A/N- I'm not dead! I'm at my Grandma's house right now, and I had this idea. I love Race to death, so I decided to make it about him. I typed it up really REALLY fast. I'll update Two Bits Lucky soon. I promise. (Oh, and I'm ignoring my overflowing inbox, so if you've PM-ed me or anything like that, I'll get it in about two days. :)
Disclaimer- I don't own Newsies, nor the songs, nor any thin' in dis story but da goil and da plot.
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I stretched and yawned. As I sat up I wiped the sleep from my eyes. I quietly go tout of my bed and went to the washroom. I showered quickly and got dressed. I toweled dried my short hair and pulled on my hat. I avoided looking in the mirror as I walked out of the washroom. I sighed in relief when I stepped back into the bunkroom.
I looked around, grinned evilly and began to yell, "GET UP! COME ON BOYS, TIME TA SELL DA PAPES! UP AN' AT 'EM! WHEN YA GET UP, YA GOTTA GET UP!" Groans greeted my yells. I walked over to a boy wearing pink long johns. "Skittery, Skittery, SKITTERY!" I said. "Wha'? I didn' do it," he said groggily. "Whadda ya mean ya didn' do it? Get up!" I laughed at his face and continued around the room.
I nimbly climbed up to the top of a bunk. I jumped onto the occupant of the bed and said, "Come on Cowboy, ged up an' sell da papes!" He kicked at me, but I jumped off the bunk before he could get me. "I'se just glad you ain't real heavy. Otherwise, I'd be dead," he grumbled as he got up out of bed. "You know you love me!" I sang as I twirled about the room.
I stopped at the bunk of an undersized, overloud Italian. I took the cigar from the mug next to his bed and tapped him on the nose. Racetrack jumped, yawned and started to get ready. He reached into the mug for his cigar and it wasn't there. Panicking, he looked around the small table next to his bed. Not finding his cigar, he looked to the people around his bunk. He spotted me with his cigar.
"That's my cigar," he growled. "You'll steal another!" I sang as I danced away from him. People stopped what they were doing to watch us. "Hey bummers we've got work to do!" I sang, motioning them to get going. "Since when did you become me mudder?" Blink yelled across the room. "Aw, stop yer bawlin'!" Crutchy yelled back. "Hey! Who ast you?" several newsies called from all over the room. I smiled as the boys finally got up and moving.
I walked back into the washroom to talk with my 'brother' Mush. "Hey Mush, do ya know of a good sellin' spot for me?" I asked. "Yep, why?" he asked, suspicious. "Cause no one is shocked when dey see my face anymore. I'm jus' dat poor goil wid da burned face. No one buys my papes anymore. Dey finally started ta realize dat I dress like a boy." I said, grimacing as best I could. I looked in the mirror.
A twisted, burned, scared face stared back at me. The only thing remotely becoming about my face was my eyes. They were a pretty hazel color. 'To bad dey don' work.' I thought dully as I pushed my specs on my face. When I was seven, my house caught on fire. I lost much of my vision, my face, my home, my family and my future. No one would take an ugly, newly poor girl in, so I got put in the Refuge. I ran away the first chance I got. Mush was my chance. He took me to be a newsie, and said I was his long lost sister, even though we looked nothing alike, so no one would mess with me. He taught me to sell and became a better brother than my dead one had ever been.
"Try Bottle Alley or da Harbor." Mush said, taking my mind off of the unpleasant memories. Race, who had forgiven me for taking his cigar, said, "Try Central Park, its guaranteed." Jack shook his head and said, "Try any banker, bum or barber." Skittery finished, "They almost all knows how to read!" I laughed as the boys continued their morning routine. I handed Race a towel and walked out of the washroom, singing "It's a fine life, carryin' da banner through it all!"
The singing continued all the way to the distribution center. I sold all my papes and walked to Tibby's. I smiled as I entered. Several lovesick newsies were sitting in a booth, waiting for me. "So boys, what're da problems taday?" I asked as I sat down. The advantage of being the only girl in the Manhatten newsies? Being able to give the boys girl advice. It's so funny, the way they all ask me about everything. And, the best part is, I'm not even remotely pretty, so none of their girls feel threatened! "My goil has been actin' real strange lately. Like she's not all da way dere, ya know?" Blink said. "And how's I'm supposed ta help youse wid a bored goilfriend?" I asked, smiling. "I jus' wanna be friends. I don' like 'er like I used ta. She deserves more. Can ya help me?" Blink said, desperation showing in his eye. I laughed, "Tell 'er what ya jus' told me. 'Specially da part 'bout deservin' more." "Thanks!" Blink said brightly, like I had just solved all of his problems. He got up to leave. "Oh, and Blink?" I said. "Yea?" he said, turning to face me. "Your patch was on da udder eye yesterday." I informed him in a straight voice. Everyone at the table cracked up as he turned red and switched the patch hastily. I nodded, seeing as I was laughing to hard to talk, my approval and he walked away. "So, who's next?" I asked, rubbing my hands together.
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It was nearly an hour later when I finished with everyone, save for Race. "So Race, how can I help you?" I asked. He took a deep breath and said, "There's dis goil dat I really like. We're great friends, an' I don' wanna ruin our friendship. I think I love 'er. I jus' don' know how ta tell 'er." "My my, dat is a problem. Is she pretty?" I asked. "I think she's da most beautiful goil in da whole woild (world), but she would never believe me. She has a great, wonderful personality, but she has issues wid da way 'er face looks. She says it's ugly." Race said, deadly serious. He had an odd look in his eyes.
I thought for a second, then said, "Well den, guess we'se can't play up on 'er beauty. Hmm. Got any idea wha' ya wanna say to er'?" "Well, I guess so. I got 'er dis too." Race said, pulling out a ring. I picked it up and looked at it. It was a simple, thin silver band. "It's beautiful!" I exclaimed. A pang of loneliness and, surprising me, jealously ran through me as I handed back the ring. "She'll love it," I said seriously. "And," I continued, "If she doesn't, I'll soak 'er." We both laughed at the thought of me soaking anyone who hadn't hurt me. It was, well, laughable. Although, I was very loyal, and if someone broke my best friend's heart, I could soak her. I pondered that thought for a moment, but Race broke it by asking, "Can I practice on you'se?"
"Um, sure." I replied. I sat gamely. This wasn't the first time a boy had poured his heart out on me. It wasn't the first time someone declared undying love to me. Nope. I was used to being practiced on by guys so their girls got the perfected version. Race took another deep breath and started.
"From the foist time I saw you, I knew that we would be close. As we became friends, I developed deeper feelings. I did the one thing I was told not ta do by your brudder. I fell in love wid you. You can' see past your face, but I can. You're beautiful. Your personality, your temper, and your face, even though you don' believe me, its all beautiful. I love you," he said. When he finished he held out the ring. "Oh Race, dat was beautiful! She'll love it! She'll love you!" I said, applauding. "Wha'd you think?" he asked quietly. "I loved it too. I wish some guy would say dat ta me one day," I said, giving him a funny look. "Well, he jus' did." Race said, looking at the table.
"Oh Race." I breathed. I reached across the table, tilted his head up, met his eyes, and kissed him. The kiss was soft and slow and sweet and perfect. I broke it off and said, "I love you Racetrack Higgins." Race took my hand, placed the ring on my first finger, kissed my hand and said, "I love you too, Lilly Weaver."
A/N- REVIEW PLEASE!! I promise, it doesn't take long. Just push da button!!