Seamstress to Playgirl
Disclaimer: I wish I may, I wish I might, own all the Newsies, just for one night. 'sighs' and waits for the wish to come true..Guess it's not gonna be happenin' tonight.
Cassie stood rigid, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car (hey I live in the great northern woods, what can I say?). Pete gently nudged her, trying to prompt her into speaking the first line. What was she supposed to say, oh yah. The words were there, they were just stuck in her throat. She opened her mouth to say them, but only a gurgle escaped. Tears welled in her eyes as she struggled with the words that wouldn't come. The crew and other actors stood off stage watching her. Some mouthed the words as if she had forgotten them; others stared at her with wide panicked eyes.
Cassie's vision blurred, and she closed her mouth. She just knew this was it; she was going to be kicked out and only because she was so darn shy. She turned her head slightly to look away from the vast crowd in front of her and to look pleadingly at Pete. He nodded encouragingly at her and nudged her again. The audience looked expectantly at her, some showing obvious doubt and disbelief at her inability. Steeling herself once again, Cassie looked to the crowd and took another breath. She began to wring her hands. This was it, she was going to say the line. The first line was always the hardest, right? "Here goes nothing." Cassie thought bravely.
"Davey," she turned to Pete. "Do you really think it's a good idea for you to quit school and sell papers? I mean papers of all things." With the words spoken Cassie felt her fear almost melt away completely. She turned to look back at the audience to test herself. But..
They were gone. She stared uncomprehendingly at the scene that met her. The audience was definitely gone, but there were no empty seats. In there place was a breathtaking view of a city. But not like any city she had ever seen. The buildings were smaller in contrast to the gigantic buildings of steel and glass she was used to. People in what had to be costume bustled around down on the street. The sun was just starting to peek over the low roof tops of the beautiful brick and cement block buildings, and it dazzled her eyes.
Blinking sharply, Cassie held up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Vaguely, she realized that someone was speaking to her, trying to get her attention. Cassie turned around slowly to face them. It was Pete, or maybe not. Whoever it was they looked like him. But something was different from the Pete she knew. The clothes were the same, matching brown jacket, vest, and pants, with a blue and white shirt. But as she looked into his eyes she noticed a difference. Something wasn't quite right about him. Come to think of it something wasn't quite right about any of this.
Startled, Cassie realized he was talking to her. "I'm sorry what did you say, Pete?"
"Huh?" he asked startled, "What did you call me?" He looked at her strangely. "My name is David. Remember your brother?"
Cassie's mouth snapped shut and she let out a strangled noise. "Uhhh, ya sure, Davey. I remember you."
"You know, I think the stress of dad losing his job and us two quitting school has finally gotten to you." David looked past her, out the window of the apartment. "To answer your earlier question, no I'm not sure selling papers is going to work." He ran a hand distractedly through his curly, brown hair. "Maybe I should just get a job at a factory like dad had."
Cassie opened her mouth to reply that it was probably a good idea, when a horrible idea struck her. What if David didn't join the Newsies. Would they go on strike? What would happen? She knew what was supposed to happen, but what if it changed? Should she say something?
Finally Cassie made up her mind. "David, I've changed my mind." He looked at her questioningly. "I think it would be an excellent idea if you joined the Newsies. In fact I think you should take Les with you. Even better go now. Start right this morning." She added smiling.
David looked at her, still unsure, "Well if you really think so." he trailed off.
"I'm sure." Cassie grabbed a hold of David's shoulders and looked him right in the eye. "David, I've never been surer of anything." He looked surprised. "Now go, before they run out of papers."
David freed himself from her grasp and turned to get Les. As they were leaving Cassie called out again, "Remember boys, headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes." She said with a wink.
David smirked and took Les's hand. It was time.
Disclaimer: I wish I may, I wish I might, own all the Newsies, just for one night. 'sighs' and waits for the wish to come true..Guess it's not gonna be happenin' tonight.
Cassie stood rigid, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car (hey I live in the great northern woods, what can I say?). Pete gently nudged her, trying to prompt her into speaking the first line. What was she supposed to say, oh yah. The words were there, they were just stuck in her throat. She opened her mouth to say them, but only a gurgle escaped. Tears welled in her eyes as she struggled with the words that wouldn't come. The crew and other actors stood off stage watching her. Some mouthed the words as if she had forgotten them; others stared at her with wide panicked eyes.
Cassie's vision blurred, and she closed her mouth. She just knew this was it; she was going to be kicked out and only because she was so darn shy. She turned her head slightly to look away from the vast crowd in front of her and to look pleadingly at Pete. He nodded encouragingly at her and nudged her again. The audience looked expectantly at her, some showing obvious doubt and disbelief at her inability. Steeling herself once again, Cassie looked to the crowd and took another breath. She began to wring her hands. This was it, she was going to say the line. The first line was always the hardest, right? "Here goes nothing." Cassie thought bravely.
"Davey," she turned to Pete. "Do you really think it's a good idea for you to quit school and sell papers? I mean papers of all things." With the words spoken Cassie felt her fear almost melt away completely. She turned to look back at the audience to test herself. But..
They were gone. She stared uncomprehendingly at the scene that met her. The audience was definitely gone, but there were no empty seats. In there place was a breathtaking view of a city. But not like any city she had ever seen. The buildings were smaller in contrast to the gigantic buildings of steel and glass she was used to. People in what had to be costume bustled around down on the street. The sun was just starting to peek over the low roof tops of the beautiful brick and cement block buildings, and it dazzled her eyes.
Blinking sharply, Cassie held up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Vaguely, she realized that someone was speaking to her, trying to get her attention. Cassie turned around slowly to face them. It was Pete, or maybe not. Whoever it was they looked like him. But something was different from the Pete she knew. The clothes were the same, matching brown jacket, vest, and pants, with a blue and white shirt. But as she looked into his eyes she noticed a difference. Something wasn't quite right about him. Come to think of it something wasn't quite right about any of this.
Startled, Cassie realized he was talking to her. "I'm sorry what did you say, Pete?"
"Huh?" he asked startled, "What did you call me?" He looked at her strangely. "My name is David. Remember your brother?"
Cassie's mouth snapped shut and she let out a strangled noise. "Uhhh, ya sure, Davey. I remember you."
"You know, I think the stress of dad losing his job and us two quitting school has finally gotten to you." David looked past her, out the window of the apartment. "To answer your earlier question, no I'm not sure selling papers is going to work." He ran a hand distractedly through his curly, brown hair. "Maybe I should just get a job at a factory like dad had."
Cassie opened her mouth to reply that it was probably a good idea, when a horrible idea struck her. What if David didn't join the Newsies. Would they go on strike? What would happen? She knew what was supposed to happen, but what if it changed? Should she say something?
Finally Cassie made up her mind. "David, I've changed my mind." He looked at her questioningly. "I think it would be an excellent idea if you joined the Newsies. In fact I think you should take Les with you. Even better go now. Start right this morning." She added smiling.
David looked at her, still unsure, "Well if you really think so." he trailed off.
"I'm sure." Cassie grabbed a hold of David's shoulders and looked him right in the eye. "David, I've never been surer of anything." He looked surprised. "Now go, before they run out of papers."
David freed himself from her grasp and turned to get Les. As they were leaving Cassie called out again, "Remember boys, headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes." She said with a wink.
David smirked and took Les's hand. It was time.