"Ash," my brother, Jack, sing songs through the door. See, I sleep in the only closed off room in the lodging house because I'm a girl. It was supposed to go to my brother, but he gave it to me so that I can change without the boys seeing anything.
"Go away," I reply. I am not a morning person. Quite the opposite actually.
"You gotts get up, sis. Then we can get food," Jack reasons. I sit straight up. Food.
"I'm up! I'll be out in a second," I tell Jack. I quickly pull on my trousers and a plain blue shirt. I pit on my suspenders and stuff all my hair into my newsies cap. I have to hide the fact that I'm a girl or else I'll be sent to an orphanage. So, I hide my hair and wear baggy shirts. I can't afford a binder and binding with bandages is a big no no.
I walk out of my room to see my best friend, Racetrack Higgans, frantically searching for his cigar. I roll my eyes slightly, knowing that one of the other newsies took it. Jack walks over and puts a few loose strands of hair into my cap just as Race spots Snipeshooter with his cigar.
"Hey that's my cigar," he sings, holding in his temper.
"You'll steal annuda," Snipeshooter goades. Race snatches the cigar out of his hand a slaps Snipeshpoter ariund the head.
"Hey bummas we got woik ta do," Kid Blink says, breaking up the fight.
"Since when did you become me mudda," Specs sings. Blink cringes away from his morning breath.
"Aw, stop ya bawlin!" Crutchy sings as he walks past.
"Hey! Who ast you?" Mush, Specs, and Blink exclaim.
"So, how'd ya sleep Jack?" Mush asks, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
"On me back, Mush," Jack replies tierdly.
"Ha ha! Hear tha' fellas? Hear what Jack said? I asked Jack 'ow he slept an'he said 'on me back Mush'!" Mush laughs. I giggle a bit. Mush squeezes me a bit then lets me go and walks off.
"Ashlyn? Jack? When I walk does it look like I'm fakin' it?" Crutchy asks us.
"No. Who said you'se is fakin' it?" I ask, anger lacing my tone.
"I dunno. It's just there's so many fake crips on the street today, a real crip ain't got a chance. I gotta find me a new selling spot where they ain't used ta seein' me," Crutchy sighs.
"Try Bottle Alley or da Harbor," Mush suggests.
"Try Central Park, it's guaranteed," Race says, shaving his nonexistent facial hair.
"Try any banker, bum, or barber," Jack sings, flicking shaving cream at Mush.
"They almost all knows how ta read," I add. Specs walks past and adjusts my newsie cap. The boys are all very protective of me. It's sweet but it can get a bit annoying.
"I smell money," Blink sings cheerfully, prancing out of the bathroom.
"You smell foul!" Crutchy coughs, gagging at the smell. I wrinkle my nose. Blink turns to soak Crutchy but Mush intervines and chsnges the subject.
"Met this goil last night," Mush sings.
"Ah, move your elbow!" Crutchy exclaims in annoyance.
"Pass do towel!" Race shouts, shaving cream covering his eyes.
"For a buck I might!" Skittery sings, dangling the towel in front of Race. I laugh and snatch it from his hands. I hand it to Race.
YOU ARE READING
Queen of New York (Spot Conlon Fic)
FanficAshlyn Kelly, sister of the famous Cowboy, has never been to Brooklyn. Jack wouldn't allow it. She's met everyone and gained the title of Queen of New York, but Brooklyn is uncharted territory for her. What happens when she visits Brooklyn to tell S...
