July 1899
The Newsboys Lodge House, Manhattan, New York City
Magpies P.O.V.
Most of da boys is already down stairs. I walk da room up an' down, searchin' foa my cap. I's absolutely sure, I hung it at my bedstead. I's jus' lookin' under my bed, when someone tips my shoulder. I come out from under da bed ta see Romeo. He holds my cap.
"Ya found my cap.", I say happy, but as I see da smirk on his face, I know, he hid it. "Can I have it back now?"
"Um...", he pretends ta think about it. "No."
"Please?"
"No."
I sigh. "Ok, Romeo. What do ya want?"
"A kiss."
"Ya kiddin' me, right?"
"Nope.", he says wit am even wider smirk.
"No."
"Then I'll keep ya cap."
I try ta snatch my cap but he, standin' on da bed, holds it too high foa me ta reach.
Eventually I give up. "Ok.", I sigh.
"Really?"
"Yes. An' now come down."
He smiles, comes from da bed an' stands in front of me. He may be short, but somehow, I's still smaller. Ok, I's almost as tall as Spot, which is kinda unfair, because Spot is basically a dwarf.
He leans down ta me an' I quickly peck his cheek, grabbin' my cap out of his hand. I take a step back, puttin' on my head. Romeo stands there. Frozen foa a minute. Then he snaps out an' runs down da stairs, yellin': "I've been kissed by a pretty goil! I've been kissed by a pretty goil!"
I watch him smilin', shakin' my head.
"I think ya jus' made a dream come true.", says someone behind me. I turn ta see Crutchie.
"Yeah.", I answer. "Looks like it."
"Already got a sellin' partner?"
"Nope."
"Ya know, Jack wouldn't let ya sell alone?"
"Yes, I know. But why? Race's permitted. An' he sells in Brooklyn."
"I know, but everyone is sellin' in pairs."
"Yeah ya right."
"So, wanna sell wit' me today?"
"Yeah sure, let's go." I already turn ta da door, but Crutchie stays. "What?", I ask.
"Haven't ya forgotten somethin'?"
"Hm?"
"Ya shoes."
"My shoes? Oh, right." I walk over ta my bed. No shoes. I sigh. "Where did I put 'em?"
Then I hear laughin' a catch Blink an' Mush in da corner of my eyes runnin' through da door.
I groan. "Oh, Come on, guys. It's not April fools' day."
I take off my socks an' want ta go.
"Da cobblestones can be really hot in summer, ya know?", Crutchie asks.
"Yeah, I know. I'll jus' stay in da shadows."
"Ok."
Then we head down ta join da others.
Crutchie's P.O.V.
"Here ya go.", da nun says, as she hands me a piece of bread.
"Thanks", I answer. Da others around me is still waitin' ta get some. Well, everyone except foa Magpie. She's leanin' against a streetlight, daydreamin'. I walk over ta her.
"Hey Dreamer, wake up.", I greet her an' she jumps.
"Crutchie! Ya scared me ta death.", she answers.
"Sorry.", I smile, rip my bread in two pieces, hold da bigger piece out foa her an' ask: "Breakfast?"
"Ya don't have ta-"
"Take it! It's enough foa us two."
"Ok... um... thanks, I guess." She takes it an' shoves it into her pocket.
"Jack says, ya eat too little."
"So?"
"Don't wanna eat it now?"
"What?"
"Ya heard me."
"No, sorry. I wasn't listenin'. Can ya please repeat yaself?"
"I asked", I begin, but I can't finish, 'cause Albert almost runs into us an' hides behind Mags.
Race comes behind him. He looks angry.
"Come out, coward.", he yells. "Come out an' fight."
I sigh an' turn ta Albert.
"What'ya done?", I ask worn down. "Stole a cigar again?"
"A cigar?!", Race answers, instead of Albert. "A cigar?! He stole one of my coronas! My coronas, Crutchie. It's MY cigar, Albert!"
"Oh, come on, Race. Sharin' is carin'."
Da blonde stops.
"Right.", he mumbles. "Sharin' is carin'..." Then he suddenly yells: "But I don't care! Give me my cigar, Albert!"
The redhead laughs, picks up Mags, who gasps scared, an' throws her over his shoulder. (It's the Musical Albert, not the kid from da movie. In case of confusion, I'm sorry.)
"Albert!", she yells. "Put me down!"
"No! He'll kill me."
"Albert DaSilva! Put me down at once!"
"Oh no." Da redhead smirks at Race, who can't punch him anymore now without also hittin' Mags. Then he jus' turns an' walks away, with Mags hangin' over his shoulder, still arguin' wit' him.
She's rescued by Finch an' Jack, who simply takes her an' puts her on her feet again. Al is runnin' again now, wit' Race right behind him.
"Told ya ta eat more.", Jack says, as walk back ta me. "If ya would eat like a normal human bein', ya would be too heavy ta jus' pick up an' carry around."
She jus' snorts as an answer an' rolls her eyes.
Jack sighs an' shoves a piece of his own bread into her mouth. He catches her off-guard, so she chokes on it. She coughs an' spits da bread into her hands. Jack, a little worried, slaps her back 'till she stops.
As she does, she takes a deep breath an' turns ta him.
She looks really angry.
"Is ya tryin' ta kill me, Kelly?"
Jack nervously laughs. "No, of course not. I's sorry."
She gives him one of her death glares an' turns away.
"I'll get my papes not, if ya don't mind."
An' then she's gone.
"Oh-oh.", Finch says. "Now she's angry wit' ya, Jack."
"I know.", Jack sighs. "But she's right. We should get our papes now."
Finch an' I nod an' we walk over ta da woild buildin', checkin' on da headline.
"Da Trolley-strike?", Finch groans. "Not again."
Davey's P.O.V.
(Tiny time-skip to about ten minutes or so later)
"Give him another fifty.", the strange boy orders.
"I don't want more papes.", I protest, as Oscar hands them to me.
"What kind'a Newsie don't want more papes?", the Cowboy asks.
"I'm not a charity case. I don't even know you."
"His name's Jack.", Les now interrupts.
"Dat's da infamous Jack Kelly. He once escaped da Refuge.", a boy with a crutch explains.
A short disagreement, which this Jack unfortunately wins, later, a short boy comes over to us.
"Jack?", he asks. "Have ya seen Mush or Blink? Dey have my shoes."
I look at him. He's barefoot.
"No. Sorry Max (For all those readers, who don't know who I mean here: I mean Magpie. Her nickname Mags sounds like the boys-name Max, so... yeah). Foa before too."
"Damn!" The other cusses under his breath. Then he notices Les and me. "Oh, sorry kid. I haven't seen ya."
Les smiles at him.
"Oh, name's Magpie, by da way. But Max is fine."
"Magpie?", I ask confused. "Like the bird"?
"I knew, ya would ask dat. But yes, like da bird. Ya even spell it da same."
"You can read?", I question surprised, and instantly regret it, because now the boy seems offended.
"I's maybe never gone ta school an' have an accent, but dat doesn't mean I don't know how ta read. May I ask ya, good sir, how I's supposed ta sell papes, when I can't read da headline?"
"Max, please calm down.", Jack tries to help me.
"No! First I have ta find my shoes an' soak Mush an' Blink."
Jack chuckles. "So? Ya want ta soak Mush an' Blink? An' how if I may ask? Dey both is at least a head taller than ya."
"I have my own ways, Cowboy. Trust me. Dey will be sorry."
"Sure."
"Are you two dating?", Les asks now.
"Les! You don't ask things like that.", I reprimand him.
The two boys look at each other. "What'cha think, Jacky? Is we datin'?", Max asks.
"I don't think so. What about ya?"
"Me neither."
Both nod and turn back to us.
"Question answered?", the bird boy asks and Les nods. "Good. See ya then. Gotta sell my papes now." The boy waves and walks over to the boy with the crutch.
"Max's right. We have ta go.", Jack says to us and we follow him on the streets.
Magpies P.O.V.
(Again a time skip. The evening at Medda's)
I's about ta finish da flower deco of Medda's stage when I hear it. Someone's in da prop room. Medda hears it too. She goes ta shoo 'em away an' I follow.
"Shoo!", she says. "There are no kids allowed in the theatre."
"Ya wouldn't kick me out without ta kiss me goodbye, would ya Medda?" Jack. I should have known.
"Jack Kelly!" Miss Medda walks down an' hugs Jack. "Where were you, kid?"
"Never far from you, Miss Medda.", Jack says smilin'. The he turns ta our newbies: "Boys, may I present Miss Medda Larkin: the greatest star on the Bowery today. She also owns the joint. Oh, Medda. Can we hide here foa a while? Jus' 'till outside... ya know."
"Of course. As long as you like. Why don't you stay for the show?"
As dey greet each other, I sneak past 'em an' lean against da wall behind 'em.
When Medda's gone an' they still haven't noticed me, I speak. "Snyda?", I ask. Jack jumps an' turns remarkably fast. Then he gives me his 'Seriously Magpie?'-Look.
"Mags.", he sighs. "I should have known, ya here."
"I's practically workin' here, Jack. An' there's a show tonight. How couldn't I be here?"
"I thought you're a Newsie." Les looks confused.
I smile at him. "I is a Newsie. I's jus' helpin' a little out here, when I's needed. Ya know?" As he nods, I turn back ta Jack. "But Jack. Ya haven't answered my question. Has Snyda found ya?"
"Yes, but he lost us. I promise."
I sigh an' rub my eyes. "Ya have ta be more careful."
"I'll be... Hey, ya got new shoes."
"Oh, yeah, but I only borrowed 'em from Medda. I got a splinter in my foot from da stage, so she decided ta give 'em ta me."
"How nice of her."
"I assume, ya stay foa da show?"
"But of course! How couldn't we?" He smiles at me. I jus' shake my head.
"Ok.", I say then. "I'll head back ta work now. See ya." I wave da boys an' Davey an' Les wave back. Jack blows me a kiss. "What was dat foa?", I ask, raisin' my eyebrow.
"Jus' because I love ya."
"Idiot.", I mutter smilin' an' climb da stairs ta da stage.
"I heard dat!", Jack shout after me.
After da show we meet again.
Davey's really keen on Medda an' Les is really tired.
"Hey.", Davey suddenly says. "Why don't you two come over for dinner."
Jack an' I look at each other. "Ya sure dat's ok foa ya mother?", I ask.
"Of course. She'll love you."
"Ok.", Jack says. An' so we follow Davey to his flat.
On our way, we pass da Trolley-strike. Jack gets really excited about it an' we practically have ta force him away. Les falls asleep an' so Jack carries him foa da rest of da way.
Davey opens da door an' we step in a small, but friendly flat. Da woman an' da man, which is sittin' at da table stand up an' come over ta us.
"What happened?", da woman, most likely Daveys mother, asks worried.
"Nothing, mother. He's just sleepin'."
Da woman takes Les an' carries him ta a bed in da back. Jack an' I is standin' there unsure, what ta do. David introduces us to his family an' his family ta us. Beside of Les he has also a sister, named Sarah (I don't know how you spell her, so she has an 'h' now.). She looks like 16 or 17 an' is very nice. Jus' like da whole family.
Because of us, Mrs. Jacobs has ta add some water ta da soup an' fetch some place settin', so I ask her, whether could help. "If you like.", is her answer an' so I follow her ta da kitchen.
"So, you're a girl?", Davey's mother asks, as she reheats da soup.
"Um...", I say surprised. "... Yes. How... how can ya tell?"
"Oh, please dear. I've got a daughter."
"Is... is it dat obvious?", I ask, almost a little worried.
"No, no. It's fine."
Silence.
"Do they know?"
"Who?", I ask. "Da Newsies?"
She nods.
"Of course.", I smile. "Dey is practically my brothers."
"Does David know?"
"Um... Don't know. Don't think so."
"Want to surprise them?"
"Excuse me?", I ask politely an' helplessly confused.
"Come with me." Mrs. Jacobs mysterious smiles. Follow her into a small, but comfortable lookin' bedroom. She walks over ta her wardrobe an' picks out a dark blue skirt an' a white blouse. Both pieces is beautiful. She wants ta give 'em ta me, but I back up.
"I can't take 'em.", I say. "They'se too beautiful. An' they were expensive foa sure."
"Take them. They don't fit Sarah or me anymore."
Eventually I give in, after Mrs. Jacobs almost forces 'em into my hands. I quickly change, wit' her help, of course. She even combs my hair. When she's done, she turns me ta da mirror. Without soundin' too full of myself... I's beautiful.
Then I have ta go back ta da living-room. Ta da others. An' suddenly I's very anxious. I can hear their laughin' 'bout da story Davey's tellin'. Mrs. Jacobs gently grabs my shoulder an' pulls me after her back into da kitchen, where she gives me two more plates. Then I follow her back. Back ta da others.
Jacks P.O.V.
"And then we came here.", Davey ends his story an' his dad an' Sarah laugh again.
I don't know, why dey laugh. I didn't pay attention ta da story.
Only ta her. Ta Sarah Jacobs.
When I look at her, I feel warm an' cold at da same time. Happy an' sad. Strange.
I never felt dat way before.
I notice I's starin' at her again an' quickly look away.
'Think about somethin' else. Quick.', I think. Wait, where's Mags? Wasn't she right beside me, no ten minutes ago? Strange. Confused I look around. No Mags. Maybe she went helpin' Mrs. Jacobs? Or ta da toilet?
But before I can make other theories of Mags mysterious vanishin', Mrs. Jacobs comes back from da kitchen. But she's not alone.
After her, a goil in a dark-blue skirt an' white blouse, steps into da living-room.
It takes me a minute ta recognise her as my little sista.
As dey come in, silence falls over da room an' I see Mag's blush. Then I turn back ta Davey... an' have ta force me not ta laugh.
He stars at her, his mouth an' eyes wildly open in disbelieve.
Mags blushes even darker an' says: "Close ya mouth Davey. Catchin' flies ain't a very nice habit."
He closes his mouth, but only ta open it again seconds later. "You're a girl?"
Now Mags smiles shyly. "Yes."
"But... but you're name's Max."
She laughs quietly. "Almost. My names Mags. Spelled M-A-G-S. Not M-A-X."
"Why? ... Why haven't you said anything?" Davey sounds a bit offended.
"Sorry. I's so used to being already known by the boys or being confused by everyone else."
Davey huffs.
Mags nods an' sits down beside me. Davey's still confused, but doesn't say anythin' anymore.
I look at her, an' as our eyes meet, we smile at each other.
Then we eat an' after we'se finished, Mags an' I decide ta head home.
Davey askes us ta stay foa da night, but Mag's headache came back, so we politely refuse.
On our way we meet Race, who comes from da races.
Ten minutes later, I jus' come from da bathroom, I hear Mags' voice, filled wit' horror.
"Wad ya mean by dat?!", she asks.
No five minutes before, when I went ta da bathroom, everything was ok, an' now she looks like she's about ta kill Mush an' Blink.
"What happened here?", I ask confused.
She turns. "Dey" she accusingly points at Mush an' Blink. "lost my shoes!"
"Dey lost ya shoes?"
"Yes! My shoes, Jack! They were my only pair. An' day were Sammy's." Then she turns back ta the two boys. "Louis Baletti an' Michael Meyers (A/N: I'm not sure whether it's his real name. I just read it somewhere and now it's here, I guess.)! I'll kill ya myself!"
I grab her arm, before she can do anything.
"Lemme go! I have ta kill someone!"
"Calm down, Magpie!"
"No! Never!" She turns ta me. "Jack, dey lost my shoes! My shoes!"
"We'll find ya some new ones. Come on." I, more or less, well, more more than less, drag her down da stairs.
We stop at Mr. Kloppman's door. When I knock, he opens.
"Yes?", he asks.
"Good evenin', Mr. Kloppman. Mags need new shoes. Ya still have some?" Mr. Kloppman keeps everythin'. He has every piece of cloth, dat doesn't fit us anymore, includin' shoes.
"Hm" Da old man scratches his head. "I don't know. Have ta look. Come in."
We follow him into da small, but tidy apartment an' awkwardly stand in da living-room, while he's searchin' through like one million different boxes.
After half an hour, he finds da shoebox an' ten minutes later, we head back up wit' a pair of new-old shoes for Mags.
Mush an' Blink left by da way. Or so Bumlets informs us. Mag's jus' heavily sighs an' vanishes mutterin' behind da curtain.