy's gonna kill me," Jojo heard Specs mutter as he shook his head at the girl.

"Hey Specs, where'd da kid come from?" Mike called out.

"Ain't she a little young fah you?" Ike teased, causing Mike to scoff and shove his brother off the crate Ike had been sitting on. The older boy just sighed at the twins before laying a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Seein' as she was so 'termined tah meet you all, Newsies of Lower Manhattan, dis is Evie Brewer."

"Everyone just calls me Freckles," the girl added.

"Andy's sister?" Caz piped up. She jumped up from the grass and made her way over to the two.

"You know Andy?" Evie, or Freckles, asked, excitement filling her chocolate brown eyes.

"I do. I'se Caz." She offered her hand to the younger girl who seemed ecstatic to be given such an honor. "What're you doing 'ere?"

"Andy had tah do stuff today and I didn't want tah stay in Midtown. It's so boring dere." She quickly lost interest in the older girl, ran over to the large tree in Newsies Square, and began to scale it.

"I didn't know youse knew Andy," Caz said glancing at Specs.

"We go way back," he replied, giving no elaboration. 

"Who exactly is Andy?" Tommy Boy voiced the question every other newsie, besides Albert, was silently thinking.

"Wait is dis da same Andy dat ya sang with?" Jojo questioned before Caz could get an answer in. 

"Yup."

"Oh, now I know who you'se talking 'bout," Jojo nodded.

"Good for you," Tommy Boy said, whacking his friend across the back of his head. "Care tah explain for da others?"