Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or any of their characters.
The next day was the first real day of my new life. I woke up feeling happy for once, and I could finally be myself. Sarcastic, yet sweet and girly, like before. Well, with the added sarcasm. I woke up that morning, having slept in bed with one of the younger newsies called Blanket. He was nearly thirteen, but he was very friendly. He told me I reminded him of his sister back home, and he cuddled up close to me for comfort last night.
He was cute.
Today, the boys let me get ready first, and, as usual, I only took a few minutes in the washroom. After I dried off, I put on my usual newsie outfit and walked out into the room full of newsboy.
"Lookin' good, Leah," Racetrack winked and smiled at me as I walked past him.
"Already flirting, I see, Race," I rolled my eyes and walked past the line of boys getting ready.
"You know it!" Race called to me as I made my way to the door.
"I'll see you guys downstairs!" I called, opening the door to leave.
"Alright!" Chorused the newsies before I stepped outside.
I hopped down the stairs and made my way outside, pulling a smoke out of my pocket. I lit it up and took a drag as I looked around. I was so happy the boys knew about me now, it was as if a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. They all accepted me, and it was now easier to be around them, somehow.
"Good morning, Leah!" I heard a child's voice call; I whipped my head around to the side and smiled when I saw Les and apparently one of his friends.
"Morning, Les. How are you this morning?" I asked, smiling and taking another drag of my cigarette.
"I'm great!" He beamed, bouncing on the balls of his feet before slinging his arm around his friends shoulder, "Leah, this is Robbie. He's my new friend."
"Oh, well very nice to meet you Robbie," I smiled, holding out my hand to his smaller one.
He smiled a dimpled smile and shook it clumsily, "Nice to meet you, too!"
He was very adorable. He had shaggy brown hair and eyes to match. He was shorter than Les, and obviously younger. He wore a blue button up shirt and brown colored pants, his shoes were worn and dirty.
"So Robbie, what is it you're doing here?" I asked, smiling at the smaller boy, my cigarette in between my fingers.
"I'm gonna sell newspapers! Like Les!" He beamed a toothy grin, hopping once.
I smiled and threw my cigarette down, stomping it out, "Well, I guess you're gonna need a selling partner."
"You?" He asked sweetly, his face showing adoration.
"Yeah, if ye' want," I smiled, ruffling the kids shaggy mop top.
"Yeah! That'd be great!" He cried, jumping up and down like any kid his age would.
"Alright then, come on. Let's go get some papers," I smiled, motioning my hand for them to follow me.
We started our short trek to the distribution center, and on the way, I found out Robbie was eight years old, had a brother and a sister, both older, and his parents both worked. He said they weren't pulling in real good money, so he decided he wanted to help.
As we walked up the ramp of The World, we were the only ones there, I met eyes with Oscar, who was manning the front desk today.
"Hey Oscar… Where's the old guy?" I questioned, looking around for the grey haired gentleman.
"He called in sick," Oscar shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest, "How many will it be?"
Jeez, cuts right to the point, doesn't he?
"Same 'ol, same 'ol," I said, slamming down forty cents.
"Forty papes fo' Jittas!" Oscar called to the back, where Morris was working.
"You can call me, Leah, you know, Oscar," I winked at him with a charming, sarcastic smile.
"So ye' told 'em?" Oscar smiled his usual devious, mean looking snarl of a smile.
"Yep. They took it pretty well, overall," I shrugged leaning against the desk as Morris came over.
"Here ye' go, rat. Forty papes. Next!" Morris spat impatiently, looking at Les standing next to me.
"Thanks Morris," I muttered sarcastically as I took my papes and jumped down the steps.
"Twenty papes, please," Les said in his usual sweet, innocent sounding tone of voice.
"Twenty papes fo' da little one!" Oscar called before looking down at the newest newsie, "What's ye' name, kid?"
"Robbie… I'm new," He smiled, looking at Oscar with the most adorable brown eyes.
"That you are, kid," Oscar said smugly, "How many papes ye' want?"
"Just a few, please," Robbie said, pursing his lips.
"I get a few kid, but exactly how many do ye' want?" Oscar snapped crudely.
"Um…"
"Give him ten, Delancey," I snapped, placing a dime on the desk in front of Oscar.
"Ten papes for da newbie!" Oscar called before looking at me, "So, Leah…" He looked me up and down as he leaned against the desk, "Ye' got anyone special since ye' told everyone ye' secret?"
"Shut your trap, Oscar, or I'll shut it for ye'," I threatened, reading over my newspaper.
"Ooh, feisty! I like that in a woman," Oscar cracked sarcastically as Morris came up behind him with ten papes.
"Here ye' go kid, ten papes," Morris said grumpily before wiping his nose with his sleeve and turning to go back to work.
"Thank you, mister!" Robbie called after him, but Morris only rolled his eyes and swatted his hand in irritation.
"So… You doin' anytin' tanight?" Oscar smirked deviously, wiggling his dark eyebrows at me.
"Nope, and I won't be filling my free time with you," I said deadpan.
All the sudden, Robbie fell back into my arms and started convulsing violently, he was making muffled whimpering, screaming noises.
"Robbie? A-are you alright?" I said, worried. I'd never seen anything like this before.
"What's wrong wit 'im?!" Oscar cried, standing up straighter now.
"He's fine. He just has these fits sometimes," Les said, "Just hold him like that, he'll be better in a few seconds."
I nodded and looked down at the convulsing boy and felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. Poor baby. In just a second, he halted the violent movements and let out a relieved breath before falling limp in my arms.
I looked up and noticed Oscar had disappeared before I looked over at Les, "What was that?"
"They call it a seizure," Les started, "He has 'em probably two to three times a day."
"Poor kid," I whimpered, casting my glance back downwards at the boy who was groggily leaning against me.
"He'll be fine in a few minutes, he's just got to get his strength back," Les said, as if he had seen this a million times before.
"Here," I suddenly heard a voice. I looked up and saw Oscar, his eyes looking worried as he held a glass of water and a handkerchief out to me.
"Thanks," I smiled warmly before taking the handkerchief and water. I dabbed the boys mouth, trying to dry up any excess saliva he spit up while having this seizure before handing him the glass of water, "Here Robbie, drink this."
He shakily took the water from me and took slow, small sips of the water as he slowly got his strength back.
"Are ye' a'right, kid?" Oscar asked after a moment of the small boy drinking water.
Robbie nodded and licked his lips sleepily, "Yeah, just tired."
"Do you want me to take you home?" I asked worriedly, rubbing his shoulder soothingly.
He shook his head, his shaggy brown hair falling into his big brown eyes, "No, I'm okay. I want to sell papers with you and Les."
"Well…" I looked up at Oscar, who just shrugged and turned back to organizing stacks of papers. I looked back down at Robbie and smiled sadly, "Alright. Just be careful, alright?"
"Okay," Robbie nodded as he shimmied out of my grip. He picked up his papers and had Les help him down the steps; they started conversing as I looked over at Oscar.
"Here," I said, handing him the half full glass of water.
Oscar took the glass from me and set it down on the desk next to him before turning back to me, "So… How did da newsies take it, exactly?"
"Well…" I scratched the back of my head nervously and looked around for a second, "They all took it fairly well… Except Skittery. But he's alright with it now."
"Good," Oscar smiled as he stood straight, "Dey betta' look afta' ye', 'cause if dey don't, I'm gonna haf ta kick some newsie asses."
"Is that as close to sentimental Oscar I'm gonna get?" I asked, smiling sweetly, yet tiredly.
"Yep," Oscar smiled smugly, "Now get ye' ass ta' work. Dem papa's don't sell demselves."
"Alright, alright, I'm going," I smiled, grabbing my papers, "See ye' later, Oscar."
"See ye'," He smiled sweetly before I started towards the gate with the kids.
I looked back at Oscar and noticed he was still looking at me, but he quickly turned away when I looked back at him. I smiled and chuckled under my breath, shaking my head in disbelief. There was a good guy in him somewhere, you just had to dig deep enough to find it.
