Back to the Past (Newsies)

2: Getting a Name

Chapter 2

"My name's Charlotte." She explained to the newsie. 

"I like Kitty better." Jack replied smugly. She rolled her eyes. Whatever floats your boat, Cowboy. 

Cowboy showed her to the area that contained sinks, mirrors, and bathroom stalls. Charlotte selected a stall and entered, closing the door behind her. She took a deep breath, her mind racing a mile a minute trying to make sense of how she seemed to have time travelled. This was crazy, impossible. She shook her head and cleared her thoughts, knowing that thinking too hard about the situation would only make her go crazy. She quickly decided to just go along with it until she thought of something better. She wasn't sure if she could trust this Jack/Cowboy dude, but he was all she had.

 Charlotte pulled off her pink Hello Kitty vans and stripped, keeping her bra and underwear on, and replacing her garments with the ones Jack gave her. The material of the clothes felt weird and rough compared to what she would usually wear, but she shrugged it off, hoping that she would get used to it in time. Well, hopefully she won't be there that long. She put on the beige suede pants, tucking in the off white button down longsleeve shirt, and shurgged on the patterned vest. She then laced up the heavy, dark brown boots. When she finished getting ready, she left the stall with her bag and her now anachronistic clothing in hand.

"I'll take dat for ya." Cowboy said taking her clothes and bag. He put in a drawer and closed it.

"I'll make sure it stays safe." He assured her.

"Thank you." Charlotte said.

"Since I sold all o' me papes, I won't be able to show ya how tah be a propah newsie tahday." He said.

"Excuse me?" she questioned. 

"But don't cha worry, I'll introduce ya ta some of me friends an' give ya da grand tour." Cowboy continued

"Wait, what?." Charlotte asked again for clarification. He looked at her. 

"It may be hard fo' ya tah believe, but I'se do have friends." Cowboy joked.

"No, not that part. You're going to show me how to be a newsie?" she asked.

"Yeah, o' course. How else do you'se 'spect to live 'ere?" He answered simply.

She thought it through, go with flow, Charlotte, she told herself. 

"Well I guess that makes sense." she answered. 

"Good. Let's get goin'." He said leading her to a staircase. "Wait I'se almost f'got." he turned around to face Charlotte and handed her a newsies hat. She put it on and smiled. It felt like a game of dress up, like what she used to do as a kid, except she'd usually dress like a fairy princess. Same difference. 

Cowboy led her down the stairs and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to quickly run past the desk and the old man that was there. 

"Oi Jack! Who is that with ya?"

"Gotta go Kloppman, explain it to ya latah." Cowboy said, pulling Charlotte until they were safe outside.

They slowed down to a walk and Cowboy let go of her. People were walking along the sidewalks and the streets were filled with old fashion wagons led by horses. The building looked like they were straight out of a history book and the attire that people were wearing reminded her of the Little House on the Prairie. Charlotte gawked around, her eyes practically popping out of her head. All previous thoughts of this being a prank and Cowboy being on some serious drugs were thrown out the window. She looked back at Cowboy and then decided asked about what just happened with the old guy.