**COMPLETE**
"I didn't catch your name."
"I didn't seem to drop it."
Spot Conlon's rebellious younger sister gets involved with the Manhattan Newsies, and ends up making history alongside them...
•I will be using scenes from both the Broadway version and the 1992 version
• The book will not exactly follow the storyline :)
:3
*** Prologue
"An' where the hell is you goin'?" the girl froze at the words. Busted.
Halfway out the window of the tiny building that served as a home for many boys and girls - from the ages of 7 all the way to 17 - Auden Conlon let out a deep sigh and reluctantly let herself fall back inside the room she was attempting to escape from. She brushed herself off and stood as tall as she could, facing her brother, the King of Brooklyn himself, Spot Conlon.
"Goin' out, how's about you?" She brushed the hair that had fallen from her cap out of her eyes.
Her brother crossed his arms and glared at her, "Out where?"
She raised her hands up in mock surrender, "Didn't realize this was a police investigation. I'm goin' out wit' some friends."
"What friends?"
"Good ones." she stated, not giving direct answers for a specific reason.
"Don't tell me youse goin' out gamblin' again." He scoffed.
She forced an overemphasized laugh, as if he was crazy, "Yes, yes, I'm going out an-and gambling, throwing away my hard days of work just to play some Poker." she laughed again and put her hands out, as if she were being arrested, "ya got me."
Spot just stared at her.
Sounds kinda dumb now that I say it out loud. She thought to herself.
A few more moments of silence passed, before she eventually gave in, "I'll go back to my room, then."
"Goodnight, Peaches."
"Suck it, Spot Conlon."
*** July 10th, 1899 First Person
The unusually brisk air of this particular rainy night in July hit my face as I walked down the familiar street. Softly, I whistled a tune I had made up myself to pass the time while I was walking. My brother knew I was out, but he thinks I'm going to Midtown to visit my old friend, Squints.
Technically, I was on my way to Midtown, but I wouldn't be stopping there. Instead, I turned another corner on the way to my own secret place.
I can't really remember finding this place, it's just always been here, since I became a newsie with Spot. Originally, I was a Harlem newsie, but then I got into some trouble with a few boys over there, and Spot made sure I was under his protection.
My hideout was a small wooden platform that hung off the side of an old building nobody used anymore, and it was a little higher above the streets. I enjoyed sitting there - especially at night. When the lights go on in the city, and every Friday night you can hear the jazz band down the street start to play.
Once I'd reached my hideout, after crawling through some alleyways, and climbing some buildings, I was met with a sort of surprise. A person, a tall, skinny-looking man, was sitting in my hiding spot, looking down at the streets.
"Hey, the hell are you doin' he -" but the silhouette grabbed me, pulled me down beside them, and covered my mouth.
"The Delancey's." the man whispered, and I could smell the scent of cigars when he spoke.
Sure enough, when I looked down, I could see Morris and Oscar looking up and down the street. After a few moments of complete silence, Oscar nudged Morris, and they left together. The man let me go and we both sat back, breathing heavily.
"Anyways," he said, pulling out a cigar, "You was sayin'?"
I frowned, "Right. Who are you?"
"The name's Race. Anything else?"
"I was gonna ask why you were in my spot, but I think I figured that out."
He paused. Then, he moved around a little, before lighting a match between the two of us. I could see his face clearly from the light being given off the little orange flame. He had dusty blonde curly hair, and a small bruise under one eye. He appeared to be studying me.
"Yeah, youse kinda pretty." He determined after a few seconds, before the match went out, "well, my dear, this has been a genuine pleasure, but I must be goin', though I hope to see you in the very near future."
He began climbing the ladder down, and once he reached the ground, I called after him, "Goodnight, Race."
He turned around and looked back up, "Hey, sweetheart, I never seemed to have caught your name."
"Funny, I don't recall dropping it."
I heard him snicker below me, "Well, then I'll find a name for ya. Til' next time." Vaguely, I could see him waving his cap as a farewell.
*** I'll be using a lot of music in this book & I'll mention every song (except newsies because chances are everybody already knows them).
Also, just a PSA, naturally curly hair does not look like this
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I could strangle myself with all the "naturally curly" haired main characters in fanfics.
