Hi again! Here's another chapter of this story! I hope everyone likes it!
(Should I keep going? Please let me know!)
New York slowly came to life as the sun rose the next day. Jess stretched and opened her eyes as the city sounds woke her. She sat up and looked around. The boys were beginning to stir. Crutchie reached for his crutch and stood. He picked up his bag and put his hat on. "Come on, Jack. Let's go downstairs to get ready so Jess can change. Jess, when youse is done, meet us in the alley." Jess nodded her agreement as Jack sleepily grabbed his things and followed Crutchie down the ladder and into the lodging house.
Jess quickly changed into the new clothes that Crutchie had given her. She was grateful to see that the large shirt and vest hid her girlish figure and made her body look more like a boy's. After getting dressed, she tied up her blond, shoulder-length hair and put the hat on her head. She took the only two quarters she had out of her old dress and put it in her bag. She then climbed down the ladder and waited for the boys in the alley. They arrived about five minutes after she had and Crutchie handed her a few pieces of fruit he had managed to swipe from the kitchen inside. She accepted the fruit gratefully. "Thanks," she said with a smile. Crutchie grinned back. "No problem." Jack shook his head and smiled. "Let's get goin'. The gates'll open up soon."
By the time they reached the distribution center, multiple newsies were already in line outside of the gates. Jack, Crutchie and Jess joined the line as some newsies came to greet them. "Who's da new kid?" A blonde kid with a cigar asked. "This here's Alleycat," Jack replied. "I'm Race," the kid said as he introduced himself. He pointed out a few others: Specs, Henry, Mush, Romeo, and Finch. As Race walked away with the kid he introduced as Mush, a tall dark-haired boy and a small boy of about nine walked up. "Alleycat, I'd like ya ta meet Davey and his brudda Les," Jack said. Jess smiled and said hello. Suddenly, the gates opened and the line of Newsies approached to buy their papers. Crutchie turned to Jess. "The Delancys ain't here today." Jess sighed in relief. Crutchie stepped up to buy his papers. Placing a dime down on the table, he said, "Twenty papes, please." "Twenty papes for the crip," the man behind the counter said. Jess stepped up and also put down a dime.
Once she had gotten her papers, she walked over to Jack and Crutchie. "Youse gonna sell with Crutchie today," Jack told her. "He'll show you the ropes." Jack walked off with Davey and Les while she and Crutchie walked off in the opposite direction. Crutchie didn't talk much on their walk, and Jess was thankful; she was thinking on how she could stay hidden from her godfather. It was dangerous to stay in one place for too long. "I'll probably have to keep moving," she thought to herself. "That means leaving Jack and Crutchie... I don't want to get them into trouble... I'll leave in the middle of the night... Yeah, that sounds good, and it'll keep the boys safe."
After a while of walking, she realized that Crutchie was talking to her. "Jess, youse okay?" "What?" she asked, coming out of her thoughts. "We's here," he said, coming to a stop on a corner. "Are youse ready to learn from a master?" he asked teasingly. Jess rolled her eyes and punched him on the arm playfully. He grinned. "Okay, the first thing youse gotta know is the people youse sellin' ta." He pointed to a well dressed lady walking by. "The rich ladies always give sympathy so youse wanna act sick or hurt to get them to buy. They is also usually the ones who give ya more than a penny per pape." Jess looked unconvinced. Crutchie smirked. "Watch and learn," he said, heading towards the woman. He leaned heavily on his crutch and gave a pitiful cough. "Excuse me, ma'am, buy a pape?" he asked weakly. The lady gave him a sad smile. "Of course I will," she said, handing him a nickel. Jess looked at Crutchie in surprise as he hobbled back to their corner. "Youse is up," he laughed. Jess spotted another well dressed lady and made her way over. "Excuse me, miss." She faked a coughing fit before continuing, "would you buy a pape?" The woman gave her a soft smile and nodded. "Here you are, darling," she said, giving Jess a dime. "Keep it," the lady said, before walking off with her paper. Jess smiled and made her way back over to Crutchie. He laughed and shook his head. "Good job. Now for the more complicated tips," he said with a smirk.
The pair continued that way until about six in the evening whenthey had sold all of their papers. "Let's pick up some food and bring it back to the roof," Crutchie said, realizing that they had sold through lunch. Jess agreed with a nod and followed Crutchie into a deli to buy some food. After buying a sandwich each, they began to walk back to the roof. Jess held the bag of food while Crutchie began his slow ascent. By the time Jess reached the top, Crutchie was reading a note that Jack had left. "Jack is out with Katherine tonight, so it's just youse and me tonight." Jess nodded. She had heard about Katherine from her discussions with Crutchie throughout the day. Crutchie limped over to his mat and sat down, putting his crutch down next to him. Jess joined him on the mat and pulled her hat off, allowing her hair to fall freely down her back. She picked up her sandwich and chewed for a moment before realizing that Crutchie was staring thoughtfully at her in the fading light. "What?" she asked. He looked at her grimly. "Youse know we ain't scared of yer godfather, right?" She blinked. "Sure, why do you ask?" Crutchie glanced at her. "Believe me, Ise know the face of one plannin' to run away. Youse don't have ta... Youse a part of our family now." She smiled sadly. "I just don't want anyone to get in trouble," she said sadly. Crutchie took her hand in his and smiled. "We ain't afraid of no trouble." She smiled back at him. "Although, do you mind me askin... Why did youse live with ya godfather in the first place?" Jess sighed. "It's fine. My parents died in an accident last year, so I was sent to live with my godfather." Crutchie squeezed her hand. "Ise sorry to hear that," he said softly. She shrugged and looked at the ground. "It's okay," she whispered. "I'm over it." Crutchie silently watched her, and as she began to cry, he pulled her into a hug. "Hey, it's gonna be alright," he said soothingly, running a hand over her hair. Jess sniffled. "I'm really scared, Crutchie," she whispered. "Youse safe with us. I promise," Crutchie told her. Jess looked up, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you, for everything," she said softly. Crutchie glanced down at her. "Youse is welcome."
The two sat like that for a while before Crutchie realized that Jess had fallen asleep in his arms. Crutchie let her lay there until Jack came home. As he climbed onto the roof, he looked at the two huddled together and chuckled. Crutchie waved him over. Jack picked Jess up and moved her to her mat before glancing over at Crutchie and winking. Crutchie blushed. "Aw, c'mon Jackie." Jack smiled at his friend. "Ise just glad that she feels safe now. Thanks, Crutchie." Crutchie smiled and closed his eyes.