𝚁𝚄𝙽𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈 ° racetrack higgins

New Partners

I rolled my eyes as Jack shot up and marched over to the kid. He snatched the stack out of his hands, much to the new kid's surprise, and started to count the newspapers.

"See how nice I was to the new kid. What do I get for my civility? Ungrounded accusations?" Weasel complained.

"I just want what I paid for." New kid argued, throwing his arms out before letting them fall to his sides.

"He said beat it." Oscar growled.

"New kid's right, Weasel." Jack spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear him. Looking up from the stack of papers, he walked over to the window and looked at the people behind it. "You gave him nineteen. I'm sure it's an honest mistake."

I walked over to stand beside my brother. "Yeah. I mean, Oscar can't count to twenty with his shoes on."

The Delancey boy lunges at me through the bars. I didn't move an inch, seeing as Weasel held him back as I heard newsboys laugh lightly behind me.

Weasel reluctantly grabbed another newspaper from the stack and shoved it towards the new kid. "Here's your paper. Take a hike."

Jack was digging in his pockets. "Give the new kid fifty more papes."

"I don't want more papes." The boy spoke up, his voice icy and stern.

"What kind a newsie don't want more papes?" My brother asked, his hands at his sides in slight shock.

"I'm no charity case! Besides, I don't even know you..."

"His name's Jack." The younger boy said, standing on top of the crate he was sitting on. "And that's his sister, Tatum."

"And it's Pockets to yous two." I said, pointing between the two boys with a stern look on my face; I only ever allowed it when Jack and Racetrack called me by my actual name. I'm not sure why, but it wasn't really a problem for the other guys, since they just called me Pockets anyways.

"Yeah, these guys here are the famous Kelly siblings. Jack once escaped jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage." Crutchie explained, his smile resembling that of a proud father. He stepped up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "And Pockets here slipped right out in broad daylight; had almost twenty bulls after her. Made all the papes."

Jack has a slight smirk on his face hearing his accomplishment as he turned to the kid. "So, how old are you, kid?"

"I'm ten!" The kid said happily. "Almost."

"Well, if anybody asks, you're seven. Younger sells more papes, and if we're all gonna be partners-" I spoke up, putting a hand on the young boy's shoulder.

The older of the two new kids spoke up, seeming annoyed. "Who says we want partners?"

Crutchie seemed offended as he stepped forwards, standing slightly in front of us while he spoke to the kid. "Selling with the Kellys is the chance of a lifetime. If you learn from them, you learn from the best."

"Well if he's the best, then what's he need with me?"

"Cause you got a little brother and I don't." My brother said. I gave Jack a slight scowl, which he noticed. "Sorry Tate, but youse ain't got dat baby face no more. With that puss," He said, pointing to the little kid's face. "We can easily sell a thousand papes a week. Hey, look sad kid."

The young kid stuck his lip out, giving puppy dog eyes that would for sure melt an older woman's heart.

"We're gonna make millions." I said, over exaggerating for effect.

"This is my brother, David." The little boy said, gesturing to the older boy. "I'm Les."

Jack nodded towards the older boy. "Nice ta meet ya, Davey. My two bits come off the top and we split everything else 70-30."

"50-50." Les spoke up, surprising us. "You wouldn't try and pull a fast one on a little kid."

"60-40. And dats my final offer."

Les turned around to look at his brother. After a moment's hesitation, Davey shrugged and gave a slight nod. The little boy turned back to Jack with a smile. "Deal."

Jack spit in his hand and stuck it out to Les. The kid did the same thing before the shook hands in a firm grasp.

Shrugging, I spit in my own hand and held it out towards Davey. He looked at me as if I was some kind of animal. "That's disgusting."

"That's just business." I told him simply.

"Newsies!" Jack called, grabbing everyone's attention. "Get to the streets! The suns up, the headline stinks, and this kid ain't getting any younger!"

Word Count: 777