girls like me

Act 1 , Prologue

I had a beautiful dream. I ran through soft sand with a small kite following me as I pulled the string attached to it. Jack was lying down, relaxing himself to the sound of beach waves coming in and out. I smiled, thinking that he was finally happy, and he didn't have to worry about me as much as he did in New York. Sure, Jack is 12 minutes older than me... and taller but was over the beyond protective. At first, I was okay with it, but when we lost our dad, he became a mother and father to me. He did everything he could, and he was finally at peace. In my dream, at least.

I woke up to the sound of movement on the other side of the Jack and I. We were on the roof, but Jack would call it "his penthouse." Our good friend Crutchie slept on the other side, but thanks to his hard movement, we woke up a bit early before the bell to get up first.

"Hey, where are you going? The morning bell ain't rung yet? Go back ta sleep." Jack spoke in his sleepy voice. 

"Good morning to you both," I said, "Waking bright and early, aren't we?" 

"You go back ta sleep. Beauty sleep is key for ya pretty face to sell papes easier." Jack pushed my head back to my pillow.

"I'm already awake...Crutchie, what's with the early bird?" I ask as I swap Jack's hand away. 

"I wanna beat the otha fellas ta the street. I don't want anyone should see I ... uh... I ain't been walkin so good." Crutchie said soothingly.

"Oh, quit grippin'. You know how many fellas would fake a limp for sympathy, right?" Jack assured as he gets up close to him. "That bum leg of yours is a gold mine."

Crutchie drops his crutch and gets down to start climbing down the ladder. I rub my eyes a bit before letting out a yawn. Jack notices and pushes my face down to the pillow.

"I'm not tired-" 

"Tell that ta that yawn." he smiled and noticed Crutchie making his way down.

"Ah, if someone gets the wrong idea, I can't make it on my own. They'll lock me up in the refuge for good... hey, be a pal, jack. Help me down... WOAH!"

I struck up awake as soon as Crutchie made on a step-down, half his body slipped down, and he was hanging on to the side top rail.

"JACK!" I shouted in a whisper as Jack caught him to his rescue.

"Do you wanna busy ya otha leg too?!" Jack said as he pulled Crutchie up and sat him down. 

"No, I wanna go down," Crutchie said innocently. 

"You'll be down there soon enough. Take a moment!" Jack breathed out and stared out to the open. "Drink in my... my penthouse. High above the stinkin' streets o' New York." 

"You're crazy, Jackie," I say as I pull myself up to stretch. 

"Oh, what? Cause I like a breath of fresh air? cause I like seein' the sky an the stars?"

"Yeah, you're seein' stars, alright." I chuckled a bit, and Crutchie smiled at my comeback. 

"Them streets down there sucked the life right outta my old man. Years of rotten jobs stomped on by bosses. And when they finally broke him, they tossed him to the curb like yesterday's paper. Well, they ain't doin' that to me."

Jack faced the open view as he sighed after he spoke the truth. I looked down and fiddled with my fingers. He's right, though, and now we had was each other. "But everyone wants to come here," Crutchie said.

"New York's fine for those that can afford a big strong door to lock it out. But I tell you, Crutchie, there's a whole other way out there. So you keep your small life in the big city...Give me a big life in a small town." Jack continued to stare out into the opening, imagining to be free at last.

"They say folks is dyin' to get here, 

me I'm dyin' to get away 

to a little town out west that's spankin' new, 

and while I ain't never been there. 

I can see it clear as day. 

If you want, I betcha you could see it too,"

Jack looked at me and smiled. He motioned me to sing with him, but I nodded my head 'no' but with a smile.

"Close your eyes, come with me 

where it's clean and green and pretty

 and they went and made a city outta clay 

why, the minute that ya get there folks'll walk right up and say

"Welcome home, son, Welcome home to Santa Fe!"

Jack opened his arms toward Crutchie as he got up and sang with him.

"Plantin' crops, 

Splittin' rails 

Swappin' tales around the fire'cept for Sunday when you lie around all day 

Soon your friends are more like family 

And they's beggin' you to stay! 

Ain't that neat? livin' sweet, in Santa Fe."

It was always a dream for us to go to Santa Fe, maybe because dad talked about it more, and soon it got us hooked to be our forever place.

"You got folks there?" asked Crutchie."Got no folks nowhere... besides Eliza. You?" Jack said."I don't need folks. I got friends." Crutchie struggled his way to Jack with a smile.

I saw Jack's lightbulb go off so fast like a child's face at Christmas.

"How's about you come with me? No one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fe. You just hop a palomino and ride in style." Jack galloped on the other side of the roof. 

"Feature me: ridin' in style." Crutchie rolled his eyes.

"I bet a few months of clean air, and you could lose that crutch for good." Jack shouted one positivity. 

"What do ya say, Eliza? ya in?" Jack and Crutchie look at me for approval.

"Santa Fe, you can bet! 

We won't let them tough guys beat us! 

We won't beg no one to treat us fair and square...

There's a life that's worth the livin' and I'm gonna do my share!" I sang my lungs out with the boys with Crutchie on my right and Jack on my left.

"Work the land, Chase the sun!" Jack shouted to the sky.

"SWIM THE WHOLE RIO GRANDE JUST FOR FUN!" We shouted together that sounded in sync.

"WATCH ME STAND! Watch me run..." Crutchie realized after he said those words, he turned away from us as his smile faded away.

"Hey... " I said, walking toward him and hugging his side. Jack comes over to hug us both protectively.

"Don't you know that we's a family?Would I let you down? No way,just hold on, kid 'til that train makes Santa Fe.."

We all looked at the sky as the sunlight begins to rise the clouds. The three of us were close; we are were best friends and could trust each other with everything. There were times where I would tell Crutchie almost anything than jack since he would lose his mind. I love them...our friendship was inseparable. The church bell rang at 5 a.m, and the three of us were already awake.

"Time for dreamin's done," Jack says as he takes Crutchie's crutch. 

"Oh! Jack, may I?" I said happily. "Sure, kid. My sis in charge, who knew?" I bang the crutch on the fire escape metal, sounding the other newsies to wake up.

"Hey! Specs, Racer, Henry, Albert, Elmer. Get a move on, boys. Them papes don't sell themselves!