Hi guys!
This was written for Circulation Four of the Newsies Pape Selling Competition.
Task: Change Directions Card: In the game of Uno, this is the card that changes the direction that the players are playing, either counterclockwise, or clockwise. Task: Write about a time when the roles of characters are reversed.
Word Count: 2311
Prompts: The Bronx, anger
Once again, I'm so sorry this is late. I promise my story will be in early for the next circulation! Also this story kind of ties in with a multi-chapter I am working on (which I'm hoping to get up soon) in case any of you were wondering how the story was resolved. Also, I've just realized that Les is the only character who makes an appearance in every single one of my Newsies stories! I just feel like he is under appreciated and doesn't get enough credit for being a newsie; also I love the relationships with Les and the other newsies. :)
Anyway, enjoy, and please review!
"Hey Davey, can we go for a walk with Jack again soon?" Les asked, looking up at his brother and waiting for the irritated sigh that he felt sure was coming. Over the past few months, Davey, Jack and Les had been taking midnight walks around the city, an idea that was created fully endorsed by Jack and barely condoned by Davey. The three hadn't been for a walk in a couple of weeks, and Les missed it.
"Sure," Davey answered, smiling at Les. "We can go tonight if you want. I'll ask Jack."
Les stared at him. "Really? You're always the one who doesn't want to. You say it's too late to be out, and it's dangerous, and I'll be too tired in the morning, and-"
"Ok, Les, that's enough, thank you. I know I worry a lot sometimes." Davey rolled his eyes and placed his hands on Les's shoulders. "Come on, let's go find Jack."
"Sometimes," Les muttered. "More like every minute." Davey shot him a look, and Les shut up, not wanting to press his luck.
Les smiled excitedly as he and Davey made their way through the crowd of newsies. Going on late night walks with Jack and Davey was his favorite thing to do. Sometimes Les would run ahead, and play with stray dogs or find interesting things on the street, and listen to the sound of Jack and Davey laughing and talking and teasing each other. That made Les happy, because he knew Davey had never really had friends before the newsies, and he also knew that Jack was Davey's best friend. And Les didn't mind leaving them alone sometimes, as long as he knew they were right behind him. He couldn't get too far away anyway, because every two minutes either Jack or Davey would call out to him and tell him to stay closer, or Jack would run up and scare him, or Les would hide and Davey would panic and then they would all three laugh when Les revealed himself.
And other times, all three of them would walk together the whole time, and Jack and Davey wouldn't treat him like he was a worthless little kid. Jack would tell stories about when he was younger, and Les was never sure if they were made up or not, and Davey would relax for once, and say ridiculous things on purpose to make Les laugh. And they would talk, sometimes about serious things, like jail and getting beat up, but mostly just about anything. And Les would feel himself getting tired, but wouldn't want to show it because he wouldn't want the night to end, but Davey would notice because he always noticed, and he would take off his own coat and wrap it around Les. And Jack would pick him up and carry him, and Les would feel the happiest he had ever felt in his life, half asleep in Jack's arms, bundled up in Davey's jacket, surrounded by his two favorite people in the entire world, knowing that they would protect him and he was safe. And that when we woke up in the morning, he'd be at the lodging house, with Race and Crutchie and Romeo and Jojo and everyone and he would have a whole selling day in front of him.
Finally, Davey and Les approached Jack, who was play-fighting with Specs. Jack stopped throwing pretend punches and turned around, as Specs flicked him one last time and headed for Race. Jack grinned.
"What's up?" he asked them, hitting Davey in the shoulder.
"Jack, can we go on a walk tonight? You promised me that one night we'd go all the way to the Bronx. We could go tonight!" Les said, jumping up and down eagerly.
"I don't know Les," Jack said, the grin slowly fading off his face. "That might not be such a good idea."
Les was instantly hit with disappointment. He had built all his hopes up for tonight to be one of the best nights of his life. Jack had promised him last time that one night, the three of them would walk to the Bronx, and stay with the Bronx newsies, who owed Jack a favor, until the morning, Les couldn't imagine a more exciting adventure. And the one time Davey gave in without an argument, Jack said no? Why had Jack and his brother suddenly switched positions?
"Why not?" Davey asked, stepping forward. "What's the problem?"
Jack pulled Davey closer to him, in a way that made it obvious he didn't want Les to hear what he was about to say. "Look, we've always gone during the summer or fall. But it's winter now Dave, and people are getting desperate, 'cause it's cold and they're hungry. Other newsies, kids on the streets, factory workers- they might try and fight us, try and steal our stuff or just get some anger out. Trust me Davey, I've been on the streets a lot longer than you two- I used to be one of those kids. It's not safe to walk all the way to the Bronx at night, especially with Les- people are gonna think we's easy to steal from." Jack jerked his head in Les's direction.
Davey turned and studied Les for a moment, then seemed to decide something. "Les, go sit over there with Crutchie. We'll be over in a minute."
"But-" Les protested. He hated when Davey made him go away when he wanted to talk about something important.
"Les- I'm not messing around. Go sit." Davey said firmly. Les half-heartedly looked to Jack for help, but all Jack did was nod. "Come on Les, listen to your brother. I promise we won't be too long."
Les glared angrily at Davey, but walked away. He headed in Crutchie's direction, then changed his mind and hid behind a barrel. If he couldn't be part of the conversation, he could at least eavesdrop on it.
"Jack, please. Isn't there some way we can go?" Davey urged in a low voice.
"You better explain what's going on with you, cause I don't understand," Jack said "I'm always the one convincing you to do these things. Come on Dave, Les can't hear us. Spill it."
"Well- I didn't want to tell you so soon Jack. But my dad's leg is almost healed. He's already got a job. And I swore to him that once he went back to work, both Les and I would go back to school. And we're probably going to have to stop being newsies. Both of us know that Les loves being a newsie more than anything- I've never seen him so happy. I've never been so happy. But we don't have a choice. We're not going to be able to do this much longer, so please Jack, let's just walk to the Bronx tonight. Let's have a good time like we always do. Give Les one more night. I wanted him out of the way for this conversation because he doesn't know yet about going back to school- I'm going to tell him tomorrow."
Les couldn't believe what he had just heard. He'd thought being a newsie was a permanent thing. As much as he wanted his father to get better, he never wanted to go back to school. Being a newsie was so much better. Les covered his face with his hands and let the tears stream down his face.
"I get it now," Jack said quietly, after a long pause. "Man, I never thought you'd actually have to go back to school. I guess I just kind of assumed you'd be here forever." He ran a hand through his hair.
"I did too," Davey admitted. "Jack, to be honest, I don't even want to go back at all. It's just that my dad's so damn obsessed with us getting an education, you know, because he never got one." Davey shook his head. "I don't know what to do right now. All I know is that I want Les to have one more night of being truly happy, without knowing that it's all going to end soon."
Every time Davey said his name, Les's heart ached even more. He knew that pretty soon, he wouldn't be able to control his crying and Davey and Jack would hear him. But he couldn't stop. He heard Jack speak again.
"God Dave, I'm gonna miss both you guys. You're my best friend, and you're both my brothers." Jack spoke in almost a whisper, and Les could tell he was upset. Jack was rarely this serious. There was a pause, and then Les saw Davey and Jack hug.
"Well, we're gonna have to make tonight work then, aren't we?" Jack said, speaking more loudly now as he pulled out of the hug. "If we avoid a few streets and are careful, we should be okay."
"Thanks Jack," Davey said softly, and although Les's vision was obscured both by the barrel hiding him and his tears, Les thought he could see Davey crying a little bit. Les had never seen Davey cry before.
"Aw, quit it Dave," Jack said, sounding slightly choked up again. "Let's go get Les and tell him we're going."
Les knew he should get up right now and run and sit next to Crutchie, and pretend he hadn't heard anything. Crutchie wouldn't give him away. But Les didn't have the energy. He didn't care about anything anymore. Nothing in his life seemed to matter besides being with the newsies. Les squeezed his eyes shut and waited to be discovered.
He didn't have to wait long. After only a few minutes, Les heard a voice from above him.
"Les? Is that you?" Les rolled over and sat up, and Davey sighed as he saw that his brother's face was covered in tears. "Oh no."
Les was suddenly overcome with anger. Anger at Davey, at Jack, at all schools that had ever been existence, but especially at his father. He had to get it out somehow. "Davey, I don't want to go back to school. I want to be a newsie forever! Or at least a long time. I'm not going back to school! I'm not leaving! I'm not!" Les barely realized that his voice gotten louder and he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Les saw the other newsies look in his direction, with concerned expressions on their faces, and Crutchie limped forward, but Jack waved him away. Davey pulled Les toward him, and Les buried his face in Davey's shirt.
"First of all Les, you gotta be a little quieter. The whole street heard you screaming. Ok?" Davey was speaking in a very calm voice, but Les was still hysterical.
"Relax Les. It's okay. You're okay. " Davey kept talking to him calmly, the way he would when Les was sick or had woken up from a nightmare. Les knew Davey wasn't mad at him, but for some reason that made him cry more. Eventually after a few minutes, which Les was sure were full of exchanged glances between Jack and Davey, Les finally stopped crying. He lifted up his head and saw Davey looking down at him. He didn't look annoyed or worried or anything, just sad.
"We gotta talk," Davey said simply. "Jack, I think you should come too." The three of them entered the lodging house, which was usually empty at this time of day when all the boys were outside. Davey and Les sat on a bed, and Jack sat across from them.
"So you obviously heard what I said to Jack," Davey said, looking straight at Les. "About how we're going to have to go back to school real soon because I promised Dad."
"I don't want to," Les said quietly, afraid he was going to start crying again. Jack smiled sympathetically.
"Yeah, I know. I don't either. I'm gonna try and figure something out so that we can still be newsies part of the time. I know you love being a newsie. I do too. But I'm gonna promise you, Les, that it'll work out. We won't have to say goodbye. We'll be here all the time." Davey explained.
"Yeah kid, I won't let you say goodbye," Jack interjected.
"No way. I couldn't lose my best selling partner could I?"
"See?" Davey added. "Maybe you won't be able to stay up as late, or sell all day, or have lunch with everyone. But after school maybe, if we get our work done, we can come sell. And I'm gonna talk to Dad about taking some days off from school to sell too. Jack certainly needs the help." Jack rolled his eyes. And suddenly all Les could think of was how much Davey sounded like Jack. He was reassuring and making jokes, and he wasn't the anxious Davey that Les had grown used to. And Davey sounded so much like Jack that Les couldn't control himself. He burst out laughing.
Davey and Jack looked confused, but smiled anyway. Jack ruffled his hair. "Good to see you laughing, kid. Now we better eat something if we's gonna make it to the Bronx tonight." He smiled. "Never thought I'd see the day that David Jacobs convinced me to go on an adventure."
Les wiped away the last of his tears. He really did believe Davey- everything was going to work out. Davey would talk to their dad, convince him that they still needed to be newsies, at least part time, and although Les still wanted to be a newsie forever, he couldn't be sad when he knew that he had such an exciting night ahead of him. And Davey had made it happen.
"You know Davey," Les said thoughtfully as the three boys walked out of the lodging house. "Sometimes you really know what to say."