The carriage pulled up slowly as the two best friends stuck their heads out the window.
"my god! New York is so…" Joan, a blonde, sun tanned, freckled, tall girl from Santa Fe struggled to find the right word.
"busy." Kathryn, also a blonde tall girl from Santa Fe grabbed her friend by the hand and dragged her out of the carriage, while it was moving.
"Eh! Kathryn! What'd you do that for?" Joan asked as she stumbled out onto the street and right into a newsy with a cowboy hat. "I'm sorry, so sorry." She started to apologize as he brushed off his vest.
"no madda." He said hoisting papers onto his shoulder. "I'se ok, as long as you'se is."
"I'm fine." She said before being dragged off by the hand. "Kathryn!" she grumbled and attempted to apologize again to the newsy when she turned, but mysteriously he had disappeared. "that's funny."
"What?" Kathryn asked when they finally stopped.
"he just disappeared."
"They're newsies… like the ones in the papers… that's what they do." Kathryn said as they finally stopped in front of a large statue of Horace Greeley.
"where are we going? Pa'll be worried!" That was Joan, the typical worry wort.
"We're going to see the city!" Kathryn said as they hoisted themselves up onto the base of the statue to sit. You see, these weren't just normal girls, these girls worked, in the fields, with their families, everyday. They knew how to ride horses and rope cattle, how to make a deal and get drunks off the property. They both had schooling, and they both only wore dresses on special occasions. Such as taking a trip to New York. So, they looked quite pleasant, if you didn't know them.
Out of ear shot from the girls Jack stood talking to Mush, Blink and Racetrack.
"…yeah. Two of 'em. From outta town. Ya can tell by deir accents." Jack said as he described the girls.
"double or nuttin' Jacky boy gets one." Race chortled.
"Ahhh, Bum odds." Mush said.
"So's where are dey Jack? I 'erd otta towners are good fer drinkin' wid" Blink gave a laughing smile until he was hit in the back of the head by Snatch who had walked up behind them. Snatch was Blink's sister, a total newsy at heart, and she truly wasn't suppose to be in Jack's territory.
"you'se idiot!" Snatch said punching her brother in the arm. "Is dat all you'se thinkin' 'bout? Gettin laid?"
"y'know Snatch, you'se keep beatin on me newsies I'm gonna 'ave ta take ya out." Jack said jokingly holding up his fists.
"I c'ld take ya." Snatch said to the ultimately taller Jack. Jack simply laughed at her as they jokingly punched each other.
"yeah, yeah. Whateve' sis whateve'" Blink joked.
"I'se insulted! You'se don' think yer own siste' c'ld fight." Snatch laughed.
"So what're ya doin' ere Snatch?" Mush asked leaning on Jack's shoulder.
"'eh, not much. Easy sellin' so I'se though' I come down. Don' dell Ritz I was talkin' wid you'se guys dough. She's'll kill me!" Snatch shrugged. Ritz was her friend, but she didn't want anything to do with Jack's newsies.
The boys shrugged it off as Jack's regular smile turned to a wide grin. "look, on Horace."
The four turned around and saw Joan and Kathryn sitting nonchalantly kicking their feet against the side of the statue, Mush took off his hat and placed it over his chest whispering "I'se in heaven" to himself.
"I bet ya a nickel ta go intraduce yerself, an' not get blown off, but ya gotta do's it all hoity toity like Blink." Snatch said thinking this was all the perfect time to embarrass her brother.
"yeah." Mush said turning.
"yeah, yeah." Blink said wiping sweat from his face and placing his hat on his head. Straightening out his vest he puffed up his chest and makes his way through the crowd.
"I never thought it'd be this big." Joan said standing slowly on top of the statue base and walking around it for a moment.
"Do ya think we'll be able to see it all?"
"Naw, New York's too big." Joan sighed sitting back in her original position as an older boy with a patch on one eye approached them.
"New Yawk ain't as big as you'se dink it is." Blink said to the girls.
The girls looked at each other and smiled widely, they'd only been in town for half an hour and there was already a cute boy talking to them. "And you would know that how?" Kathryn asked. both girls also had harsh attitudes.
"I'se woik da streets" Blink said proudly, trying to impress the girls.
Joan snorted. "uh-huh. Yeah. Riiiiight." She said elbowing Kathryn in the side "didja hear? He 'woiks da streets'" She said with a giggle, imitating his accent.
Blink just shook it off. "You'se goil's from outta town?" He asked giving them a smile as he leaned on the statue so they had to look down at him. He was obioulsy trying to look suave, but it wasn't working very well.
"yeah. We're not from 'round here… but who is?" Kathryn shrugged, implying all the immigrants.
Blink looked a bit surprised. He wasn't expecting a wit fest from these two, almost sugary looking girls. "So, Where is you from?" He said.
"Santa Fe… We're Cowgirls" Joan said, serious at first but jokingly to Kathryn at the end.
Blink started to laugh, and the two girls looked at each other for a moment as he kept laughing. "You…You'se from Santa Fe…" He said between laughs.
"Yeah. You got a problem with that, patch?" Kathryn asked, all cold like.
Blink stopped laughing when he saw that both girls were staring at him with an ice coldness to their eyes. He just gave them a look of apology, and one of the feeling of insult. He backed away then and trotted back to his friends who were laughing hysterically.
"All hoity-Toity right Blink?" Snatch said as she doubled over in laughter.
"yeah. Right." Blink snorted kicking dust up.
"So what's dey like, Kid?" Mush asked with a smile, trying to hold back laughter himself.
"Well, Dey's got dese real 'eavy accents, and Dey got attitudes woise den Race 'ere'" Blink paused a moment, debating whether or not to tell them the girls were from Santa Fe. "oh… Yeah. Dey's from Santa Fe."
This shut them all up quickly. Jack's smile turned to a frown.
"You'se gonna do somthin' Jack?" Snatch asked leaning on the fence.
"You'se sure dey from Santa Fe?" Mush asked.
"Eh. Stoopid. Blink wouldn't lie to us 'bout stuff" Race said totally sure, but then he turned to Blink. "You wouln't lie ta us wo'ld ya?"
Blink just shrugged. "Dey's from Santa Fe alright. And dey ain't no noimal goils." Blink wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Whatcha doin' Jack?" Mush asked as the former started to pace.
"I'se thinkin'" Jack replied before lighting up a cigarette.
After a few moments Race rolled his eyes. "You'se done thinkin' yet?"
"Well… whaddyao'se guys dink? Dey's from Santa Fe…" Jack said almost done with his cigarette, trying to calm himself.
"Go talk to 'em Jack." Snatch pointed toward the girls, who looked heavy in conversation. She was echoed by Mush and Race in total agreement.
Jack paced faster for a moment before stomping out his foot. "what'll I'se say?" his friends tried to come up with anything they could while Kathryn and Joan talked non stop.
"That was interesting." Kathryn shrugged as Blink walked away.
"He was kinda cute too." Joan said scrunching her nose up with a slight laugh. "we should be nicer to people."
"but if we do that, we wouldn't be us!" Kathryn said rather peppishly before she felt someone tap her shoulder on the outside. Both girls turned to their outside shoulders, and seeing no one there they turned back only to see Jack sitting between them. "You here to flirt too?" Kathryn asked rather bluntly. Joan looked astonished as she sat open mouthed at Jack, surprised that it was the same newsy as before. "Would you shut your trap before the flies nest?" Kathryn told Joan who immediately glared (and closed her mouth, mind you). They both noticed the cowboy hat hanging from his neck.
Jack grinned widely as his hair sprung back and forth. "So's I hear you'se from Santa Fe."
"Yeah." Joan said with a shrug. "What's it to ya?"
"Nubbin' much. Jus' wan'ed ta know wat it's like down dere." Jack said, though it really meant a lot to him.
"Well… it's really hot; and really dry; and everything is different there." Kathryn said with a smile.
"and now, if you would leave, my friend and I here are goin' out to see the city." Joan said hopping off the statue and flicking hair off her face with an attitude. Kathryn laughed and hopped off as well. As the two started to walk away, Jack had to think very quickly before chasing after them.
He came running up between the two and put his arms around their shoulders. "How's 'bout I gives da two of you'se a tour, if you'se'll sell papes with me tomarraw."
Joan and Kathryn looked at each other as they stopped. They couldn't really get out of the situation, so they both shrugged and nodded. "eh. Why not?" Joan pondered out loud.
Jack smiled and nodded taking his arms off of them. "if da two'se of ya would follow me." He said beckoning for them. "Firs' ya gotta meet da guys." Jack said as the girls sauntered up, slouching in their hips and hands in pockets.
"'eya guys." Joan muttered under her breath, which was only audible to Kathryn who smirked in laughter.
"Dis's Blink, Race, Mush an' Snatch." Jack rattled off. "Guy's dis's is… uhh.." Jack stuttered trying to remember the names the girls had not given them.
"Kathryn and Joan." Kathryn said with a smile and a small wink to Blink, who was grumbling slightly at the fact that Jack seemed to get the girls easier then he did.
"I'se in heaven" Mush said under his breath as the three boys in the group took their hats off in respect. Blink and Snatch both instinctively swatted him in the back of the head as Race rolled his eyes and put his hat back on. Mush pouted for a moment
"'eah. Dey'll be sellin' papes wid us tomarraw, guys." Jack said lighting a cigarette and taking a pull on it before offering it to Joan who waved it away. Jack simply shrugged and kept it to himself for the time being.
The next day Joan appeared wearing a black shirt and skirt with a red sash. The hem flowingly reached her ankles, where the sash ended at her knees, to where she wore a pair of round toed boots and her hair back in a semi-pony tail. Kathryn appeared wearing a simple tan shirt with a blue skirt, her sash was brown. They stood next to the statue, which was where they had agreed to meet Jack to sell papers. They sat in their hips looking around for him.
"He's late." Joan commented. They had been there since 4:45 in the morning, which seemed almost late to them, and it was almost 5:15 by now.
"I'se nebber late." He came around the corner of the statue towards the girls arms out stretched in a smile. The two girls rolled their eyes as he whistled at them under his breath.
"yeah, right." Kathryn said. "So we gonna sell papers or not?"
Jack nodded and slung fifty papers to each of them, and placed a hundred on his shoulder. "You'se guys'r gonna pay me fer yer papes right?" He asked, knowing he had spent most of his money on the papers. Joan flicked a half piece at him.
"Where to?" She asked with a bright smile.
"Ov'ah 'ere" He waved them as they followed. The courses of the day took them from the boxing matches, through Central park, Bottle Alley, places like that. Both girls had about twenty papers left when they were walking by a large bridge, they were also in heavy conversation.
"Roping cattle really isn't that hard, it's all in the wrists…" Kathryn was saying when Blink came running up to Jack, who had no papers.
"Jack! Delancy's, Tumbler, Now!" was all He had to say to get Jack to sprint off after him.
"Hey Wait!" Joan called, which didn't help in any way, he was long gone.
"so what now?" Kathryn asked, throwing papers on her shoulder.
"lets… go across the bridge." Joan said hoisting her own papers and grinning evilly. Kathryn nodded smiling just as much as they headed toward the bridge. As they were half way across, Kathryn grinned.
"Wonder what it's like over there." She stated striding to the edge and peering over. Joan did the same and both yelled over the edge to hear the echo.
"isn't as nice as the Canyon, but I'm good with it." Joan smiled widely as they turned to walk further along the bridge. "y'know, those guys are really nice."
"Tell me 'bout it, we've only been here a day and we've made 60 cents together, and it's all 'cuz of them." Kathryn smiled. "an' they're cute too."
"Who woulda thought, cute guys who don't need chasing." Joan joked playfully as they crossed the last leg of the bridge, they made their way further into Brooklyn territory without knowing it.
Jack and Blink came running through the alley ways to where Blink had seen the Delancy's going after Tumbler, the youngest newsy at the lodge house. Tumbler had stealthily worked his way into a wooden crate, unable to be opened by Morris or Oscar. They were currently prying boards off it when Jack spun Morris around and head-butted him making his head ricochet back and become dizzy. He punched him in the nose twice and then kneed him in the stomach.
Blink wasn't having such an easy time. He punched Oscar in the stomach, causing him to doubled over before he was kneed in the head. Oscar's head flew up and his arm hit Blink in the face before knocking his feet from under him. Blink tried to scurry away, but Oscar belly flopped on top of him and got him in a head lock.
Jack reached down and grabbed Oscar off the top of Blink to throw him into a line of crates that he whacked his head on and crumbled to the ground. Jack reached down and helped Blink up, who was happy for it. The two of them went over and fetched Tumbler out, who was happy enough to be out of trouble to give the two hugs.
"Uh, danks Tumbler." Jack said rather flustered. Blink simply swatted his hat down before grabbing him up over his shoulder.
"'ey danks Jack." Blink said before trotting off, the kid waving as he bounced along.
Jack grinned ear to ear and stuck his hands in his pockets. He then realized he had left two girls from out of town somewhere on the streets near Brooklyn territory. His face went ghost white and he raced off to go find them. When he came to where they had split they were no where to be found, but something told him to cross the bridge.
Kathryn giggled as the two sauntered through the streets, they were attempting to find their ways to the docks. "It would be so much fun to live here." She commented leaning a shoulder on Joan.
"Yeah, tell me 'bout it." She said as they finally made it to the docks. They were both smiling brightly as they walked down one. A musclyish boy jumped in front of them.
"Where do ya's dink yer goin?" He said smoothly in their faces, his breath smelled of smoke.
"Phewwie. Someone needs to lay off the cigars." Joan commented waving her hand in front of her nose, "you smell foul."
"We're goin' down da docks." Kathryn replied to his question. "And if you would kindly get out of our way…"
The boy shook his head. "You'se ain't goin' no where."
"C'mon Kath, lets go." Joan said turning around, only to be confronted by a thin looking, blonde haired, ice eyed boy with a cane.
"You ain't goin' no where." He said in her face. She just shrugged and tried to push by him. Another newsy stood up next to him.
"if Spot says you ain't goin' nowhere, you'se ain't goin' nowhere." The larger newsy said, even more were gathering around the girls now, and there seemed to be no way out.
Joan didn't seem to notice. "I personally don't care what 'Spot' says." She got into the second newsy's face and tried to push past them again. Spot and the other newsy each put a hand on her and shoved her backward, sprawling her papers everywhere.
"Now, was that really called for?" Kathryn asked giving a pondering look as Joan tried to scoop up her papers. A newsy named Henderson stepped on the last one causing her to glare at him before ripping it out from under his feet.
"Thanks." Joan grumbled dusting off the torn paper. "This'll do me a lot of good."
Jack stopped midway across the bridge and peered out into the harbor. On one of the main docks a crowd seemed to be gathering, he could tell what was happening. He ran across the second bridge and made his way to the docks as fast as possible.
"Joan! Kathryn!" He yelled from the edge, The group turned and opened a pathway in the circle to show Kathryn and Henderson grappling on the ground. Kathryn seemed to be winning, but she stopped and got off him when she saw Jack.
Joan smiled pleasantly and removed herself from another newsy's grip, gathered her pile of papers, and strode over to jack. She started pass him, but stopped as she was even with him, placed her arm on his chest so her hand was on his shoulder. She patted him with her hand and whispered "thanks" quietly as Kathryn grabbed her papers and scurried after Joan.
Jack glared at spot who yelled for him to keep his newsies out of Brooklyn. The newsies started to file away as Jack came after the girls who were ahead of him now. He put an arm around each of their shoulder. The girls looked at each other and shrugged his arms off.
"I was all over that guy!" Kathryn grinned making punching movements with her fists.
"Who was that?" Joan pondered looking over her shoulder. Jack gave her a look that made her turn back around.
"Dat was Spot Conlon. he's… You'se… You'se don' wanna mess wid 'im." Jack said directing them back toward the bridge. "'enderson didn't hoit you did he?"
Kathryn shook her head. "He didn't have a chance." She grinned. "What was up their butts anyway?"
"Spot don' like odder newsies in 'is territory." Jack explained the situation about Spot beating newsies who aren't from Brooklyn and how you just don't want to mess with Brooklyn.
"I could take 'em all." Kathryn joked. "It'd be just like the time Bue tried to steal from the coups."
"Jeeze, I forgot 'bout that old drunkard, we got him good." Joan started to laugh and gave Kathryn a high five. Jack just shrugged and smiled.
"so what's there to eat around here?" Kathryn asked.
"To Tibby's!" Jack laughed directing them toward the favorite restaurant of the newsies.
Race gave a look of pure wonderment. "you'se mean ta tell me dat de two of you'se speak Spanish?" He was having a hard time comprehending these girls. All of the newsies were gathered and all of their attention was on the girls.
"S
"S
"What does dat mean? 'Yo hablo… cutchi" Itey asked causing both girls to giggle even more.
"I said, 'I speak Spanish'" Joan says not adding what else she said.
"She also said that you guys…" Kathryn started before Joan wrapped a hand around her mouth.
"don't you dare." Joan giggles as the Newsies stare at them completely confused.
"What'd you'se say Joan?" was the echo started by Boots.
"nothing really, just petty talk." She says with a large smile letting go of Kathryn.
"yeah, uh-huh, riiiight." Kathryn giggles. Before whispering in Joan's ear "you're right though." She says with a large smile, before turning and saying as loud as possible "She said you guys were CUTE!" before falling off her chair laughing.
"I did not." Joan denies it completely as the guys laugh and smile, thinking she's talking about them in particular.
"Well if you didn't what'd you say?" Specs grins.
"None'a'your beeswax." She retorts as the boys laugh.
Spot just couldn't stop thinking about this girl. He knew absolutely nothing about her but every time he closed his eyes, he could see her flaming blue eyes staring back at him, and if he sniffed at the sea air, it wasn't the sea scent he smelled. It was the rustic desert mixed with the freshness of spring. It was driving him mad. He had spent the last hour analyzing the way they had met. So far he concluded that she wasn't used to people pushing her around, she wasn't from New York, plus, she looked outstanding in black.
"Spot! Hey Spot!" Someone called, snapping him out of his trance. "You'se awake in dere?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm 'ere." Spot turned from his perch on the dock.
"Henderson was wonderin' if you'se was goin' ta da tracks today."
"Tell 'im it'll haveta wait." Spot said getting up. "I gotta go somewheres." He sauntered off the end of the dock in deep thought.
That night Jack escorted the two girls back. Joan waved and scampered up the stairs into the apartment building of which they were visiting, leaving Kathryn to say good bye to Jack.
Kathryn smiled as she turned to Jack. "Well, I guess this is good bye."
"Guess so." He replied. "So… you'se gonna sell papes tomarrah?"
"I dunno… am I going to end up grappling on the floor with another guy?"
"Only if you want to." Jack said, making Kathryn blush and laugh, she looked down to hide the look on her face. He tipped her chin up and kissed her softly on the lips. He held her face softly in his hands as she rested her own on his hips. They pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes for a moment before a light snickering was heard. They both looked up to see Joan leaning out the top window.
"you little Peeping TOM!" Kathryn insulted as she laughed.
"I'm not as much a peeping tom as you are!" Joan asked, addressing some issues in the past.
"aww, shut yer trap." Kathryn grinned lifting up her skirts and skipping up the stairs. "see you tomorrow, Jack." She gave a wink before slipping through the door. He just stood there smiling at her before looking up to see Joan slip back through the window.
Joan lay flopped on her bed, not able to sleep. She rolled uncomftorbly toward the window and stared out into the night sky, Kathryn lay sleeping in a bed next to her as she watches the large crescent moon in the sky, something tugged at her to get up and walk to the window. She gladly obliged, pulling the silky drape away she crawled through the window and onto the fire escape. In the distance she could see the lights of the bridge, the harbor, the rest of the city. It was quite peaceful for New York. There was a thump as something landed on the platform behind her. Joan spun and held her fists in the air ready to face whatever was there.
Spot held up his hands. "I ain't gonna hoit ya."
Joan squinted out of the corner of her eye. "how come I don't belive you?" she asked.
He stepped forward slightly "Cuz I was fightin' wid yer friend?"
"mayyybe." Joan said eying him up and down. "whatter you doing here?"
"uh… um…" It was then Spot realized he didn't actually know what he was going to say when he found her. "I saw ya on da escape an' thought ya might wan' someone ta talk ta."
"And you figured this perfect someone would be…. You?" She laughed. "Yeah. Okay. Whatever you want to feed into that swelling head of yours."
Spot gave his lopsided smile and snorted. "You'se can t'ink'a someone bettah?"
(I've got writer's block, and if you can think up something to get me out… Kudos to you. And I'll give ya a cookie.)