Girlsie (Racetrack x Reader)

Prologue

2 months ago

You say under your tarp in the alleyway. Your old clothes, your brother's old clothes to be more specific, were dirty and torn. Dresses weren't the best for living on the streets.

Your alley was usually empty, except for the occasional fight. You were pretty familiar with the Delancy Brothers, so to speak.

Today was one of those days. The Delancy's had shoved a young Newsie into the alley. He was 16 at most.

You pulled down the tarp over yourself so they could not see you. Yoi waited quietly for the fighting to stop. You heard another set of footsteps run into the alley.

"HEY!" A new voice shouted.

"Shit. Let's get out of here..." Morris said. Two sets of footsteps ran out of the alley.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah... I'm fine. How'd you know to find me?" The younger boy asked.

"This." There was a scrape as something wooden was pulled off the wall.

"Thanks, Jack," the younger one said softly.

"No problem," the other, Jack you presumed, responded. You heard... one set of steps? It sounded odd. Not quite one but... not two? It sounded like something was being dragged a bit. You peaked around the side of your tarp.

You jumped back and pressed you back against the brick behind you. One of the boys, who looked around 18, was right outside of your 'tent'.

"Hey... I ain't gonna bite ya," he said softly. You stayed in place. "Are... are you okay?"

You slowly nodded. He rolled his eyes.

"No you ain't. You lives here, right?" You nodded again. "You definitely ain't alright. You's got a name?" The boy asked.

"[YN]," you said softly. He seemed to hear you, and he nodded.

"And your family? Where's they at?" You looked down.

"They... they around really around anymore," you said. He gave you a soft look of sympathy.

"The name's Jack Kelly." He sat down on the pavement and looked at your tent. "I have a proposal, but I don't know how you'll feel about it." You shrugged.

"Hit me with it."

"You come live with me-" you opened your mouth to say yes but he cut you off quickly. "-BUT you.... um... well. The Lodge. They has this rule... no girls allowed. So you.. um..." he trailed off.

"I have to pretend to be a boy?" You asked. Jack nodded. You paused for a moment. "I'll do it. I don't really have any money or anything... where is it? Where do you work? How-" you began rapid fire questions. Jack shushed you.

"I'm a newsies. You know. We sells papes. We all live in the Lodge. It's a few blocks from here. We just needs to..." he looked you over. "You know what... I... I will be back in a bit. Just... don't go anywhere," he stood up and backed up, before running out of the alleyway. You doubted this strange boy would be coming back.

But about 20 minutes later, there he was. He had a pair of scissors and some clothes.

Now

You tapped you foot on the ground as you thought.

"So what d' ya think?" Davey asked slyly. You hesitantly put your hand out and snatched the book from his hand.

"I'll give it back om Friday," you said, flipping it to the first page and reading a few sentences.

"Whatcha readin' there, Gears?" Mush said, popping up behind you. You rolled your eyes.

"A book. And stop calling me that," you said, closing a the book and putting it in your bag with your papers.

"Fine. Whatever [MN]." Mush walked away.

"Gears!" You turned your head towards the all too familiar voice.

Racetrack Higgins. He was loud, obnoxious, and had a serious gambling problem. But... he was good at selling papes. You partnered with him sometimes.

"What did you so this time, Race?" You asked, already pulling a Nickel out of your pocket.

"I just needs one nickel this ti-" you cut him off by slapping the nickel into his palm.

"That's 2 dollars of debt, Race. You still owe me," you said. "I'm expecting some kind of payback."

"I pay you back somehow. Chill out, Gears," he said. You hated that nickname. Where did it even come from?

"Why does everyone call me that?" You asked, slightly angry.

"Because... well yous think so much. Ya just kinda see them gears turnin' in your head. So... Gears," he tryed to explain. You shrugged your shoulders.

"Okay, I guess," you turned away from Race just as Jack appeared next to you.

"How's it goin', [MN]?" He asked. He aways questioned you in the morning, while in Newsies square. He felt the need to make sure you were okay. If you needed anything.

"I'm good."

He smiled softly. You gave him a quick thumbs up and he ran off towards Davey and Crutchie.