A Newsie Story

Chapter 7

I snuggle in next to Race. Davey is to the back of me and he holds me around my waist but I am facing Race. He faces me too completely awake. "Ya neva got ta tell me about ya day with Spot,"he whispers quietly so not to wake Davey.

"Spot is different than what you and Davey say he is. He can be really kind,"I say thinking back on the day and my new friendship with Spot.

Race frowns at me and touched one of the bruises on my face,"yeah he is obviously real kind."

"He pushes me to be the best I can be and I think that it's a really kind thing to do. And when I told him about Davey, he,"I stop abruptly realizing that I never told Race that story.

Race stares at me confused with his eyes big. He has the cutest puppy dog face ever. "What about Davey?"

"That night that you were soaked Davey and I were really worried. I was trying to read a book to maybe take my mind off a things. He saw it and ripped it from my hands. He taunted me and I punched him in the face. He slapped me and then you came home,"I say not looking at Race.

Race lets out a growl. A thick throaty growl that sounds pissed off. "He slapped you!?!"

"Calm down and keep your voice low. I hit him first,"I say touching his face.

He bites his lip trying to hide his utter rage,"I don't care if ya fuckin hit him foist. Men don't hit women. They don't do that dammit."

"It doesn't matter to me anymore. Emotions were running high that night. We both were all screwed up. Don't blame him for anything. It's been real hard for him since his brother and now his mom. We are all he has left Race,"I say putting my hands around his neck and pulling him closer to me.

Jo taught me one thing today. She goes for what she wants when she wants it. I grab his face between my hands bringing us nose to nose. I giggle quietly as his eyes grow big. I whisper,"This is for when we didn't kiss the other day."

I push my lips against his letting myself get lost. Our mouths move together as if it's an instinct and we pull away slowly with the taste still on our lips. His mouth tasted like sugar and not how I expected it. I thought it would taste like cigar.

We just grin at eachother like idiots and I never want it to end. He slings his arm around my shoulders and I lay my head on my chest. We fall asleep with the kiss still on our brains and mouth.

* * *

The next morning we all get ready in silence. I'm more sore than I have ever been in my life. My bruises have bruises and those bruises also have bruises. What I'm trying to say is bruises cover my body.

Race keeps smiling a secret smile to me and I try not to notice it. Even though I loved the kiss I keep thinking of Davey. I care about him so much. Why can't things be easier than this?

We leave the apartment and walk to the lodging house silently. I have the Monday blues. Everyone is up earlier and all the newsies are gathered around the front of the house. Albert yells over to us to come over there.

"It's been long enough since Jack has been gone and we'se need a new leader. Someone who knows what they ah doing. Any suggestions,"Specs yells out standing on a box.

For the first time ever the newsies are silent. One little boy who stays out of all trouble yells out,"Race!!!"

At first the group is filled with tiny murmurs before all the boys start to yell out Races name. Race is frozen at my shoulder and I grab his hand and give it a squeeze. Not any other names are called at all so Race makes his way over to Specs.

Specs smiles at Race obviously pleased,"You'se must now choose ya two next in charge."

Race grins out at everyone,"My next in charge is Specs and..."

A profound silence fills the group. Everyone know that he will pick Davey but no one speaks a word. He shouts at the next one as everyone gasps,"Liv!"

All the newsies look at me as I walk over to where Specs and Race are waiting for me. They both smile at me pleased. Davey looks hurt above anything else. My heart stops knowing that if I didn't exist then it would be Davey up here instead of me.

Race looks over the group,"I have one moah job ta fulfill. The brains of everything is goin ta be Davey. If we eva have any trouble with any of the other boroughs then he will figure out our best plan and he will talk to 'em. But if any you'se boys have any trouble individually come ta us. We are a council moah than anything else."

The newsies cheer as Davey walks over to the group. Sniper shouts out,"Why is a goil on the council? Is she gonna make us sandwiches oh somethin?"

A few of the boys laugh and yell out before they see Davey, Specs, and Race's faces. Race looks like he will especially murder Sniper. Mush hits his twin over the back of the head shutting him up.

"This goil heah is prolly smarter than all a you combined. She's also tough and you'se see her with a slingshot,"Race says with a growl.

I pull out my slingshot, grab a pebble, and knock Snipers hat right off of his head. All the boys cheer except a few of Sniper's friends.

A kid that looks my age yells out grinning,"Just cause she's ya goil doesn't mean we has ta take orders from her!"

Race goes over to the kid lifting him off the ground. "Freckle you'se need ta shut the hell up befoah I get real angry."

"Looks like ya already ah,"Freckle says patting Race on the cheek.

Race just looks at Freckle not even fazed,"Ah you'se just jealous cause ya tried ta kiss me one time and I told ya I liked goils? Is that why you'se feel the need to bring down a goil who hasn't even done anything to ya?"

Freckle gets real red as Race lets him go. All the boys laugh as Race makes his way back to Davey, Specs, and I.

Our new fearless leader clears his throat,"These ah my choices and that is how it's gonna be. If any a you'se gotta a problem then you can leave now."

Nobody left as the newsies cheered. We all got our papes that day with a big smile on our faces. Dan caught up to me grinning,"So I guess you'se a big deal now. Am I still aloud in ya presence, Queen?"

I punch him on the arm a little harder than I should of. He winces but still smiles at me. Maybe he isn't as sad as I first suspected. "Don't call me queen,"I say gripping my papes.

"What am I gonna call you'se den," he asks looking at me carefully.

I look at him confused,"Me name is Liv."

"I know what ya name is but we'se ah friends now. Ya need a nickname," he says making an over exaggerated thinking face.

He snaps his fingers suddenly, startling me,"I'm gonna call ya Princess. You'se is a teenagah so ya couldn't be queen anyway. I don't care what ya say. You'se ah now Princess."

I roll my eyes in defeat. This will probably be my nickname with everyone now sadly. At least it isn't a name like Dog Poop. That would be a really bad name.

Once Dan and I get to my spot he grins at me,"Ya know a lot a the newsies sell in pairs and wit ya busy spot it could woik out. Truthfully I also get lonely sometimes and the headline is good today!"

We agree to sell together. I got 50 today and so did he but we both sell out by a little after lunch. Dan grins at me excited,"Have ya met Medda yet, Princess?"

"Who is Medda,"I ask trying to think of all the girls that I have met in the last few days and none of them are named Medda.

"Ya obviously haven't. C'mon! She's a real nice lady,"he says tugging on my arm like an impatient child.

We get to a dinner/show kind of place. A woman in a bright pink dress stands on a stage with a couple of show girls. She turns around when she hears the door close,"Well if ain't some of the famous Manhattan Newsies."

I stare at the woman out of pure shock and she stares back at me. I haven't seen her since I was a child. I whisper,"Aunt M..."