Newsies One Shots and Preferences

A Little Convincing

Word Count: 1180

Most scary stories begin on a dark and spooky night, and an exception. The dead of winter is approaching and it is freezing, not dark and spooky, but freezing. Being in debt to the wrong people never makes for a good time, especially if you are in debt to the (y/l/n)'s. One of the most infamous families in New York, often behind bank robberies, arson, and the occasional murder. Nobody knows who the head of the family is but everyone knows to steer clear. Except for Racetrack, an orphan boy with a gambling problem. It doesn't matter that the kid doesn't have a nickel to his name, the (y/l/n)'s want their money. No matter what it takes. Someone in the family not known in the public as a threat, but is the (y/l/n)'s secret weapon just so happens to be on this case.

"Near Sheepshead," I ask my father. He just gives a nod and hands me a paper. Anthony "Racetrack" Higgins, this unlucky newsie won the wrong bet. My Uncle tends to gamble away most of his earnings and tends to have a vendetta against anyone who beats him. Doesn't matter if the child is an orphan. Frankly, I don't care for his practices much, but my father gave me an order to lure this poor boy into this trap. All I need to do is lead him into an alley by midnight, it should not be too hard. 

Today starts out on a search, look for a newsie who looks like this. I take out a newspaper from last summer, the boy's face is circled in red. It shouldn't be too hard to convince him to come to the races with me. Especially with an alias like Racetrack. Even if it was going to be difficult I can lure anyone, anywhere, at any time. The hard part is always finding the victim, however, newsboys are known for their loud demeanor. Unfortunately, there are newsies all over Manhattan, and finding him without an idea to where he is will be the most difficult thing, ever.

Not wanting to disappoint my father, I see a newsboy on the street corner, not Race, but he might be able to point me in the right direction. 

"Would you like a paper, miss" the boy stands with a crutch without a coat on. He must be freezing it in the middle of winter. I look down at my self briefly, noticing how I am dressed for the weather, even holding a cup of hot chocolate. "No I don't, but have this. You look cold" I say, handing him my mostly full cup. The boy is taken aback he almost falls over, and he immediately pulls me in for a hug. Who knew newsies were so thankful? I wrap my arms around the boy and I feel him freezing. I cannot just leave him here on the street, he will be out for another few hours, he could develop frostbite in that time. "Can I help you sell your papers. I can't stand seeing you out here like this" I say eventually letting go of our grasp. The last thing on my mind is my father's business, right now I need to help this boy.

At this point the boy seems offended, "I don't need help, I can carry my own banner". Sure I am giving him special treatment, but at this point, I am doing it because I want too, not because I feel bad. "No, let me help. I know you can do it by yourself, but it will get done quicker with two people" I flash him a look that nobody has ever said no to before, "please, let me help". Before I know it he is handing me a little less than half of his papers, and I am off shouting a headline. Who knew that luring people and marketing were so similar.

"You're a natural, uh. What's your name?" the boy kind of sniffles out. "(y/n), and what about you" I beam at him, selling another paper. "Everybody calls me Crutchie," he says, also selling another paper. "what were you doing around here anyway," he says making conversation. Think, I cannot tell him that I am planning on leading his friend into a death trap. "Just going on a walk, enjoying the scenery" I lie, and it feels awful. I don't know why, I lie all the time, but something is just different when I lie to him. I feel like I shouldn't be, for the first time in god knows how long, I feel bad for something I was raised to do. 

"In this weather?" he says, not convinced.

"I'll tell you later," I say. I am not sure what I am going to tell him later. Will it be another lie?  Probably, I am not going to tell him I work for the mob. Before I know it, later has arrived and I am already so attached to this boy. My father will kill me and him if I tell him the truth, but I don't think I can lie again. 

"I work for some bad people, I was originally going to do some bad thing," I say, speaking very vaguely. If I am too honest, my father will kill him, but I just cannot bring myself to lie again. "But you're not a bad person" now Crutchie is rambling about how I should escape that life. He said he could set me up as a newsie and we could be selling partners, and with my natural talent, he said it won't be hard. Earlier I came here to lead someone to their death, but now I am thinking about abandoning my family. Even though they are bad people I love them, I can't just leave them. Especially because if you leave you will probably die, doesn't matter if I am the leader's child or not. My life is on the line, his life is on the line.

However, if I am not going to leave my family, what I am about to do is going to make zero sense. I see out of the corner of my eye, some of my dad's goons are on the street and are about to cross the deli we are sitting in. If I don't do something right now, I will be spotted. Crutchie is still rambling, we won't have enough time to get out of sight of the window. What do I do? I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him in. Our lips connect for a few seconds. A few seconds longer, and a few seconds after that. At some point, I know the goons are gone, but I cannot bring myself to pull away. However eventually I do, and I have my decision. 

"I'll do it. I'll be a newsie" I say, not caring that I am going to put myself into so much danger. However, when I look up I see a confused and blushing Crutchie.

"Good to hear, I convinced you".