DISCLAIMER: None of the characters from the movie Newsies belong to me. Sorry to have surprised you so. They actually belong to Disney. . However, the very distinguishable and agreeable Lucas 'Runner' Conlon belongs to me. *grins*
A.N. IMPORTANTE: This is a chapter, and yet it's not. It's like…a mini-chapter per say. You see, as many of you probably already know, I can no longer make chapters of author notes and since I had a very urgent announcement to relate to you, my beloved readers, I had to scribble this chapter out as to not have my story taken off completely. Now that would truly be disheartening. *frowns* Well, in any case…here's the next mini-chapter (which will be soon removed and replaced with a full-length chapter) and following it is my GRAND ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!! Oh, by the way, I got accepted into Rollins College!!!! But that's *not* the grand announcement. ^_^ Well, read on, my darlings! And THANK YOU for all the reviews. Truly, I thank you.
Just a Little Bet
Angel and Blink were dallying about in Central Park closely following the events passing at Tibby's in which Vixen and Jack had completely exploded at each other with a vengeful wrath. The former couple, however, were now at peace with one another despite the past preceding their making-up, for Angel had long ago decided that perhaps Blink's constant apologizing to her were in fact genuine and truly heart-felt. Though not yet officially together, they were quite close to being so.
It came to pass that within an hour of their having enjoyed themselves at the fairly occupied Park that Blink happened to pass by a girl he knew quite well. His face reddening with worry, he tried to turn quickly with Angel and start for another path, but the other girl had already espied him and called out to the eye-patch wearing newsie with an enthused wave. "Blink! Heya, Blink!"
He turned back around to face her, though the action was executed rather miserably, and forced a smile on his face. "Hey Jewel, what's kickin'?"
Jewel grinned at the greeting, but when she saw Blink's hand in the soft grasp of a girl whom she didn't know, the smile instantly dropped. Arching an eyebrow at the sight, she put her hands on her hips and smirked. "Oh? And who's dis? Another goil fa ya repertoire?" She then had the effrontery to reach out for Blink's free hand and yank him out of Angel's hold. "Aw, baby. What about us? What about all the fun we'se was havin' just weeks ago? Ya aint gunna pass up all those good times, are ya?"
"Jewel, listen, I aint into that stuff no more. I don't wanna go from goil ta goil no more, I want a relationship…"
"A relationship?" She grimaced in disgust and let him go. "Ya real changed, ya know that, Blink?" Shaking her head as if she still couldn't believe the words that had come out of his mouth, she started to back away from him, no longer wanting anything to do with a guy pursuing confounded relationships. "Look, ya goil's already left ya," she said, before turning around and going back to hustling the upper class gentlemen with her shallow words and body.
Blink spun around and saw that Angel was retreating to a bench beside a massive fountain, no doubt offended by Jewel's words and bold declarations. He hurried to her and sat on the bench, but when he tried to put his arms around her in apology, she clearly held up her hand and glared to him as if to say 'don't even start'. "Angel, listen, I'm sorry. I mean, I can't help people I knows from comin' up ta me, but I can help fallin' into their traps again. She means nothin' ta me, Angel. Maybe once upon a time she did, but I got youse now, and ya all I want." He took her hand gently and kissed her lightly, staring into her eyes with a sincerity she couldn't deny. "Please…I wanna start over wid ya, baby…"
Angel didn't want to forgive him so easily, but she knew a pardon was due. However, she couldn't get Jewel's words out of her head. Another girl for his repertoire? What was that supposed to mean? No, she knew very well what it meant and didn't like it at all. But…wait. Blink was sorry, wasn't he? Why should she hold something against him that was beyond his control, that something being the random outbursts of an obviously jealous girl? Why should she hold his past against him?
"Blink…"
"No, listen ta me…" He then made so unashamed a move as to drop to his knees right in front of her despite the bustling crowds of people making their way pass the couple and took both her hands in his. "Please, I'm literally beggin' ya, Angel. Please take me back. Ya the only goil I'se known who has class, ya the only goil I can imagine myself bein' wid. I'm puttin' me past behind me, baby. My eyes is only on youse. Please…gimme another chance…"
She looked at him with a saddened expression. She knew how hard it was for him to say such a thing. For that matter, she knew how hard it was for any guy to renounce his pride and intentionally trample upon it with his own feet to show the girl he loved his true feelings for her. Smiling then, she leaned over and tipped up his chin, kissed him hard on, and told him she couldn't dream of being with any other man but him.
* * * * * * *
It had been three consecutive days in which Becca hadn't made an appearance at the Sheepstead stables and Charles was beginning to worry in spite of himself. True the girl had proven to be quite difficult at first, but her true disposition had broken through the facade and she'd turned out to be a chaste sweetheart; well, a would-be chaste one were it not for the malevolent intentions of her father and the men to which she'd been traded off like a discarded doll.
It was while he was muttering curses at the horses-only at them, though, never to them-that he heard the door to the stables creak open on its rusty hinges. He looked up half indifferently but then dropped the pail he was currently holding when he saw it to be the very girl who'd distracted his mind the past few days. "Becca!" he explained, nearing her with a smile. It was only when he was within yard's distance of her when he saw the tears streaking her face. "Becca, what's wrong!"
She shook her head weakly and tried to pass farther into the stable to sit upon a haystack next to her favorite horse, Jumper, but Charles remained in her way and at last she could no nothing more than look up at him with those sweet brown eyes with a cherubic sensitivity akin to that of a child. "It's Race…it's like he's avoiding me or something. This is the second time this day I've gone to the Manhattan lodging house where he lives and just as the other times I went yesterday and the day before, he hasn't been there at all. It's as if he's staying in Brooklyn or one of the other boroughs…just so he won't have to see me. But I don't get it, Charles. We…everything was worked out just fine…"
Charles put an arm delicately around her shoulders and led her to a crate where he motioned her to take a seat while he kneeled on the ground beside her and thought upon what she had said. "Becca, maybe 'e's just busy wid…newsboy stuff. I highly doubt 'e's avoiding ye."
"He's not Manhattan's leader! Any newsie stuff that would have to be taken care of would be done by Jack, not Race!" She slouched on her crate of a seat and thought all the worse. Was he finally realizing her physical impurities and had fled for a more virtuous girl? Had he grown tired of her, sickened? "I thought he loved me…"
"Becca, you're bloody daft! D'ya realize how much the lad's been pursuin' ye? I thought it all quite ridiculously truly, for 'im to be so infatuated and in love. Don't worry, lass. I'm sure wherever 'e is, ya on his mind." He rubbed her back with a smile, trying desperately to cheer the poor girl up.
She took notice of his efforts and figured she'd at least oblige him with a smile in gratification. But that night, as she lay in the bed of her small apartment, she wondered what could possibly be bothering Racetrack. She had to find him, to speak with him and ask him whether his unending absences were result of her past. "Oh God, please don't take him away from me…"
* * * * * * *
Race hurriedly made his way through the streets of Harlem, pulling his threadbare vest closer against him as the weather was dropping unusually low. He only had a few minutes to make it to the Manhattan lodging house; just a millisecond late of this time allotted and he'd be forced to sleep outside, for the lodge's doors were locked promptly at midnight.
"All this fa a couple a' bucks," he muttered to himself. But if he were honest to his mentality, he'd know instantly it didn't bother him in the least. For the past three days, he'd been going to various poker games across the state, visiting with newsies from different boroughs and winning-or losing, which happened often-money from heated card games. Tonight, he'd pocketed $9.17 from a total of six games…which wasn't a very good average now that he mused over it, but added up to his winnings from the previous days and it reached a nice total of just over 25 dollars. He was beaming.
"Becca, I hope ya say 'yes' when I finally have 'nough money ta buy the ring…"
He reached the lodging house just as Kloppman was about to close the door, hurried upstairs, and happily stored the money in the sock he was keeping stuffed in his pillowcase. Then, with a sigh of content, he laid down onto his bunk and easily fell asleep.
* * * * * * *
ANNOUNCEMENT TIME!!!! *does a back flip* First of all, I think I'll keep this chapter after all. All right, here we go!
Yours Truly, Dewey, has decided to create a brand spanking new Newsies RP yahoo group called "The Newsie Brigade". It's a community where fellow Newsie lovers can unite and RP and just overall have fun! We haven't started a storyline yet because I'm still recruiting members, but soon enough, when the member population is at a reasonable number, we'll be on our way!
I'm currently working on a site, on the rules, and a list of orders on how exactly this all will work out. But until then, you can still join the group and introduce yourself to the others. It should be fun. ^_^ The only things I don't accept are: posts over an R rating (smut has to be labeled with a warning) and Slash. But heya, you can read a more in-depth description at the group's yahoo site. All I need you to do is leave a review with your email address so that I can send you an invitation to join. (Don't think because you're logged onto ff.net that I can easily obtain your email address, it'd be ten times easier if you could just write it in the review. ^_^ ))
Well, I hope all of you are interested! You can have as many characters as you like, and let your crazy imagination run wild. ^_^ Oh, and for you Runner fans, I will be including him in this. Hehehe. I'm sure it'll work out to be a very nice little group. So remember, leave me your email in a review if you'd like an invitation to JOIN JOIN JOIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
