Chapter 2 - Sellin' Papes

I wake up with a start, wondering why I'm warm and surrounded by boys. Then it all comes flooding back. I narrow my eyes and notice they all lean back.

"Oh boy is she pissed." One of them says.

I sit up and lean over to put on my boots but they aren't there. "My boots. Where is they?"

Another one of them puts them on the ground and toss something else into my lap. I pick it up in shock. My old newsie cap. I thought someone had taken it in the Refuge, turns out Jack had it the whole time.

"Please Olive, just hear me's out." I look up at Jack through tears I'm trying to fight back.

I look back down at my lap. "I was in there's for seven years Jack. Seven years." I whisper.

The boys around me gasp. It's a long time to be in the Refuge.

He kneels in front of me. "I's sorry. I don't know what's else to say."

I wipe the tears off of my cheeks. "I dunno if I's can forgive you's just yet Jack." He nods, and I know that he's okay with that for now. "You's gonna introduce me?"

I tuck my hair into the cap and stand up. He smiles and nods. "Guys, this is my little sister Olive. Olive, these is the guys."

The guys line up and introduce themselves to me each in their own way.

-/-

"Don't you'se all got work to do?" I ask the newsies as they lazy around the morning.

Race pokes his head up from the top bunk. "Don't you's?"

I cross my arms and frown. "I haven't hawked a headline since… well you's knows."

"You's don't use it, you's lose it." Specs prompts.

I stand up and adjust my cap. "Oh yeah? Let's bet. I's gonna sell fifty papes before lunch."

Specs and I spit in our hands and shake on it. The rest of the newsies jump up laughing and off we run to the distribution centre.

"Papes! Papes for the newsies!" Wiesel yells out.

I smack the money onto the box. "Fifty papes."

"And who's is the new… goil?" One of the boys behind the stacks of papers asks rudely.

I can see the other newsies start to step up, but I hold out a hand. "A better man's than you's I'm sure." I grab my papers from his hand and pack them into my bag.

The boy steps out from behind the papers and pushes my shoulders. "I ain't takin this shit from a goil."

I shrug and take my bag off, getting ready for a fight. "Well you's ain't gettin it from anybody's else."

I smile as I hear the newsies behind me ooh and aah and laugh.

"She's gonna give it to em."

"Dem Delancey's is screwed."

"This oughta be good."

The other boy came out to settle things. "You's gonna take your papes and go or else."

"Yeah, and who's you to say?" I ask, stepping toe to toe with him.

He grabs hold of my vest with both hands. "I'm Morris, that's Oscar. And you's is nobody."

I remember the first week of being in the Refuge without Jack,and Snyder would soak me for him escaping, he called me a nobody then too. Anger clouds my eyes and I swing and hit Morris right in the nose. "I ain't a nobody."

I pick up my bag and storm out of the square. The newsies laugh and jump around behind me, I'm in no mood to join in.

"Hey, you's okay? That was great!" Crutchie tries to keep up with me.

I slow down so he can keep up. "Yeah well, they's deserved it."

"That's not it is it." He doesn't phrase it as a question.

I sneer. "Maybe I'll tell you'se all sometime. But not now. Now's I gotta sell these papes before lunch." I smile at him. "See ya Crutchie."

-/-

I lean on the top of the Horace Greeley statue and watch some of the other newsie hawking their papes. I finished selling mine an hour ago, not that I want them to know. I can see Crutchie on one side, selling his limp and his smile. And Race trying out the square on the other side, improving the truth.

"You's just as good as you's were seven years ago as a tot." I hear Jack from the bottom of the statue.

I close my eyes. "Jack, I's don't wanna do this with you right now's."

"I know. But I's just want to know if you's ever gonna be able to forgive me."

"Snyder soaked me real good Jackie. So many times I's lost count. It's was worse when you's escaped." I try to push down the memories fighting so hard to be remembered.

"I's can only imagine Sparks." I can hear him trying to climb up.

"He locked me in a room all's alone, and it was so dark, and cold. The guards they came in one's at a time and they each had they's fun, whichever way's they wanted it."

My voice cracks and I open my eyes. All the newsies are sitting at the bottom of the statue, whether they've sold their papers or not. They all look sad, some look angry.

I roll my eyes. "Oh come on boys, it ain't all that bad."

"You let Jack call you Sparks." Mush point out.

I shrug. "Well if I's is stickin around."

"Really? You's gonna stay?" Race asks.

I swing down so I'm looking at the boys upside down. "Where else is I gonna go?"

"The hospital if you's keep this up." Specs gestures to me hanging.

I smirk. "Please you's ain't seen nothin yet. By the way Specs, my papes is sold."