*****A/N: okay, so I don't own any newsies. Blah blah blah. I'd like to note that I originally wrote this story in the first person… so if it seems kinda like it follows Jessie around too much, just say so, I'm trying to change it really! But anyway, I just love this story…. I hope you do too…. R/r! pleaaase!******
A tall old tenement building sat on the edge of the large city; plaster hanging from the walls and broken stairs inside. The tall decaying walls were covered in a small layer of ivy. A sign across the front door read "evicted". A few children littered the dirty street, wondering slowly through. A small girl, frail in frame sat in a third story window using a small hand-fashioned fan to blow wind across her face in the hot sticky august. She blinked once slowly and slouched slightly. Her worn brown shoes sat next to the window and her right foot hung out of the building, exposing a smudged dirty foot. Her faded blue dress hunched up over her knees and was tied at her waist. Her long dark brown, almost black hair hung in sticky strands over her shoulder, and her green eyes hung high in her angled face. Her lips were a light pink color, chapped and broken.
"Alex, Touch dat pouch an' I will personally kick your ass ta Harlem." Her head turned slowly to the side as she glared at the boy.
Alex, a younger boy of about nine with dirty blonde hair and freckles across his round face, rose from the other side of the bunk with his hands raised above his head in defense. "I'se wasn't gonna touch nuttin'! I swear!"
"Yeah. Right. Now go find Henry or something, but stay outta me stuff!" She ordered, stare stiffening.
"Alright miss Jessie." Alex scuffled out of the room, head hanging.
She readjusted her back against the windowsill and closed her eyes, the fan resuming its slow pump of air. Jessie jumped as something landed in her lap and her hand suddenly went to it. She watched the small round rubber ball as she turned it in her hand for only a second before leaning slightly out the window to see three boys below. She looked back at the ball hesitantly for a mere second, "Is this yours?" She called down at the three.
The shortest, a dark haired boy rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up at her. One hand was stuffed into his pocket and the first three buttons of his off white shirt hung open. He had a round face but a sharp nose and dark eyes. He had a dark plaid vest on as well.
The tallest one held a large held a large stick in one hand, and he dallied in the street. He was a bigger boy, with a sharp angled face and creamy tan skin. His broad shoulders protruded through his blue shirt and his dark curly hair was matted on top of his head. Though he looked strong and powerful he had an innocence about him that couldn't be removed, he seemed the strong child like one. His suspenders hung low around his makeshift shorts and he scuffed his feet in the dusty street boredly.
The third was blonde. He was searching diligently in a set of crates below and his breeches were a tan color. He had a curved face and a small chin dimple. His straight blonde hair wasn't long enough to hide the tie of the eye patch that covered his left eye. He had a cheery manner, smiling through everything. His vest seemed slightly small on him, but was the same color as his pants a light tan and his shirt billowed at the sleeves.
"Yeah!" the first one replied. The other two looked up at her with hopeful faces.
"Will ya throw it down?" The boy with the patch yelled.
"Wadd'll you'se give me?" She asked with a large grin spreading across her face. She was always in the mood for a new game. She tucked a small piece of hair behind her ear and licked her lips slightly. Her eyes twinkled in amusement as the three pondered what they could give for their precious ball.
"You'se wannah come play wid us?" The boy with the stick replied. His voice confirmed the innocence Jessie suspected in him.
His blonde friend turned and gave the curly haired boy a glare and mumbled something inaudible.
"Sure." She couldn't help but keep the grin plastered to her lips. "Be down in a moment." She retracted her head from the window and slipped on the old worn shoes she'd had forever. Jessie then headed for the other side of the small cot that served as her bed. She picked up her small leather pouch containing the few things that were truly important to her. A small picture of two little girls, worn with small wrinkles running through it, a small coin, a small silver ring, barely able to fit around her pinky. Outside She could hear one of them say something about 'goin' easy on da goil' and 'lettin' 'er win'.
Jessie jutted her head out the window again; looking down at the boys, "Don't go easy on me. I may be female, but I ain't no sissy!" She then heard the other two laugh as She rushed down the rickety old steps with holes in them into the street. She tossed the ball to the closest boy, the shortest one who also chose to speak first.
"T'anks. Me name's Race, Dat's Kid Blink, an' dat's Mush." He jerked a thumb at the two of his friends. "Mush'll hit da ball an' if ya catch it in da air ya get a penny from each of us, nobody catches it, Mush wins."
"I don't got any money." Jessie said as she frowned slightly. Her eyes diverted to the ground as a bit of shame washed over her face.
"Well uh… Ya can give kisses 'stead." Blink suggested, with a brightly smug smile.
"Ahh… Sure." Jessie's lips twisted up in a cheery half smile. "Long as ya give 'em back.
"Sounds faih." Mush grinned.
"Deal." Jessie placed her hands on her hips and nodded once.
The three boys spread out and Jessie found herself standing down the alley a ways, among a few carts and crates. A few small children gathered along the edges, watching the game with nothing else to do. At that moment, Mush raised his hand in the air and tossed the rubber ball up. The twang of the stick and ball joining in the air resounded through the street, resonating until it was interrupted by the cheers of Race, of which the ball landed neatly in the hands of.
"Eh! Mush, dat was easy! C'mon." Race chortled. "Pay up."
Jessie trotted towards the short fellow, lifting her skirt slightly and then actually having to go up to kiss him on the cheek, she was approximately an inch shorter than he was. They played for another hour, laughing and joking through it all.
"Last round!" Mush announced as everyone spread out across the alleyway. The ball flew high and true. It also placed itself neatly in Jessie's hands; being the only ball she had caught the entire time.
"I win. Pay up boys." A wide smirk spread across the girl's face. Blink peaked her on the forehead, while Mush trotted up and gave her one on the cheek. Everything that happened next happened faster than anyone had imagined. A loud whistle rang through the air, splitting the alley in a loud ringing tone.
"Cheese it! It's da bulls!" Race yelled at the top of his lungs and took off running.
Everyone ran. Chaos spread quickly and then quieted down, but the policeman left carrying off a few small children who had been inside the evicted building.
Jessie sighed when he walked by, leaning back against the wall of a parallel alleyway. She put her hands to her forehead and sunk to the cobblestone with her head in her hands. She was always one of those people who sat and analyzed her life every time something happened that affected her life in a major way. The old evicted building would be run over by police for the next few days, and it wouldn't be safe to go back to the place that had become her home in those past few weeks. She ran her hands back through her hair and then stared up at the small sliver of sky that peeped between the buildings. She stared at it for a few moments, wondering slightly at who may have gotten caught, hoping idly that little Alex hadn't. With an exasperated sigh she put her face back in her hands and rubbed her sullen green eyes lightly. With her thought trail suddenly digressing to anything she sat until it was getting dark.
Her stomach suddenly growled at her loudly and she glared down at it "Shuddup. I ain't got no food!" grumbling at it as It was polite enough to reply a second time, only louder. She crouched to her feet and sighed again, "Fine. I'll get you… something." She mumbled in agreement with her stomach before shaking her head and looking to the heavens. "Why do I even try?" she breathed out frustrated in tone under her breath. Then, bringing herself to her feet and she threw the lid off the closest trashcan and stuck her head inside. She came up with the only thing she deemed even slightly edible. The contraband was a small chunk of bread that was molding slightly on one side. The morsel was some of the best food she'd seen in days, maybe more. She was suddenly reminded of her home in Boston where the food was even scarcer than it was here. The same place was the most horrible within the depths of her mind. She shook the thoughts of home and family from her head and broke the moldy rock hard bread within her mouth. It took a while to break, but she choked it down and could feel it hit the bottom of her stomach. "Happy now?" she queried absently, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and then brining her hands to the back of her neck as she scuffed at the street.
Within a second she decided to sleep next to the dumpster a bit further down. "Sweet dreams" she snorted in laughter at her self and rolled her eyes, curling up in the now darkened alleyway.