Newsies Imagines

Silent Treatment (Race)

"Extra! Extra! House catches fire and burns down with an entire family inside- you heard it here!" As you shout headlines to the Manhattan streets, passersby turn to you, handing you their hard-earned coins to buy your ever-dwindling supply of newspapers.

You've been a newsie for months now, selling on the same street corner (it has the best assortment of rich folks strolling by) and always making a profit. Sure, sometimes the headlines you advertised weren't exactly accurate, but did it really matter? Your customers' money went to a good cause- feeding you and your friends. What more could you ask for?

Once all of your papes are gone, you clap your hands together in satisfaction and saunter briskly off down the street in search of a certain blue-eyed newsboy. You spy him after walking a few minutes, talking earnestly to a couple of wealthy girls. They're oohing and aahing over his every word, and you grin to see your boyfriend embellishing his headlines just the same as anyone else. As you draw closer to the huddled group, though, your smile starts to slowly slip away.

You're usually never one to get jealous- you know as well as anyone else that anyone selling papers usually has to flirt more than a little to sell to hard-to-convince customers. You've certainly done the same, but yet your heart does a sad little flip in your chest when you hear Race talking to the girls.

You try to push these thoughts out of your head. Race has been nothing but a loyal boyfriend, he would never do anything to hurt you. You paste on a smile and stroll up to Race and the girls, greeting them.

At the sight of you, the girls' grins start to fall a little flat. Race notices this and turns up the charm even more, coaxing them to stay just a little longer. "Don't pay attention to them, I believe we were in the middle of a most wonderful conversation. Y/N, don't you have papes you need to sell?"

You bristle at the sound of Race's words and can't help a derisive laugh. "Already sold them all, thank you very much." The girls notice the rising tension and press some coins into Racer's hands, grabbing their papers and murmuring polite but quiet goodbyes as they leave.

Race turns to you in annoyance. "Thanks for getting rid of my best customers. They always pay me way more than anyone else, but I guess not today." You stiffen at Race's tone. "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt in your business dealings. I was just trying to talk to my boyfriend, but you seemed more than eager to shoo me away." Race rolls his eyes. "Why are you being so dramatic? The second they saw you they got nervous, so I wanted you to leave. Is that too hard to understand?"

You glare at Race as a realization dawns on you. "You were embarrassed of me, weren't you? You wanted me to leave because you didn't want to be seen with me." Race throws his hands in the air. "Y/N, what are you talking about? So what if I want to make a little more money than usual- is it really that hurtful?" You wrinkle your eyebrows in confusion. "You're not going to deny it? You really are embarrassed of me?" Race groans. "Well, look at it this way. If you're trying to sell to a rich customer, you want to seem like a friend of theirs, someone who could almost be at their level."

You wince at that, and let your hurt expression be washed away by an ocean of calm, icy quiet. "Of course, I understand now. I'm sorry that I looked too much like a street rat that I would cost you your sales." Race realizes he's gone too far, and desperately tries to backpedal. "Y/N, I didn't mean that. I love you, and I couldn't ever be ashamed of you. I was just trying-" You cut him off icily. "It's okay, Race. We all have to try our best to make the sales." With that, you storm away from your boyfriend, ignoring his saddened calls to you. Time to give Race a taste of his own medicine.

You purposefully ignore Race for the rest of the day, taking great care to ensure that your paths don't cross. You hang out with other friends instead of spending time with him, you eat your lukewarm scraps of a dinner early when you know he always eats late, and you can be overheard saying you were 'just too tired' to stay up and wait for him when you go to bed. You also get up early in the morning, making sure you beat him to the door so he can't catch you alone when everyone else gets up.