Alice the Newsie

(16) Cat out of the bag

I slowly open my eyes and take in where I was. I was in a small bedroom, everything was pitch black so I couldn't see anything. My head was very sore, well you could say everything was sore. After staring at the walls of the room for a while, my eyes get heavy and I go back to sleep.

I hear footsteps nearby and wake up. I slowly sit up in the bed, my body was a little sore from however long I was asleep. I could see that the room was starting to lighten up, the sun was starting to rise and a new day was beginning. I stretch my arms and yawn, my whole head was screaming at me to lie down. But I needed to sell papers in order to get closer to getting home. If I missed a day I was going to be set back. I hear voices by the door.

"Just remember that you need to rest too Specs, you both need to take it easy after that fight." I heard a woman's voice outside of the door, Specs was most likely by her. "Oh what are you's Katherine, Me mudd'a?" I hear Katherine sigh. "Just don't do anything crazy alright? I got to get going, the sun's not going to be happy if i'm late." I hear Katherine run down the stairs. The door knob turns and I see Specs come in, he was not looking to good. He had cuts and bruises everywhere on his body. His nose looked almost broken. I notice that his glasses looked different. Like different glasses. "Oh you's up Alice," that was weird to hear him call me Alice. He comes closer to the bed, he places a tin cup on a little table nearby. "Specs I g-got a lot of questions."

"Ask away Alice." He sits on the bed.

"Who is Katherine?" 

"Katherine is me's friend. Well all the newsies friends. Very much so Jack's." He winks at me. "She was nearby the fight, she told that guy that she would sue him for hurting us. Da guy didn't think much of what Katherine's said. But when she told him that she was Pulitzer's daughter, da guy started running instantly." I try to nod my head but it just hurt me to do so.

"What h-happened to your glasses?" 

"Ah well, da guy broke my glasses. Or more like took them off my face and crushed them to the ground. Katherine got me these new ones, I don't think I will ever be able to repay her." He yawns, then looks at me. "Anyway enough about me's, how do you's feel?"

"Sore." 

"Well that's what happens when you fight someone."

 I take the blanket off of me, trying to stand up. "Alice what are you doing?" Specs questioned, watching me. "I-I need to get ready to sell." 

"Alice, you only fought that man yesterday, and by docto'a Katherine's order we need to chill out." I sigh, knowing that Specs was right. I take a drink of water, feeling refresh. A thought comes to mind as I realize something.

"Specs?"

"yeah,"

"do the n-newsies know that i'm a girl?"

"Oh yeah," he yawns again. "Well yes, they know that you's a girl. Everyone was shocked, well others were not. Everyone doesn't know how to feel about you's being a girl, its been a long time since there was a Manhattan girl newsie. But i'm sure everyone will get used to da idea." I don't know if I should be happy or upset. I just don't know how to feel now that my secret was out. But if the newsies were fine with it. Then maybe it isn't so bad. Specs gets up from the bed, "alright, I's gotta find my other shoe. Just chill out and enjoy not selling papes." He leaves the room, now I was alone in this kind of creepy room.

For most of the day that I could remember I just slept and drank water, and eat a little something. I had no idea what the time even was, if it was evening or afternoon. All I knew was that my head was in pain. I swear I never will fight random people on the street again. Because I couldn't risk getting hurt again. I was already behind from getting home, which now that I thought of it, wouldn't Brearley have told my parents about the fire? I mean from what I can remember there has been no updates since the day after the fire. Isn't that weird? I realize now after all my thinking that I have been staring out a little window in the room. I could hear the newsies chat in the other room which feels so far away. It was getting darker now, I take a sip of water, burrow myself deeper into the thin blanket and once again sleep.