My Cigar

Missing Ring

The next day started out like any other day me and the newsies have experienced. We got the papers and started selling. But as I waited in the alley way for someone to walk by, someone came to visit. I was sitting on a crate looking at the newspaper alone as two hand grabbed the newspaper out of my hands from behind. I look to see it was Race. 

"What are you doin here? Don't ya got papes to sell?" I ask watching him sit next to me.

"I's thought I would say hello. We didn't get a chance to talk much yesterday." Race says. 

"Yea but can you believe we won the strike?" I ask excitingly standing up. "We beat the most intimidatin public figure in Manhattan." Race smiles up at me as he watches me get excited.

"Why you smilin?" I ask

"It's cute when you get excited." He say getting up and holding my hands. "I'm really proud of you ya know. You are a big reason we won the strike."

"Really?" I ask. I didn't realize how much I've said to Pulitzer.

"Yea. You and Jack stood up to Pulitzer face to face. I think I have the bravest girlfriend ever." Race says smirkin. We both start laughing. I feel like me and Race really do love each other. It's crazy to think that a few weeks ago I was depressed because I was scared he would never like me. Now he's holding my hand telling me how i'm his girlfriend. Oh what a month can do. Race looks up to the sky.

"It's almost sunset and the boys wanna meet at Jacobi's. You comin?" He ask looking in my eyes. I love it when he looks in my eyes. All i ever want to look at his his beautiful ocean blue eyes that complement his perfect blonde curly hair. 

"Yea i'll meet you there." I say putting my hand on his cheek. I give him a quick kiss on the lips and he smiles at me. Then he looks to the ground confused.

"What's wrong?" I ask concerned.

"I don't know if i'm satisfied with that kiss or not." He says shaking his head as a smile grows on his face.

"Really?" I laugh. Race wraps his arms around my waist and i rest my hands on his chest. The kiss lasted about 10 seconds. It was slow and passionate. Every time I kiss him my heart flutters. It's hard not to smile. He pulls away and smiles. He let's go of my waist and walks out of the alley way. Can life get anymore perfect? I sell the rest of my papers and make my way to the deli. I walk in there to see all the newsies sitting and talking per usual.

"Hey Kenny ya came just in time." Crutchie says once i shut the door.

"We were talkin about how sellin papes has been easier for us and... we're makin so much more money." Henry says as I sit at a table by Crutchie. 

"Good. Thank god we won that strike." I say in relief taking off my news cap and fixing my hair.

"What do you think would happen if we didn't win? Do you think we would be on the street or somethin?" Davey ask.

"Huh, we're already on the street." Finch mumbles.

"I think if we didn't win we would have to get another job to make money." Romeo says stating the obvious.

"It's not that easy Romeo. Some of us aren't smart enough for other jobs." Mush says taking off Elmer's cap and petting his hair. Elmer swats him off as the newsies laugh.

"Look all jokes aside, we did the right thing." Jack says. "We let people know not to mess with us."

"I'm just glad everything is fixed and we don't have to worry about anything." Specs says laying back in his chair.

"MY RING!"

"What?" the newsies ask.

"My ring! It's gone!" I say looking on the ground for it.

"It's alright you can just steal a new one. You won't get in trouble now that the refuge is shutdown." Albert says.

"No no no no you don't get it. That was my moms ring. It's the only thing I had that proved she even fricken existed!" I say raising my voice. What am I gonna do? That ring was the only thing I had of my mothers. I felt like it kept her at my side at all times.  

"Alright alright calm down, do you know how much that ring costed or somethin?" Jack says standing up and looking at me.

"Well it had real gold in it so like, five hundred dollars?" I say slowly while gritting my teeth.

"FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS?" All the newsies scream.

"KENNY ARE YOU STUPID?" JoJo screams putting his hands on my head.

"THAT RING IS MORE EXPENSIVE THEN Y-" 

"NONE OF YOU ARE HELPING ME!" I yell cutting Albert off. "What am I gonna do? That ring was the only thing I had of my motha's."

"Kenny? It's fine alright just retrace ya steps, where did you have it last?" Race says walking up to me putting his hands on my shoulders. 

"I remember playing with it in the ally way today."

"K so maybe you dropped it. It can still be there." Jack says.

"I'll take my chances, let's go." I say to Race grabbing my hat from the table and walking out of the deli. We walk to the ally way and we start lifting up crates and barrels, but we couldn't find the ring.

"It's not here." I say sadly. Race stop hunting for the ring and looks up at me. "What if someone stole it?" I say getting teary eyed. 

"Hey." Race says walking up to me and wrapping his arms around me. "Don't worry alright? Maybe it'll show up in the lodging house. But you don't need a ring to keep ya motha with you all the time." Race says. He catches my attention and I look up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Kenny, your motha is looking down on you and Jack all the time. The ring isn't what keeps her glued to you. She's still gonna be right there, even without the ring on your finger. I promise." Race explains. Those last two words made me feel better. "I promise" It was the most soothin words i could hear right now. I realized that what Race said was true. Mom is looking down on me no matter what. And even though I lost her expensive ass ring, she still means something to me. I look up at Race and kiss his cheek.

"Thank you Race." I say smiling.

"Remember what I said alright? Let's go home." He says grabbing my hand. We walked back to the lodging house. We walked in holding hands and everyone looked at us once we opened the door. Surprisingly no one questioned the hands. They probably know that me and Race are dating.

"Any luck?" Buttons ask.

"No, but i realized that i can survive with out that ring." I say turning my head and smiling up at Race. He smiles back at me squeezing my hand. "I know it's expensive but, there's nothin else i can do." I say turning my head back to the newsies and shrugging my shoulders.

"At least she tried. Guess we aren't getting treated for lunch." Mush says sadly pulling the covers over himself in his bunk. I grab the nearest pillow and chuck it at him.

"What?" He ask as I laugh. We all head to out bunks and fall asleep. Today made me realize how caring Race is. He really did make me feel better. If it wasn't for him, I would be going crazy for that thing. But Race made me see the other side.