Everyone left but Esther and I decided to stick around. The girl from the theater stayed too. She turned to me, bright eyes full of determination.
"So, what's your story? Are you selling newspapers to get through art school?" I feel my face scrunch up and Esther tries not to laugh.
"Art school? You kidding me?" I say. The girl holds up a picture. It's the picture that I drew her at the theater.
"But you're an artist. You've got real talent. You should be inside the paper illustrating, not outside hawking it." She says.
"Maybe that ain't what I want." I say. I stare into her eyes. She's got pretty eyes....and face.
"So tell me what you want." She says, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Can't you see it in his eyes?" Esther asks from behind me. She batts her eyelashes and puckers her lips. She makes a kissing noise. I shoot her a look and feel my face turn red.
"Have you always been their leader?" The girl asks, trying to change the subject.
"I'm the blowhard. Esther is the brawn. Davey's the brains." I say. She smiles. It's true. I mean, she did get her nickname for getting Morris in a certain spot. She's probably the bravest newsie in Manhattan. Davey is very smart. I know this because he uses those words that nobody understands. Then Esther translates it into something we can understand.
"Modesty is not a quality I would have pinned on you." The girl says.
"I agree and I've lived with you for the last year." Esther says from behind me. I shoot her another look. She shoots one back, her face having You're Welcome written all over it.
"You got a name?" I ask. She nods.
"Katherine....Plumber." She hesitated before saying her last name.
"What's the matter?" I say.
"Yeah. Ain't ya sure?" Esther asks.
"It's my byline, the name I publish under. Tell me about tomorrow. What are you hoping for?" Katherine asks with a smile.
"I'll bet he'd rather tell you about what he's hoping for tonight." Esther starts up the eyelashes and kissing noises again.
"Today we stopped our newsies from carrying out papes, but the wagons still delivered to the rest of the city. Tomorrow, we stop the wagons." I say.
"Are you scared?" She asks.
"Do I look scared?" I say.
"Ask him again in the morning." Esther says from behind me.
"May I write your quote down, Esther?" Katherine asks.
"Sure! Pleasure doing business with you." Esther says and tips her cap. Katherine squeals with excitement.
"Good answer. Good night, Mr. Kelly. Goodbye, Esther." She starts to walk away from us.
"Come on, where you running? It ain't even suppertime!" I say.
"The girl needs to write an article. I'm sure that takes time, Jack." Esther says.
"Trust me, it does. I'll see you both in the morning. And, off the record, good luck." Katherine says. She opens the door of the deli.
"Hey, Plumber. Write it good. We all got a lot ridin' on you." I say. Katherine nods, and leaves.
YOU ARE READING
Extra, Extra! (A Newsies fanfiction)
RandomPLEASE READ THE REWRITE OF THIS IT HAS THE SAME TITLE JUST LABELED REWRITE Esther "Kicks" Kelly is younger sister of Jack Kelly, head of the newsies. He took her in as his sister after they escaped the clutches of Snyder. When she hears about her b...
