"Aight ladies. Let's get goin! Vi, I's gettin' yous papes today so you can watch Mousie." Woozle said and picked her hair up in a bun and put her newsie cap on. "Aight. Here's duh money." Vi said as she handed her the money for her papes. "Thanks, we'll be back in a while." Woozle smiled and left with Kid and Snippy. "Aight, so here's the plan, you gotta let yous hair down though. Gotta let him see ya as a lady and not just a newsie." Snippy said and took off Woozle's hat. "Oh, and we gonna call you by yous first name so ya seem even more like a lady." Kid added as Snippy undid Woozle's bun. "Okay, yous think it'll work?" She asked. "Jessamy, it'll work. We promise!" Kid smirked proudly. "Okay, okay. I's tryin' yous way first." Woozle, or Jessamy, since that was her real name, said with a nervous sigh.
"Come on!" Kid yelled and dragged Woozle to the circulation gate and they ran to get in line as soon as the gates opened. "We made it! He's sure to notice ya now!" Kid said, panting with a smile. "I hope so." Woozle replied nervously. "Wow, lookin' good today Woozle!" Race whistled. "Uh, thanks Race." She replied shyly. "Why yous welcome." He smiled and got in line behind them. "I get it. Yous trynna impress Spottie, eh?" Jack whispered to her as he walked by, causing her to blush and look away. Jack just laughed and got in line. She played with the hem of her sleeve nervously, hoping their plan would work.
"Well who's this?" Morris asked as they approached the stand. "You remember Jessamy, don't you?" Kid smiled. "It's Woozle." Snippy grinned. "Woozle? Your name's Jessamy? Huh, never would have guessed." He replied in surprise as Oscar walked towards him. "Woozle?" He asked, a look of shock came across his face. "Yeah?" She replied a bit more confidently. "Huh, I never seen ya with yous hair down before. Ya look nice." He said and walked away with Morris. Kid and Snippy glanced at each other then at a blushing Woozle, "Oooo" they said in unison and nudged her playfully and giggling. "Next!" Weasel yelled and the girls were next, so they went forward.
"Fifty papes for me Weasel." Snippy said and put her money down on the counter. Weasel obliged and gave her her papes. "Next!" He called out and Kid went next. "Forty papes." she said and handed her money to him. She took her papes and waited by Snippy for Woozle. "One hundred papes please." She said and handed him the money. "One hundred? Think you can handle it?" he asked. "I's goin' halfers wid a friend." she explained and took the papes, though so many were rather heavy but she carried them nonetheless and trudged outside the circulation gate.
"You goils go ahead. I's gotta take Violet hers." She said. "You sure?" Snippy asked and Woozle nodded. "It's just a few blocks anyways." She smiled. Kid and Snippy left together towards Central Park and left Woozle alone. She walked down the street a little ways before hearing someone behind her, "Need a hand?" He asked. She turned around to see none other than the infamous Oscar Delancey heading her way with Morris. Panic set in, "No. I'm alright." She said coldly and continued walking. She could hear the two arguing between themselves then a sigh and footsteps retreating. " I can help you." Oscar said again, walking faster to catch up to her. "Why would you want to help me? Yous a greedy brat." She replied coldly. His smile fell. "You win, but at least I's trynna be nice. Look, those papes are heavy, let me help ya carry some." He again offered. "Alright, fine. I's not gonna deny help." She replied. He smiled and took a little more than half the stack from her and helped her carry the stack of papes. "Thanks." She said and walked with him. They remained in awkward silence for a few minutes, "So, ah, what made you become a newsie?" Oscar asked, breaking the silence. "That's none of ya business. I don't even knows ya. Why would I tell you?" She replied with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, I guess yous right." He shrugged it off. Silence once again fell on them for a short while. "Why yous helpin' me?" She asked curiously. "Who says I can't help anybody?" He replied with a smirk. "I's jus' sayin'. People gonna talk...and Jack's gonna find out and I can't have that." She sighed. "Let them talk. Theys don't know squat." He scoffed. "Easy for you ta say. Theys all scared of you." She laughed. "Well fine. You can carry yous papes the rest of the way and I can go back and do my job." He said flatly and went to hand the papes back. "No, wait!" She panicked and looked at him, "What?" He asked. "Just help me a little ways further?" She asked nervously. "Then quit yous whinin'." He huffed in annoyance and carried the papes for her. "Well sorry I's so nervous yous gonna beat me up or somethin'!" She spat back at him and walked ahead.
Oscar froze in his tracks."You think I's gonna hurt ya?" He asked. He seemed hurt but didn't let it show through. "Well, I's did hit ya yesterday." She gulped. "Don't remind me. Morris won't let me live it down." He sighed and picked up his pace. "Aight, look here, this is where we say goodbye. I ain't letting you know where I's goin' or where I live." She said. "You sure? It's pretty heavy." He mumbled rather shyly, something totally opposite of his typical behaviour. "Yeah. It's only a short ways." She replied and he hesitantly handed her the papes back. "Thanks again Oscar." She smiled. He nodded and seemed to glance around everywhere else but at her, "Yeah sure. You tell anyone I was helpin' ya and yous dead! Got it?" He said sternly with an intimidating look on his face.. She gulped and nodded. "Good. See ya 'round." He said and practically walked back to the circulation gates.
"That was odd." She whispered to herself and walked down the alley and into the underground. "What's odd?" Violet smiled from the main room. She was sitting on the couch reading a book with Mousie when Woozle walked in. "Woah let me help ya!" She said and jumped up to help Woozle. "Where's everyone else?" Violet asked. "Out sellin' papes." "Thye left ya alone?! You carried this by yourself?!""Well...yeah." Woozle lied nervously. "Yous lyin'. Who helped ya?" Violet asked as she took her stack from Woozle and set it on the old table nearby. "I's not lyin'!" She defended. "Den who helped ya?" Violet crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow suspiciously. She thought for a moment, "Spot Conlon." She quickly said. Violet's eyes widened in shock. "Spot Conlon? King Of Brooklyn, Spot Conlon?! THE Spot Conlon?! I knew yous was on good toims wid 'im but I didn't think yous was on that good of toims." Violet replied in utter shock. "Yeah but here's duh thing. You can't go tellin' nobody. Jack would kill me! Aight?" Woozle stated calmly and Violet grinned and nodded. "Good. Now, I'll take Mousie and sell papes today or do you want 'er?" "I's takin' 'er today. Yous can have 'er tomorrow." Violet replied and helped Mousie put her jacket on. "There. Now let's go sell some papes!" Violet cheered and handed Mousie her cap and grabbed their stack of fifty papes then the two walked out of the underground together. Woozle grabbed her papes and practically ran out of there and headed to Brooklyn.
