Chapter 5
Selling Papes
Ravenwood's Point of View
I followed Jack Kelly through the streets of New York City. This had to be a dream, eventually I would wake up and it wouldn't be reality and I would be extremely depressed the rest of my life, it had to be a dream, but I wished it was real. I mean, it's impossible to be pulled through your computer screen into New York City over a century ago, isn't it? I had figured out that it was after the strike when I saw David and Les so I had no idea what was going to happen, but when you're with Jack Kelly, nothing too bad can happen right?
"Hey Raven! Do you think you can sell some?" I snapped out of my trance, Jack Kelly, talking to me.
"Um, yeah, sure, I guess so" I stammered out. Oh wake up, I told myself, stop acting like an idiot.
He grinned "great, take these" he handed me about twenty papers, "and remember, headlines don't sell papes-"
"Newsies sell papes" I finished
He grinned again, oh I felt like I could melt (in a good way) "you're pretty good, were you a newsie before you came to New York?"
I had to think fast, and suddenly I came up with a brilliant idea, "No, actually, my family owned a ranch, in New Mexico, pretty near Santa Fe, you ever heard of it?"
"Santa Fe? You lived in Santa Fe? What was it like?" he seemed like a first grader waiting for story time at the library, all excited and breathless.
"You should see it, it's all bigger, the desert, the sky, and the sun," wow, I'm so incredibly original, but if I was to get Jack Kelly I had to work on weak points, besides they were weak points for Sarah too.
He grinned, "I thought it was that way, so what did you do in Santa Fe, I mean, with your parents ownin' a ranch and everythin'?"
I tried to get a faraway, dreamy look though I was sure it was failing, "our home was on a huge ranch, about ten miles out of town, we raised cattle, and trained horses. My horse was an appaloosa named Derby, you know the spotted horses?" He nodded. "My papa was a horse trainer, my mama took care of us kids."
"You had siblings?"
"Yup, I have an older brother named Joshua and a younger sister named Anna."
"So, why are you here?"
"A fire, it destroyed everything, Mama and Papa decided to send me back east until they are able to rebuild everything, because I couldn't be much help you know? I know that they care about me and want be to come back, they're gonna send for me as soon as they have the ranch up and runnin' again."
He whistled, "You know it's strange, with every new newsie that comes their story gets more and more depressin'"
By noon we had sold most of our papers and headed to Tibby's for lunch, the rest of the newsies were there except for Racetrack, who had Seagull and Nanners with him, unless Seagull had run off to Brooklyn in search of Spot Conlon. I smiled at the thought, Sea was a crazy girl, at least she seemed like it from what I knew of her, I could just picture her running through New York City in search of her "prince charming". I didn't really like Spot myself, he was too rough and tough, I guess, I preferred the more quiet guys, that's why I loved Jack, for the quiet thoughtful side of him.
"So Raven, what 'cha gonna order?" Jack asked.
I groaned, I didn't have any money with me, just some spare change that happened to be in my pockets but when I took a look at the menu I realized that the nickel I had would buy me a roast beef sandwich, as well as a lemonade. Wow, I wish I really lived in 1900. We ordered our food and talked while we waited for it. Trig had had an amazing time, of course she had, she had been having one on one time with the newsie of her dreams. Of course I had too, but she didn't need to worry about a certain Sarah Jacobs. Celena was happy; she and Les were getting along great though David was a bit too quiet for her. Paloosh and Folly were talking with the newsies like they had known them their entire lives and Skittery actually had his arm around Folly's shoulders and I could see that she was blushing slightly.
Suddenly the door opened and in came several girls. They sat down at the same tables as the rest of us. Jack straightened up. "Goils, I'd like you to meet a few new newsgoils, Raven, Paloosh, Celena, Trig, and Folly." They waved smiling but then sat down and continued about their conversation, all but one. She jumped up and came over and sat down next to Jack. Oh the nerve of her! Sitting next to my newsie! Of course right now he was Sarah Jacobs' newsie but, things can change.
"So Jack, how was sellin' today?" she asked. Ack! I felt like I was going to explode, who did she think she was anyway?
"Oh it was pretty good. By the way, Raven I'd like you to meet Pippa, she's my sister." I nearly choked on my lemonade. Jack Kelly? Having a sister? Jeez this was getting more complicated all the time. I waited until I had calmed down and wasn't in danger of choking on lemonade and then extended my hand.
"I'm Ravenwood, or Raven, nice to meet you" she shook it.
"Nice to meet you too, as my brother said I'm Pippa," I nodded, "well, I'd better get back to my table, nice to meet 'cha Raven" she grinned and then walked away. As I looked at her I realized she did look a little bit like Jack, their eyes were the exact same shade, as well as some other similarities. Our food came and we had a good lunch then we continued selling papes through the afternoon. By 4:00 we were done, and spent the rest of the time walking around New York.
"So, do you want to stop off at the Jacob's? Then you can meet Sarah," he asked, about an hour after we ran out of papers.
"Sarah? Who's Sarah?" I decided to play dumb.
"Dave's sister and my fiancé"
"Your WHAT?!?" I practically yelled. This couldn't be happening, I thought that I may have had a chance but no, Jack had to have gone and gotten engaged, to a wimpy girl who happened to enjoy hitting walls and dressed up as Little Bo Peep! It wasn't fair.
He grinned and shook his head, "goils these days," I gave him a look that clearly said 'take it back or else'. He laughed, "Fine, anyway, do you wanna come?"
No I do not! I wanted to yell; of course I wasn't going to say that instead I shrugged my shoulders "I guess that's alright."
He smiled "great, come on." We wandered through the streets of Manhattan, and soon we arrived at a tall apartment building. He opened the door and hurried up the stairs, with me following. The stairway was dimly lit and the walls were covered with a thick layer of filth that looked like it had been accumulating since…who knows when. On the third floor he turned off the stairway and headed down the hall. I followed trying to think of a plan to get back at Sarah. Jeez I hadn't even met the girl and I was planning revenge, how…pathetic, but I couldn't help myself.
Jack stopped at the door marked with a large 8 on the door and knocked. The door opened to reveal Esther Jacobs.
"Oh, Jack, what a pleasant surprise, come right on in and sit down" she turned around and called "Sarah! You have a visitor!" She didn't seem to notice me at all.
We entered the small apartment, for lack of a better word and sat down.
"Oh, Mrs. Jacobs this here is my friend Raven, she's new so I'm just, showin' her the ropes."
She inclined her head politely then turned back to the potatoes she had been peeling. I looked around the room for Sarah, where was the little devil? Suddenly I heard a thump and turned around. There she was climbing inside from the fire escape, covered almost head to toe in soap bubbles! Not exactly what I expected Bo Peep Sarah to be doing. She looked up and saw Jack and smiled.
"I was just doing some laundry; sorry I'm such a mess."
He swept her into a hug, "you look beautiful, even covered in soap bubbles and your hair soaking wet." Oh how I wished I hadn't come, this was turning out to be a nightmare. He then turned to me, "Sarah, this is my friend Raven; she's new so I'm just helpin' her get started."
Sarah smiled again, "very nice to meet you, I'd shake your hand but mine is soaking wet right now." I smiled back, she wasn't as horrible as I thought she would be, maybe Jack had had a bit of a positive influence on her personality. "Would you two like to stay for dinner? It's almost ready; we'll be having it as soon as David and Les get home."
I looked up at Jack and he nodded, "that would be great," I said. Perhaps I had misjudged Sarah Jacobs after all.
Thanks for reading! I still need characters so let me know if you want to be in the story, also please give reviews, also to those of you who have given reviews, you are the best! Thanks so much!