Hello again! I meant to post this on the Fourth, but I was unable to until today, and for that I apologize. I think this one turned out fairly well, but any and all reviews are appreciated! Prompts and suggestions are welcome as well. Enjoy!
-Marcelle
Never before had there been so many newsies in Central Park, and never before had they been so happy.
The air buzzed with the thrill of celebration, the excitement that a holiday brought them. Usually, Christmas and Easter were the only official days the newsboys were given a break from the mundane headline routine, but today was the first time they had off on the Fourth of July, and they were making the most of it.
Jack knew it was more than likely just an empty gesture from Pulitzer, a ploy to restore his public image after the strike. But seeing the sheer happiness that radiated off of the boys, Jack found himself grateful for the man's vanity. For the first time, it had actually done them some good.
The park bustled with hyperactive newsies, each of them relishing in the perfect weather and a day free from the usual stress of their lives. Today, they didn't have to be newsboys. They could just be kids.
"Heads up!" Jack was jolted from his thoughts and quickly dodged a ball that flew right over his head. It landed in the arms of Finch, who promptly dashed towards the opposite end of the park. Race was hot on his tail, and soon a large group of boys were engaged in a rather rough game of football. Jack caught sight of Crutchie acting as referee, and of Les running in a large circle around them, asking loudly if he could join in. Soon, seeming to realize that his efforts were getting him nowhere, Jack watched him retreat back to where Davey was sitting under a large oak tree.
"They won't let me play!" Les complained to his brother, who merely laughed lightly in return.
"Les, you're half their size. They would crush you in a minute," Davey pointed out, grinning as the younger boy began to pout.
"Would not!" he argued, crossing his arms firmly and running back to the game as if to prove that he was just as worthy to play as the rest of them. Jack chuckled at the kid's determination before sitting next to Davey, leaning his back against the large trunk of the the tree.
"There's no way he's going to touch the ball, huh?" Davey asked as he glanced sideways at Jack, who nodded in agreement.
"Nope, those guys barely even let Romeo play. They say he's too pretty," He laughed at the thought before turning his attention back to his boys again, watching as Albert caught the ball and was immediately taken down by Henry. Half of the others cheered in victory while the rest shouted several insults in Albert's direction, and Jack smiled to himself. They really were a bunch of nuts, just as he knew they should be.
"They deserve this," Davey said thoughtfully after a moment, and Jack closed his eyes as he let the truth of the statement sink in.
"Yeah, they do, Dave," he replied, sighing in contentment. If only every day could be like this, if only their lives were always this simple. "They really do."
"Hey, Jack, ya wanna join in?" Crutchie's voice was suddenly by his side, and Jack blinked his eyes open to see his best friend looking down at him expectantly, leaning forward slightly on his crutch. "Race's team needs a better thrower, Specs ain't so great at it."
"An' who made you the judge of that?" the newsies leader replied playfully, but rising to his feet nonetheless. He honestly preferred to just watch the rest of them enjoy themselves, but how could he say no to Crutchie?
"I'm the ref, what I say goes!" the younger boy donned an air of pretend sophistication, drawing himself up to his full height. "Plus, Specs can't aim to save his life, an' everyone can see it 'cept for him!"
"Can't argue with that," Jack gave in, letting Crutchie lead him back over to the game. He made his way to Race, who wore a look of amusement on his features.
"Ah, so the great Jack Kelly, union leader extraordinaire, finally decides to join his underlings!" he announced, giving the elder newsie a friendly thump on the back as he handed him the ball. "What made ya change your mind, chief?"
"I heard you'se was needin' a thrower, or am I wrong?" Jack smirked in response, tossing the ball back and forth between his palms.
"Nah, you ain't wrong. Specs is costin' us big time," Race reported, still grinning as the boy in question glared at him.
"Just 'cause I'm half blind don't mean I'm deaf, too!" Specs shot back as he joined Crutchie and Les on the sidelines, adjusting his slightly dented glasses with a frown.
"Only half blind? Tell that to your aim, pal!" Race argued. Jack laughed in agreement before taking position and starting the game back up again with a far toss to Romeo, who defied all previous expectations and actually made it to the other end of the playing field without being tackled.
His triumphant grin proved to be contagious, and soon every Manhattan newsie in the park was cheering and carrying on as though they had never been so happy in their entire lives. Of course, if Jack was honest with himself, he knew this was most likely the case. True happiness wasn't something they were exposed to every day, but they knew how to make it last when they caught hold of it.
"You guys really are a public disturbance, huh?" Davey remarked fondly as he came to join Jack in the festivities, watching as Finch helped Les climb up on his shoulders for a better view of the park.
"Ah, I think we've proved that pretty recently," Jack pointed out. "But I like to think of it as livenin' the place up a bit. This city could use some fun once in a while, huh?"
"I couldn't agree more," Davey gave him a quickly pat on the shoulder before heading over to his little brother, who laughed as though he was on top of the world.
A thought hit him suddenly, like a slap in the face-he could have missed out on all of this. If he would've had his way after the first strike attempt had failed, he would be across the country by now, stuck in some old western town only to realize that it was the last place he belonged.
Santa Fe couldn't give him this, couldn't make him feel as though he was where he was actually wanted, where he was valued. It would just be a town filled of strangers, empty faces in a crowd. No one there could mean as much to Jack as the boys in the park did, and to think that he almost abandoned them...
Jack forced himself to drop the idea, focusing instead on the changing colors of the sky. They were fading into each other, creating new shades of orange and pink that seemed almost impossible to capture in a painting in the way he wanted to.
The sun slipped back into the horizon, silhouetting the rowdy newsboys as they continued to wreak havoc on Central Park. Soon the sky had become dark and the stars had come out, seeming eager to join in on the fun. Jack stood on the sidelines, enthralled by the shifting of nature until a voice drew him out of his trance.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Katherine was standing beside him, staring up at the sky just as he was before, a small smile on her face as she turned to look at him.
"For sure," he replied simply, their little exclusive phrase bringing back several rooftop memories before returning his mind back to the present. "Where've you been? I thought you'd be here hours ago."
"I was with my father. He likes to see me on the holidays, since I'm the only one he has left to spend them with," she explained, tone suggesting that the topic was one she preferred to stay away from. And Jack knew this was for good reason-Pulitzer wasn't exactly his favorite person at the moment, and Katherine was more than aware of this. Rivalry aside, there was also a hint of sadness in her voice, one that Jack picked up on and knew better than to explore upon, especially on what was supposed to be a joyful holiday.
"Well, you missed quite a day, I'll tell ya that much," Jack steered the conversation in a new direction as he gestured to the newsies, who were finally starting to calm themselves as the sky grew darker. The majority of them were sitting on the grass, apparently winded from their day of blowing off steam, and Jack wondered how much of a problem it would be for them to simply spend the night in the park. After all, no one wanted to return to the lodging house now, himself included.
"I can see that," Katherine laughed as she took in their tired forms. "They look dead on their feet!"
"Well they practically killed each other during the football game, so I'd expect nothin' less," Jack chuckled as he slipped an arm around Katherine, who leaned into his side gratefully. She was shivering in the rapidly cooling air, and Jack tightened his grip in an attempt to keep her warm.
"Looks like your day just got better, huh, Jack?" Romeo called from his spot on the ground a yard or two away, grinning knowingly. A couple of the others turned and snicked at the sight of them, and Jack rolled his eyes.
"Aw, can it! I'm not seein' any of you'se gutter rats attractin' the ladies," he yelled back, drawing an equal amount of laughter and indignant protests from the boys in return.
"You really are a good brother to them," Katherine murmured into his shoulder, and Jack shrugged lightly at the compliment.
"Someone's gotta make sure they don't cause too much trouble 'round here," he pointed out humbly, glancing at the girl he knew he was in love with and then to the family he knew he wouldn't last a day without. If this wasn't living, then heck, he didn't want to know what living was.
Suddenly, a whizzing sound filled the air, followed by a loud crack as the dark sky was suddenly illuminated for the briefest of moments. A burst of red, white, and blue shot above their heads, and chorus of cheers came from every newsboy in the park, Jack and Katherine included. He had almost forgotten about the fireworks, perhaps the most memorable part of any Fourth of July, especially for him.
He had been able to see the colors fill the sky on July 4th even when in the Refuge. He would steal looks out the window to watch the display with nothing short of a boyish wonder that not even that horrible place could extinguish. To Jack Kelly, fireworks had always reminded him that freedom was real.
There were people out there who were happy, people who made things and helped others and fought for what was right. Sometimes, it had felt as though the fireworks were meant for him, as though someone was trying to tell him that he could be one of those people, too, if he really wanted to be. They gave him a kind of hope, and they did so even now.
He closed his eyes and let the booming sound of the fireworks fill him, echo through his bones and into his very core. Ever since the strike had ended, Jack had still felt a tinge of worry for the future, wondering if everything had really worked out as well as he hoped it had. But in that moment in Central Park, he knew there was nothing to fear. He still had the boys, and now he had Katherine-how could anything be wrong as long as he was with them?
Each firework that went off seemed to affirm that truth for him, as if to tell Jack that it was time to put the worry and anxiety behind him and live in each moment that life gave him. Happiness, he realized, was only there when a person decided to let it in without any limitations or hesitations. Happiness wanted to be embraced, and Jack found himself doing just that.
He forgot about the prospect of tomorrow, let it slip from his mind that this absolute freedom was only for a day. Life was long, but fireworks were only for a moment. Jack Kelly learned to enjoy them while they lasted.