Disclaimer: OK by now I'm sure that you all know the drill, I don't own the
newsies. If I did, I'd be writing an actual sequal, not posting it here for
free. Anyway I'm just gonna write this once, but it goes for every chapter
of this story. Oh by the way, I did come up with the original characters,
but if you want to use them go for it!
Princess
Before you start to think me crazy, let me explain myself. My name is Erin O'Farrell, and this is the story of my life, well at least them most recent years of my life. You see I was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland where the first fourteen years of my life passed by rather uneventfully. That is until 1900 when my whole family packed up and shipped off to America. Even then everything was going well. That is until we docked.
My sister and Riona and I excitedly mingled around the crowded halls of the Ellis Island immigration building. Suddenly, a young man caught my attention. I was after all a fifteen-year-old girl. When I turned to point him out to Riona, who, at a sixteen appreciated the opposite sex as much (if not more) than I did, she had vanished into the sea of people.
For a very long year, my parents and my brother never let me out of their sight. They were careful to escort me around to where I absolutely needed to be, and keep me away from anything with the potential of harm. In retrospect, I can understand the motives behind their protectiveness, but at the time it was suffocating. On top of it all, my sister's name or any remnants of her existence became taboo in our household. It was unnerving that I was the only one who had not forgotten her.
After a full year had passed, I could feel my patience spreading thinner and thinner. I had high hopes that things would change for us; that the winds of change would finally blow favorably on my family. I thought wrong.
Granted, those proverbial winds did come; but instead of bringing happiness, they introduced us to a young man by the name of Whesley Wade. He and Donavan met a few months into semester and the two became close friends, which I will never understand. The two are as different as night and day. Nevertheless, Whesley became part of our lives, for better or for worse.
One clammy spring night not long after they had met, I was walking passed Donavan's room when I heard muffled voices. Without giving it a second thought, I leaned closer to the door, which had conveniently been left open slightly. Now before you begin to hate me and call me a snoop, remember, I was a sixteen-year-old girl, that's just the way that it works.
"You have to believe me O'Farrell. This girl is the epitome of street rat," Whesley said, a slight chuckle in his voice. "But she has the best body that I've ever seen on a dame."
I shook my head on the other side of the door. You've got to be kidding me.
My brother laughed uncomfortably. "You must be joking. There is no way that your parents would approve of you courting a newsie!"
"Exactly!"
I couldn't believe this guy. Did he have any conscience whatsoever?
I could just imagine the confused look on my brother's face. "Excuse me?"
"Try using that brain of yours for once Donavan." For once the boy was right. Don't get me wrong, my brother's intelligent, however very dense. "There's no better revenge than telling your parents that you want to spend time with the lowlifes of the city."
Ok now I know what you're thinking, but my life wasn't that sheltered. I knew enough to realize that a poor female newsie was being used to make the Wades suffer. However demented and wrong, I did understand his intentions. Give me a little credit.
Too disgusted by the thought of his plans, I turned down the hall before Whesley exited the room. Unfortunately, I was a few seconds too late. He suddenly materialized before me. "Why hello Erin my darling," he said, taking my hand to kiss. I jerked it back quickly and walked toward my bedroom.
Much to my dismay, I couldn't get the boys' conversation out of my head. I couldn't help but wonder who this poor girl was. Beginning to feel responsible for warning her about Whesley's sleazy ways, I became determined to at least search for her.
The next morning on the way to school, the opportunity literally tapped me on the shoulder.
"Buy a paper miss?" I spun around to see an astonishingly handsome newsie standing directly behind me. He quickly removed his bowl shaped hat to reveal short careless brown curls.
Noticing that Donavan had continued up the street without me, I decided that this was a perfect opportunity. "Sure."
His eyes danced happily behind the thin wire glasses that rested on his nose. "The name's Specs," he said sweetly, handing me a paper.
"Erin," I returned, as calmly as possible. There was a moment of silence, then I quickly added. "This might sound strange, but do you know of any news girls from around here?"
He looked at me strangely, but answered anyway, "You must be thinkin of Queeny. Do ya know her?" "No.I." Before I had time to formulate an answer, Donavan was calling me from up the street. "I have to."
Specs nodded. "It was very nice to meet you Erin. Maybe I'll run into you again sometime."
I smiled, unable to control the crimson that rose up into my cheeks. "I would like that very much. It was nice to meet you too." I extended a hand to him, but before he could react, Donavan grabbed me by the wrist, guiding me down the street.
To be continued.
Princess
Before you start to think me crazy, let me explain myself. My name is Erin O'Farrell, and this is the story of my life, well at least them most recent years of my life. You see I was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland where the first fourteen years of my life passed by rather uneventfully. That is until 1900 when my whole family packed up and shipped off to America. Even then everything was going well. That is until we docked.
My sister and Riona and I excitedly mingled around the crowded halls of the Ellis Island immigration building. Suddenly, a young man caught my attention. I was after all a fifteen-year-old girl. When I turned to point him out to Riona, who, at a sixteen appreciated the opposite sex as much (if not more) than I did, she had vanished into the sea of people.
For a very long year, my parents and my brother never let me out of their sight. They were careful to escort me around to where I absolutely needed to be, and keep me away from anything with the potential of harm. In retrospect, I can understand the motives behind their protectiveness, but at the time it was suffocating. On top of it all, my sister's name or any remnants of her existence became taboo in our household. It was unnerving that I was the only one who had not forgotten her.
After a full year had passed, I could feel my patience spreading thinner and thinner. I had high hopes that things would change for us; that the winds of change would finally blow favorably on my family. I thought wrong.
Granted, those proverbial winds did come; but instead of bringing happiness, they introduced us to a young man by the name of Whesley Wade. He and Donavan met a few months into semester and the two became close friends, which I will never understand. The two are as different as night and day. Nevertheless, Whesley became part of our lives, for better or for worse.
One clammy spring night not long after they had met, I was walking passed Donavan's room when I heard muffled voices. Without giving it a second thought, I leaned closer to the door, which had conveniently been left open slightly. Now before you begin to hate me and call me a snoop, remember, I was a sixteen-year-old girl, that's just the way that it works.
"You have to believe me O'Farrell. This girl is the epitome of street rat," Whesley said, a slight chuckle in his voice. "But she has the best body that I've ever seen on a dame."
I shook my head on the other side of the door. You've got to be kidding me.
My brother laughed uncomfortably. "You must be joking. There is no way that your parents would approve of you courting a newsie!"
"Exactly!"
I couldn't believe this guy. Did he have any conscience whatsoever?
I could just imagine the confused look on my brother's face. "Excuse me?"
"Try using that brain of yours for once Donavan." For once the boy was right. Don't get me wrong, my brother's intelligent, however very dense. "There's no better revenge than telling your parents that you want to spend time with the lowlifes of the city."
Ok now I know what you're thinking, but my life wasn't that sheltered. I knew enough to realize that a poor female newsie was being used to make the Wades suffer. However demented and wrong, I did understand his intentions. Give me a little credit.
Too disgusted by the thought of his plans, I turned down the hall before Whesley exited the room. Unfortunately, I was a few seconds too late. He suddenly materialized before me. "Why hello Erin my darling," he said, taking my hand to kiss. I jerked it back quickly and walked toward my bedroom.
Much to my dismay, I couldn't get the boys' conversation out of my head. I couldn't help but wonder who this poor girl was. Beginning to feel responsible for warning her about Whesley's sleazy ways, I became determined to at least search for her.
The next morning on the way to school, the opportunity literally tapped me on the shoulder.
"Buy a paper miss?" I spun around to see an astonishingly handsome newsie standing directly behind me. He quickly removed his bowl shaped hat to reveal short careless brown curls.
Noticing that Donavan had continued up the street without me, I decided that this was a perfect opportunity. "Sure."
His eyes danced happily behind the thin wire glasses that rested on his nose. "The name's Specs," he said sweetly, handing me a paper.
"Erin," I returned, as calmly as possible. There was a moment of silence, then I quickly added. "This might sound strange, but do you know of any news girls from around here?"
He looked at me strangely, but answered anyway, "You must be thinkin of Queeny. Do ya know her?" "No.I." Before I had time to formulate an answer, Donavan was calling me from up the street. "I have to."
Specs nodded. "It was very nice to meet you Erin. Maybe I'll run into you again sometime."
I smiled, unable to control the crimson that rose up into my cheeks. "I would like that very much. It was nice to meet you too." I extended a hand to him, but before he could react, Donavan grabbed me by the wrist, guiding me down the street.
To be continued.