So Is You One of Us?

Epilogue

"Albert wake up! Papes won't sell themselves." I said hitting him with my cap.

"Alright, alright. Just letting you know, I was having the best dream, my lips is still tingling." He whined.

"Pretty girl?" I asked nudging him.

"A leg of lamb." He said looking as though he could still taste it and I hit him again with my cap.

"Do you ever stop thinking about food?" I giggled.

"Not really." He joked back.

"I'll meet you downstairs." I said and made my way down the steps. It had been a few weeks since the strike ended and as you could probably guess Albert was my usual selling partner. Inevitably Mr. Wilbur found out I was a girl and was kind enough to make an exception to his "boys only" rule only if I "behaved myself" and I could pretty much guess what that meant. As for the Delancy brothers, they got what they had coming. Race, Albert and Crutchie ran into them on their way back from Jacobi's and they haven't misspoken to me since. I only found out they confronted them when one morning the brothers had busted lips, black eyes and scraped faces and those were the only injuries I could see. Now it's quite entertaining, whenever they see me coming they straighten up and shy away from me.

"Mornin' miss would you like to buy a pape?" A voice said behind me.

"The headline isn't even up yet Race." I said slapping him away.

"But when it's up I'd have no problem deliverin' it to you personally." He flirted causing me to blush. Ever since the kiss in the lodge during the victory celebration Race and I hadn't truly addressed what was going on between us. I wasn't officially his girl but the rest of the newsies treated me like I was. Most of the time they called me Books but whenever they were looking for me or needed something I became "Race's girl", other newsies from around New York even knew me as such.

"Have ya seen Race's girl?"

"Where's Race's girl I gots to ask 'er a question?"

"Hey, I'se lookin' for Race's girl, ya seen 'er"

It was kind of funny being that I wasn't supposed to know this was my other name. I found out one morning as I was waking up. Specs was looking for me and accidentally asked Mush "Where's Race's girl?" of course he earned multiple slaps from the boys telling him I wasn't supposed to ever hear them call me that. The only four boys I knew that called me Books no matter what were Albert, Crutchie, Jack and Race.

"Could ya leave 'er alone for once. She's mine for the next few hours." Albert said injecting himself between Race and I. He offered his arm and I happily took it; he's been the best friend I've always wanted. No one could make me laugh like Albert, or be as understanding, he's even went with me to meet Winnie. Obviously in a romantic aspect Race was who I was interested in but Albert was like the brother I got to choose. We made our way to Wiesel and got our usual ninety papes. Between the both of us we hardly ever went back to the lodge with anything other than coins in our bags. Albert was always amused when I made up a headline or exaggerated a boring one. Today was no different.

"EXTRA! EXTRA! BAKERY OVEN EXPLODES! DOZENS BURNED!" I yelled and I sold nine papes. Albert was off his rocker laughing.

"I didn't technically lie, dozens did burn...they just didn't know it was bread." I said trying to hold back my own laughter.

"Whateva you got in that head of yours ain't right." He chuckled.

"Ok you try." I said taking his place leaning on the wall.

"EXTRE! EXTRE! BROOKLYN BRIDGE STORMED BY RABID DOGS YOUS HEARD IT HERE FIRST!" He yelled and sold eight papes.

"Oh how original, what page was that one on doll-face?" I asked smacking his arm with a rolled-up paper. We both ended up in fits of laughter but kept selling. We occasionally played the poor orphan cards and within four hours we made our nine dollars and went to Jacobi's for lunch. We split a loaf of bread and started walking.

"Ya know I'se really glad you stayed." He said smiling at me.

"Me too. But don't go all sappy on me ya goon." I laughed causing him to chuckle.

"Yous startin' to sound like us too." He laughed and I thought about it; after a whole month, I was beginning to pick up on some of their mannerisms.

"Oh God I am." I said in shock causing him to only laugh harder.

"So when is Race and you gonna be official?" He asked and I just rolled my eyes.

"I don't know, maybe when you get that leg of lamb you keep dreaming about." I joked, in response he nudged me.

"Come on I'se bein' serious it's been weeks of the two of yous nonstop flirting, it's sickening." He laughed.

"It's not that serious Al, he flirts with every girl it's how he sells." I dismissed.

"Then explain when we's is back at the lodge or when we's just walkin' he does it all the time don't make me act out what I's seen." He warned.

"Please don't." I jokingly begged as we continued to eat our bread.

"What do we have goin on over here?" A familiar voice asked only to be followed by Race jumping on Albert's back, "A very pretty girl and a significantly less pretty boy." Race continued tugging on Alberts ear. The red-head would've dropped his bread if I hadn't caught it.

"Race yous so lucky Books caught that our you'd be dead." Albert said taking his bread back.

"Well it's a good thing she was here, hello beautiful." Race said hopping off of Albert's back and slinging an arm over me.

"Yous are disgusting, I'm taking my bread back to the lodge to eat in peace." He said walking away.

"How did ya do today?" He asked me.

"Nothing but dough." I laughed waving my bread.

"That was pitiful." He joked but couldn't hold back his laugh.

"I got you to laugh though, it couldn't have been that bad." I said putting a piece of bread in my mouth. I offered him a piece which he gladly took.

"Ya know Books, I can't stop thinkin about what happened a few weeks back after the strike." He said with his arm around my shoulders.

"And..." I pressed hoping he would ask me what I've been dying to hear.

"I just want to know...what's this about? Do we really have...is there really somethin' here or is I just..." He trailed off.

"Well I mean I wouldn't just let you constantly flirt with me if I wasn't interested." I said and he started blushing.

"So I'se not gone crazy or nothin', ya actually want ta be ma girl?" He asked.

"Yes Race, I'd love to be your girl." I smiled back and he kissed my forehead.

"Ya know they've been calling me your girl in the lodge for a while now." I stated.

"I know, not gonna lie Books, it has a nice ring to it don't ya think?" He asked smirking at me to which I just giggled and nodded.