girls like me

The World Will Know

Jack and I raced to "The World," and guess who won? Not me. His lung capacity was gotten way better throughout the years. He tagged the pole as our winning goal.

"Still slow, aren't ya!"

"Shut it, Kelly."

From afar, I could see a crowd of boys going at it at each other. Jack took my hand, and we power walked into the area, ready to figure out why the boys haven't gotten their papes yet.

"What're you all standin' around for?" Jack asked.

I looked around and spotted Les with a confused look on his face, and Davey staring at me while clutching his newspaper bag. He mouths a smooth 'good morning,' to me, and I turned away, giving him the cold shoulder.

"Get a load of this, Jack," Crutchie responded as he limped on Jack's open side.

"Like Pulitzer, don't make enough already?"

Romeo adds in as Crutchie points at the big board that had written, "New Newsie Price. 60 cents per 100."

"What in hell..." I murmur to myself.

WIESEL comes in and opens his window for business. He stares at us with a malevolent smile knowing we would get poorer than we are.

"Papes for the Newsies!" He announced happily.

"Jack...What are we gonna do?"

My hands traveled up to his upper arm and gripped on him. He knew I was scared, he knew that these boys would have to work more than twice as hard to get the same pay.

"Relax. It's gotta be a gag." Jack laughs as he shakes me off and makes his way to Wiesel, being the first in line like always.

"Line up, boys!" Wiesel says as JACK goes up to the window and slaps his money down.

"Good joke, Weasel. Really got the fellas goin'. I'll take a hundred and be on my way." Jack stands confidently as I line up behind him.

"A hundred cost ya sixty."

"I ain't payin' no sixty."

"Then make way for someone who will."

"You bet! Me and the fellas will take a hike over to The Journal!"

Jack yells as he takes his money back. He takes my hand and starts heading out with the Newsies right behind us, but Specs comes in with another group of Newsies.

"I'll save you the walk. They upped their price too."

"Then, we'll take our business to the Sun!" Jack reassured and continued to lead, but Wiesel stopped us.

"It's the same price all around town. New day. New price." Wiesel informed all of us, and the flame that was growing inside of Jack was continuing to grow.

"Why the jack-up?!" Jack walked over to Wiesel, facing him with his fierce dirty face.

"For them kind' a answers you gotta ask a little further up the food chain. So, you buyin' or movin' on?"

Wiesel's smart mouth tipped Jack off that he smacked the cash box out of frustration and sat on the stack of papers that were near the wagon centered of the place.

"C' mere fellas," Jack called all of the Newsies to huddle to plan and think what their next move could be.

"They can't just do that, can they?" I ask him quietly.

"Why not? It's their paper." Race answered for him.

"It's their world!" Crutchie added.

"Ain't we got no rights?"