I Never Planned on You // Davey Jacobs

One

    "Rise and shine ya little beauties! New day, new headline!" Jack shouts out waking up all the newsies, unfortunately including me. Jack makes his way bed to bed shaking people awake. All the while still yelling.

    "Yea Yea Jack we got it. Now wouldcha shut up!" I roll over throwing a pillow at him. Kicking my blanket off, my body is greeted by a rush of cold air. Pushing myself into a sitting position, I rub the sleep out of my eyes. Forcing myself away I bend down slipping on my boots just as a pillow, my pillow, slams into my face knocking me back onto my bed.

    The bed squeaks in protest as Jack jumps on to continue his assault.

Laughing, I wrestle the pillow from him and push him off the bed.

    Landing with a thump, Jack moans "Books! Yous done broke ma back!" in a pitiful tone.

    My reply is cut off when I hear Crutchie voice, "Now wouldcha two stop it? We got papes to sell."

    Snorting, I dropped the pillow and climb off the bed making my way towards the bathroom. Saluting Crutchie as I pass, winking, "Yes sir, Crutchie sir". Entering the bathroom was utter chaos- boys fighting over stalls, shaving, fighting, washing, more fighting, and joking with each other.

    Seeing an empty stall I rush over just as Race does. "Sorry Race, betta luck next time." I smile sweetly at him.

    As I slip in, I hear Race grumble about "No good goils... always takin 'vantage of me."

    After I'm finished I walk out to see a sour-looking Race glaring at me. "Is somethin wrong?" I looking innocent.

    He playfully shoves me over as I laugh quietly. Rolling my eyes, I grab a rag, dunk it into the water tub, and wash my face.

    Jack announces that it's time to go and all the boys rush to finish getting ready. I hurriedly wash my face and attempt to tame the unruly curls springing from my head. Huffing out, I pull my hair back to tie it back with a piece of string. At least this way it's out of my face and out of the way.

    Pulling my cap on my head, I race out with the rest of the boys as we head to the circulation building. I catch up with Crutchie as all the boys play around-- whistling, dancing, singing-- and Crutchie throws his arm over my shoulder, "Hiya Books, took ya long enough today".

    "So Crutchie whatcha leg say today? Is it gonna rain?" I inquire, poking his side.

    Shaking his leg while making a big show out of it, "Aaaa no. Ah ha! Partly cloudy clear by evenin" he exclaims. I look over to see him grinning. With a smile that bright you would never know Crutchie got a bum leg. Laughing together, we make out way up the steps into Wiesel's. And as the boys continued laughing and playing my mood drops. Coming into Wiesel's was the worst part of my day.

    Why? you ask. Because Wiesel is my legal guardian. I ain't got folks no more and unluckly for me, Wiesel was my closet relative. So I was shipped off to stay with Wiesel but I refuse to live with that rat so I left and became a newsie. It was an arrangement that both Wiesel and I agreed on.

    Crutchie, noticing my change in mood, squeezes my shoulder, "Hey yous say the word and we'll soak em real good."

    Smiling up at him, I give him a quick hug. "Yous the best Crutchie".

    Joining the boys in line, I listen as Jack mocks Wiesel "Well Weesel. Did ya miss me?"

    "How many times do I have ta tell ya, the name is Wie-sel. How many papes?"

    Jack slams the money down smirking "the usual...Weesel".

    Wiesel glowers at Jack. " Hundred papes to the wise guy" he begrudlingly orders to the Delancey brothers. Jack grabs his papes, arrogance radiating off him, as he smiles towards the brothers.