Several months later, August 13th, 1900
Albert and I have been on a winning streak; solving crimes, putting the right people in jail, and outsmarting the people we all know as villains. And the best part is not even one other newsie as found out our side gig.
Today, we have a new job to do, and I'd say that it's most important. Get this, we need to find one of the higher up members of the Lower Manhattan Mafia. He might be able to give us enough information to find their secret hideout.
But the only issue is that with every new case that we're getting, I keep crushing harder on Albert. I know I shouldn't, since it's never going to happen, but my mind can't help but wonder.
Right now, I'm getting dressed to go sell my papers in the girl's bathroom, which only has me and Smalls occupying it. Once I leave the bathroom, I see Albert waiting for me with a smile on his face.
"M'lady, are you ready fah today?" He asks, holding his arm out for me to take. The other newsies know that we tend to lock arms when we walk, so it's no big deal to them.
"Ready as I'll ever be!" I say, feeling my heart glow from anticipation. But us talking attracts the attention of Race, who walks over with a curious look on his face.
"What'ah you so excited about? You gonna sneak off tah Jacobi's again and drink so much wine that you become an alcoholic?" Race asks, still upset about what happened a couple months ago.
Speaking of that night, Albert and I never had the chance to actually kiss after that. Of course, we've gotten close a couple of times, but we always get interrupted.
"Geez, Race, ya still upset about that?" Albert asks, immediately unlocking our arms. Race is almost red from annoyance.
"Of course I'm still upset. Ya bein' a bad influence on me sistah," Race says, getting into Albert's face to appear threatening. "Ya know, I don't think you should be hangin' around her anymore."
"Oh yeah, pretty boy, is that what you think?" Albert asks, also getting in Race's face, showing that he's not backing down. "Because I think that she can make decisions on her own, and doesn't need her brudda makin' her own decisions."
"Listen, Al, you're my friend. And it would suck to lose ya. But if you don't tell me what you two've been hidin' from me, I sweah tah god, I will poisonally beat ya damn a-" Race begins, but I shove the two of them apart before he can finish his sentence.
"Boys, calm down. Albert, this is between me and Race, so I'll be the one doing the talking. And Race, we're just doing our job. There's no secrets that any of us have been hiding, believe me, I'm your sister for damn sakes, I wouldn't lie to you. Last month, I was a bit overwhelmed by hanging out with the boys so much, so Albert and I just went to go hang out, just the two of us. Nothing is going on, other than Albert being a good friend, and taking care of me. Okay?"
It's silent for a moment, as Race tries to comprehend what I'm saying and I try not to cry from lying to my brother. I love my big bro more than anyone in the world, so it kills me to lie to him.
"Yeah, I get it. Sorry fah freakin' out about you two, I just was worried dat my sistah was in danga. I love ya, Y/n/n, and I just wanted tah make sure dat you was okay, Race says, carefully gripping the back of my head to give me a protective kiss on my forehead.
"I get it bro, and that's why I love you. But you'd better get back to selling your papes before the day's over," I say, trying to get Race to leave as soon as possible.
"Yeah, will do. You two have a good day, and sell as much as ya can, or else I'se'll be upset," Race says with a laugh, which lets us know that he's just kidding around. I let out a laugh, before sighing and turning back to Albert.
"Dat was close," Albert says. I nod and link our arms together again.
"Tell me about it," I say with a chuckle, before starting to walk back to our selling spot.
A few hours later
"Extra! Extra! Hundreds found dead in their homes from the Manhattan Mafia!" I yell a fake headline, trying to get someone's attention. Luckily, I see one man in a bowler's hat's head turn in my direction, as he begins walking over.
"'scuse me, miss, but how do you about the Manhattan Mafia?" The man asks. I freeze up, realizing that only the police know about the Manhattan Mafia, and none of the papers do. I open my mouth to explain that it's just the headline, but he cuts me off. "Don't even try to lie, we both know it's not actually the headline. You're a newsie, your job is to lie."
"Well I- I don't know if it's actually true. I was just hanging out down by Central Park, and a couple officers started talking about it, I though that it might be a good headline, so I wanted to use it today in case it would help me sell more papes," I lie, trying not to give away the fact that I'm basically on the case to find the Mafia. The man freezes for a second, before letting out a chuckle.
"My apahlogies, miss. See, it's just dat I'se been assigned to the case tah find them, and I'se hasn't read today's paper, so I was thinkin' dat there might be some infahmation in the pape. Speaking of which, can I get a pape from you?" The man asks, clearly flustered. I nod and hand him over the paper, and he hands me a nickle. 'Nice!' "Thank ya, miss. Have a wonderful day."
I mutter out a 'You too' as he walks away. He's clearly lying. I work with the police, and I know who's been assigned to the Mafia case, and it's only a couple other people, who I know personally. He's lying. But I don't know why.
I'm about to grab another paper to sell, when I realize that that was my last one. I decide to go find Albert in the spot that he's normally in, and find him leaning against a building, waiting for me.
"Geez, what took ya so long?" Albert asks, pushing himself off the wall. As he approaches me, it's clear by his expression that he didn't see the interaction between me and that man.
"Nothing. Just some weird guy trying to have a conversation is all. Anyways, let's get to our real job," I says, playfully nudging Albert in the side, which makes him chuckle. "And besides, I think I have a lead on the mafia that'll make the cops proud."
There's a bit of drizzle coming down as Albert and I begin to walk to the police station, but it's no big deal. Although, judging by the clouds, it's going to begin pouring soon.
As it begins raining more, the station comes into view. I smile and lock my arm with Albert's as we always do when we enter the station. But just as we're about a block or two away from it, someone who I never though I'd see at this time walks out from an alleyway and stands in front of us.
"Race? What're ya doin' here?" Albert asks, trying to walk up to Race. I can see the shocked expression on his face, as he tries to cover it with happiness. "Is this ya new sellin' sp-"
"Leave. I need tah have a talk wit me sistah," Race says, clearly upset. Albert turns to look at me, so I give him a nod to let him know to leave. He sighs and continues walking in the direction we were headed. "Mind tellin' me where you two were goin'?"
"We we're just taking a walk," I lie, trying to stay as calm as possible. Race shakes his head before crossing one arm over the other.
"Don't lie to me, Y/n/n. I heard you talkin' 'bout havin' infahrmation for the bulls. What was that all 'bout, and why did ye just lie to mah face?" Race asks. My eyes are as wide as dinner plates, as soon as I realize he was following us. I know I should be mad, but I honestly feel a sense of happiness that I have such a caring brother.
"Listen, we both saw a crime being committed, and we were going to report it to the police. I didn't want to tell you because I know you worry about me, and I didn't want to stress you out by knowing that I saw a crime being committed," I lie again, feeling even worse.
"Y/n, I know that I ain't evah got no education, but I ain't stupid. I know dat you two has been comin' here every day. Do you think I don't notice that you come home at nine at night, carryin' a brand new sketchpad, and sometimes, just sometimes, I'se spotted ya with blood on ya damn shoes. Now tell me the truth before I get mad," Race says, practically fuming.
In the distance, I see Albert walking into the station, shooting me once last glance before finally leaving my sight. I sigh and look up at Race.
"Shit, I didn't know this day would come so soon," I mumble, rubbing my eyes in order to calm down. "Okay, so ever since February, Albert and I have been sorta... Working with the police. We solve crimes like murder, burglary, and have dealt with kidnappings. In fact, some of our work has been front page news, but we've never had our names on there. That's why we've been so shady lately, we've just been trying to keep this a secret, so no one intervenes with our work. Is there a problem with that?"
"Yes," says Race. His reaction shocks me. I thought that he would be accepting, and maybe tell me to 'Stay safe'. "You shouldn't be doin' side gigs, where you're riskin' ya life. I didn't get you outta our filthy house, with that bastad of a dad, just fah you to put your life on the line!"
"Hey, we were saving more lives by keeping murders off the streets! And the newsies risk their lives every day just by going out in the burning heat and freezing cold every day, just to get sometimes not enough money to eat for the day, while Albert and I actually get paid money just for solving crimes. Why is being a detective so much worse than starving?"
"Because I'se been workin' my ass off everyday just tah make sure dat you have enough money to eat, while you peruse around the city goin' aftah criminals, who want to kill dem cops that are soiching fah them. You know what? You ain't allowed tah do this crap anymore. Hell, you ain't even allowed tah sell wit' Albert anymore."
"You know what? No. I'm my own person, and you don't get to decide what I can and can't do. You know, mom would be proud of me right now," I say. Race flinches at even the mention of her.
"Don't you dare use mom like dat. You know she would've hated that. And hell, if someone hadn't killed 'er, you wouldn't even have a job right now, so you don't get to say what she'd be proud of. You was only eight when she died, you don't know anything about her," Race says, his voice indicating that he's on the verge of tears.
"If someone like me had been around when she got killed, the killer wouldn't still be out there somewhere. She didn't get avenged for her murder, and we both know from experience that not knowing who killed someone close can ruin people's lives. So I will make sure that no child, no spouse, and no friend has to go through the same things we went through. If her murderer had been arrested, dad wouldn't have been so abusive. If she was still alive-"
"But she's not!" Race yells, crying at this point. It's only now that I realize how blurry my vision is, how tight my throat feels, and I realize that I'm crying too. It's quiet for a minute before Race talks again. "She's dead, Y/n! And I'm jus' tryin' to make sure you aren't eithah."
It's quiet again, and it's only now that I notice that the sun is just hitting the horizon. It must be about 7 o'clock. No one's outside. Race lets out a sniffle as he wipes the snot from his nose.
"I'm goin' back home. And if you ain't there by sundown, then don't even think 'bout comin' back at all," Race says before immediately turning and speed walking away.
I stand there for a minute, watching him disappear through the alley. Another minute passes before I let out a loud sob, falling back against a nearby building for support.
"Hey, if it isn't the only goilsie in town," an all too familiar and annoying voice says mockingly from a distance. I sniffle before burying my face into my knees.
"Go away, Oscar, I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now," I say, not even trying to hide the fact that I'm crying. The sound of footprints approaching lets me know that he doesn't care about what I just said.
"Mind tellin' me what happened?" Oscar asks. I hear rustling beside me, before looking over to see Oscar sitting nest to me.
"Why do you care? You're never nice to me," I say, retaining anger in the words I spit at him, which causes him to let out a chuckle.
"Believe me, I know. But I also know how important it is tah have someone tah talk to, 'specially seein' that ya brudda ain't gonna listen to ya," Oscar says. I feel a hint of warmth inside of me, just knowing that someone cares about me.
I let out a sigh before proceeding to explain what happened, from my mother's death, to just a couple minutes ago. He nods along to everything I say, even calming me down when I get too upset. As soon as I finish talking, I feel Oscars arms wrap around my body. He's surprisingly warm, and it's comforting.
"Thank you so much for listening, Oscar. You're an amazing friend," I say. I feel his breath hitch, before he pulls away and stands up, so I stand up with him.
"Friend? You consida me a friend?" Oscar asks, looking unsure. I hesitate for a second before nodding. Oscar lets out a single chuckle while running his hand through his hair. "I've nevah had a friend before."
"Well, you have one now," I say before pulling him into another hug. It's quiet for a minute before the quiet sound of footprints makes Oscar pull away again.
"Excuse me, who ah you?" Oscar asks, looking just over my shoulder. Just as I'm about to turn around, I see the fist of the person behind me quickly punch Oscar directly in the face, which sends him stumbling to the ground.
"Oscar!" I yell before trying to run to his side. But before I can even take a single step a strong arm pulls me back against a person's chest, and a rag is placed over my nose and mouth. I try to push the arm away, but the person is too strong.
As I take in a sharp breath of air, I feel my head get light headed, and my body begins to feel weaker and weaker. My eyelids begin to droop as I take in another breath of air.
I'm only able to say one last thing before I feel my consciousness slip away.
"I... Love you... Albert..."