Stray on Strike

Dolled up

I am currently fixing myself for the Newsies Rally at Medda's tonight. Spot Conlon is going to be there. People will be talking about it for weeks and maybe even months. I don't care if people won't hear it from the papers. I will shout it from the top of my throat.

Jack went out to "invite" Pulitzer to the Newsies Rally as a quote on quote. Guest of Honor. Jack and Davey wanted him there so they could talk out the issues. The only problem Jack hasn't come back yet. 

Not that I'm worried about, that I'm sure he'll show up at Irving Hall before the Rally. He probably doesn't want to waste time walking all the way back here to the lounging house. I don't blame him. From the Pulitzer building to the lounging house and then all the way back into town to go to Medda's Theater.

I want to look my best for tonight. This is where it's all going to go down. So I decided to get dressed in the washroom. I locked the door so none of the guys would try and sneak at peak. I don't have a lot to choose from to wear. I mean it's my current daily outfit which is my white blouse a vest that covers it, knickers, and a paperboy cap. Then there's the outfit in which Jack and Crutchie  found me in when I left my father's, the white blouse with Ruffles near the neck and a long dark green plaid skirt. I was a very simple girl. Not to mention that there was a time where I used to put my hair in a bun instead of just stuffing it in my hat. Ahh the days I used to be considered a 'lady.'

It has been so long since I have put my hair in that old bun like I used to. Who knows if I can even do it again. I try and I try, but my hair has grown so much since I left my dad (and I haven't gotten a haircut since then either) that it's too long to do the same bun that I used too. I have to figure out a way to do my hair for tonight. Because..well.. Joseph Pulitzer might be there and he sould see that the only girl newsie is not just some street rat. And not only that but Brooklyn will be there and that means Vic and Clyde will be there.

I hear the doorknob turn, but since I locked it the door doesn't open. I hear the voice of my smoker pal shout through the door. "Aye! Stray! Open up would ya?!?!"

I brush my hair back and calmly say, "I'm naked!"

I could hear the awkwardness in his voice. Oh I could laugh. "Oh...well. Katherine's hear for ya." I turn around and unlock the door and fling it open. Race was standing there expecting a naked Stray, but no he saw a fully closed Stray and I was trying not to laugh when he realized what I did.

"Mes was thinking ya were naked in there." Race said pointing his cigar at me as threating as possible for an old used cigar. I push down the cigar from pointing at me. I was going to say something, but I see Katherine walk up to me.

She is holding some clothes in her hands. Katherine is wearing another beautiful outfit. It's purple and it has dots on it and I know I will never be able to have something like that. It's the same thought I had when I first met her.

"Stray...." She says worried. What happened she was so cheery yesterday? "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, sure, sure." I say showing her the way to the washroom.

We both squeeze in and I close the door. She doesn't say anything. Katherine just holds out the folded clothes towards me. I cock up an eyebrow, look at the clothes and then look at her. "I want you to have it."

"You can't be serious..." I say sticking my hands in the air.

"I am." Katherine pants out. "I want you to have it. Now I know you can't run or jump around and sell newspaper in this. But it's just something nice that I want you to have. You can wear it tonight even. I just feel like I've been a bad friend. And I want to make it up for you." She holds it out more.

I take it from her hands and hold it up to see what it exactly is. It's the orange skirt and stripped shirt that she wore the other day. Oh how amazing she looked in that. "No I can't take this from you." I say trying to fold it back up properly. "Your folks would be mad that you have your threads to a street rat."

She places her hands where mine are trying to fold. I stop and she looks me in the eyes. "Trust me, my father is furious already, he's not going to even sweat over some of my old clothes."

She starts to walk away leaving the clothes in my hand. "Wait! Aren't you going to help me put it on?" I say trying to be nice. She gives me a half hearted smile and nods.

She turns away and doesn't as I take off my work clothes. I put on the clothes that she gave me and Katherine turns around and buttons the back of the shirt and helps tie the skirt.

I twirl out and the skirt flows as if it was fog flowing around my feet. "You look beautiful." She mutters. I look down at myself and look up at her and smile. We both run up and hug each other like it is the last time we will even seen each other again. I know it's not true, but it feels like it is.

She makes a motion with her hand for me to turn around and I do. I feel her pulling in my hair. Twisting of my hair is felt. Katherine lets go of my hair and turns me around with my shoulder. She smiles a huge smile. I check what she did in the mirror. Katherine made the most beautiful French braid. With little pieces of hair dangling by my ears. It looks incredible.

"You're coming to the Rally right?" I ask.

"Sorry, after what I just went through, I don't think I can make it. You better tell me every little detail." She says. I see her not trying to let a frown cover her face. Without anything left to say she walks out. Right before she exits from under the doorframe I say one last thing to her.

"Earlier you said that you thought you were a bad friend. I just wanted to let you know. You're not. You are one of the bravest, caring, and kindest person I know. You are a great person Katherine Plumber." When I said her name she hung her head down to the ground, like I just did something wrong.

Katherine is trying to hold back something terrible my sad inside of her.

"That's just it Stray....I've been lying this whole time." And without anything else, she left. Leaving me with so many questions.