my erster (racetrack higgins x oc)

the world will know

July 18th 1899 the day of the strike

"Oh Ise can't wait to get my hands on those dirty Delanceys!"
Racetrack told Albert with a deadly look on his face.
"Racer! You ain't gonna do nothing! Me and Jack already beat 'em!"
Albert told him. Racetrack turned to Albert frustrated.
"I still can't believe yous went without me!"
Racetrack yelled frustrated at him.
"It's not my fault it was Jack's orders."
Albert told him.
Racetrack kept glancing back at Tiger's room throughout the conversation.
"Hey? Hey Racer? Racer!"
Albert snapped his fingers in front of Racetrack's face.
"Go on check on her, I doubt any of the guys are up bout now."
Albert told him. 

Racetrack entered Tiger's room to see her not asleep but sitting up straight shaking. Racetrack ran straight to her but when he reached he she flinched. Tiger hadn't flinched at anybody or anything since she first got here.
"Tiger? It's me, Racer, you know I wouldn't eva' hurt ya."
Racetrack told her slowly reaching to grab her hand softly. Tiger didn't say anything just a tear rolling down her face.
"Ya know ya don't gotta sell papes today, I doubt Jack'll make ya."
Racetrack told her while holding her hand, sitting next to her on her bed.
"No. Ise wanna prove Ise ain't weak."
Tiger finally spoke turning to face him.
"Tiger yer not weak. Yer one of the strongest people I knows."
Racetrack told her.
"I should've listened to you."
Tiger told him after a moment of silence.
A tear rolled down her face that she quickly wiped away.
"No, I should've been there. If I was there none of this would've happened."
Racetrack admitted.
There was another moment of silence but not awkward silence just relaxing.  Tiger put her head on Racetrack's shoulder and hugged his arm.
"You've always been there for me Racetrack...thank you."
Tiger told him kissing his cheek and getting up to get ready.
"Are you sure you're up for this?"
Racetrack asked her.
"I have to at some point."
Tiger told him. He left her room to let her get changed.

He entered the boys bunk room and Albert and Crutchie came up to him.
"How is she?"
Crutchie asked leaning on his Crutch.
"She's not great but she wants to sell today. I just don't know how she'll react to seeing the Delanceys again."
Racetrack told them.
"Did you see Jack? He said he hadn't seen her like that since he first met her."
Albert told the two.
"Aye quit ya gossiping girls."
Jack told them walking past while putting on his cap.
"Who you callin' girls?"
Racetrack asked putting his cigar in his mouth.
"I believe he's talkin' bout you Racer."
A girl's voice spoke from behind him.  He turned around to see Tiger fixing her cap on her head and straightening her skirt.
"Tiger."
Racetrack stated with a jokingly judgmental face.
"Racer."
Tiger did the same.  They both started laughing and Racetrack brought Tiger into a hug.  He leaned his head down to her ear and whispered to her.
"Are you sure you want to go?"
Tiger nodded her head yes and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Okay okay yous go ahead me and Crutchie gotta fix his crutch."
Jack announced to everyone. The rest of the newsies nodded and headed off to Newsie Central. 

Once all the newsies except Jack and Crutchie made it up to Newsie Central they were met with Davey and Les.
"'Morning everybody. Sorry we're late. We had to help our mother with something."
Davey announced to everyone that was there.  Some were sitting on the stacks of old newspapers and others on the counter where Wiesel and the Delanceys work.  Racetrack and Tiger were sitting next to each other on the wagon next to the old newspaper piles.  Les ran over to Tiger and sat in her lap.
"They got a mudder? I was gonna get me one."
Racetrack half joked and half mocking looking over at Tiger trying to make her laugh.
"What happened to the one ya had?"
Romeo asked him.
"He traded her for a box of cigars!"
Buttons joked nudging Romeo.  Racetrack jumped off the wagon and got in Buttons face.
"They was Coronas!"
Racetrack defended.
"So Tiger what's it like knowing ya gonna be traded for some Coronas?"
Albert joked leaning on the wagon.
"Heartbroken absolutely heartbroken."
Tiger told him sarcastically with a fake pout.
"We have a father too!"
Les announced to everyone Davey tried to stop him but failed.
Racetrack walked back over to Tiger and Les.
"A mudder and a fodder."
Buttons said faking to be interested.
"Ain't we the hoi polloi."
Racetrack teased.
"Be nice!"
Tiger scolded him, hitting his arm.
"So, how's it going today?"
Les asked changing the subject while getting up to stand next to some of the other newsies.
"Ask me after they put up the headline."
Tommy Boy told him scoffing. Les looked up with the rest of the others.  Racetrack helped Tiger jump off the wagon as she slapped his hand away.  They all gathered in a group to see the headline.
"Here it comes now!"
Les told everyone while pointing at the headline.
"It says, "New Newsie Price: Sixty Cents Per Hundred"!"
Albert reads it to the others.
"What'd you say!"
Mush said outraged.
"Is that news?"
Davey asked confused.
"It is to me!"
Elmer shouted.
"They jacked up the price of papes. Ten cents per hundred!"
Albert explained to Davey and Les.
"I can eat two days in a dime!"
Elmer said exasperated. Crutchie caught up with the others and saw the headline.
"I'll be sleepin' on the street!"
Crutchie said told everyone scared.
"You already sleep on the street."
Jo Jo said to him.
"In the worst neighborhood."
Crutchie tells him.
Jack came up behind everyone.
"What're you all standin' around for?"
Jack asked everyone. Wiesel and the Delanceys came behind the counter.
"Jack! Get a load of this."
Crutchie told Jack leading him up to the headline.
"Like Pulitzer don't make enough already!"
Romeo said disgusted.  Tiger went up to Jack and grabbed his arm.
"They can't do this. Can they?"
Tiger asked him concerned.
"No."
Jack laughed.
"Papes for the newsies!"
Wiesel yelled at the newsies.
"Relax it's a gag!"
Jack told the newsies. 
"Line up boys! And girl."
Wiesel yelled at them.
They all followed Jack up to the counter window.
"Good joke Weasel.  Really got the fellas goin'.  I'll take a hundred and be on my way."
Jack told him.
"Hundred will cost ya sixty. Asshole."
Oscar told him slamming his hand on the newspapers.
"Ain't no way I'm payin' sixty. I'll give ya anotha black eye though."
Jack told him with a scowl. Oscar about pounced on Jack but Wiesel held him back.
"Then make way for someone who will."
Morris told Jack.
"You bet! Me and the fellas will take a hike over to the journal!"
Jack said beating on the counter as the rest of the newsies agreed and started to follow him. As Racetrack and Tiger were passing the Delanceys and Wiesel, Racetrack threw his arm over Tiger's shoulders and flipped the Delanceys off.
"I'll save ya the walk. They upped they're price too."
Specs announced to the newsies, stopping Jack.
"Then we'll take our business to the Sun!"
Jack told everyone.
"It's the same all around town."
Wiesel said smirking at them.
"Why the jack-up?"
Jack asked Wiesel walking back over to the counter.
"For them kind of answers ya gotta ask a little further up the food chain."
Wiesel told him.
"So, you buyin' or movin' on?"
Oscar asked smugly. Jack threatened a punch at Oscar but hit the counter instead. He walked back over to the piles of old newspapers frustrated. Tiger followed him close behind and sat next to him.
"C'mere fellas!"
Jack told the other gesturing over to him.
"They can't just do that can they Jack?"
Tiger asked him with a worried look on her face.
"Why not? It's their paper."
Racetrack said defeated sitting down on a shorter pile of newspapers beside Tiger.
"It's their world."
Crutchie said sitting on the wagon putting his crutch down.
"Ain't we got no rights?"
Henry asked.
"We got the right to starve. C'mon, let's get our papes and hit the streets while we can!"
Crutchie told them reaching for his crutch.
"At them prices?"
Henry asked frustrated.
"We got a choice?"
Crutchie asked getting up with his crutch.
"Hold on! Nobody's payin' no new nothin'!"
Jack announced standing up.
"You got an idea?"
Tommy Boy asked him.
"Hey would ya keep yer shirt on! I'm tryin' to think this through!"
Jack said defensively. All the newsies started arguing and asking Jack questions. Les ran up to all of them getting in front of Jack while pushing all the newsies away from him so it was just Jack sitting.
"Quit crowding him! Let the man work it out!"
Les yelled at all of them. All the newsies put their hands up defensively and watched Jack think.
"Hey, Jack, ya done thinkin'?"
Les asked him enthusiastically.
"Sure he is, can't you smell smoke?"
Racetrack told him waving his hand in front of his face. Tiger elbowed him in the rib while stifling a laugh at his joke.
"Shut up."
Tiger whispered to him.
"All right here's the deal: if we don't sell papes, then no one sells papes. Nobody gets to that window till they put the price back where it belongs!"
Jack announced to the newsies as the surrounded him again.
"You mean like a strike?"
Davey cut in.
"Well you heard Davey. We're on strike!"
Jack told everyone as they all started to cheer.
"Hold on. I didn't say-"
Davey started.
"We shut down this place like them workers shut down the trolleys."
Jack told everyone.
"And the cops will bust our heads! Half them strikers is laid up with broke bones."
Finch said to Jack negatively.
"Cops ain't gonna care about a bunch of kids."
Jack told him with a duh expression on his face.
"Right, Davey?"
Jack asked him.
"Leave me out of this. I'm just here trying to feed my family."
Davey told him grabbing Les' hand and started walking the other way.
"Oh what? And the rest of us is on playtime? Just because we only make pennies don't give nobody the right to rub our noses in it."
Jack scoffed at him.
"It doesn't matter. You can't strike. You're not a union."
Davey told him.
"And what if I says we is?"
Jack asked him crossing his arms.
"There's a lot of stuff you gotta have in order to be a union. Like membership."
Davey told him exasperated.
"What do you call these guys?"
Jack asked showing the newsies followed by all of them waving at him with a choirs of 'hi's.
"And officers."
Davey sighed.
"I nominate Jack President!"
Crutchie announced and the newsies all cheered in approval.
"Gee, I'm touched."
Jack said turning back to Crutchie making a heart with his hands which was returned.
"How about a statement of purpose?"
Davey asked.
"Must'a left it in my other pants."
Jack said frustrated.
"Uh what's a statement of purpose?"
Racetrack asked standing up while raising his hand.
"You're so dumb."
Albert nudged Racetrack.
"You know for once I agree with Albert."
Tiger laughed.
"You two always gang up against me!"
Racetrack pouted.
"Aw it's all out love Racer."
Tiger told him and Racetrack sat back down.
"So you finally admit you love me?"
Racetrack flirted. All the newsies rolled their eyes at Racetrack.
"No."
Tiger said quickly hiding her face from him.
"It's a reason for forming the union."
Davey said changing the subject back to what they we're talking about.
"What reason did the trolley workers have?"
Jack asked frustrated.
"I don't know. Wages? Work hours? Safety on the job?"
Davey guessed.
"Who don't need that? Bet if your father had a union you wouldn't be out here sellin' papes right now. Yeah?"
Jack asked him. Davey pushed Jack back a little.
"Yeah."
Davey whispered.
"So, our union is hereby formed to watch each other's backs. "Union'd we stand." Hey, that's not bad. Somebody write that down."
Jack told everyone walking back over to the others.
"I got a pencil!"
Les announced hold up his pencil.
"Well meet our Secretary of State. Now what?"
Jack asked.
"If you want to strike, the membership's gotta vote."
Davey instructed him.
"So let's vote. What do you say, fellas? The choice is yours. Do we roll over and let Pulitzer pick our pockets, or do we strike?"
Jack asked all the newsies.
"STRIKE!"
Everyone cheered.
"You heard the voice of the membership. The Newsies of Lower Manhattan are now officially on strike. What next?"
Jack asked.
"Wouldn't a strike be more effective if someone in charge knew about it?
Crutchie asked Jack.
"Well it would be an honor to tell Weasel and those no good no nothing doche bag Delanceys myself!"
Racetrack yelled at them.
"Yeah? And who tells Pulitzer? Davey?"
Jack asked.
"I don't know... I guess..."
Davey started.
"You do, Mr. President."
Davey said finally giving in.
'That's right, we do! What do we tell 'em?"
Jack asked Davey.
"The newspaper owners need to respect your rights as employees."
Davey started the speech.
"Pulitzer and Hearst gotta respect the rights of the workin' kids of this city."
Jack helped.
"They can't just change the rules when they feel like it."
Davey yelled.
"That's right. We do the work so we get a say."
Jack yelled enthusiastically.
"We've got a union!"
Davey announced excitedly. Al the newsies cheered with excitement.

Jack: Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothin'
Are we nothin'?
Newsies: No!
"They need to understand that we're not enslaved to them. We're free agents."
Davey cheered.
Jack: Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us
Do they got us?
Newsies: No!
Jack: Even though we ain't got hats or badges
We're a union just by sayin' so...
And the world will know!
Tiger: What's it gonna take to stop the wagons?
Are we ready?
Newsies: Yeah!
Tiger: What's it gonna take to stop the scabbers?
Can we do it?
Newsies: Yeah!
Jack and Tiger: We'll do what we gotta do until we break the will of mighty Bill and Joe...
Newsies: And the world will know!
And the Journal, too!
Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer, have we got news for you!
See, the world don't know
But they're gonna pay
'Stead of hawkin' headlines we'll be makin' 'em today
And our ranks will grow
And we'll kick their rear!
And the world will know that we've been here!
Tiger: When the circulation bell starts ringin'
Will we hear it?
Newsies: No!
Jack: What if the Delancys come out swingin'
Will we hear it?!
Newsies: No!
Newsies: When you got a hundred voices singin'
Who can hear a lousy whistle blow?
And the world will know!
That this ain't no game
That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim
So they gave their word?
Well it ain't worth beans!
Now they gonna see what "Stop the presses" really means
And the old will weep
And go back to sleep
Now we got no choice but to see it through...
And we found our voice
And I lost my shoe
And the world will
Yeah!
Pulitzer may own the world, but he don't own us
Pulitzer may own the world, but he don't own us!
Pulitizer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us
Pulitizer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us!
And the world will know
We been keepin' score
Either they gives us our rights or we gives them a war
We've been down too long
And we paid our dues
And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news
And the die is cast
And the torch is passed
And the roar will rise
From the streets below
And our ranks will grow and grow and grow and so
The world will feel the fire and finally know!

Davey, Jack, and Les all joined together and walked into Pulitzer's office building. The rest of the newsies were waiting outside the building when the three were pushed back out of the building by a security guard.
"And stay out!"
The security guard yelled and slammed the doors shut.
"You can tell Pulitzer that a few days into this strike, he's gonna be beggin' for an appointment to see me! You got that?"
Less yelled at the door.
"He got it."
Les then said turning around crossing his arms proudly.

Newsies: Pulitzer may own the world, but he don't own us!
Pulitzer may own the world, but he don't own us!
Pulitzer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us!
Pulitzer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us!
So the world says no?
Well the kids do too
Try to walk all over us, we'll stomp all over you
Can they kick us out?
Take away our vote?
Will we let them stuff this crock o' garbage down our throat? No!
Everyday we wait
Is a day we lose
And this ain't for fun
And it ain't for show
And we'll fight 'em toe to toe to toe and so
Your world will feel the fire and finally, finally know!

Word Count: 2913