I don't own the Newsies (I only own Ryan/Jester, Linda/Sunshine, Skunk,
Mouth, and a few others I can't think of now
Ch 4- Midnight Rendezvous
The night had ended uneventfully enough (with much 'keep away' being played with Linda's hat). Eventually they all settled down and all that could be heard was the breathing of the boys. Linda was up, looking out of a window. The moon was full and the bunkroom was illuminated by the white light. She smiled to herself and tried to forget, if only for a little while, what she had come from. She thought about Ryan and Mouth and the rest of her new friends. She had never really had any good friends. Most of the time she preferred to be alone, and she didn't fuss with her hair and makeup and clothes like other girls did. She had only worn the dress that day because she knew her father wanted her to. She had also bought a nice light shirt for the summer and a pair of pants. Thoughts began to cross her mind like clouds across the moon. She thought about her Dad and missed him a lot. She then thought about her mom, and how much she missed her. These thoughts then led back to why she was in New York City. The familiar rage started to build in her chest as she thought about what they had done to her mother. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she let them come. After a few minutes she got up and went to the washroom. They cold water on her face was refreshing after the hot tears. Linda walked over to the small staircase that led to the roof. She wondered if it was off limits but decided to go up anyway, even if it was. The cool May night air felt good after being cooped up in the train then in the boarding house. She smiled and remembered the good times she had had with her mother. She always knew just how to make her daughter feel better. She could still feel her mother's arms around her and her kiss on the top of her head. "Good night, Momma" she said to the moon, feeling like a little girl again. She then thought about her Dad and how he well he had taken care of her. She knew it was tough for a younger workingman to come home and take care of a little girl, but he had done it with no complaints. She could see why he had gotten the reputation that he did. He was strict with things that had to do with her safety, but he was reasonable as well. He cared about her a lot. That's why he had sent her away. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard something behind her. She whipped around to see what it was and moved behind a crate so she couldn't be seen. He familiar thrill of fear, excitement, and dread pulsed through her veins. She had gotten used to hiding from people she didn't know. Years of being hunted had taught her that. The men who had murdered her mother right before her eyes had left her alone for a while. They thought Spot would stop publishing his paper if he lost his wife. He had refused to bend to them and his daughter payed for it with a life of living in constant fear. Any noise at night scared her, she feared that they would return for her. A few seconds later, the trap door, her only means of escape, opened. Vixen, the girl that had been talking with Mouth earlier that day, stepped out. She didn't look as mean as she tried to appear to be. She had grown up in New York, and knew the streets well. She could defend herself to a point, but she always had Mouth or Ryan to help her. They were like her older brothers. She didn't want anyone taking them away from her. She knew by the way Ryan had looked at her that this new girl was going to mean problems for her. Linda stepped out from her hiding place and Vixen gasped when she saw her.
"You scared me" she growled, not wanting to have to deal with the new girl yet.
"Sorry. I just wanted to get some fresh air." She said evenly. She didn't want to insult Vixen before she knew exactly what Vixen thought of her. It wouldn't do her any good making enemies if she didn't' have to. Vixen just looked at her, like a cat would look at a parakeet. She had gotten her mane for being a heartbreaker, but she didn't lead guys on.
"That's okay. I just didn't expect anyone to be up here. I thought I was the only night owl in this place." she smiled. If this girl was going to leave, there was no point in being mean. Linda sat down on a crate close to her.
" I was just thinking about how different yet similar it is here. I mean, New York is bigger, but there are some similar things in Chicago, like Newsies." She looked out at the faded skyline.
"Speaking of Chicago, how long are you staying?" she asked, in a carefully friendly yet nonchalant tone.
"I don't' know. Maybe never," she replied in he same tone, knowing what her game was. She didn't want to be friends, she wanted her gone. Fine with me, Linda thought. She stood up and pretended to yawn.
"It's late and I have to get up early. Nice talking to you."
"You too,"
"Good night" Linda added as she disappeared down the stairs.
"Maybe for you," Vixen muttered, just not soft enough for Linda not to hear her.
Ch 4- Midnight Rendezvous
The night had ended uneventfully enough (with much 'keep away' being played with Linda's hat). Eventually they all settled down and all that could be heard was the breathing of the boys. Linda was up, looking out of a window. The moon was full and the bunkroom was illuminated by the white light. She smiled to herself and tried to forget, if only for a little while, what she had come from. She thought about Ryan and Mouth and the rest of her new friends. She had never really had any good friends. Most of the time she preferred to be alone, and she didn't fuss with her hair and makeup and clothes like other girls did. She had only worn the dress that day because she knew her father wanted her to. She had also bought a nice light shirt for the summer and a pair of pants. Thoughts began to cross her mind like clouds across the moon. She thought about her Dad and missed him a lot. She then thought about her mom, and how much she missed her. These thoughts then led back to why she was in New York City. The familiar rage started to build in her chest as she thought about what they had done to her mother. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she let them come. After a few minutes she got up and went to the washroom. They cold water on her face was refreshing after the hot tears. Linda walked over to the small staircase that led to the roof. She wondered if it was off limits but decided to go up anyway, even if it was. The cool May night air felt good after being cooped up in the train then in the boarding house. She smiled and remembered the good times she had had with her mother. She always knew just how to make her daughter feel better. She could still feel her mother's arms around her and her kiss on the top of her head. "Good night, Momma" she said to the moon, feeling like a little girl again. She then thought about her Dad and how he well he had taken care of her. She knew it was tough for a younger workingman to come home and take care of a little girl, but he had done it with no complaints. She could see why he had gotten the reputation that he did. He was strict with things that had to do with her safety, but he was reasonable as well. He cared about her a lot. That's why he had sent her away. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard something behind her. She whipped around to see what it was and moved behind a crate so she couldn't be seen. He familiar thrill of fear, excitement, and dread pulsed through her veins. She had gotten used to hiding from people she didn't know. Years of being hunted had taught her that. The men who had murdered her mother right before her eyes had left her alone for a while. They thought Spot would stop publishing his paper if he lost his wife. He had refused to bend to them and his daughter payed for it with a life of living in constant fear. Any noise at night scared her, she feared that they would return for her. A few seconds later, the trap door, her only means of escape, opened. Vixen, the girl that had been talking with Mouth earlier that day, stepped out. She didn't look as mean as she tried to appear to be. She had grown up in New York, and knew the streets well. She could defend herself to a point, but she always had Mouth or Ryan to help her. They were like her older brothers. She didn't want anyone taking them away from her. She knew by the way Ryan had looked at her that this new girl was going to mean problems for her. Linda stepped out from her hiding place and Vixen gasped when she saw her.
"You scared me" she growled, not wanting to have to deal with the new girl yet.
"Sorry. I just wanted to get some fresh air." She said evenly. She didn't want to insult Vixen before she knew exactly what Vixen thought of her. It wouldn't do her any good making enemies if she didn't' have to. Vixen just looked at her, like a cat would look at a parakeet. She had gotten her mane for being a heartbreaker, but she didn't lead guys on.
"That's okay. I just didn't expect anyone to be up here. I thought I was the only night owl in this place." she smiled. If this girl was going to leave, there was no point in being mean. Linda sat down on a crate close to her.
" I was just thinking about how different yet similar it is here. I mean, New York is bigger, but there are some similar things in Chicago, like Newsies." She looked out at the faded skyline.
"Speaking of Chicago, how long are you staying?" she asked, in a carefully friendly yet nonchalant tone.
"I don't' know. Maybe never," she replied in he same tone, knowing what her game was. She didn't want to be friends, she wanted her gone. Fine with me, Linda thought. She stood up and pretended to yawn.
"It's late and I have to get up early. Nice talking to you."
"You too,"
"Good night" Linda added as she disappeared down the stairs.
"Maybe for you," Vixen muttered, just not soft enough for Linda not to hear her.
