I was used to routine
It'd be the same thing everyday. Wake up, get to school early, talk with Ms. Mathew, have her teach class, go home. Nothing changed and nothing was ever out of the ordinary. This was of course until one day, Ms. Mathew's newsie was late.
I walked in at my usual time and shot Ms Mathew a grin. "Morning Ms." I said, perching myself on top of one of the desks in front of hers.
"Good morning Sam, how are Liam and Jacob?" She asked, still writing things on the board. I shrugged before answering.
"Not bad, Jacob likes going down the hall to the neighbors all day, Liam hates his job." I replied. I looked around at the empty room. "Hoping for a small class today Ms.?" I asked.
"Oh, I can only hope that's the case, I'm far too tired to deal with an entire bunch. Especially since I have a possible night class tonight." She replied. I was about to ask her something else when there was a knock on the window. Ms. Mathew sighed. "I'm sorry Sam, he's late." She said, wandering over. I followed behind her, curious about who "he" was. She opened the window to a smirking boy, no older than 17 with chocolate brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. He had an air about him that made you curious as to who the hell he was.
"You're late Kelly," Ms. Mathew remarked. She was stern when she said it, but wasn't directly mad at him.
"Sorry Ms, took my time getting here." "Kelly" said. I had to assume it was a last name.
"Alright, well as long as you have my paper." Ms. Mathew said. Kelly faked looking hurt.
"I'm quite insulted Ms. Mathew. Of course I have it." He said, handing her a copy of the New York World.
"Thank you Jack." Ms. Mathew said with a smiled. So, the guy's name is Jack Kelly. It suits him. He looked over Ms. Mathew's shoulder and smirked at me.
"Who's your student?" He asked. Ms. Mathew turned to me, as if she was just remembering I was there.
"Oh! This is Sam Maddox. Sam, this is Jack Kelly." I strode over to the window so I could get a better look at him. He was probably one of the better dressed newsies I had seen.
"Pleasure to meet ya Miss. Maddox." Jack said with what I liked to call a heart warming smirk.
"Same to you Jack." I replied with my own smirk. Ms. Mathew sighed behind me.
"Alright Jack, go sell your remaining 100 papers you've got. Should I be expecting David today? Or the boys tonight?" She asked.
"No Davey, it's Les's turn. And I'll see if the boys want to come tonight. I should have an answer by the afternoon edition." Jack answered. Ms. Mathews nodded.
"I'll see you then Jack." She said with her usual smile.
"That ya will. Nice meetin' you Sam." Jack said as he walked away and back onto the main street, that's when I noticed the cowboy hat sitting on his back.
"What was that all about?" I asked as Ms. Mathew shut the window.
"That was Jack Kelly, as I said. He's a newsboy from my neighborhood. I would always buy a paper from him back before I had to get up this early for my job. Now that I do, he brings my paper here and I pay him at the end of the week with a tip for making the trip. Usually he's earlier, but occasionally he's late." Ms. Mathew explained as she examined the headline. "Oh, I don't know how the boys sell these horrendous headlines." She said.
"Maybe they fake 'em?" I suggested. Ms. Mathews laughed.
"I don't doubt that. Most of them do. Though Jack and his gang like to put it as "it's not lying, just improving the truth." and it's nothing the writers don't do." Ms. Mathews said.
"Wait, Jack's a leader?" I asked. I noticed that technically, school had started three minutes ago, but no one was here. Maybe Ms. Mathew was going to get her wish.
"Yes, he runs the group in The n from there, the neighborhoods have their own leaders. It's a quite well established system." Ms. Mathew said. There was a knock at the door. Ms. Mathew went over to open it and there was a short kid with curly hair. He looked like one the kids in my class, David Jacobs. Wait, he had a kid brother, and Jack earlier had mentioned that it was his turn to come to school. I chuckled at myself that it had taken me that long.
"Hi Ms. Mathew." The kid said with a bright little grin.
"Hello Les, your class is down the hall." Ms. Mathew said.
"I know, my teacher isn't here and they told me to come here." Les replied as he came in.
"Well alright. Les, this is Sam. It looks like it'll be just you two today." Ms. Mathew said. I smiled and stayed sitting on the desk while Les sat in the seat next to me. Ms. Mathew taught for the day and at three o'clock, there was another knock on the window. Ms. Mathew walked over and didn't notice that Les and I had followed her over.
"Good afternoon Jack, have the afternoon edition?" Ms. Mathew asked.
"Of course Ms.," Jack said, handing over the paper. Les saw Jack and grinned.
"Jack!" He said, running over to the window. Jack chuckled at the over enthusiastic kid.
"Hey Les, what're you doin' here?" Jack asked.
"My teacher's out and there's no one here." Les answered. I smiled at the interaction between the duo. Jack looked over and smiled at me. I casually braced myself on the desk behind me.
"Hello Ms. Maddox." He said. I chuckled and smiled back.
"Hello Jack, how were sales?" I asked. Jack shrugged.
"Could've been worse. Ms, the usuals are coming tonight. But rumors are bein' tossed about Captain bringin' some his boys over." Jack replied.
"And Captain is?" Ms. Mathew asked.
"East End of Queens. They're good guys." Jack said.
"Thanks for the warning Jack." Ms. Mathew said. She turned to me and Les. "You two are free to go if you want." I nodded and wandered out. David was waiting for Les and the two of them left together. David must've come with Jack. I thought. Jack strode over to me.
"So Sam, where're you headed?" He asked. I took in the fact that he stood a few inches taller than me.
"Um, Lower East Side." I responded. Jack shot me a crooked grin.
"Funny, I'm headed the same way. Mind if I?" He asked. I shook my head, so he and I fell in step and made the trek towards home.
"So, Miss Sam Maddox, what should I know about you? Over protective mother who wants you to be proper? Abusive dad?" He asked, as if he'd heard it all before.
"Well, how 'bout dead parents and currently living with an elder brother and a younger brother?" I suggested. Jack nodded.
"Well, that's certainly new, and one that I'm curious to hear." He said.
"How 'bout something like this, I share a bit of information and you share a bit. Fair trade?" I proposed. Jack seemed to think about this for a second.
"Seems fair, sure you ain't a newsie Miss Maddox?" He asked with a smirk on his face.
"Pretty positive, and you can just call me Sam. It's easier." I replied.
"Very well, Sam. Where ya from? Seem a bit too proper to be from the Lower East." Jack said, getting the conversation rolling.
"Born in the Upper East Side. Mom died post giving birth my youngest brother. Dad two years later. None of the local relatives wanted to have us, so Liam moved us, got a job, and now here we are." I said with a shrug as we walked by some prissy woman who had their heads held up like fancy carriage horses. I couldn't help but let out a laugh at them. Jack tilted his head.
"What?"
"I just always laugh at these women with their heads held so damn high. They look like carriage horses. And don't their necks hurt?" I said walking backward compared to Jack.
"No clue, but something that should be asked." He said. I let out a laugh and turned around. We walked a bit more before I purposefully walked into a woman with her head held high.
"Sorry miss, I just have a quick question," I started, pausing long enough for her to acknowledge me, "but doesn't your neck hurt?" I asked.
"Pardon?" She said, so very confused that I bit back a laugh.
"From holding your head so high? Doesn't it hurt your neck?" I reiterated. Jack was stiffling his own laugh.
"No, good day." She said storming off. I let out a laugh, as did Jack. He threw his arm around me.
"See, you're fit to be a newsie." He said.
"Nah, not my speed. But I'll happily supply entertainment whenever needed." I replied. We walked a bit more and learned a bit more about each other. Well, more like Jack learned quite a bit about me and I learned tidbits about him. Soon enough, we arrived in front of my apartment complex. "This is my stop." I said.
"Alright, well, it's been a pleasure meeting you Sam." Jack said with a smirk.
"Same to you Jack." I shot him a salute and wandered into my building I watched out the front window as Jack walked away. I jogged up the steps and knocked on the neighbors door where Jacob was staying. The young woman who opened the door I hadn't met before.
"Um, hi. I'm here for Jacob Maddox?" I said. She smiled.
"Oh yeah, lemme go get him, come on in." She wandered into one of the rooms and got Jacob.
"Sammy!" He said. I laughed.
"Hey kiddo, come on." I looked to the woman who got him, and now that I had time to see her, I noticed she wasn't much older than me. "I don't think we've met, I'm Sam Maddox." I said.
"Pleasure, I'm Melody Jones, Mrs. Jones's daughter. You can call me Mel." She said. I nodded.
"Well, tell Mrs. Jones that Liam will be over later to pay her for watching Jacob." I said. Mel nodded and I walked out and over to my apartment with Jacob behind me.
"How was your day Sammy?" Jacob asked as I unlocked the apartment.
"Good, I had a small class with Ms. Mathew. I met a new friend of sorts." I said. Jacob lit up at the mention of a friend.
"Do I get to meet them?" He asked.
"Maybe when you're a bit older. Or when I know him better." I said. As Jacob sat on the couch, Liam came in.
"God I fucking hate that job." He muttered walking in.
"Liam, can you keep your mouth clean for Jacob's sake please?" I asked.
"Sorry sis, how was school?" He asked.
"Pretty good. Had a small class." I replied.
"Good, well I'm going to sleep." He said, going to his room and shutting the door. Jacob looked at me, clearly confused.
"Liam had a rough day, now come on, off to bed with you too." I said. Jacob whined a bit but I picked him up and carted him to his room, lying him down and then I proceeded to crash on our crappy couch. Leaving me to wonder if Jack's overcrowded bunk room he mentioned was any comfier.
A/N: After a several year hiatus I have proudly returned to the Newsies fandom. Man, it has been a while. Hope you all enjoyed my first chappie and sorry if Jack's a bit off, it's gonna take sometime getting used to writing him again.