This one is for you Scuff I hope you like it. Thanks for all the reviews you've given me and for everything else too.
Disclaimer: I do not own Racetrack or any of the other newsies from the movie, Disney does. I don't own Scuff either she belongs to my friend.
Racetrack sat on his bunk, extremely bored. He didn't have anything to do or anywhere to go, and all the other newsies seemed to be too busy to gamble with him. He let out a frustrated sigh throwing his legs off the side of the bed.
"Guess I'll go for a walk, maybe some of those little fellas that are playin outside will play cards wit me" He said to himself, getting up and heading for the door.
He walked slowly down the street towards the Horace Greeley statue, taking in the scenery as he went, something he never did. There were six or seven young boys around sword fighting or wrestling and such. All of them were occupied and not one of them seemed the least bit interested in playing cards. Race leaned up against the statue and pulled out his harmonica, sighing as he did so. He began to play a somewhat lively tune hoping it would cheer him up a little. He had a pretty good tune going when suddenly someone smacked into him, knocking the harmonica from his hands. He leaned over to pick it up, yelling furiously. He stopped short when he looked up to see it was Scuff who had banged into him.
"Oh sorry Scuff didn't know it was you" Race said, getting a little embarrassed.
Scuff was a local newsgirl who all the Manhattan boys knew. She didn't live at the lodging house, but she sold with them pretty often. Scuff was a very hyper newsie, and it was pretty rare to find her mellowed down. She was usually seen jumping or rather dancing around everywhere and was constantly bumping into people. She was well liked by all the newsies; they loved having her around because she always brought a spark of energy with her wherever she went, and she always made the best out of every situation.
"It's ok Race, I should be the one who's sorry" She said.
"Naw, no need to be sorry. I'm used to you bumping into me all the time." He said with a laugh.
The truth was, Scuff had grown to really like Race a lot, and half the time she bumped into him on purpose, hoping to chat with him for a while. She would never admit it to anyone though, she was too embarrassed.
"So what's ya doin anyway Race? Ya look really bored." Scuff said.
"I am bored, no one's around to play cards wit me." He said with a huff.
Scuff saw this as the perfect opportunity to be able to spend some time with Race.
"I'll play with ya" She said enthusiastically, plopping herself down on the ground. "C'mon sit down" She said patting the spot across from her.
"But you don't even know how ta gamble" He replied sitting down.
"Does it matter. Even if I did know what I was doin, you would win anyway." She said with a laugh.
"Ya, I guess your right." Race replied, joining in the laughter.
He carefully explained each step to her, as she gave him her full attention.
"I WIN!!" Exclaimed Scuff, throwing down her cards excitedly. Race wore a shocked expression on his face, he had never been beaten before by anybody, and his first loss was to a girl! He couldn't believe it. Scuff noticed the shocked look on Race's face and she knew she was the cause of it. The last thing she wanted was to upset Race, how would he ever learn to like someone who was capable of beating her at cards. She quickly came up with an idea that would change the situation.
"Race, I have a confession. I didn't really win, I cheated." She lied.
"Why'd ya do that?" He asked, snapping his head up.
"Well….I knew that youd never lost before, and I wanted to see your reaction when you did." Scuff said.
Race's reaction to losing a game of cards was always something Scuff had wanted to see, and now she had, but very unintentionally.
"Well you've seen it. Happy now?" He said pouting.
"Aww….Race don't be mad at me. it was only a joke."
"Alright….I guess I can forgive ya….this once" He said letting a smile return to his face.
They played three more games, and Scuff made sure Race won every one of them. She wasn't gonna take the chance of possibly winning again, so she purposely lost all three.
"Heya Scuff you hungry??" He asked after they were done.
"Can't ya hear my stomach it's as loud as a lions roar" She replied sarcastically, jumping up off the ground.
"C'mon, I'll by ya dinna wit the money I just won from ya." He said snickering.
"You prolly don't have any money for food left anyway"
"You right about that one" She said turning towards Tibby's.
Jack, Mush, Skittery, Specs, Dutchy, Itey, and Snipeshooter, were all at Tibby's when they got there.
"Oh Heya Scuff." Dutchy said noticing her first. "Haven't seen ya in a while, how ya been?"
"I'm great!" She said taking a seat beside him. Race sat down across from her next to Skittery.
"Scuff lost most of her money to me so I told her I would buy her dinner. She's gotta eat something ya know?" Race explained.
"Haha Yeah I did lose all my money, but I still had fun." She said lightheartedly. She enjoyed having good company, and had many laughs as the evening went on.
After they finished Race and Scuff sat outside chatting cheerfully.
"It's starting to get chilly out." Race commented, remembering that winter would be here soon.
"It sure is." Scuff said, shivering while she thought of the cold nights that lay ahead of her.
"Scuff you do have a place to sleep right?" Race asked, concern edging his usually even voice.
"Uh yeah…I sleep on or around the Horace Greeley statue."
"Scuff it's way too cold for ya to sleep out there! You gotta have another place ta sleep."
"It does get cold out there at this time a year, but I'm used to it." She explained.
"We have some extra beds ova at da lodging house, why don't ya sleep won't mind." He suggested.
"Naw, I couldn't"
"Your not sleepin outside Scuff, I won't let ya, it's dangerous, you could get sick. Your sleep at da lodging house ok?" He demanded.
"Ok whateva you say" She said rolling her eyes. He could be so demanding sometimes.
Scuff was all Race could think about that night while he lay in bed unable to sleep. He had realized how much he really liked Scuff while hanging out with her today. He never really noticed it before today, but she was extremely pretty. He thought about how much he wished she was his, but interrupted himself. "She's too pretty for ya Race, she'd never like someone like you." He whispered to himself continuously. He let this thought drift through his mind over and over again, until he finally decided he would just forget the whole thing. These last thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his own name. He propped himself up on his elbows looking around the room to see who had said it. "Race, Racetrack?" He heard again. This time he could clearly tell that it was a female voice. "Haha Scuff" He laughed to himself. "She's still thinkin bout today's games I bet" He silently laughed to himself as he looked over to see her talking in her sleep, but once again his thoughts were diverted. He suddenly noticed how attractive Scuff looked in her sleep. It was rare to see Scuff sitting still, but here, while she was asleep he was able to distinguish all her features. She really is beautiful. He thought to himself. Her pale skin glowed brilliantly in the darkness, and her dark brown hair was spread across her pillow. Seeing her made Race change his mind. Tomorrow, no matter what he would ask her to be his goil, after all the worse thing that could happen was her saying no. Race was able to finally fall asleep after making this final decision, although it was a scary one.
"Heya Scuff, wanna sell wit me today?" Race asked while they were getting their papes the next morning. He figured that if they sold together he would have a chance to ask her.
"Yeah sure" She answered casually tucking her hair behind her ear.
When they were both down to about four papes Race thought it would be a good time to ask her.
"Uhhh….Scuff?" He began nervously.
"Yeah Race" She answered turning towards him.
"Well Scuff I really like ya a lot an I was wonderin if you'd be my goil?" Race said, not making eye contact. He winced as he waited for her answer.
"Race are you serious??" She asked, not sure if this was another one of his ridiculous jokes.
"Oh man….I knew it. I said it all wrong, and she doesn't even know if I'm serious." He said out loud to himself. "Yeah Scuff, I'm serious." He mumbled, letting a sigh escape his lips.
Scuff's reaction took Race totally by surprise. She jumped forward, her eyes flashing wildly and threw her arms around him allowing a huge grin to spread across her face.
"I thought youd never ask!" She exclaimed earnestly. Race, although shocked wrapped his arms around her taking her into a warm embrace.
"You mean you wanna be my goil?" He said in disbelief.
"Of course I wanna be your goil, I have ever since I met ya you silly boy."
Race took a step back so he could gaze into her sparkling brown eyes. He had never seen them look as alive as they did right then. They were almost luminescent, and she looked beautiful standing there in the sunlight, her dress slowly swaying back and forth from the wind. He pulled her close bringing her face to his and softly pressing his lips against hers while slipping his hand around her waist. Scuff leaned into the kiss intertwining her lips with his, wrapping her hands around his neck as she did so. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute as he kissed her affectionately, she had never been happier than she was at that moment. Passersby stopped and stared but they didn't care, they were too overjoyed to even notice. They finished selling their papes quickly the smile they both had never leaving their lips. They made their way back to the lodging house hand in hand. It had been such a wonderful day, and it would stay in their memories forever…..