"I wonder how many papes Davey's gonna sell." Elmer pondered out loud as we walked to our spots. Mine was just further down the street from his.
"Well, Jack spotted him fifty, so he'd better sell all of it." I shrugged. "If he doesn't, Weasel will just make him eat it after, then Jack's lost two bits."
"Let's give him the benefit of the doubt." Elmer suggested, flicking my cap and going to his spot. I sighed and went to my own.
"Rabid dogs storm Central Park!" I called, waving the pape over my head. I got a few buyers from that made-up story. In the afternoon, when I was only halfway done, a girl around my age walked up to me.
"Do you know him?" She asked, pointing at my twin. She had neat brown hair tied back in a blackberry ribbon and a dark purple dress. Her family seems to be much better off than mine.
"I do." I nodded, stifling a grin. How long will it take her to realize that he's my brother?
"I'm sorry to bother you, but is he seeing anyone?" She pressed.
"Not that I know of." I nodded, sliding a few papes back into my selling bag. "You're not bothering me at all, it's not very busy."
"Okay, well, would you much mind if you spoke to him for me?" She asked hopefully.
"Not at all." I grinned. "What did you say your name was?"
"Oh I'm sorry, my name is Bailey Robinson." She told me hastily.
"Emilia. Or Millie." I told her, starting towards my brother.
"So we're going to go talk to him now?" Bailey checked, walking alongside me.
"If that alright." I said, nodding. As we approached, Elmer looked up in confusion.
"Hey, Elmer, this is Bailey." I beamed, gesturing to the newcomer.
"Hi." Bailey smiled nervously.
"Hey uh, Millie, could I talk to you for a minute?" Elmer asked me. I nodded, and we stepped out of earshot. "What are you doin'?"
"She asked if I could talk to you." I shrugged.
"She knows that we're Newsies, right?" Elmer hissed to me.
"If think she has an idea." I rolled my eyes. "Just give her a chance! If it doesn't work out, I'll tell her."
"Fine." Elmer sighed, and we walked back to her. Her blue eyes widened.
"Are you siblings?" She asked, eyes flicking in between us.
"Yeah. Twins actually." I told her.
"Well, uh, I'm Bailey." She held her hand out for my brother to shake. He reluctantly did. I elbowed him in the shoulder.
"Loosen up." I hissed. He shoved me in return.
"I'll leave you to it!" I declared, strutting off to my spot. When I looked back, both Elmer and Bailey were gaping at me. I ignored it and continued to sell.
Once we were both done selling, it was about 5:00 in the afternoon. So, now we're on our way back to the Lodging House.
"We's meeting tomorrow evening." Elmer finally told me.
"That's great!" I exclaimed.
"But you have to come too, but with a boy of my choosing." He grinned, triumphantly.
"Anyone but the Delancey's or Weasel." I muttered. Elmer made a gagging motion.
"I's thinkin' Crutchie." He told me.
"Really?" Crutchie's nice, I guess. I'd prefer someone like Racetrack, or Jack. But it's not like this is a date or anything.
"Yep."
"Fine."
When we got back, I went to our room and took off my skirt, vest, suspenders, and cap. So now I'm wearing my flannel, regular pants that I wear underneath my skirt, and my boots. As soon as I got back downstairs, Jack raced into the Lodging House with a few sets of badminton racquets in his hand. In the other was a few birdies.
"Badminton." Both Elmer and I commented in sync. He was sitting on the couch with Buttons and Albert.
"I found these." Jack grinned, Tossing both me and my brother a racquet. I caught it by the ragged, cloth handle. Elmer copied the motion, but it clattered to the floor. Laughing, my twin picked it up and spun it like a baton, standing up. Jack, to test, tossed my brother the birdie. Elmer bumped it from the bottom towards me. I side popped it back to him. We continued the small game, the boys around my brother ducking every time he swung. Racetrack, who was sitting next to Elmer, reached up and snatched the birdie before my brother could hit it. Elmer then gently(ish) whacked Race over the head with his racquet.
"Well, I know who I want on my team." Jack grinned as Crutchie limped through the door.
"Team for what?" The crip asked, hobbling over to the side where I was standing.
"We's gonna go play badminton." Jack told him, ushering the boys outside. He looked to have about eight racquets. We all lined up in Newsie Square, Jack standing in front of us like a military person.
"Albert, you's the other captain." Jack decided. Albert stumbled forward to stand beside the leader of the News Boys (and girl). "I'll choose first." The boys that weren't here were out on the city, maybe at the park or something. "Elmer."
My brother beamed, racing forward to stand beside Jack.
"Racer." Albert nodded to the blond boy.
"Millie." Jack grinned triumphantly.
"You can't have both twins!" Jojo objected.
"If Al wanted her, he should have chosen her." Jack shrugged, beckoning me over.
"I couldn't not choose Race first!" Albert retorted, shoving his friend.
"Okay, fine!" Jack threw his hands up. "We's still gonna crush you!"
I went to stand behind Albert and Finch went to Jack's side.
Jack's team: Jack, Elmer, Finch, and Mush.
Albert's team: Albert, Racetrack, Millie, Jojo.
We then set up a short wall of boxes and crates to represent the net. Elmer and I were taught to play before the accident. I guess we weren't all that rusty. Albert huddled his team.
"Millie, you's in front." He glanced at me. I nodded. "Now, raise your hand if you actually know how to play badminton."
I raised my hand, and so did Jojo and Albert. Race had a poker face on.
"Okay, Race, you stand in the back and get the birdie that we miss." Albert instructed. Race nodded, cigar hanging out of his mouth. The ginger sighed and yanked it away.
"Hey!" Race yelped, making a grab.
"You don't smoke and play!" Albert shook his head, putting the cigar in pocket.
"So, Millie in the front, Race in the back." Jojo confirmed. "Where do I go?"
"Back left of Millie." Albert told the boy. "I'll be on the other side."
"Got it." He nodded as the huddle departed and we went to our spots. Crutchie standing at the side of the 'court'. He was probably the referee.
"Who's serve?" I saw that Jack had arranged his group a lot like ours, my brother in the front.
"Ours." Albert called, and the birdie was tossed to us. "And Millie, you have to try and get whatever you can. And call it before going."
I was given the serve, so I did it. For a lot of the game, Elmer and I hit the best ones. Whenever I hit one, he couldn't reach it, and vise-versa. We were playing to 15, and soon, we were neck in neck. 14/14. It was their serve. The birdie soared right to me, and I swung. It hit the rim of my racquet and fell to the floor. Double hits weren't allowed, so I jumped back for Jojo so save it. He dove and hit it, but it didn't go high enough. I, forgetting to call it, shot forward at the same time as Albert and we crashed into each other. His racquet whacked me in the face, just below my eye.
We lost.
"Yes!" Jack exclaimed, but was nudged by Crutchie. "Ah, I mean good game." He and Albert then shook hands. I could feel the bruise forming redly. Elmer cocked his head.
"Albert, that was an accident, right?" He checked, brows furrowed.
"Of course!" Albert's eyes widen, glancing at me apologetically.
"It's all good." I grinned. We then began moving the boxes and crates back. Elmer and I met afterwards.
"Damn, Millie, ya really should've called it." He laughed, having a look at the bruise under my eye.
"Yeah." I nodded in agreement, smiling.
"I guess now we's knowin' who's better." Elmer flexed, kissing his bicep. I rolled my eyes.
"No, no." I said quickly as we went inside. "Arm wrestle."
"Ain't you tired of losing?" My twin grinned, sitting at the table.
"Never." I shook my head, readying my arm. He took it, and we began the wrestle. His eyes widened in shock. I was winning, so AI put more force into it. We lingered there for a moment before I felt him try to slam my hand down. Instead, I slammed his own hand down.
"I let you win." Elmer muttered, shook.
"My turn." Jack declared, and I got up out of the chair off the chair. I laughed as my brother gaped He swatted me on the arm
"I can't beat him!" He mouthed at me. He then shook his head with a grin and begun their match. It was a very close game. We, all three of us, try to sell a hundred papes a day. The instant Jack's knuckle touched the surface of the wooden table, he fired back and won.
"That was Elmer's win!" I claimed in dismay.
"It was mine!" Jack argued.
"Nah, 'cause your hand touched the table !" Elmer fired back. Jack could see that he was clearly outnumbered. Then Crutchie came over after Jack frantically waving.
"Wow, you really don't like to lose." Crutchie commented when he got here. Jack's jaw dropped.
To be continued...