Bird Turned Queen
By: Cards Songbird
Kay, so here's the next chappie. Thank you so much for the reviews. I couldn't believe how fast people started reading it. I mean I posted it at like midnight, and by noon the next day (today) I already had two reviews. You guys are awesome! So in this chapter there is a song. It's 'Don't Rain On My Parade", and the sad thing is I don't know who originally wrote it. I heard it on Glee. So um… whoever wrote it, you own it. I don't. I'm just pretending that it was written at that time. PRETENDING for the sake of my story. Please DON'T sue. Thanks very much.
Disclaimer: I don't own newsies (except for my very own Songbird). I don't own the idea, the music, the characters, the amazingness of itself, the awesome actingness of the actors, the gorgeous blue eyed wonder Spot Conlon, or, sadly, the spectacular tap dancing gambling fantastic accent Racetrack Higgins. And if I go on any more I think I will start crying, so I hope you get the picture. I DON'T OWN NEWSIES!
Medda accepted her sandwich gratefully. "Did you see Jack?" I nodded and told her how I had met Jack. She laughed. She always does. I don't know how she does it either. I mean, if I laughed half as much as she did, I would never be able to sing.
"Medda, I'm really nervous about Saturday." Medda looked at me and took my hand. "If you veren't, I'd be vorried. " She put her arm around me. "Come on. I think I can make you feel better." We walked to the stage. She positioned me in the center. "Now," she whispered in my ear. "Imagine the audience, full, a sell-out. You are in a beautiful gown that sets off your eyes, and every boy you've ever liked is sitting in the front row cheering you on." My eyes were closed and Medda's hands were running through my hair. "Your hair is sweeping over your shoulders in just the right way, and your diamond earrings catch the light." Her hands brushed my hair behind my year, and she said, "Now open your eyes, and sing from your heart." She moved away quickly, and off the stage. My eyes fluttered open to a packed audience. The cheering was in slow motion to my ears, and I opened my mouth and sang.
"Don't tell me not to live,
Just sit and putter,
Life's candy and the sun's
A ball of butter.
Don't bring around a cloud
To rain on my parade!
Don't tell me not to fly-
I've simply got to.
If someone takes a spill,
It's me and not you.
Who told you you're allowed
To rain on my parade!
I'll march my band out,
I'll beat my drum,
And if I'm fanned out,
Your turn at that, sir.
At least I didn't fake it.
Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it! But whether I'm the rose
Of sheer perfection,
Or freckle on the nose
Of life's complexion,
The cinder or the shiny apple of its eye,
I gotta fly once,
I gotta try once,
Only can die once, right, sir?
Ooh, life is juicy,
Juicy, and you see
I gotta have my bite, sir!
Get ready for me, love,
cause I'm a commer,
I simply gotta march,
My heart's a drummer.
Don't bring around a cloud
To rain on my parade!
I'm gonna live and live now,
Get what I want-I know how, One roll for the whole show bang,
One throw, that bell will go clang,
Eye on the target and wham
One shot, one gun shot, and BAM
Hey, Mister Armstein,
Here I am!
I'll march my band out,
I will beat my drum,
And if I'm fanned out,
Your turn at bat, sir,
At least I didn't fake it.
Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it.
Get ready for me, love,
'cause I'm a commer,
I simply gotta march,
My heart's a drummer. Nobody, no nobody, Is gonnaaaaa raiiiiiin on myyyyyyyy paraaaaaaaaade!"
I heard someone clapping. My image of the audience fell away, except for one person near the back. I gaped at him. "Jack, when did you come in?" Jack shrugged. "Well, you'se told me Medda wanted to see me." I nodded, understanding, and I felt myself blush. Had Jack heard me singing? Was he going to laugh at me behind my back, along with Spot, and Skittery, and Racetrack, and all the other newsies?
"Hey, kid, you'se was good. Really good." I looked up, my worries coming to a peak. Was he being sarcastic? "You better not be playing with—" Jack cut me off. "Ya definitely oined yer name." I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks Jack. That means a lot to me." Jack smiled down at me looking pleased. Then he started probing the auditorium.
"Ya know where Medda is?" I glanced around to see that she was gone. She must have left while I was singing. I shrugged at Jack and said, "Why ask me? Do I look like her mother?" Jack snickered. "As a mattah of fact—", I playfully hit him. "Don't answer that." He grinned and headed backstage. "I'se goin ta look fer Medda. See ya Sataday kid." He waved and left the auditorium. I sat down. How did Medda do that? She just put an image in my brain and it stayed there. The audience had really been there. I could hear them cheering, and I could see them waving their arms, and I could smell their different smells. And I sang. I didn't mess up either. I smiled, confidence brewing inside me. I couldn't wait till Saturday.
I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. My hair was being a jerk, as usual. Why couldn't it look nice, just once? I threw my brush against the wall in a sudden surge of anger. This was my special night, the first night I would sing, and my hair was going to be a disaster. Life just wasn't fair. Suddenly the door flew open.
"Vat vas that noise? Are you alright?" I smiled at Medda through watery eyes. The upset look she had on her face immediately changed to a worried one. "Songbird, vat's the matter?" I shook my head, trying not to cry, but a tear slipped down my cheek. I brushed it away, angry at myself. It's just hair. Forget about it! I smiled again at Medda, this time with a little more control.
"It's just my hair. It sometimes gets a little frustrating." Medda looked at me as if she knew I wasn't telling her everything, but she kept quiet. She didn't say a word while she did my hair. When she was finished I wondered why she didn't have a job doing people's hair. It was pinned p, but with curls falling down around my face. It looked nothing like my real hair. If I had seen it on anyone else, I would've thought it was a wig. But it wasn't. And it was beautiful.
Medda walked to the door and then turned. "You are on in ten minutes. I know you vill do amazing, but listen to me." She looked at me hard. "If you ever need to talk, just come tom. I vant to help you." She smiled sadly at me and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind me. ;-)
I know, I know, I'm so bad. But I decided that these first three chapters are like a prologue, and now the real story will begin. I don't know if the chapters after this will be longer or not, but even if they are short, at least I update quickly. I hope you weren't bored, and how do you guys think I'm portraying Medda? Does she seem right to you? Also, how do you like the friendship between Jack and Songbird? Jack has never been one of my 'favorite' newsies (they are all awesome), but I'm sort of liking him now. Anyways, I promise the next chapter will be more interesting. Also, this is the last bit that I had written in a notebook, that I was just copying onto the computer. Now I'll just be writing on the computer, which'll be nice. Well, plez review, and it'll encourage me to give you a longer chapter. Love you guys!