A/N: I'm trying to update as fast as I can, so excuse any spelling
mistakes and such. I want to get this story done with!! (Not that I don't
like it, but I reeeeally want to start a new fic)
Disclaimer: See other chapters.
`*`*`*`*`
Selley blinked in the bright sunlight, she sat on the statue's base in Newsies Square. Right where Blise had said Hearst would be.
"It's been an hour! He ain't comin'. Can we go now?" Smudge complained, her stomach grumbled in agreement.
"Jus' a bit longah." Diamonds replied. She stood on the Horace Greeley's shoulder, looking into the distance for any sign of Blise or Hearst.
Another hour passed with no results. It was obvious Hearst wasn't coming. Selley bit her lip in a sad gesture, she knew it couldn't have been true, but disappointed still welled up inside.
Diamonds sighed, finally agreeing that it was time to leave. She hopped off the statue and stuffed her hands in her pockets, "Sorry Sells. I.. I don't know. I guess I really t'ought he was comin'."
Smudge rolled her eyes, "I knew it all along."
They turned towards Tibby's, a denied hope hung above their heads, invisible.
Poem suddenly pointed back to the Square, a shining black carriage with the most beautiful and well-groomed horses the girls had ever seen, pulled in front.
A stately looking man with graying hair and shoes shined so well they glared in the sunlight. His attire was spotless, and fit perfectly. He even wore a black velvet top hat. He looked disgusted by the dirty ground and demanded one of his many assistants put his jacket on the ground. The girls' recognized the assistant as Blise.
The man harrumphed and turned towards the group of ragged girls staring at him a few feet away. He pointed at one of them and muttered something to Blise.
Blise nodded and walked briskly towards Selley. Selley didn't even resist when Blise took her hand and lead her over to Hearst.
Hearst lowered his head and looked at Selley. The other girls stared at the ridiculous scene in disbelief. Blise hadn't been lying. Hearst had actually wanted to see Selley. Chips' jaw was near the floor.
Hearst suddenly picked Selley up and swung her around, laughing. Selley giggled but still looked reluctant.
Hearst approached the other girls, Selley's hand still in his, "This 'Selley' as she is known, she is my daughter." He beamed with joy and started to lead Selley back to the carriage, Blise looked slightly sour.
The girls were silent. Nothing could be said about such an amazing event like that. Selley turned back to them and stared a little sadly.
She whispered something to Hearst, Hearst nodded slowly a few times before standing up.
He adjusted his hat and said, "Weasel is fired. I shall find someone who respects such. fine. young ladies like yourselves. Good day." He received no answer, no cheer, nothing. Just an astonished silence.
Selley waved at her friends, a sad smile on her face. She glanced at Hearst as he shouted orders towards the coachmen. He looked alright, she couldn't believe he was her father! The man she had despised for years, the man who didn't care about the newsies in the slightest, the man she wouldn't have dreamed to be related to in a million years.
He caught her eye and smiled nervously, he didn't know what to say. He, William Hearst, big time businessman, had no idea what to say to his own daughter. All he could think of was how filthy she was.
The carriage ride was an uncomfortable silence the entire way there. When it finally arrived at Hearst's enormous home, Selley was hardly able to move.
Hearst snapped a gloved hand; an assistant came running at once, no delay. He opened the door and bowed his head as Hearst climbed out. Selley reluctantly got out, wondering what her friends where doing now, what were they thinking?
"This is where you'll be living, Liesel. I hope, I hope you'll enjoy it here." Hearst smiled, "I've had all your accommodations prepared. You won't have to worry about sharing a room anymore."
Selley merely nodded, still gaping at the house. She was led through richly ornate halls, shown numerous rooms with golden accents and a staff of maids, cooks and anything else you could possibly imagine. It was like a palace from a fairy tale.
"I think before we sit down for dinner, perhaps you should get cleaned up." Hearst eyed Selley's stained clothing and rat's nest of hair. "This is Elise, she will draw a bath for you, and get you a new set of clothing."
Elise was a pleasant looking woman, her hair tied back into a strict bun. She took Selley by the hand and led her to a bathroom nearly the size of the lodging house bunkroom.
A porcelain tub filled with boiling water (a/n: I HAD to add that) stood in the middle, the steam curled into the air. Scents of lavender and thyme filled the room, drawing Selley into the tub. She relaxed until Elise started to scrub at her hair vigorously, using a silver handled brush to tear out the tangles. Selley winced as her hair seemed to be ripped out of her scalp.
She wrapped herself in a fluffy, luxurious towel and twirled around. She had never felt so clean in her life. She ran a hand through her now silky hair falling in natural waves down her back.
Elise left the bathroom for a moment, but returned an instant later with a white and gold embroidered dress, and gloves with matching stockings and real black leather shoes.
The clothes fit Selley perfectly, "But how did you know..?" Selley asked, looking in a mirror. A pretty, extravagant girl looked back at her.
"Your size? We calculated it, miss." Elise responded, tying Selley's hair back with a gold ribbon and braiding it.
Selley breathed deeply, she had never felt so good. Lonely, and scared, but good. She took one last look at herself before finally stepping down the marble stairs towards a dining room with silver finery.
Hearst was waiting for her in the dining room, she took a seat near him. She noticed a few other men sitting at the table, looking stately and wealthy. She shrank away from them all.
Hearst turned to her and smiled affectionately at her, she had cleaned up well. He took the picture from his dinner jacket and held it up to her face, he started to smile but stopped.
"This, this isn't my daughter!" He screeched, his eyes sliding from the picture to Selley. Selley looked up in surprise, she wasn't?
"This street rat is not Liesel! Blise you blithering fool, get over here NOW. Look! This girl doesn't have the birthmark on her neck! See? SEE?" Hearst murmured murderously, glaring at Blise and Selley. "Liesel has a birthmark on her neck, this urchin certainly does not. Take her away!"
Blise took the frightened Selley, leading her into the hallway where the staff stood glaring at her like she had fooled Hearst on her own.
"And Blise?" Hearst yelled from the dining room, "You're fired! No, arrested! For everything you've done."
Blise shook with rage and he flung Selley out the door. She landed roughly on the entrance porch. She could hear Hearst still fuming loudly inside. She sighed and threw the pretty shoes into the garden below. She would rather be barefoot than wear Hearst's stupid rich shoes.
'I feel sorry for Hearst's real daughter.' Selley thought to herself and walked out of Hearst's expansive yard into the dark streets, still crowded with people.
`*`*`*`*`
"I wondah what Selley, I mean Liesel is doin' now." Chips said aloud, sitting in the bunks.
Once the girls had recovered from their initial shock, they had gathered in the Lodging House, waiting for the boys to arrive after their day of selling.
"Probably eatin' everything we dream about!" Smudge growled, annoyed that everything she had thought a lie was true.
"I miss her." Poem mumbled, "She has ta live wid Hearst, I almost feel bad for her."
The others nodded.
------- From Derby: Gasp! What a weird chapter, lol. Anywho, more to come soon.
Disclaimer: See other chapters.
`*`*`*`*`
Selley blinked in the bright sunlight, she sat on the statue's base in Newsies Square. Right where Blise had said Hearst would be.
"It's been an hour! He ain't comin'. Can we go now?" Smudge complained, her stomach grumbled in agreement.
"Jus' a bit longah." Diamonds replied. She stood on the Horace Greeley's shoulder, looking into the distance for any sign of Blise or Hearst.
Another hour passed with no results. It was obvious Hearst wasn't coming. Selley bit her lip in a sad gesture, she knew it couldn't have been true, but disappointed still welled up inside.
Diamonds sighed, finally agreeing that it was time to leave. She hopped off the statue and stuffed her hands in her pockets, "Sorry Sells. I.. I don't know. I guess I really t'ought he was comin'."
Smudge rolled her eyes, "I knew it all along."
They turned towards Tibby's, a denied hope hung above their heads, invisible.
Poem suddenly pointed back to the Square, a shining black carriage with the most beautiful and well-groomed horses the girls had ever seen, pulled in front.
A stately looking man with graying hair and shoes shined so well they glared in the sunlight. His attire was spotless, and fit perfectly. He even wore a black velvet top hat. He looked disgusted by the dirty ground and demanded one of his many assistants put his jacket on the ground. The girls' recognized the assistant as Blise.
The man harrumphed and turned towards the group of ragged girls staring at him a few feet away. He pointed at one of them and muttered something to Blise.
Blise nodded and walked briskly towards Selley. Selley didn't even resist when Blise took her hand and lead her over to Hearst.
Hearst lowered his head and looked at Selley. The other girls stared at the ridiculous scene in disbelief. Blise hadn't been lying. Hearst had actually wanted to see Selley. Chips' jaw was near the floor.
Hearst suddenly picked Selley up and swung her around, laughing. Selley giggled but still looked reluctant.
Hearst approached the other girls, Selley's hand still in his, "This 'Selley' as she is known, she is my daughter." He beamed with joy and started to lead Selley back to the carriage, Blise looked slightly sour.
The girls were silent. Nothing could be said about such an amazing event like that. Selley turned back to them and stared a little sadly.
She whispered something to Hearst, Hearst nodded slowly a few times before standing up.
He adjusted his hat and said, "Weasel is fired. I shall find someone who respects such. fine. young ladies like yourselves. Good day." He received no answer, no cheer, nothing. Just an astonished silence.
Selley waved at her friends, a sad smile on her face. She glanced at Hearst as he shouted orders towards the coachmen. He looked alright, she couldn't believe he was her father! The man she had despised for years, the man who didn't care about the newsies in the slightest, the man she wouldn't have dreamed to be related to in a million years.
He caught her eye and smiled nervously, he didn't know what to say. He, William Hearst, big time businessman, had no idea what to say to his own daughter. All he could think of was how filthy she was.
The carriage ride was an uncomfortable silence the entire way there. When it finally arrived at Hearst's enormous home, Selley was hardly able to move.
Hearst snapped a gloved hand; an assistant came running at once, no delay. He opened the door and bowed his head as Hearst climbed out. Selley reluctantly got out, wondering what her friends where doing now, what were they thinking?
"This is where you'll be living, Liesel. I hope, I hope you'll enjoy it here." Hearst smiled, "I've had all your accommodations prepared. You won't have to worry about sharing a room anymore."
Selley merely nodded, still gaping at the house. She was led through richly ornate halls, shown numerous rooms with golden accents and a staff of maids, cooks and anything else you could possibly imagine. It was like a palace from a fairy tale.
"I think before we sit down for dinner, perhaps you should get cleaned up." Hearst eyed Selley's stained clothing and rat's nest of hair. "This is Elise, she will draw a bath for you, and get you a new set of clothing."
Elise was a pleasant looking woman, her hair tied back into a strict bun. She took Selley by the hand and led her to a bathroom nearly the size of the lodging house bunkroom.
A porcelain tub filled with boiling water (a/n: I HAD to add that) stood in the middle, the steam curled into the air. Scents of lavender and thyme filled the room, drawing Selley into the tub. She relaxed until Elise started to scrub at her hair vigorously, using a silver handled brush to tear out the tangles. Selley winced as her hair seemed to be ripped out of her scalp.
She wrapped herself in a fluffy, luxurious towel and twirled around. She had never felt so clean in her life. She ran a hand through her now silky hair falling in natural waves down her back.
Elise left the bathroom for a moment, but returned an instant later with a white and gold embroidered dress, and gloves with matching stockings and real black leather shoes.
The clothes fit Selley perfectly, "But how did you know..?" Selley asked, looking in a mirror. A pretty, extravagant girl looked back at her.
"Your size? We calculated it, miss." Elise responded, tying Selley's hair back with a gold ribbon and braiding it.
Selley breathed deeply, she had never felt so good. Lonely, and scared, but good. She took one last look at herself before finally stepping down the marble stairs towards a dining room with silver finery.
Hearst was waiting for her in the dining room, she took a seat near him. She noticed a few other men sitting at the table, looking stately and wealthy. She shrank away from them all.
Hearst turned to her and smiled affectionately at her, she had cleaned up well. He took the picture from his dinner jacket and held it up to her face, he started to smile but stopped.
"This, this isn't my daughter!" He screeched, his eyes sliding from the picture to Selley. Selley looked up in surprise, she wasn't?
"This street rat is not Liesel! Blise you blithering fool, get over here NOW. Look! This girl doesn't have the birthmark on her neck! See? SEE?" Hearst murmured murderously, glaring at Blise and Selley. "Liesel has a birthmark on her neck, this urchin certainly does not. Take her away!"
Blise took the frightened Selley, leading her into the hallway where the staff stood glaring at her like she had fooled Hearst on her own.
"And Blise?" Hearst yelled from the dining room, "You're fired! No, arrested! For everything you've done."
Blise shook with rage and he flung Selley out the door. She landed roughly on the entrance porch. She could hear Hearst still fuming loudly inside. She sighed and threw the pretty shoes into the garden below. She would rather be barefoot than wear Hearst's stupid rich shoes.
'I feel sorry for Hearst's real daughter.' Selley thought to herself and walked out of Hearst's expansive yard into the dark streets, still crowded with people.
`*`*`*`*`
"I wondah what Selley, I mean Liesel is doin' now." Chips said aloud, sitting in the bunks.
Once the girls had recovered from their initial shock, they had gathered in the Lodging House, waiting for the boys to arrive after their day of selling.
"Probably eatin' everything we dream about!" Smudge growled, annoyed that everything she had thought a lie was true.
"I miss her." Poem mumbled, "She has ta live wid Hearst, I almost feel bad for her."
The others nodded.
------- From Derby: Gasp! What a weird chapter, lol. Anywho, more to come soon.
