Snap woke up with a start, her shoulder-length blonde curls sticking to her neck as she shook from the nightmare.
She had seen things in Chicago. Terrible, horrible things that she could never forget. Ever. Every night they came back. You would think she would be used to it, but the day still hadn't come that she didnt wake up sweating or crying.
She stood up, walking over to the window of the apartment she had rented in Manhattan and throwing up the window, trying to cool herself off as the chilly fall breeze rushed through the window.
She glanced in the mirror, and was relieved to see that her shocking blue eyes weren't puffy and red like they usually were after these nightmares. She sat down at her vanity, dragging a brush through her hair before slipping on purple button-up shirt, black pants, and gray suspenders. She tugged on a cap and rolled up her sleeves, smiling into the mirror. She laced up her black boots, thankful that she had bought new ones right before jumping on the train.
This was it. She had two weeks to find a job before her parents sent her to a boarding school in Virgina. She grabbed some money from her bag, shoving it in her pocket before walking out the door confidently.
Manhattan was amazing. The sky was totally clear and the sun felt amazing. Everywhere she looked something was going on. People selling things, people buying things, and the shout of news boys trying to sell the morning edition. Her apartment building was surrounded by little shops, and the echo of bells from the doors being opened and closed was everywhere. It just felt so busy and she loved it, way more than she ever could have loved any part of Chicago.
After about an hour or so of her wandering, she came across the distribution center where the newsies bought their papers to sell. She shrugged. This was what she knew how to do- why not give it another shot in Manhattan? She silently thanked God when she realized no one else would be buying papers at this hour- it was too late. She walked confidently up to the barred window, where an older man sat reading a paper. He didn't even notice she was standing there until she coughed, trying to get his attention. He looked up, and raised his eyebrows a little bit when he saw her standing there.
"What can I do for you, sweetheart?' He asked, and Snap almost rolled her eyes.
"I'd like to buy 50 papes, please." She placed her money on the counter, and the man behind the window grinned.
"Morris, Oscar, get the lady 50 papes!" He yelled over his shoulder, and soon enough, two guys brought 50 papers and slid them under the bars to her.
"What's a pretty girl like you doin' sellin' papes?" One of them said with a toothy sneer.
"Got to earn money, don't I?" She lifted an eyebrow and took her papes, and she started to walk away when the other spoke.
'I can think of a better way for you to earn money! In my bed." She glanced behind her, giving them a sugary sweet grin before replying.
"In your dreams, asshole. See you later!" She walked off quickly, not looking for a fight just yet. a fight her first morning in New York would probably not start her off on the best foot. She looked around, every spot that she marked as a good one was already being sold on by another newsie. They all shot her looks as she stomped through their line of vision. One of them called out to her, but she ignored them. She had only sold ten papes by the time she got to the Brooklyn Bridge. She was about to give up when she noticed that the docks across the bridge were filled with people, but there was no sign of a newsie anywhere near there. She grinned, practically running across the bridge and to the docks, claiming her spot for the day.
She looked down at the headline:"Couple Dies In House Fire". She sighed, that wouldn't sell the rest of her papes.
She stood up on a box of crates before yelling: "RAGING INFERNO KILLS DOZENS!" She waved around the paper, and people flocked to her, buying another eleven of her papers. She kept walking, yelling the same headline and eventually ending up with about five papes left.
"GAS EXPLOSION DESTR-" She started to say before she was cut off by someone grabbing her shoulder, she turned around and came face to face with a pair of blue eyes that could almost rival her own.
She could tell he was a newsie by the way he was dressed, but the gold-tipped cane hanging from his belt threw her off a little bit. He had dark hair, and was quite a bit taller than her. His skin was tan from the sun, and he was wearing a tan shirt, brown pants, and brown boots. His eyes were nothing short of gorgeous. In the sun, they were deep blue and she could see the hint of irritation as he smirked at her. "You know, beautiful, I don't remember the papes sayin' anything about a gas explosion."
'Hey, it sells, don't it?" She shrugged, and tried to walk away from him but his grip on her shoulder got tighter.
"You know this is my spot? Who are you?" He asked.
'I'm Snap, and is it?" She picked up a crate that was lying next to her and examined the bottom before putting it back down. "'Cause it sure don't have your name on it."
His eyes narrowed into a glare. "You think you're real funny, don't you?"
"You bet I do." She grinned crookedly.
"You don't know who I am, do you?" He seemed suprised as she shook her head.
"I can't say I do."
"The name is Spot Conlon, King of Brooklyn." He said with a proud nod as he crossed his arms.
"I didn't know Brooklyn had a king. Thanks for telling me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I got some papes to sell." She jerked her shoulder away from his hand.
"I makes the rules around here. And you can't sell here."
'And you think that just because you tell me that I can't sell here, I'm going to go try to find a different place? That's real cute, Spot, but it's not happening." She laughed, and he grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling so that her face was inches away from his.
He waited for her to flinch and break eye contact(like they always did), but Snap never did. She really wasn't scared of him...That was new. He was going to have to fix that. 'Listen, kid. You're going to leave Brooklyn, and if I ever catch you back here again, you'll regret it. I don't care if youse a girl." He whispered in a deep voice that usually scared his victims shitless. But not Snap. This girl had to be scared of something.
"Is that a threat, Conlon?" He could see that she was stifling a laugh.
"Damn right it's a threat. You're lucky I'm letting you talk to me like this."
"Oh, you're letting me talk to you like this. I forgot I was talking to royally. Excuse my forgetfulness." She chuckled sarcastically.
"I've had about enough of you. Get outta here."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was making you a little nervous, kid." He bristled at being addressed as kid but she kept talking before he could say a word. "You ain't used to people fighting back, are ya? You're used to people doing whatever you say, whenever you say. I'll tell you right now, Conlon. I ain't gonna do what you tell me to." She smiled sweetly, and he threw her back, a stunned look on his face. She stumbled, but easily regained her footing, standing a few feet away.
'Spot, is there a problem?" Someone approached them, stepping in between them.
"Why don't you escort Little Miss Snap back to Manhattan, Bullet?" Spot suggested, and Bullet looked over at Snap, who was still smiling.
"Don't you worry, Bullet. I don't need an escort. I'm a big girl, and I can handle myself. And as for you, Mr. King of Brooklyn. You'll see me again, I swear."
Bullet looked conflicted, looking again at Spot. "Just walk her back to the other side of the bridge and then come back, we got things to talk about." Spot commanded him, but Snap was already walking towards him, stopping in front of Spot with a smirk.
"I think your crown might be a little too tight, Spot, because I don't think you heard me correctly. I can walk myself. Maybe you should get a bigger crown to match your big head." She knocked off his hat, and walked off, dissapearing into the crowd of Brooklyn.
