My newsie ~ Spot Conlon [newsies fanfic]

2: Papes

It had been 7 months and 4 days since I joined the Manhattan newsies. I was closest with Jack, Race, Blink and Mush I was a sister to them well obviously Mush. The rest of the guys treated me the same way they treated the rest of the newsies except they flirted with me from time to time.Yes I did make the papes for 2 reasons. Being the first girl newsie and escaping the orphanage the first one was definitely better press.

"C'mon lips wakey wakey" Racetrack yells shaking me awake before I push him off.

Right the nickname, the guys called me lips because I was well lippy. Mush said it was because the guys wanted to kiss me on the lips I like the first reason better. It's either lips or Teaser and I'm sure you can figure that one out.

"We's gotta long day of selling papes goily." He says this time nearly pushing me off the bed.

"I oughta soak ya race" I say jump outta bed and making my way to the packed bathroom. I pushed through them all to the small section of privacy I had.

It was really just plank of wood hinged onto the wall but hey get what ya get and you don't get upset.

"Where's me selling partna?" I hear Jake yell so I quickly step into my slightly damp dress that I had made some minor adjustments too.

I didn't wear the corset it was easy to move in, sometimes I would try it on just to remind myself that I could be a girl sometimes. I had torn some of the layers of the dress out so I could run in it. It was now just a flowy blue maids dress but it's better then dressing like a boy.

"Josie get oughta there won't ya!" Jake yells from the beds still.

I swing the door open and walk into the room tipping my fake hat to Jake.

"Cowboy"

"Josephine" he tips his actual hat back making me smile.

"Now I just have to brush my hair" I say and everyone groans most of the boys leave while the ones I'm close too stay. I grab my brush that Race stole a while back and run it through my ratty long brown hair.

"C'mon boys what's takin so long?" I say running out the doors to the printer with my 50 cents in hand as the boys run behind me. I meet the rest of the boys at the gates until the Delancey brother show up behind us all.

"Dear me. What is that unpleasant aroma?" Race starts.

"I fear the sewer may have backed up during the night." I finish for him

"Ah, too rotten to be the sewer" Boots says after I finish.

"Yeah, yeah. It must be the Delancey brothas" Crip says make the rest of the crew laugh.

"Hiya boys" I say smirking at the two of them.

Morris looks me up and down biting the inside of his cheek which makes Mush step up a bit but I was quick to push him back.

"Get in the back you lousy little shrimp"  Oscar says shoving snipe shooter to the ground. Jack was quick to pick him back up though and pull him back to the group.

"You shouldn't be be callin people lousy little shrimps Oscar."

"I mean unless your referring to the family resemblance here." I had a thing for finishing peoples sentences. One of my many talents.

"That's right. It's an insult. So is this." Jack says as he snatches Morris's hat from his head and taking off. Everyone follows yet I stay standing right where I was laughing at the group and they followed them. Until I see 2 new newsies walk by the fountain who Jack bumps into. I watch as the scene unfolds and they end up back at the gate which opens right in time. Everyone rushes into the gates onto the platform ready to get sellin our papes.

"Mr. Weasel." Jack whispers through the wood panel before ringing the bell as loud as he could. He really did love pestering the guy. Soon enough Mr. Wiesel opens the panel.

"Did ya miss me mr. Weasel?" I gave up on listening to there conversation I just wanted my papes.

"Next." I hear which snapes me out of my trance.

"100 papes." I hand him my 2 pieces and he hands me my papes which only turned out to be 95.

"Five more wise guy." I say holding out my hand for my papes.

"Take your papes and get outta here."

"Y'know weasel. These bars ain't protectin you from nothin." I say tugging in the two bars holding it my other hand.

"5 more papes for the goil" Morris hands me them with a growl. I smile and walk off rolling my eyes to sit next to Jack. I read the headlines and they all stink but I mean when don't they.

"Wanna sit down?" I hear Jack say so I turn my head to see the younger boy from the fountain sit down next to Jack.

"Whatcha name kid?"

"Les."

"Hiya Les I'm Josephine" I say holding out my hand avoiding the spit part since I don't know hi. He smiles and shakes my hand excitedly making me smile at him.

"Look at this baby born with two heads. Must be from Brooklyn." Race says taking another puff from his cigar.

"What's up with Brooklyn?" I never understood why they hated it so much.

"Everythin. Especially the Newsies there." He pretends to shutter in disgust to which I shove his shoulders.

"Are you accusing me of lying kid?!?" Wiesel yells at the new guy. I quickly stand up to my feet.

"Everythin alright here pal?" I ask counting his papes.

"You pay for 19?"

"20"

"C'mon Weasel give him the pape."

"Beat it." Morris says between the bars right in front of my face. I stick my hand between the bars and nearly get his face before Jack pulls me back.

"It's a honest mistake see Morris can't count to 20 with his shoes on." That sure makes the guys laugh.

Wiesel hands the guy the extra pape before Jack pays for another 50 with Races betting change.

"I don't want another 50."

"Sure you do every Newsie wants more papes."

~
A/N

Part 2 next. I didn't want to make this an extremely long chapter.