Post Strike (no clue how long after, you decide)
Racetrack Higgins sold papers at the Sheepshead Races every day. He had a favorite horse and a secret friend. Race never told any of his Newsie friends about his secret friend. He didn't want them to get any ideas. She was stunning to Racetrack. Her dark hair shimmered, and her Brooklyn accent thicker than Spot Conlon's. She had piercing blue eyes that were as bright as the New York sky. They clouded over when she was upset and those same eyes shimmered with excitement as she watched the races. Watching her watch the races was a wonderful thing. Her name was Flavia. She had never told Race her last name, but he thought everything about her was exciting. Everything she said was interesting and full of her personality. Flavia had been Race's secret friend for a long time. They had become best friends the first Race had started selling papers at Sheepshead. Flavia was talkative and claimed she was more Italian than Racetrack. Race didn't believe her, claiming that he was more Italian than her by a longshot. The two had become best friends over such a petty, but simple little argument. The one thing Flavia didn't know about Race was that he had never told the other Newsies about her. He had never told her, because he was worried that she would get mad at him if he told her that he didn't tell the other Newsies. Race has never really had a romantic interest in girls, especially Flavia. They had been friends since the two of them were about five years old. Race had still been learning to sell, and was not doing a good job of it. Of course, he had come a long way since then and Flavia had noticed a difference. Today, Race walked over to where he always met her. Sure enough, his secret friend came walking over.
"Hey, Race." She says.
"Hey, Flavi," Race replies, calling her by the nickname he had dubbed her when they were just kids. He tugs on his newsboys cap taking in her attire. Flavi was poor, Race could tell that much from the way her clothes looked, but she had never told him about her private life. Race had never really asked, and Flavi had never really said.
"Who ya bettin on today?" Flavia asks.
"Don't know yet. Meybe, Dots or Pokey."
"Not Pokey. He's too slow. How bout Slider?"
"Flavi, how am I supposed to know who tah bet on? I ain't even sold any of me papes, yet!" Flavi chuckles at her friend's irritation. "Gotta turn a profit, fore I can make a bet." Race grumbles and Flavia continues to chuckle.
"Well, I'm bettin on Dots. She's me favorite," Flavi declares, slamming a penny down on the thick wooden railing that lies before the two friends. She spits in her hand and holds it out to him. "Bettah make a bet, Higgins," Flavia taunts him. Race rolls his eyes and says,
"You'se can kiss dat penny o' yours goodbye, but Pokey's gonna make Dots's hooves look like deys goin so slow." Race slams a penny down onto the railing, spits into his own hand, and the two friends shake on it. The starting gun shoots and the horses take off. Race and Flavi cheer for their own horses at first, but it really turns into them trash talking each other.
"Oh, look at dat, Dot's goin so fast. It makes Pokey look lazy. Cuz he is, just like you'se," Flavi taunts.
"Once Pokey gets goin, my bet is gonna make your bet look bad. Pokey's gonna bulldozer Dot clear back to last week!" Race fires back. Flavia nudges Race with her elbow and Race nudges her back even harder.
"Flavi!" Race groans, "I can't watch Pokey, if ya pushin me around." Flavi giggles and nudges him even harder.
"There is that better?" She asks, nudging him, so it is nearly impossible to see Pokey.
"Come on, Pokey!" Race shouts at the horse, earning a few wary stares from the wealthier spectators nearby. Flavi shouts at Dots and the two friends continue to trash talk each other and cheer on their horses. The race nears the end and the two teenagers lean on the railing.
"Beat Pokey for me, Dots. Beat Pokey," Flavi encourages. Race shouts down at Pokey,
"Ey, Pokey! Get yer rear in gear and leave Dots in the dust!" Flavia shoots up straight and gives her best friend a playfully angry face.
"What was that, Racetrack Higgins?" She asks, a hand sliding down to her hip. Race just looks at her and says,
"What? I wants me horse to win and so do you'se." Flavi shakes her head at him and starts screaming along with Race as the horses near the finish line. Dots crosses mere seconds before Pokey does.
"YEAH, DOTS!!! Atta girl!!!" screams Flavi and all of the rich people in the stands turn and stare at her. Then she turns to Race, who has his head in between his hands. Race peeks up at her and she smiles. "I beat you. You was tellin me to kiss my penny goodbye. Well, I think you should kiss yer penny goodbye, Higgins," She proclaims. Race rolls his eyes as Flavi opens up her hand.
"Yer crazy," He says as he lightly drops the penny into her hand. "Now, I gotta sell some papes." He takes off towards the rich people in the crowd shouting about some murder. Flavia chases after him, trying to get him to pay attention to her. She may have just beat him, but she wanted to put money on another race and Race could always sell his papers later.
"Racer! Come on," Flavi begs and Race whirls around to face her.
"Papes foirst, Flavi. Ya know when we spend da whole day bettin, I run outta money to bet wid." Flavi crosses her arms and continues to follow him. She is not backing down that easily and besides, she can take care of her job after the races are done for the day. So why can't Race? Why hasn't he taught her to sell papers? She would love to sell papers with him and he has so many stories about being a Newsie. Flavia loves it when he tells her the story of the strike. That is, by far, her favorite story that Race has ever told her. Race continues to belt the headlines at the top of his lungs. Flavi turns and watches as horses race by. Suddenly, an idea springs into her mind. She taps Race on the shoulder.
"Teach me how ta sell papers!" She demands. Race ignores her and turns around. He keeps shouting the headlines and when he continues to ignore her, Flavi taps him again.
"Flavia! I can't teach ya today. Meybe anudder time, okay?" Race says as he turns around. It takes a couple more hours and finally, Race turns around, holding a single newspaper in his hand. Flavi crosses her arms and stands in his path.
"Can I sell it, please? You'se can keep da change," She pleads with him. He looks at her and sees how sad she is and how much she wants to hang out with him. If Race understood correctly, Flavia didn't have a lot of friends in life. Race was easily her closest friend and when he was in town, she didn't want to be without him. Not even for a second. Race hands over the paper and Flavi snatches it from him. She raises it high over her head and shouts at the top of her lungs. Shouting about the murder that Race had previously hawked, an elderly woman handed her a nickel and took the paper from her.
"Tank you, Ma'am," Flavi says politely as the woman passes. She flips Race the nickel and he catches it. Race comes over and puts a hand on her shoulder.
"Ya got lucky, I hopes you know dat," He says as they watch another horse race prepare to commence. "Papes are nevah dat easy ta sell. Ya gotta bend da truth."
"What?"
"Bend da truth, Flavi. Da headlines ain't usually interestin enough ta hawk. We Newsies usually hafta toirn em in ta someting ridiculous." Flavi's eyes widen.
"No way! Ya lie ta innocent old ladies."
"Well, yea. It pays, don't it?"
"It nevah pays ta lie, Race."
"You'se'll understand if ya evah have ta sell papes. Trust me, it makes more sense dat way." Flavi rolls her eyes at her best friend's logic. The pair nears the railing and she slams a nickel down. Race stares defiantly into her angry blue eyes, thunderhead clouds storm through them in the mid to late afternoon sun. Not breaking her gaze, he places the nickel down next to hers.
"Still bettin on Pokey, ya bum?" She asks and spits into her hand. Flavia holds it out to him.
"Course, he'll win someday, still bettin on Dots?" Race answers and fires her question back at her. Flavi nods and Race spits into his hand. The two friends shake on it and shortly after that, the race commences. The horses run through the stadium. Race and Flavi bicker over who has the better horse.
"Pokey's got longer legs, he can step farther than Dots ever will," Race argues, trying to pick a fight with his best friend. Flavi nudges him with her shoulder, harder than before.
"Dots got more energy than Pokey and she's youngah," Flavi retorts. Race rolls his eyes and Flavi sticks out her tongue.
"Ya really someting, ya know dat?" Race asks her and Flavi nods.
"Oh, trust me, I know." She glances over at Race who is rolling his eyes again. "Stop doin dat!"
"Doin what?"
"You'se rolled your eyes so many times, dey's gonna get stuck one o' dese days." Race playfully smacks his friend in the shoulder. Flavi smiles. "Don't get ya eyeballs stuck, SlowPokey." Race's face reddens considerably as she says this. Flavi starts to snicker.
"Ya know, I'se gonna be able to match one o your little burns like dat and you's won't be so happy," Race admonishes playfully. Flavia shrugs.
"Better enjoy me freedom while I got it den, huh," She says with a little giggle. Race beams at her as she unconsciously plays with a long strand of her hair as she intently watches the race. Turning back to the race, Race sees that Pokey is pulling ahead.
"See dat, Flavi? Ole Pokey is pullin ahead to da front," He says as he nudges Flavi to get her attention. Flavi remains silent, still watching the race. Suddenly, she nudges him. Dots pull ahead and beats Pokey to the finish line, putting him in second. Race puts his head in his hands as Flavi starts to cheer loudly. What Flavi can't see however is that Race is smiling. Flavi is generally a quiet person, but Race is one of the few people she seems to come out of her shell around. He never understood why since he was a loud person, and hot tempered. Nevertheless, something about him had been inviting to Flavia and made her feel comfortable. Flavi jumps up and down on her heels.
"I won da bet, Race. Dots can beat ole Pokey any day o da week," Flavi smack talks Race. Race fires back with,
"Yer right. She can beat im in da race for da slowest horse." Flavi's face flushes and she socks him in the arm.
"Ya mean Pokey, right?"
"Nah, I mean Dots." The two continue to argue and then another race starts. The two friends place their bets, shake on it, and the cheering, bickering, and the trash talking continues. Time goes on and the sun begins to set. Flavia looks up and notices the time on a nearby clock at the races.
"It's late, Race! I'se gotta get some food and den get ta work," She says, shaking her friend by the arm. Race smiles at her and asks,
"Ya got any plans for dinnah?" Flavi shakes her head. "I'se knows of a great place around here. Dat sound good?" Flavi nods, inwardly burrowing into her shell. Race pulls her towards the exit of Sheepshead, when a tall, young man steps into their way.
"She can't leave, she ain't done her work yet. Besides, she ain't leavin wid you," He growls and Flavi cowers behind her best friend, putting her tiny hands onto his shoulders. Race can tell how scared she is of this man, so he stands his ground against him.
"She can to leave. We'se just grabbin dinnah togedah and I'se bringin her right back," Race explains with Flavi still clinging to his strong shoulders. The man growls angrily, but steps aside muttering about the two of them. Flavi walks next to Race and he has a temptation to reach down and take her hand. He wants to make it all better, but he knows he can't. Race guides her through some alleyways to a restaurant that Spot Conlon showed him once. The two friends enter the restaurant and find a quiet booth. The restaurant was called O'Connor's. Race smiles at the young girl sitting across from me.
"Dat was fun day, wasn't it?" He asks looking into her blue eyes. She looks up, seeming a little dazed.
"What did ya say?" She asks and Race knows she is in her own little world. Flavi wasn't trying to ignore him. She had just gotten trapped in her thoughts.
"Did ya have fun today?" Race tries again and she beams at him. The temporary storm clouds in her eyes fleeing as the smile lights up her face.
"Everyday wid you is fun," Flavi answers, "Ya nevah know what's gonna happen next." Race chuckles a little bit. A moment later, a waiter comes with a note pad and takes their order. Race gets an inexpensive Irish potato while Flavi settles for a small salad. The two go back to talking after they had ordered.
"So, who was dat nasty guy who didn't want ya to leave?" Race asks before he takes a sip of his water.
"Dat was me boss. He's a real pain da neck sometimes, ya know. Dere's a long story behind all dat," She says not looking directly into Race's eyes. Race tries to figure out what she means by that, but he can't tell anything by her facial expressions.
"Flavi, do you need help?" He asks bluntly and she shakes her head hurriedly.
"No, I'm gonna be okay, Race." Race can see it in her eyes, she is far from okay. She can't look him in the eyes.
"Flavi," He whispers softly. Flavi still won't look him in the eyes and she suddenly brightens.
"Oh look, here's da food," She exclaims, but Race is far from finished with this issue. He'll keep asking even if she wants to leave it alone right now. The two eat their food and Race looks her in the eye.
"Flavia," He starts by using her full name, "Ya know ya can tell me anyting, right? I'se wants ya ta be okay." Flavi nods and whispers,
"Ya, I know. I'se'll be okay, Race." He smiles and they start talking about the races and about whose horse was better and the rumors that some new horses could be coming to the races. Race watches her as she plays with her salad as they talk. Flavi was a very independent person much like Race was. She liked to handle things on her own and her issue with her job was something she could take on. Race couldn't really help the situation at all and there was nothing she could do except runaway. That would break Race to pieces and she knew it. Race chats on about how the headline was actually decent for once, and Flavi listens distractedly. Suddenly, Race is interrupted by a loud collection of voices from the entryway of the restaurant.
"Ey, Race!" A voice calls out, the Brooklyn accent familiar to Racetrack.
"Spot Conlon, a pleasure ta see ya," Race replies and Flavi's eyes widen.
"Wait! Spot Conlon? As in da Brooklyn Newsie leadah?" She asks, looking at Race. He nods and Spot replies with,
"In da flesh, my lovely lady. Race, where on Earth did ya find such a pretty liddle ting?" Race rolls his eyes,
"Ya tink every goil ya sets ya eyes on is a pretty liddle ting. Spot, dis is Flavia. She's a friend." Spot raises an eyebrow suggestively and Race rolls his eyes again,"Not dat kind o a friend. Ya need tah have more friends dat are goils and less goilfriends." Spot chuckles and takes Flavi's hand in his own. He kisses it and Flavi's cheeks turn pink.
"A pleasure, Miss Flavia," Spot says flirtatiously and Flavia blushes.
"A pleasure ta meet ya as well, Spot," She replies and Race slaps his friend in the head. The Brooklyn Newsies pull up chairs and sit next to Race and Flavi. Spot slides next to Flavia and wraps an arm around her waist. Flavi becomes furious.
"No!" She shouts and slaps his hand away. Spot chuckles and says to Race,
"I'se gotta hand it ta ya, Higgins, ya found a feisty one." Flavi glares at Spot and says,
"I ain't Race's and for dat mattah, I ain't anybody's. An I nevah will be." Spot chuckles again and says,
"Oh, every goil falls for me at some point, you'se just takin da long way ta get dere." Race slams his hand on the table.
"Dat's enough, Conlon. She ain't mine. When are ya evah gonna get it in dat big head o yours dat not every goil is gonna love ya? She ain't takin da long way or da slow way, she ain't takin da bait, Spot," Race stands up for his friend. Spot sighs and looks at him.
"Ya really are a big knucklehead, ain't ya, Race?"
"Not as big o a knucklehead as you'se." Flavi chokes back a giggle. Race has always been good for sarcasm and comebacks. She enjoys it when he stands up for himself and other people. The boys strike up a much friendlier conversation and Flavi absently listens in. They are talking about selling papers and how the headlines are still terrible. The Brooklyn boys place their orders when the waiter comes and Flavi exchanges glances with Race.
"So, Flavia, what bout you'se?" Spot asks her.
"What about me, Spot?" Flavia replies.
"What do you do?" Flavi shrugs and says,
"Kinda do some odd jobs around, ya know. Nothin real permanent." Race raises an eyebrow and Flavi ignores his look.
"Dat's nice. Ya live around here or in Manhattan?" Spot asks.
"Round here. I do some woirk at da races," She replies and Race's facial expression becomes a little less cross.
"Real nice," Spot replies and the Brooklyn boys receive their food. Flavi and Race watch as they gulp down the food in two minutes flat. Looking out the window, Flavi lets out a slightly audible gasp.
"I'se really needs ta get goin, it was nice meetin you, Spot." Flavi scoots her chair out and bolts for the door. Race spit shakes with Spot and chases after Flavia.
"Flavi!" He calls as he sees her running towards the entrance to Sheepshead. "Where ya goin?" She turns and answers,
"I gotta do my job, I'll see ya tomorrow, yea?"
"Yea, but Flavi, what is ya job?"
"Just cleanin da track, Race. Now I'se gotta do it fore somebody gets afta me. See ya tomorrow!"
"Bye, Flavi!" Race runs away from the Sheepshead in the direction of Manhattan. He reaches the Lodging House and opens the door to see quite the sight. Jack is sitting on the beat up sofa that Kid Blink and Specs had found on the street, with Katherine snuggled into the crook of his arm. Jack's hand is resting on Katherine's shoulder and he looks up with a curious expression on his face when he sees Race.
"Where have ya been, Race?" Jack asks loudly and Katherine sits up straight. Crutchy, Davey, Les, Kid Blink, Mush, Specs, Romeo, Skittery, and Tumbler come down at the mention of Race's name. They stand there, staring at their fellow Newsie.
"I ate dinnah in Brooklyn, what's da mattah wid dat?" He asks.
"Nothin," Jack answers and Katherine adds,
"It's just way past dinnertime, Race. Where were you?" Race inwardly sighs. He wants to keep Flavi a secret for as long as he can.
"I was eatin dinner out by da races. Come on, Jacky, ya know dat's a long walk," Race says, trying to plead his innocence. "I ate wid Spot and his boys."
"Like dat makes me feel any bettah. Was dere a goil dere too?" Jack asks. Race thinks he feels his heart stop and his face gets all blotchy. Flavi would be getting a kick out of this. "Dere was, wasn't dere?"
"Ooooh, took ya long enough," Romeo exclaims, "Ya meet her at da races?"
"I bet he did," Kid Blink adds, "Dey's been kissin all night long, haven't dey?" Race's face pales at the thought of him and Flavi kissing the living daylights out of each other. He liked Flavi, but he would never admit that to the boys. Flavi was his little secret and his little escape from the often cruel streets of New York. Mush notices Race's face and laughs,
"Dere's no shame in kissin a goil, Race. I'se done it too, an Jack an Kath do it all da time." Katherine and Jack smile at each other.
"Somedays, that's my favorite part," Katherine says to Jack and Jack smiles cockily at her. Davey clears his throat.
"Keep it to a Les level, everybody, keep it to a Les level." The boys roll their eyes and Davey receives several cap slaps from the boys standing around him. Jack and Katherine are whispering things in each other's ears and the next thing the boys know, Katherine closes the gap between them. They kiss and Davey covers Les's eyes.
"Come on, Davey, let me see," Les complains, "It can't be dat bad." Davey shakes his head and keeps his hands over his younger brother's eyes.
"I'm not afraid to kiss you, Jack Kelly, remember that," Katherine says, looking at him with a devilish gleam in her eye. Race rolls his eyes and Specs shouts,
"Meybe Spot introduced Race to da goil and he couldn't resist, bein wid her. Dat's gotta be it, right, Race?" Race rolls his eyes and says,
"I'se nevah said it involved a goil, ya bums. An' I'll soak ya da next time ya bring it up." Skittery says,
"I tink Race has been in love for awhile an he's just now realizin it, an..." Skittery nevah gets to finish, because Race lightly socks him in the nose.
"Get im, Skitts! Get im!" Tumbler cheers at the sign of a fight. Jack breaks away from his romanticizing with Katherine and pushes the two apart.
"Spit an shake on it," Jack instructs and the two boys do.
"I still think that is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen done," Davey pipes up. The boys all shoot looks at him and Davey puts up his hands.
"Sorry my brother can be such a big baby sometimes," Les apologizes for his brother and Davey rolls his eyes.
"Dat's okay. Ya bruddah just don't understand da Newsie of doin business yet," Race says, shooting a look at Davey. Davey shakes his head and Les pipes up,
"He's done it once. When we were in the basement at Miss Medda's, talking to Jack, we did it to bring Jack back into the strike and Davey did it too."
"Les, you weren't supposed to tell him that. You're on my side, right?" Davey pleads.
"Hate to break it to you, Davey. But the fun side is not the you side," Les says with a smile on his face and the boys break out into a bunch of "Ohhhhhhhh"s. Katherine laughs and Jack rolls his eyes, putting an arm around Katherine's waist. He looks down at her and asks,
"Need me ta walk ya home?"
"No, I'll be okay. You need your sleep for work and selling papers."
"Ace," Jack whines and she puts a finger on his lips.
"No whining, Mr. Kelly. I can come by another time. Promise," She commands.
"For sure?" He asks and Katherine mocks his accent like she always does when they do this.
"For sure." Jack chuckles and yells at the boys,
"Fellas, get ready for bed. Tomorrow's anuddah day ta sell papes!" The boys in the lobby don't seem to move. "Dat means you'se too, fellas." The boys that stay at the Lodging House run up the stairs quickly. Davey and Les prepare to go home and they yell goodbyes up the stairs and Katherine hugs each of them before they leave.
"Finally, some alone time," She says as soon as the door shuts behind the Jacobs brothers.
"It nevah lasts long round here," Jack says softly as he pushes the hair out of Katherine's face. He leans down and their lips meet. Jack enjoys the kiss and the way it makes him feel when suddenly, a loud shout comes from upstairs. The two pull apart quickly and Jack runs up the stairs two at a time. Katherine reaches for his hand to pull him back to her, but he's too quick for her. Chaos has ensued with a soap fight and Finch had successfully gotten it in Buttons's eyes. Katherine can hear the faint sounds of Jack breaking up a scuffle and a few seconds later, he emerges from the bunk room. She wastes no time in pulling him to her. Their lips meet again and she feels a fantastic sensation as they do. Her hand finds his and they enjoy the moment. After a few seconds, Katherine pulls apart.
"I'd better get going, see you tomorrow, Cowboy?" She asks and Jack knew that wasn't meant to be a question.
"Yea. See ya tomorrow, Ace," He calls as she walks out the door and to the Pulitzer mansion. Jack walks up the stairs and nearly runs into Race who is heading for his bed.
"Night, Race," Jack says as Race passes him.
"Night, Jack," Race says as he flops down into his own bed. His mind drifts as he watches the others carrying on the usual bedtime banter. Race rolls over to the side thinking of Flavi and how he had managed to keep her a secret. He fell asleep thinking of a certain dark haired girl with bright blue expressional eyes.
AN:/ Wow! Another long one. Sorry, if you hate long one shots, short is really not my forte. I wrote this in two days. So enough about that, say hello to Flavi! (or Flavia whichever you like to call her, I think Flavi is a cute nickname for her). She is my first OC and she is a great friend to Race. I own her at this point, so please don't steal her. Her name was found on some Italian baby names website. I don't remember which one, but that's where I got the name. She will definitely make more appearances. She will also appear in Modern AU's too, so keep your eyes peeled for her. Will Race ever tell the boys about her? What about Flavi? Why is her boss so mean to her and why won't she tell Race anything? What kind of secrets is she hiding? So many questions and I'm sure you have more. She'll come out of her shell more with time. And I even threw in some Spot Conlon for those of you Spot fansies. And I even threw in some Jatherine or Jackrine whatever you call the Jack x Katherine ship name. I hope you liked Flavi, please tell me what you think of her. Would you like to see more of her? Also tell me what you thought of this shot in general. Comment/reviews are always nice. I hope you like this one! I enjoyed writing it for sure. Feel free to tell me what you think about anything in my work or Newsies in general. Oh! And one more thing. If you have seen the original Newsies, (the one with teenage Christian Bale, he's a cutie in that one!) and/or the Broadway movie, you can imagine everyone (except for Katherine, obviously) from whichever movie you like. So if you like Racetrack as Max Casella from the original movie, you could imagine him instead of Ryan Breslin or Ben Tyler Cook. And vice versa! Anyways, enough rambling from me, happy reading! See you soon, friends!