Joining Forces
Chapter Four
Disclaimer: We don't own newsies, get over it. We do own Bee and Kelli.
Kelli was able to sell some of her papers with no trouble. This is easy. She thought to herself. But as the day went on, it became harder. Most people in the area she was selling, had already bought papers by the time they got to her. Moving quickly to find a new selling spot, a nasty wind picked up, blowing most of her papes into a nearby puddle, ruined. Dang it. She thought to herself, looking at the smaller supply on papers in her hand. Only four left.
"Tough foist day?" Someone spoke to her. She looked up, and saw Racetrack.
"How could you tell?" She asked sarcastically. He nodded his head towards the soggy newspapers on the ground. She grinned. "Makes it a whole lot easier." She laughed.
"Gimme dose." He told her, taking the last four, selling them quickly, handing her the money he had made.
"No, you earned it." She told him, pushing the money back in his hand. Sighing, he didn't argue, and accepted the money.
"Can't find Bee?" He asked her, not wanting to leave her alone. Kelli sighed.
"Nope. She said she would meet me at the lodging house tonight. It's only mid-afternoon, and I don't know the city that well." Kelli's voice trailed off. She looked up to the sky, lost in thought. Race followed her gaze.
"Somet'ink up dere?" He asked, walking up to her side. Being brought back to reality, Kelli looked away.
"No. You done selling already?" She asked him, noticing he had no papers in his hands. He nodded proudly.
"Don't take to long dese days. Seems dat da headlines are pretty good, ya don't really gots ta spice em up." He smirked.
"What do you do when you're done selling papes?" Kelli asked him, curious to know what the boys did after they sold. This made Race smirk.
"I could show ya if ya want." He smiled, taking her hand.
Bee sold her papes in record time, and quickly made her way to Brooklyn. She wanted to do as much as she could, and she wanted to be close to Spot. The kiss he had given her made her curious about what they had, but she didn't want to push the issue just yet.
Hurrying toward the lodging house, Bee saw many boys going in and out. She ran quickly in the door, looking around for Spot.
"Bee!" She heard someone call out to her, turning around she saw Shackles coming towards her. "So glad you're here. We need loads of help. Think you can go back to 'Hattan and get some of those boys over here? Bring that cocky little chick too. But don't tell Spot that I said that." Shackles said to her, hurrying back to a few injured boys. Discouraged that she was being sent back out, she reluctantly strode out of the lodging house and back to Manhattan.
When she got back to the Manhattan lodging house, she found most of the boys sitting around a small card table playing poker.
"Get off ya lazy bums!" She said, startling many of them.
"Whoa Bee, calm down. What's up?" David Jacobs asked her. She was rather surprised to see him there, he never usually stayed at the lodging house. "Spot, well not just Spot, but Brooklyn needs us. Dey didn't say why, but, but, Shackles asked me fer help. He needs us ta go an' help them. Dere was a bunch more injured den we thought." Bee told them desperately. Almost immediately the boys stood up and began to walk for the door.
"Hold on jus' a sec!" Jack's voice rang over the noise. "Nobody's gonna anywheah! Now y'all jus' sit down an' finish da game!" Jack commanded. Hesitantly, the newsies listened, and filed back into the room. Bee couldn't believe it.
"Jack!" She practically yelled. "Dey need us!" He only nodded at first.
"Course dey do. Later, alrigh'. Now, Bee, calm down an' stay heah. Ya ain't gonna go back tanight." He told her. She couldn't believe her ears, but reluctantly obeyed, not wanting to cause trouble.
"God, we've been walking forever." Kelli said as she allowed herself to be pulled along by Racetrack.
"Almost there." He told her, grinning.
"Race, that's your name right?" She asked. He nodded.
"How did you get your name?" She asked curiously, remembering the time when he had given her the name Dazzle.
"This," He started, coming to a halt, "is how I got my name." He beamed. She looked up from the ground and saw she was standing in front of the entrance of Sheepshead Bay.Squinting at the building, at the building, Kelli asked, "What does this place have to do with your name? They could have just named you Sheepshead."
"Ya probly want da whole story." He said and she nodded. He sat down on the curb and she followed suit. "Well, my folks came ta America from Italy when me mudder was pregnant wit me. I was born here. We neva had much money. When me parents died, I went to the Lodging House and became a newsie. After about 6 months, I went here and sold my papes. It became my selling spot. When I had a little extra money, I would bet on the horses. Dat's how I got my name." He told her.
"Wow, I'm sorry about your parents. So, are we going in or what?" she asked.
"Yea. Let's go in. We got bout 2 hours 'fore dinner. Let's see if we can make some extra money." He said. They went in and some people greeted them.
"Hello, Racetrack. And who's this little lady?" one of the men asked, winking at them.
Kelli opened her mouth to reply, but Race beat her to it. "Dis is Dazzle. She came here from Maine and Bee's her cousin. I brought her to see the racetracks."
"Yea, and that's all I'm here for, so don't get any ideas." She warned.
Race laughed, "Ya know, you'd make a fine newsie. Sure got enough spunk. Ya just have to learn to sell. Tell ya what. I'll sell wit ya tomorrow. It'll be easier ta sell if ya're not sellin wit a love-sick goil who's desperate ta get back ta Brooklyn." He offered.
Kelli smiled. "I'd like that. What are you talking about? Bee's love-sick?"
"Can't take her eyes off Brooklyn, now can she?" he asked and Kelli groaned. "What's da matta?"
"Does anyone here talk about something 'sides him?" she asked angrily, and then looked surprised.
"Ya're talkin like a New Yawker. Finally. Don't worry bout it. You would've had ta eventually. So, what do ya say, let me show ya what I like ta do here and then we head ova ta Tibby's for dinner?" he asked.
"Sound's fine, I guess." Kelli said, careful of her words. Racetrack led her over to the stalls.
"Dis here is numba 10. I like ta call her Peachblossom. She's a real feisty one. Usually bet on her." He said, patting the large horse.
"Why do you call her Peachblossom if she's feisty?" Kelli asked.
"Well, Dazzle," he began and Kelli scowled at the name. "I'm not too sure. Just like it, I gess. So, we goin ta Tibby's or what? I'se starving."
Kelli nodded, "Yup. So, how far is Tibby's, anyways?" she asked.
"Bout 15 minutes away, if we walk at a good pace." He said, walking out of Sheepshead Bay.
"Great. Well, bye Peachblossom. I might see you again." Kelli said, following Racetrack.
"Who says I'll take ya back there?" he teased.
"If you don't, I'll go there myself. I've been around horses a lot. I lived in the country. It's so different here." Kelli said.
They walked quickly, Race telling her about New York and some stories he had. They soon got to a small restaurant called Tibby's and went in.
a/n
There you go. Much fun huh? It's kinda just a filler chapter! Thanks to our reviewers!
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