Heya. All right, let's try and wrap this thing up, so I can move onto something else… like homework.
Disclaimer: Newsies belong to Disney.
Monday morning, Sariel woke with the rest of the boys. She dressed and waited until the boys were nearly ready to leave. She scooted up to Mush when he was pulling on his cap.
"Can I come with you today?" She asked sweetly. He looked dubiously at her bare feet. She tucked one under the other. "They will be all right. They healed while I was sick."
Mush shrugged. "Fine, but if you'se can' keep up, you'se comin' back heah."
Sariel nodded eagerly, following him out to the street. She padded after him through the streets, ignoring the curious glances from the other newsies. Mush made her wait in a corner out of the way while he got his papers, and then wordlessly motioned for her to follow. Sariel cheerfully did so.
Mush lead the way to Central Park. Jack had warned him that if he was too soft, Sariel would take advantage of him. So Mush tried not to be so soft. But he still couldn't make the girl stand on the hard pavement all day. There was grass in Central Park. It wouldn't be too bad for her. Mush found a shady place and started selling. Sariel sat in a flurry of skirts at his feet, looking up at him working his trade.
Papers were selling slow that day, and after Mush had unsuccessfully tried to sell a paper to five different people, each of which had turned him down, he sat heavily next to Sariel and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Can I try?" She asked. He looked over at her, sitting alertly next to him, long fingered hands folded carefully in her lap. He handed her a paper and raised an eyebrow. She took it with an excited grin.
Bounding out into the sunlight, she twirled, looking for someone to sell to. Spying someone, she cheerfully called out the front page headline. They didn't look her way, so she tried something else. She ran barefoot through the grass right up to them.
"Buy a pape, Ma'am?" She asked, her eyes twinkling.
The older woman looked down at the barefoot girl in the too short dress severely. Sariel didn't flinch at all under her gaze. Instead, her wide, raven eyes looked right back in curiosity. The woman pulled out a purse and carefully handed Sariel a penny, accepting a paper from her. Sariel's face split in a wide grin.
"Thank you!" She cried as she bounded back to Mush, dropping to her knees beside him. Her skirts puffed out and settled around her. She held up the penny excitedly. Mush couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. She was so innocent. Something so simple as earning a single penny made her light up brighter than the sun.
Sariel felt an odd sensation in her stomach when Mush smiled at her. It was like… bubbles. Or maybe butterflies. That was it! It felt like she had swallowed butterflies. He split the stack of papers in two and handed her a stack.
"C'mon, let's get t'ese sold, 'nd den we'se got da rest a' da moinin' ta ourselves." He said, standing. He held out a hand to pull her up. She brushed of her skirts and set off to sell her papers.
"Sariel!" Mush called after her. She stopped her frolicking long enough to look back at him. "Stay close!" He warned. She nodded and continued on her way, making sure that she could still see Mush.
By the time she had finished sell her papers, Mush had already finished, and was stretched out in the shade of the tree that they had started from. She collapsed beside him, exhausted from too much enthusiasm and excitement for her recovering body. She keeled over backwards, sending skirts and bare legs everywhere. When everything had settled, Mush noticed that her skirts had left way too much of her legs exposed. He tugged her skirt down a little further, to a less offensive length. Sariel didn't notice, though. She was staring dreamily into space.
"You'se ready for lunch?" He asked. Her stomach growled.
"I guess I am." She giggled. He helped her up, and she pattered after him as he set off across the city for the newsies' favorite hangout, Tibby's.
Many of the boys brought their girls with them to Tibby's, and Mush hadn't expected Sariel to be any different. But for some reason, there was an air of unfriendliness when they entered. Mush guided her over to an open table and pulled out a chair. He sat next to her and looked uneasily around. Whatever the feeling he felt was, it didn't seem to bother Sariel at all. Mush started when Jack slung himself down into the chair next to him. Jack leaned his elbows on the table.
"So, Cereal. How was ya foist day?" He asked with a friendly smile. Sariel returned it with a giggle. Jack's smile grew a little. He thought that she was finally warming up to him.
"Is that my new name?"
"Cereal?"
"Yes."
"Isn't dat ya name?" Jack's brow wrinkled.
"No!" She laughed. "It's Sariel, like 'Sarah'."
"Oh, well I'se feels dumb." Jack gave an embarrassed smile. It was one of his many trademark expressions. That smile, combined with "accidentally" bumping into young ladies sold more papers than he cared to count. Mush scowled a little.
Mush watched Jack flirting with Sariel. He didn't want to say anything to the older boy, since Jack was his friend, but Mush found himself feeling more and more protective of Sariel with each passing minute. Mush breathed a sigh of relief when one of the other boys called Jack away from them.
"Jack is nice." Sariel said, looking after Jack. "But he wants… something. I do not know what, though." She shrugged and turned her attention back to Mush.
Mush was floored. Was she really that innocent that she didn't know what Jack wanted? Looking into her wide, clear eyes, Mush saw that she was really that innocent. She looked back at him, unflinching. Mush could see his reflection in those endless pools. The waiter interrupted Mush's reverie, asking for their orders.
Sariel had agreed that she was ready to go out and sell again, so she waited patiently outside the gates of the circulation center, while Mush bought the papers. More than one passerby's head turned to stare at the poorly dressed beauty. Sariel toyed with a curl as she waited. When Mush came back through the gates, she greeted him with a bright smile. He found himself returning it.
"Anywheah you'se wanna go ta sell?" He asked her. She flipped her waist length hair back and shook her head. Mush decided to take her to Grand Central station. He thought that she might enjoy it.
Mush guessed correctly. Sariel looked around at the massive station with pure wonder and delight. She especially loved the soaring ceilings. Mush sold papers while Sariel wandered around, trying to stay close to him. Mush moved after her as she wandered. Her innocent joy made many people stop to look, and Mush took advantage of it, selling his papers to the distracted people. After his afternoon edition had sold out, Mush decided that he needed to sell the evening edition, too, to make up for not selling as well the previous few days. He offered to take Sariel home, but she politely refused, instead following him throughout the city. Mush chose to sell in Central Park, so Sariel could rest a little.
He smiled, looking down at the girl. She had sat next to his feet again, and had quickly fallen asleep, leaning against his leg. The sleeping girl drew in customers, though. Something about the innocent sight of a girl sleeping against a boy who was working to sell his papers touched the hearts of the New Yorkers. When he had sold his last paper, Mush shook Sariel awake. She blinked in the twilight and mumbled something sleepily.
"C'mon. Time ta go home." He gently pulled her upright. She was falling asleep again. "No, no. C'mon. Get on."
Mush carried Sariel home piggyback. He laid her gently in her bunk, brushing a curl off of her face. The other boys snickered. Mush turned to face them.
"You'se is in loooove." Racetrack crowed. Mush blushed furiously.
"Shut up, Racetrack."
"Mush found his angel, boys." Racetrack laughed. The other boys chimed in with their two cents worth, making Mush blush even harder. Finally he threw up his hands in defeat.
"Fine! I'm going to bed!" He declared the boys hooted. "On the floor." Mush clarified.
The next afternoon, Mush and Sariel were selling in Central Park again. Sariel leaned her head against Mush's leg as she nibbled on a piece of bread leftover from lunch.
"Hey, Mush?" Sariel asked, using a little bit of the boys' slang that she had learned.
"Yeah?" He replied, without looking down.
"Why were the boys teasing you today at lunch?"
"Huh? Oh that. Dey'se was jist teasin' dat I'se was in love wit' you'se." Mush forced a chuckle.
"Oh." Sariel said, letting the subject drop.
She took another tiny bite of her bread and resettled her head against his knees. Sariel knew what love was, but she didn't understand what being "in love" was. And why it was such a big deal. And why Mush seemed uncomfortable with it. She decided that she would ask Jack. He seemed nice. Maybe he could tell her.
When it grew dark, Mush carried Sariel back to the lodging house on his back to spare her feet from the rough streets. She giggled and held tightly onto his broad shoulders as he dodged the traffic of the New York. He smiled at her glee, and at her bare calves and feet that stuck out in front of him as he carried her.
Sariel waited for her chance to ask Jack what being "in love" meant and why it was such a big deal. She was hoping that she could talk to him alone, or at least without Mush being there. For some reason that she couldn't quite put her finger on, Sariel didn't want to seem ignorant in front of Mush. She got her chance a little later that night.
Sariel had gone up to the roof to escape the loud cheers and cries of the boys at their poker game. She enjoyed the solitude of the darkness as the cool wind soothed her skin. She felt someone sit next to her and jumped a little. Jack's voice drifted to her out from the darkness.
"Sorry ta stahtle ya."
"That is okay." Sariel sighed in relief. "Jack? May I ask you a question?"
"Shoah." A light flared up as Jack struck a match, momentarily illuminating his face. Sariel could see the end of his cigarette glowing.
She paused. She didn't know how to phrase her question. Sariel decided to ask it as straight as possible.
"What does it mean to be 'in love'?"
Jack laughed. Sariel worried that her question was stupid. Jack answered,
"Well, when you'se in love wit' a poison, it means dat you'se caehs a lot 'bout dem, 'nd wanna spend da rest a' ya life wit' dem."
"What does it feel like to be in love?"
"You;se is always happy ta be around da poison ya love, 'nd wanna spend as much time as possible around dem. Maybe you'se feel a little funny, like you'se floatin', or you'se got buttahflies in ya stomach."
Sariel's mouth opened in surprise. She felt exactly like that around Mush. Did he feel the same way? She had one last question.
"Am I in love with Mush?"
Jack was quiet for a minute. When he answered, his voice was the most serious Sariel had ever heard it be.
"Only you'se c'n say if ya are or not, Sariel."
Sariel nodded. Jack stood and patted her on the head.
"Don' stay out too lon'." He advised. Sariel nodded in thought. She heard the door close after Jack.
A few minutes later, she heard the rustle of wings behind her.
"You have done your duty. Your wings are waiting for you." The other angel said. Sariel stood silently and went to him. She was going home.
When Sariel didn't come down from the roof for bedtime, Mush grew worried. He went up to see if she had fallen asleep up there.
"Sariel?" Mush called, pushing through the door. There was no reply. Mush checked all over the roof, searching for her. She wasn't there. Mush's feet pounded down the steps to the bunkroom.
"Sariel's missin'!" He shouted, waking the other boys. They scrambled to get dressed and look for her.
Days had passed and there had been no sign of Sariel. The boys searched everywhere that they could but she had vanished. Mush was heartbroken. She was gone before he could even tell her that the boys were right—he was in love with her. Mush's sales also fell. Without Sariel by his side, Mush's heart wasn't in his job, and people paid no attention to the dirty newsboy selling his papers.
One afternoon Jack sat Mush down to talk with him.
"Mush, I'se knows ya miss Sariel, but you'se can' jist let the sellin' go."
"I'se knows, I'se knows." Mush mumbled.
"Mush, some goils is angels. 'nd angels don' belong wid da likes a' us."
"Why are you sad, little one?" A kind voice asked.
"For no reason." Sariel looked at the clouds beneath her feet. No one dared to look at Him.
"Come, now little one. You must have a reason. Please share it with me."
"I miss the friends I made when I was on earth."
"There is something more than that bothering you, little one."
"I fell in love with one of them."
"Do you know what love is, little one?"
Sariel nodded.
"Do you know that human love is flawed, little one?"
"I do." Sariel paused. "But sometimes I think it's the flaws that make it perfect."
"Then go back, Sariel. Go and be happy. Gabriel?" The angell who was summoned appeared. "Please take Sariel back to earth."
Mush wandered desolately through Central Park. Things just weren't the same without Sariel there. Everything had lost its beauty. Nothing was special anymore. Mush felt broken and old. He scanned the park out of habit, his eyes searching for the familiar white dress. He passed over something then snapped back to it. It couldn't be. Could it? No, his eyes were playing tricks on him. Mush swore he saw a figure in white running towards him. He rubbed his eyes.
When he looked back, the figure was still there, but it was closer now. He could see more clearly now, her raven curls bouncing around her shoulders, her raven eyes sparkling.
Sariel ran into Mush's arms, nearly knocking him over. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, picking her up off the ground and spinning her. When he stopped spinning, he continued to hold her, her bare, white feet dangling off the ground. He looked into her midnight eyes, all the way in, to the very soul of the girl in his arms.
"Don't ever let me go." She whispered.
"I won't." He promised, gently kissing her.
Awwww! That was a fun chapter to write… even if it took me forever. Yay for happy endings! I also forgot to mention… Sariel is the name of the angel of guidance. So yeah…