Racetrack's Newsie Races (A Racetrack Higgin's Love Story)

Chapter 14: Seizing The Day

The next day, I awoke to the sound of cheering outside my window. I rubbed my eyes, sure I had imagined it. Then I continued to hear it. I put my robe on and went to my window. There were cheers coming from below on the streets. Then I started to hear someone calling my name. I opened my window and went onto my balcony. I looked down to see all the newsies standing below my window. The one that had been calling my name was Jack.

                “Hey, sleepy head,” he cried.

                “Could you have waited until I fully woke up to start calling my name?” I asked.

                “This couldn’t wait. Come down here. We got somethin’ for ya.”

                “Fine. I’ll be down soon.”

                I went back into my room and closed my window. I got dressed and started to brush my hair. While I was brushing, Mason walked into my room. I turned around and smiled at him. He smiled shyly at me as he walked further into my room. I got out of my chair and stood on the opposite side of the room.

                “So I guess it work, huh?” Mason asked.

                “Yeah, Daddy said he would pay all of Race’s debts and get him out of jail.”

                “You did it.”

                “Yeah, but I couldn’t have done it without you. You really helped, Mason. Thank you.”

                “I would do anything for you, Sydney. You know that.”

                “And about what I yelled at you when you kissed me, I…”

                “You don’t have to apologize. You were right. The fact that you fell in love with Race is not his fault. I should have spoken up a long time ago. I’ll get over it.”

                I ran into his outstretched arms and hugged him. I was glad to have my best friend back. He hugged me tightly, burying his face into my shoulder.

                “I’m always going to love you, Sydney Pulitzer,” he whispered, “You’ll always be my first love.”

                I pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. I smiled. “You’re such a sap, Mason.”

                He laughed. I kissed him on the cheek and we both walked out of my room. We walked down the hall. I was about to walk down the stairs to get outside when my father’s voice stopped me. I walked back to his office. He was standing in the middle of his office.

                “Yes, Daddy?” I said.

                “I just want to apologize for everything I have done to you,” he said, “You have to believe that I did it out of love. I never meant to harm you or trap you. I just wanted you to be safe and have a good life. Now I understand that trying to protect you, just made you hate me.”

                “I didn’t hate you, Daddy. I just wished you were less strict. Especially when it came to my friends.”

                “Well now, I know that the newsies aren’t as bad as I thought. If they were able to become your friends, maybe there’s some good to them after all.”

                I hugged him. “I love you, Daddy.”

                “I love you too sweetie.”

                I left his office and went down the stairs and out the door. I ran right into the sea of newsies that had been waiting for me. Jack picked me up and twirled me around. He put me back down and I felt dizzy.

                “You did it!” Jack yelled.

                “What’s with the twirling? Now I’m dizzy,” I said.

                “You got old man Pulitzer to free Race. How did you do it?”

                “Like Les said, I know my father better than anyone.”

                Someone pushed through the crowd and came to stand next to Jack. It was Race. He pushed Jack out of the way. “Give the lady some room. Let her think,” Race yelled.

                I smiled. “Race!”                                               

                I jumped into his arms. I almost knocked him over, but he caught himself before falling back. I could feel him smiling against my shoulder.

                “I guess someone missed me, huh?” he joked.

                “You can’t even imagine,” I said pulling away from him, “I didn’t know my dad would get you out so fast.”

                “Some security guy came in and told me I was out. I thought he was joking but he pushed me out of da room and I was figurin’ he was tellin’ the truth. I guess old man Pulitzer couldn’t say no to his daughter huh?”

                “It was either have me happy or lose me forever. He chose the better option.”

                I kissed him getting hoots and hollers from the surrounding newsies. I loved the familiar feel of his lips against mine. The loving way he caressed my back as he pulled me closer. I knew everything was going to be better from now on. Better for me, better for the newsies and better for Race and I. Even in a world that wouldn’t support us, we had friends who did.

                “Hey, Race,” Jack said, “You don’t want to suck her face of, come on.”

                Race pulled away from me and looked at Jack. “I didn’t say nothin’ when we couldn’t separate you from Sarah for 10 minutes.”

                The boys started to laugh and Jack turned red. I pinched Jack’s cheek like he was a baby. “Aw, is Jacky boy embarrassed?” I said.

                Jack slapped my hand away. “Lay off will ya.”

                We all laughed. Race put an arm around me and our group started to walk down the streets of New York until the boys went back to selling their papers.

                “So, are we going to the tracks?” I asked Race.

                “Actually, I heard from Spot that the Brooklyn harbor is a great place to see a sight,” Race said.

                “Spot is going to let you stay in Brooklyn all day?”

                “Well I don’t really care. I’m starting to feel like the King of New York.”

                I kissed his cheek and we headed toward the harbor.

               

                It’s hard being the daughter of the most powerful man in New York. I usually always have to stay inside because my dad, Joe Pulitzer, thinks someone will try to kid nap me because of him. I barely have friends. The only interesting thing that catches my attention is the newsies. The orphans and runaways that sell newspapers for my dad. They went on strike a few months ago and won. That’s a real accomplishment especially since my dad is so stubborn. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with a newsie named Racetrack Higgins. We’ve hit a bumpy road on our way to being together. We’ve had battle the other newsies and even my father. But in the end, we ended up on the Brooklyn harbor watching the water and knowing that together we could go anywhere. I had gone from being trapped to being the luckiest girl in New York. In the end, I really got to seize the day like I’ve always wanted.

*The End*