My head turned back and forth, searching frantically around the street for my pape–selling partner.
My breathing is unsteady and my heart is racing. I look across the street at Davey, who stands like I do, muscles tense and stance firm. He asks me from afar, "Where's Jack?"
Then, loud crashing begins to sound from down the streets. All of the Newsies' heads jerk at the noise, but run in fear shortly after.
That was eleven o'clock at night.
This is four o'clock in the afternoon.
~*~
When we arrive at the lodging house in Katherine's coach, we're greeted by all of the Newsies we left behind. They lead us inside where we find all the work is done and ready to go when we are. The tables are filled with satchels–just enough for everybody to have one. Flags and signs line the walls, all ready to go to battle. All the boys are covered in "war paint." I'm not sure if I want to know where they got it.
"Wow, Specs. You did a good job keeping everything in order here," Davey compliments Specs after we take a look at the Newsies' Lodging House.
"I did my best!" Specs grins, proud of his work.
"You got some papes for us to load into the satchels, or did we do all dis for nothin'?" A younger boy asks us.
"Oh, yeah. Almost forgot," I laugh at myself. I turn to the door and call out to Jack, who didn't come inside to greet everyone. I assume he is with Katherine. After calling his name a few times, with no answer, I go out to check on him.
I stop at the door when I hear him quietly laughing. It doesn't sound like Katherine was laughing with him. I turn to look outside a window and crack it open just a little to hear their conversation. Though there wasn't much conversation. Katherine stands on the sidewalk and Jack stands right in front of her, his hands on her waist. His smile lines go as wide as they possibly can. He truly looks happy with her.
Katherine, however, doesn't look happy. Her arms rest on his shoulders and she hangs her head. Not even in a cute, happy way. She doesn't even smile. Jack kisses her cheek and even her neck. So much, I have to look away for awhile.
Gosh, get a room.
Jack pecks her lips, but she barely lifts her head to look into those beautiful, blue eyes. He stops and stares at her in confusion for a little bit.
"Are you okay, Kath?" He tilts his head to try and look at her face, but she stares down at their feet, motionless, expressionless.
"Huh?" She looks up at him, finally.
"Is everything all right?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess," she shrugs.
"What's going on?" Jack takes her hands and holds them tightly.
Katherine looks like she's trying to decide if she should tell him how she's feeling or not. "I... Uh... I'm a little mixed up right now."
"Mixed up?"
"Yeah. Y'know. Confused."
"I know what it means. Why are ya mixed up?"
"It's nothing... Just... Girl stuff. You wouldn't understand."
She's confused about me, isn't she? What I told her yesterday. Please, don't tell him about me...
"I could prob'ly try if you tell me."
Katherine sighs and then takes a breath to speak.
"Hey, Cory," Les tugs on my shirt.
I gasp. "Les! Where did you come from?" I whisper–yell at him, not wanting Katherine and Jack to hear me.
"What are you doing over here?" Les tilts his head at me.
"I'm just looking at the scenery. Forgot how much I liked it," I try to brush him aside and turn back to the window.
"Do you know when we're going out to fight?"
"No," I don't look at him when I answer.
"Are you nervous?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Will you deliver the papers with me tonight?"
"Sure, Les," he stops his questions for a little bit and I keep looking at the window, still not hearing anything they're saying.
"You really like that scenery, don't you?"
"Les!" I spin around and look at him. "I swear–" Jack and Katherine come back inside, holding hands. Katherine's head rests on his shoulder.
Great. Now I don't know whether Katherine told him or not.
Pretty soon, it's almost time to leave. Ten o'clock at night. Jack rounds us all up in the dining area. He stands in front of the tables and I go behind one of the long tables with all of the satchels and papers. Davey helps me finish loading them up.
"Okay, this is the day we've been waiting for," Jack begins his pep–talk. "This is the day of the strike. I know we're missin' a few of our best guys, but we'se gonna fight for 'em! And who knows? Maybe we'll get 'em back when the battle's ovah. I dunno 'bout you, but I'm not scared... I'm ready. If we want our rights, we gotta fight for 'em. And that's what we'se gonna do. You ready to go out there and get our rights once and for all?" He shouts at the end.
"Yeah!" All the boys yell in response.
"Then, let's soak 'em!" He yells back.
"Let's soak 'em for Crutchie!" Les stands on a chair and shouts at the top of his lungs.
"Let's soak 'em for Boots!" Race cries out.
"Let's soak 'em for Buttons!" Another boy exclaims.
"Let's soak 'em for Mush!" Another one shouts.
"Yeah!" Everyone cheers.
"Race! You go and send a pape to Governor Roosevelt. We wanna get him on our side," Jack starts to shout out some orders. When he's done telling everyone the plan, we start getting ready to go.
"Go get your papes, boys!" Katherine says and points to the table I stand at.
The Newsies stampede to the table to get their satchels and papers. As soon as everyone has one, we are ready to head out the door.
Before we go, I go to Jack and hand him his satchel. "Just like old times," I smile.
He smiles back and nods. He takes the satchel and I walk by his side. We're partners again.
~*~
At eleven o'clock, we flood the streets with screaming and yelling.
People open their windows, people come outside. Eventually, we make our way to Town Square.
Some of the boys pound on the doors of all the buildings. Others toss their papers in the air to cover the ground with them. I stand on the street corner, watching all of this happen. and I soon realize Jack isn't there.
My head turns back and forth, searching frantically around the street for my pape–selling partner.
My breathing is unsteady and my heart is racing. I look across the street at Davey, who stands like I do, muscles tense and stance firm. He asks me from afar, "Where's Jack?"
Then, loud crashing begins to sound from down the streets. All of the Newsies' heads jerk at the noise, but run in fear shortly after.
I stand still, but the sound of several horses hooves pounding on the concrete fills my ears. A large coach comes rolling down the street. The Newsies all run, and while I still stand, looking for Jack, a hand covers my mouth and pulls me by the waist into the coach. I scream and squirm to get away, but to no avail. I'm forced to sit on a cushioned seat inside. Jack sits across from me, he looks beaten and bruised. He must've put up a fight before he was put in the coach.
I almost jump at the sight of him. I try to move to him, but the firm hands on my waist and neck won't let me. I jerk my head around to see Morris Delancey holding me tight. I try to fight his grip, but he simply laughs and whispers, "don't even try."
The coach starts moving and we're taken to the World. I assume to talk to Mr. Pulitzer.
We're forcefully taken by the arms of the Delancey Boys and basically thrown into Mr. Pulitzer's office. He sits at his desk, doing nothing. His suit is in disarray, like he didn't put much effort into it when he changed out of his nightgown and cap.
"Joe," Jack narrows his eyes at Pulitzer.
"Hello, Jack. Cory, good to see you again," he nods to us. "What do you think you're doing at such a late hour?"
"Fightin' for our rights! That's what we're doin'!" Jack raises his voice.
"Hey, hey. No need to get upset. I've brought you here to propose a compromise to you."
"A compromise?" Jack asks.
"Yes. To end this. Now would you just hear me out? I think you and your Newsies should stop fighting and–"
Just then, the wooden doors burst open to reveal a man in a mustache and spectacles. He's surrounded by many other men for protection.
"Governor Roosevelt?" I gasp at the sight of him.
He holds the Children's Crusade article in his hand and moves toward Pulitzer's desk. He slams it down onto the surface and says, "I want you to put an end to this now."
"I think that can be arranged," Jack taps the Governor's shoulder and he steps back to humbly relinquish the space. "Look, Pulitzer. Now I'd like tah propose a compromise. How 'bout you buy back every pape that the Newsies don't sell ev'ryday? You'se gonna look better to the public. More boys'll wanna come and work for ya."
"And that means more money," I chime in.
Mr. Pulitzer stops and thinks it over. He's reluctant, but finally, he asks, "what makes you think I would agree to that?"
"I could have ya arrested on the spot! And your precious little newspaper company will be taken from you," Jack says with a smirk.
"How so?" Jack simply points to Governor Roosevelt and he just nods. Mr. Pulitzer stops to think it over. "I guess... That could work..."
"Great. Now, shake," Jack spits on his hand and holds it out for him to shake.
"What was that for?"
"It's the Newsies' shake. You can shake, or..." Jack subtly nudges his head to Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. Pulitzer quickly spits on his hand and shakes Jack's.
"That is easily the most disgusting thing I've ever done," he wipes his hand on with a handkerchief.
"So... The strike's over?" I ask excitedly.
"Yes, ma'am it is," the Governor says to me.
Jack turns to me with a smile spread across his face. I smile back and stand up to hug him. He almost knocks me over.
He runs to open a window and yell out to the boys. "Hey! Boys! It's ovah!"
I hear cheers fill the streets. Jack pulls me outside. Where we spot police officers arresting Snyder. I put my hand over my mouth at the sight.
"The Refuge will be closed due to the living conditions and abuse that has happened there," we all turn to see when Governor Roosevelt yells from the steps of the World. "Thanks to your drawings, Jack Kelly, I never would have known it! Every child who is currently being held there is free."
As if on cue, we hear cheers and shouts from down the street and a crowd of kids appear from nowhere. I spot a few Manhattan Newsies from the sea of children. Jack runs toward the kids and hugs Crutchie who slowly emerges from the large crowd.
"Thank you," I mouth to the Governor. He simply smiles and nods.
We all cheer and hug each other, celebrate with each other in the street. I greet all of our Manhattan Newsies again. The street is chaotic with all of these kids.
After things calm down, Jack sighs and stands up. "Well, now that this is over, I better be hittin' the road."
"So soon? Jack, I thought you still had time," I stand up next to him.
"I wanna get there as soon as I can."
"To Santa Fe?" Les' little voice cries out.
"Yep," Jack pops the p.
We all move in to hug him one last time. Katherine's voice calls out from afar. "Jack!" She runs toward us.
Jack makes his way out of the crowd of Newsies to get to her. "What? What is it?"
"Great news! I just got you a job... As a, a cartoon–artist at the World. You'd be working for my father, we can be together and–"
"What? Katherine, slow down."
"At the World! You have a job! You can use your skills and... and... Jack? What's wrong?" Katherine slows down.
"Kath... You know that I'm going to Santa Fe... We're going to Santa Fe. Remember what we talked about today?"
"I don't get it," Davey steps forward. "What's Santa Fe got that New York ain't?"
"Or... What's New York got that Santa Fe ain't?" I ask.
"New York's got us!" Crutchie says with a smile. "And we're family."
"Jack. I need to stay here. You need to stay here. What about your boys?" She asks and he turns to look back at us. Jack is quiet. "Besides, you've got one more ace up your sleeve."
"What would that be?" Jack asks.
"Me," Katherine bats her eyes. "Wherever you go, I'll be there right by your side."
"For sure?" Jack lightly chuckles.
"For sure," Katherine takes his hand and smiles. He puts his hand on her neck and waist and pulls her close. Their lips meet and they kiss in the middle of Town Square. All the boys whoop as they kiss.
"So... Jack? You in or you out?" Davey asks.
Jack walks around a bit and moves his head. But he smirks and says, "I'm in."
We all shout, "Yeah!" And begin to celebrate in the middle of Town Square at almost midnight.
~*~
And just like that, it's over. We got our rights, Jack got a job... And he's with Katherine. Davey eventually goes back to school, we're still together and I'm still... Well... Me. I've made my peace with Jack and Katherine. I almost had to. And now, things are back to normal.
I'm content.
I love my Newsies.
I love my life.
I couldn't ask for anything more.
📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵
-you guys this is almost it. i've finished the epilogue already and i'll post it soon, but i have to finish crying first.
-qotd: what made you fall in love with newsies?
-aotd: i loved the movie when i was younger and then my parents got us tickets when it went on tour and i fell in loveeeeee❤️ my life has never been the same.
-i love you guys so, so much. thank you so much for reading! it means the world. watch out for the epilogue. oh! and make sure to read with some tissues.
love, hayden beth