Learning Magic
Chapter One
Disclaimer: I don't own newsies, Disney does. I do own the main character! Don't sue!
Introduction
Rainy, foggy, cold, wet. I was soaked to the bone. Shivering, I looked for a place to stay.
"Goil! Ova heah!" I heard a voice call. I quickly walked over to it, just in time to get out of the way of an oncoming trolley. When I reached the voice, it was gone.
"Hello?" I cried out into the night. "Hello? Anyone there?" No answer. I tentatively walked down the side of the street, wary of my surroundings. I heard footsteps behind me. They were running at me. I turned around and screamed as I saw a shadowy figure reaching his arms out to me. And then, I woke up.
Story
Perspiration ran down my face. I looked around, no one was there. I had only been in New York for two days, but I had had these dreams ever since I got here. I slept at the Newsboys Lodging House. I had only accepted the offer made by the leader, Jack Kelly, because I needed a place to stay. I slept on a most uncomfortable cot, in the 'sick room.'
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down doll, it's alright." I heard a voice soothe. It was a boy by the name of Racetrack. I didn't really know him, I kept to myself in the room. My room. I hadn't talked to anyone at all. I only was out in the hall for a minute, and I had been bombarded by boys. I listened only long enough to hear their names.
"Get out of my room." I replied coldly.
"I was jus' makin' sure ya was alrigh'." He tried.
"I'm fine." I pointed to the door. Reluctantly he stood up and left. When he opened the door, I saw dozens of eyes looking at me, or at least trying to. He closed the door, but I could still hear muffled voices.
"She's gotta come out sometime." I heard one boy say.
"Yeah Jack, tomorrow. Let 'er 'ave da rest o' da nigh' an' all day tomorrow, an' den tomorrow evening, get 'er out." I recognized this voice as Kid Blinks.
"Lemme think bout it. Go back ta bed." Jack told them. It got quieter outside my door after this. I could barely hear it, but someone was talking with Jack. I didn't care. Didn't care if they threw me out into the streets. I would live, I always did. The whispers faded away as I drifted to sleep.
I didn't wake up the next morning until the sun was blazing through the window. All was quiet in the hallway. Rubbing my eyes, I walked over to the window and looked out. Newsies were scattered throughout the streets. Some were munching on bread, which reminded me that I hadn't eaten in a couple days. Still, I refused to leave the room. I didn't really want to be social, I can't remember a time when I wanted to be. I was never this secluded though.
The rest of my day was spent watching the people outside the window. I didn't want to move. It made me happy inside when I watched everyone else laughing and smiling. I felt a smile form on my face. It was late evening by now. I watched with curiosity as Jack, Racetrack, Kid Blink, a boy named Mush, and another named David as they rushed a frail body into the lodging house. I wondered what was going on, but knew I couldn't leave. I didn't have to. In record time, they came bursting through the door of the room, carrying a rather small looking boy. I huddled over in the corner, determined to stay out of their way.
"He's out cold. Hopefully he'll come to. Someone needs to be wit 'im every hour." Jack started. Blink cut him off.
"Why not jus' 'ave 'er watch 'im? He asked, pointing over to my corner.
He whispered something like, "We can't trust 'er yet." I rolled my eyes.
"I'll help." I piped up. They all whipped their heads around and stared at me. I might as well, it was the only way to keep them out of my room.
"You will?" Jack asked, amazed.
"The moment he stirs I'll come get ya." I promised them. They looked skeptically at me, but Jack agreed.
"If ya don't, I promise you'll pay." He warned, leaving the room along with the rest of them.
I looked over at the boy. He had a gash in his temple, which was bandaged poorly. Cautiously, I walked up to the cot in which he was laying on. I undid the current bandage, which was a piece of clothing that appeared to have been ripped in a hurry. I threw it to the ground. The blood flowing from the wound wasn't flowing a lot, but it was still flowing. I quickly ripped a large piece of my sleeve off, and wrapped it tightly around his head. Making sure it was secure, I walked slowly to the door, and stepped out. A black-haired boy was sitting in the hall.
"Wha' happened to him?" I demanded. It took a minute to register.
"Took a big ol' rock ta da head." He said vaguely. I stared in shock. Must have been a pretty big rock, the gash was huge. Without saying anything, I trudged back inside the room. I stared blankly at him for awhile. Boring. It was better than having someone else in the room with me though. At least he was out of it. Jack would stick his head in a couple of times every hour just to make sure I was doing my job. I almost told him to fuck off, I'm responsible, but stopped the words in my throat. Then he moved. Jack had just closed the door, and the kid moved. I almost got up to get Jack back in here, but the boy called out to me.
"Wheah am I? Wha' da hell is goin' on?" He asked, looking around like he was blind. The voice sounded so familiar, like the one in my dream.
"Somewheah in Manhattan. Ya got nailed in da head with a rock, or so they tell me." I chuckled at him.
"Quick your laughing goily." He commanded, rubbing his temple, wincing at the pain. "When I find da scab who did dis!" He shouted.
"Shuddup will ya? They'll heah ya, and Jack will kill me fer not tellin' 'im your awake."
"Jack? Jack Kelly? Ya could 'ave at least told me I was at his place." He raged.
"Put a lid on it. I don't wanna heah it." I said, huddling back up in my corner.
"I give da orders around heah dollface. Now wha's your name?" He asked, quieter. I hesitated. I hadn't told anyone my name yet, but they would be pulling me out of here sooner or later, why hold back?
"Andra Howell. Yours?" I asked.
"Spot Conlon, pleased ta meet cha." He stuck out his hand. Nodding to him, I ignored his outstretched hand.
"Fine." He said uneasily, pulling his back slowly, giving me an odd look. "I'll leave ya ta yourself now." He informed me, standing up. He walked out the door, his nose in the air. What a loser I thought.
"Do it now!" I heard a voice say. Damn. They were coming for me. I didn't really want to talk. I had felt uncomfortable talking to Spot, there was no way I was going to talk to anyone else. Too late. Jack stepped in, looking at me.
"Time ta come out and introduce your self." He told me, walking across the room to me. I saw other heads peek in to see what was going on. I rolled my eyes.
"Fine." I said reluctantly, not wanting to create a scene. I stood up, following him out the door. I received many stares. I hated it; all this attention.
"Introduce yourself, we're dying ta know."
"'er name is Andra Howell." I heard the same familiar voice tell them. I looked to the end of the hall, just like the everyone else. Spot had spoken, smirking. I gave him a hard look.
"How did ya know?" Racetrack asked him.
"She told me." He smirked again. I swear, if he didn't have a bandage on his head to remind me that he was hurt, I would have jumped on him right away.
"Ya got 'er ta talk? Whoa hoo! It's magic I swear!" A boy named Mush stated. The whole room agreed with him. It was a living hell for me.
"Magic it is then?" Jack asked the hallway full of boys. I stared in shock, as they all nodded. A few boys shouted out "Yes!"
"What's magic? Who?" I asked, exasperated.
"You." Racetrack told me, grinning. "A nickname." He told me. A nickname for me? What?
"Wait, no. My name is Andra an' that's wha' I expect ta be called. I've had enough of nicknames!" I was almost shouting now. They didn't say anything. I looked back at Spot. He was staring at me comically. What a jerk. The boys were dispersing for the night. Probably off to play poker or something like that. I huffed back to the sick room. I thought I was safe for the night, but I was wrong. Jack came in a couple of minutes later, bearing bad news, at least for me.
"Me an' da boys decided dat if ya is gonna stay, den ya best be doin' sometink. We's decided that while we's is out sellin' papes, ya hafta clean up round heah. Da floors are in really bad shape, so I tink you'll have plenty ta do tomorrow. Instead of paying us ta stay heah, dis is how ya earn your keep." He gave me a half smile, almost like he knew I wouldn't be happy about this decision.
"Clean up after you slobs?" I yelled. Ridiculous.
"How do ya know dat we're slobs? Ya neva come outta dere." He pointed out that small detail. He did have a point.
"I've grown up around 5 boys. I know." I retorted.
"You're pretty feisty fer bein' so quiet half da time." He said, playing around with his bandana.
"Yeah, wanna make sometink of it?" I asked him, holding up my fists.
"Not in public goily. Now, I won't soak ya cause you are a goil, an' cause it jus' ain't righ ta do dat. I will if ya deserve it, which, you're certainly gettin' dere if ya keep dis up. Now, jus' calm down an' get a good night's sleep." He told me, placing his hands on my shoulders, and forcing me down on the bed. He turned his back to me, and then left. For some reason I obeyed. I rolled over on my stomach and fell asleep.
The next morning, I did not have the pleasure of sleeping in. Instead, at the crack of dawn, Racetrack came in and woke me up. He told me that I had better start cleaning if I wanted to get done by tonight.
"Hold it righ' there." I told him. He playfully stopped in his tracks and looked at me in the funniest way. Holding back my laughter, I asked him, "Jack said dat I only had ta clean while you guys are sellin'. Why do I hafta continue till I get done?" I asked, placing my hands on my slender hips.
"I dunno wha' Jack told ya, but it was decided dat ya woiked till tomorrow mornin' if ya had ta." He shrugged, walking out the door, avoiding Mush as he walked past. I was about to burst. First they gave me a nickname, then they wanted me to clean after them, at the same time, Jack was lying to me.
Slowly, I walked out the door. Boys scurried around the place, some half naked. I didn't mind though. They didn't seem to care either. Running right past me as if I wasn't even there. You would think that they had more respect than that. Kid Blink, who was fully dressed, greeted me.
"Mornin' Magic." He tipped his hat. I winced at the sound of my new nickname. He didn't notice. If he did, he didn't care. "How's your mornin' goin'?" He asked.
"Fine I guess. If you consider starving to death fine, then I'm most definitely fine." I said coldly. It wasn't meant to be cruel.
"Oh my! Hold on jus' a second." He ran off in a different direction and came back just seconds later holding out some stale bread. "It's mine, but ya can 'ave it." He offered. I took it, thanking him lightly, then went on to find Jack.
"Reportin' fer duty sir?" I saluted him.
"No eatin' on da job." Spot told me, taking the bread away from me, handing it a smaller boy who happened to be walking by.
"Wha' da hell?" I asked, but was interrupted.
"Tsk, tsk. A poity goil like you should not be using those kinds o' words." Spot put his finger over my lips, silencing me. I hated him, with a passion. Every fiber in my body hated the arrogant Spot Conlon.
"Dere's a bucket ova there." Jack pointed to a bucket under a sink. "The rag n' brush is in dere, all ya gotta do is soak it wit water, an' you'll be done before ya know it." He winked at me. I refused to return it. I stalked over to the bucket, and filled it with water. I decided it would be best to wait until the boys had left before I began to clean. This took awhile. I sat on a nearby stool, waiting. I received some sideway glances, but that was about it. Finally, the last of them was gone. I got down on my knees and began to scrub.
After a couple of minutes, I had gotten almost nowhere. All of a sudden, a figure stepped around the corner. Since I was on my knees, the only thing I saw at first was a cane. My eyes traveled upward to meet the icy blue eyes of Spot Conlon.
"Wha' da hell are you doin' heah?" I asked, glaring at him.
"Takin' a day off so dis damn thing can heal." He indicated to his head. "Might as well watch ya woik since dere is nuttin betta ta do." He smiled at me.
"I would appreciate it if ya go somewheah else, an' if ya would, get me some breakfast, seein' since ya took it from me."
"I don't tink so. Foist I tink ya should earn it." He taunted.
"It was you." I said quietly.
"Beg your pardon?" He asked.
"It was you. You dirty rotten scoundrel!" I shouted at him, standing up to meet his face.
"What was me doll?" He asked, smirking, stepping closer to me.
"You suggested dat shit of an idea. Bout me cleanin' up dis god damn place!" I yelled in his face. His smile widened.
"Smart little goil aren't cha?" He asked sarcastically.
"Smarter den ya could ever know." I retorted. Our noses were almost touching now. I felt something on my shoulders. Looking down at them, I saw his hands. With just a small push, he pushed me to the ground.
"Smart, maybe. Vulnerable, yes." He laughed, walking away. I almost shouted after him, but my words were replaced by pure hatred.
The hours passed slowly. Spot came and watched me work a couple of times, though we never acknowledged the other ones presence. Finally, the silence was killing me, something that rarely happened.
"Why do ya wear dat key round your neck?" I asked quietly, not wishing to say anything I didn't need to. For once, he didn't answer right away. I glanced in his direction. It looked as if he was noticing the key for the first time. "Dis ol' thing? I jus' do." No emotion filled his voice, which disappointed me.
"Well, dere has ta be a reason. Ya don't normally wear a key around your neck." I teased. "Did someone give it to you?" I prodded.
"Found it on da ground."
"So ya don't know what it unlocks?" I continued to ask.
"No clue." He paused, staring at me in disbelief. "I've neva told nobody dat before." He seemed surprised that he had just spoken those words to me.
"Did anyone ever ask?"
"No."
"Then there ya go. Not like I would tell anyone." I assured him, looking back down at my dirty hands. I looked up once more. I was still in the area where they boys washed their faces. I had gotten absolutely nowhere.
a/n
Well, how did you like it? More to come soon! Please review. Should I continue this? Reviews really do help..A LOT! Next chapter coming soon. Hope you enjoyed it.