Newsie Queen
A/N - I'm excited for the next chapter because the strike begins and that means Spot!
Jack and the Delancey brothers eventually circled back and Jack climbed the gate as the other newsies cheered him on.
Sting rolled her eyes at the idiotic display. Spot would never start a fight just to start one. While, yes, he was one of the most intimidating newsies out there, he only fought when necessary.
The gate opened and Jack jumped down.
The newsies filled in to get their papes.
"Brilliant performance, Jackie, brilliant!" Racetrack praised, "Bettah dan yesterday's!"
"Yer too kind ta me Race, yer too kind", Jack replied.
"Remember my offah, will ya?" Oscar said, walking past Sting.
Jack rung the bell at the counter.
"All right, all right! Hold yer horses. I'm comin'!" Wiesel yelled.
After antagonizing Mr. Wiesel like every morning, Jack slammed his money onto the counter. "The usual", he said.
"Hundred papes ta da wise guy", Wiesel said.
Sting walked up to the counter. She always got her papes after Jack. "150", she said, putting her money on the counter.
"150 for the Queen", Wiesel said.
Sting grabbed her papes and set off to her selling spot in Central Park.
"Sting's in a mood taday", Jack said as he looked through the headlines.
"Ain't she always?" Race asked.
"Yeah, but I'se mean moa dan normal".
Racetrack sighed. "I'se don't tink she's been sleepin' too well", Race said, "She was up at 3 dis mornin'".
"Has she tawked ta 'im?" Jack asked. Racetrack shrugged.
"Look at dis, 'Baby Born Wid Two Heads'. Must be from Brooklyn", he said, trying to lighten the mood.
Both of them would never forget that night. They could still hear her screaming.
Sting had only sold half her papes by lunchtime. She grabbed her remaining papes and headed to Tibby's.
The restaurant went silent when she walked in.
She rolled her eyes and grabbed a booth in the back by herself. The stares of the other newsies made her uncomfortable. Her hand on instinct went to her neck, only for her to remember that she no longer wore the necklace.
"Hey", she heard. Sting looked up and saw Blink standing there.
"How's sellin' goin'?' he asked her.
She slammed her papes onto the table, drawing a few looks.
"Dat bad, huh?" he said. He sat down across from her.
A waiter came over to them and Blink ordered his food.
"Ya want anytin'?" he asked her.
Sting pulled out the money she had made so far and counted it in her head. She wouldn't be able to afford lunch, let alone dinner even with the money Spot had given her. She finally shook her head.
"I'se buyin'", Blink added.
Sting was craving some fish and chips, but mostly because she was homesick for Brooklyn. Antonio's had the best fish and chips in New York since Brooklyn had the biggest harbor. "Why are youse bein' so nice ta me?" she asked him, softly.
For a second, Blink was shocked that she actually had a voice. Almost none of the Manhattan newsies had heard her speak. "Well, ya look like youse could use a friend", he said, "Youse seem moa sad dan usual".
Her eyes narrowed at him. "I'se don't need yer pity", she hissed.
"I'se not", he said, "Youse just seem a liddle bit lonely".
She pointed to fish and chips on the menu and the waiter walked away. Their food arrived and the two ate in silence. When she was done, Sting grabbed her papes. "Tank youse by da way, Blink", she said.
"Anytime Sting", he said.
That night, when she got back to the Lodging House, Tumbler ran up to her. The rest of her selling day had gone much better after lunch and the kindness Blink had shown her.
"Miss Sting, would you tell us a story?" he asked.
She looked past him and saw all the younger newsies, including Boots and Snipeshooter. She nodded and sat down on the couch in the living area.
Tumbler crawled up on her lap.
"Um…once upon a time there were two friends, a boy and a girl, who lived in a faraway kingdom. They were best friends until the little boy was chosen to be the prince…" When she finished her story, most of the little ones were asleep.
Jack and Race walked in the door and smiled.
The three of them gently woke them up.
"C'mon, ya guys. Off ta bed wid youse", Jack told them.
Sting stood up, Tumbler asleep in her arms.
Jack moved to take Tumbler from her.
"No!" she said quickly backing away from Jack. "I'se mean…I'se got 'im", she told them. Sting carried Tumbler up the stairs and put him in his bunk below Skittery. She covered him up and kissed his forehead, before getting ready for bed.
"Youse okay?" Racetrack asked her.
"I'se fine, Race. Really", she told him before crawling into her bunk. She closed her eyes and dreamt of a boy with blue eyes and what would never be.