Ace of Hearts
By BekahNicole
Disclaimer: I sadly do not own anything associated with the Newsies franchise and/or Broadway. Disney owns that, and I in no way shape or form am trying to infringe on that. This is merely for fun. Of course, I do own some OC's in this which if you know the franchise, can quickly pick them out. I do appreciate feedback but not hateful criticism. With that being said, I encourage that you review my work with positive and helpful suggestions. Thank you, enjoy.
CH. 2: The New Newsies
I opened the door and was immediately greeted with a mixture of whining, yelling, and excitement. I looked around the room and saw that almost every eye in the large lobby room was looking at me. I felt the heat running to my face as I realized this fact. I quickly spotted my brother who had made friends with another young boy his age in the corner talking. 'At least he is enjoying himself' I thought as I continued examining the room.
It had a few pieces of furniture pushed to the side probably to make room for the large amount of boys present. The wall paper was starting to peel off in some areas. And where it wasn't peeling, it had dark stains of who knows what covering it. To the far left there was a wooden staircase which had seen better days. As my eyes wandered, I picked out Racetrack who was now walking in front of me turning to face the room full of boys.
"Awright ya bums, pay up!" he exclaimed excitedly. I looked at the boys questioningly, asking them to explain what the annoying boy meant. A strange boy, probably about 16 or 17 made his way up to me seeing my confusion.
"Ole Race heah made a bet dat ya would come in ta da house right afta he did. Most a da boys taught you was gonna leave cus of ole Race's charm." He smirked as he jerked a thumb towards the money collecting newsboy. My mouth fell at this. How could he bet about me! The nerve of this boy was unnatural. If he thought I was mad earlier, he is in for a rude awakening.
I brushed passed the boy who had talked to me and marched up behind Racetrack. He paused his collecting, feeling my icy glare. He turned around with his signature, cocky smirk.
"Can I help ya sweetheart?" He continued his smirk, and received a bunch of snickers from the surrounding boys. 'Sweetheart? Oh no he doesn't!' I merely gave him my worst glare possible. I swear if looks could kill, Racetrack would have dropped dead right then and there. Sensing he has just about set me over the top, he lightened up his grinning.
"What's a' mattah wid chu?" he asked, not faltering for one second. I crossed my arms and my mouth fell at how unbelievably cocky and ignorant this boy was.
"Seriously? You know damn well what da mattah is!" I practically yelled in face. He flinched as I finished yelling and he looked at me with a new look I've not seen him make before. Was it hurt? Anger? Regret? I think it is a mixture of all of the above. He stood there as if pondering what to say before he spoke, "Ya well ya desoived it!" He crossed his arms over his chest obviously annoyed by my accusation.
"How do I desoive dis? Youse da one dat overreacted! Can ya blame me? I'se neva met ya bafoah da racetrack, den youse expects me ta follow ya ta ya home? Forgive me foah bein' cautious!" I again yelled back flailing my arms to emphasize my anger.
Before Racetrack could say anything else, the newsie that had talked to me earlier, came up between us and gave Racetrack a look that seemed to quiet him. He was still obviously fuming. It was then that I realized I was still drenched in cold rainwater and that I was still shivering profusely. The newsboy that quieted Racetrack noticed and said, "Damn, youse drippin' wet. Let's get youse some clothes." I just stood there shivering, glaring at Racetrack who was returning the sentiment. Neither of us were going to back down and we both knew it.
Finally I said, "Thank you…uhh…what's yer name?" I switched my gaze to the helpful newsboy. He smiled and said, "Well some guys call me Cowboy, udders call me Jack Kelly." I smiled at him. He wasn't bad looking. Actually, I'd venture as far as saying he was pretty darn hott. He had a grey button up shirt with a black vest over it matched with dark grey slacks. A red bandana was tied around his neck and turned towards his right along with a cowboy hat that hung over his back. I figured that was why he was called "Cowboy". I gave him a small smile back. Racetrack saw the exchange and annoyingly stated, "Why don cha both jes kiss awready!" That did it.
I turned towards him and slapped him across the face. Immediately after, I turned on my heels and made my way towards the door yelling, "Dats it! I can't stay heah wid you ya bum! I'd murder ya foah shoah!" Jack said something to the newsies by the door who proceeded to block my path. I looked at them with anger and tried to move passed them only stopped because they moved with me. I turned around crossing my arms saying, "Tell ya boys ta move!"
Jack chuckled before he replied with, "Can't do dat darlin'. Youse shiverin' ta death an I'd feel real awful if ya died from bein' cold out dere." I slumped as I realized he was right. However, I noticed a grin form across his face and it almost seemed like he was making a silent joke to himself. I stood there, curious before I was given an answer.
"Race, why don cha show yer lovely lady heah da way to da bunkroom. Oh, an why don cha get her some clothes while yer at it." Racetrack's face fell as he registered what Jack had just told him. His mouth fell open and he started to protest when Jack held up a hand and pointed upstairs with a stern, annoyed look. Racetrack closed his mouth and mumbled something under his breath as he turned towards me.
"Come on" he quickly tuned towards the stairs. I slowly followed him, just as unhappy with the situation as he. I heard the room full of newsboys bust out laughing as the two of us got to the top of the steps. I looked down the small hallway but saw no sign of Racetrack. I slowly walked down the hall looking and listening for any sign of the boy.
Finally I called his name, "Racetrack? Where'd ya go?" I heard a grumble of "Heah" in a room on my right and turned into the doorway. I walked into a large open room with bunk beds lined on each side of the walls. Adjacent to the room, there was a washroom connected to it behind the left wall. I searched the room for Racetrack and found him standing by a bed towards the end of the wall of beds. I made my way towards him, still scowling.
"This is where you'll sleep. Dere's a table dere where you can put ya stuff" he pointed towards a small bed side table with a small drawer. I nodded I understood. He walked away and went to a bed across from mine on the other side and reached into a drawer and pulled out some boy's clothes. He made his way back to me and handed the clothes to me.
"Heah, youse can borrow some a' me clothes till we find some dat will fit ya bettah" I took the clothes from him and stood there looking them over. He smirked and said, "What? Ya waitin' fer me ta leave ya?" I glared at him before I made my way to the washroom. I noticed there were some stalls and walked into one. I slowly dressed myself in the clothes he had given me. I realize that they smell of ink and cigar smoke. 'Great, I get to smell like him now' I thought. As if living with him wasn't bad enough. I walked out with my drenched clothes in my hands and made my way towards my new bed. Racetrack looked at me carrying my wet clothes and motioned for me to hand them over. I complied skeptically and watched as he walked towards a window at the far end of the room. He opened it and climbed outside. He placed my clothes on the railing of the fire escape and returned inside.
I watched as he walked back towards me, still standing at the end of my new bed. He offered a small smile, which if I didn't know any better he was mocking me. I rolled my eyes and reluctantly said, "Tanks" before I crawled into the covers of my bed. He stopped for a second to look at me, maybe stunned that I thanked him, and turned to leave back towards the room full of boys. Before he was completely out of the room he turned his head over his shoulder and replied, "Don mention in sweetheart."
With that he left leaving me to my own thoughts in the dark as sleep began to take over. I didn't realize how exhausted I was. I guess the day's events were now catching up to me. I chose not to fight with myself and let sleep takeover, pulling me into a restful slumber.
I woke up to the sound of yelling newsboys. They were all getting ready to head out to the distribution center and buy their papers for the day. I tried my best to ignore them but was rudely denied that effort.
"Wake up Rosabella! Youse got a interestin' day ahead of ya's!" I recognized the voice of Jack. I opened my eyes and glared at him letting him know I was NOT a morning person. I reached for my pillow and gave him a good whack with it before complying and rolling out of my bed. I made my way over to the washroom which was starting to empty out from all the boys. I walked over to a sink and washed my face and fixed my hair. I then remembered my clothes were hanging out on the fire escape. However, when I peeked out the window for my clothes they weren't there anymore.
I felt a presence behind me and turned around quickly, my anger flaring up again as I realize my clothes had been stolen.
"Hey dere, Rosabella right? Ya uhh ya clothes were stolen sometime last night so we gotcha some clothes we tink will fit cha bettah den dose ya wearin' now." I blankly stared at the boy. He was maybe about 12 years old and around the same size as me. I took the clothes he was holding out to me and looked them over.
Boy's clothes. I was to go out in public wearing boy's clothes. 'Mother would go crazy knowing I am running around looking like a boy' I thought. I smiled at the boy who curtly nodded back.
"I'se Boots by da way. Nice ta meet ya's!" He seemed nice enough. I walked back into the washroom and changed into the clothes Boots had given me. I was given a white shirt and a black vest with white lines running down it in a pattern. I was also given a pair of grey pants that were still too big for me which is why I also found some suspenders. I reluctantly put the clothes on and walked out of the stall glancing at myself in the mirror. Nobody would know I was a girl if it weren't for my wavy golden brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes.
I decided, however, to pull my hair into a long braid down my shoulder. I finished it off with a rose-red ribbon that used to belong to my mother. I also had kept a golden locket that was my great grandmother's which was passed down to the girls in my family. My mother wore it every day and I took it once she had passed away. It serves as my memory of her.
Content that this was as good as I was going to get, I walked out of the bunkroom and down into the lobby. I found the boys, along with my brother, waiting for me. I smiled at them quietly giving a "Good morning". They all snickered, and I heard someone say, "Girl's take forever to get ready." I glared looking for the culprit. My effort was in vain, however, once all the boys started to scatter out the door and into the street.
Curiously, I followed them down the streets until we came into a city square. They walked up to a large metal gate that was still locked. There was already a line forming outside of it. I assumed this was the distribution center. I still wondered why the boys had brought my brother and I here. I looked around, searching for any familiar faces. Finally, I spotted Jack and made my way through the boys to him. He smiled as I approached him.
"Hey Rosabella, ya ready fer taday?" he asked, a gleam in his eyes. He seemed at home here. I almost felt stupid while I asked him, "Why am I heah exactly?"
He chuckled to himself before replying, "Youse gonna learn to sell. Ya need a job right? Well, ya should join da newsies! Dat way ya can support youse and ya bruddah" he said it so matter-of-factly I believed him. I nodded understanding. Just then I caught a glimpse of the one person I did not wish to see. Racetrack made his way towards the two of us, stopping behind me.
"Hey dere sweetheart, sleep well?" he was smirking his signature smirk. Ugh, I don't think I'll ever get used to that. I simply stared at him. I was still upset with the previous night and wasn't okay with acting like it never happened. I wanted an apology. Which, I doubt I will ever get.
Seeing that I was still boiling over last night, Racetrack sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned against the gate and glared out into space. He was obviously mad I was still holding a grudge against him. Fine, he can be childish and not accept his faults.
Jack sat there watching the two of us and rolled his eyes. He started to form a plan in his head about how he could fix it. Once he figured it out, he grinned at the two of us, neither looking or willing to acknowledge the others presence.
Just then the gates were opened and the line of newsies walked up to the desk. There were two men standing behind the counter. Jack walked up and laid out his money as he said, "100 papes." One man wrote down the amount Jack asked for in a book while the other man counted out the papers before handing them over to Jack. Jack stepped to the side and looked at me. I walked up to the desk and looked questioningly at Jack. He came to my rescue.
"Get her 30 papes" he said and jerked his head to the side, telling me to lay down my money. I did exactly that and took my papers. I followed Jack down back outside the gate where we both sat down on a curb.
"Okay, so da foist thing ya gotta know is headlines don't sell papes. Newsies sell papes. And dat's us! He said pointing a finger to himself. I nodded understanding. Looking behind him, he caught sight of Racetrack walking out of the gate and starting to turn down the street. Before he could get away, Jack yelled him over. Racetrack grudgingly complied and made his way over to the two of us sitting on the curb.
"Whatcha want?" Racetrack asked clearly annoyed he was stopped in his normal routine. An evil smile played across Jack's face and I immediately knew what he was about to say was gonna torture me.
"Race, I want youse ta teach Rosabella heah how ta sell. Youse da second best sellah next ta me so she can loin a lot from ya." Both Racetrack and I looked at each other before complaining to Jack at the same time. Jack held up a hand telling us to shut up and listen.
"Look, I'se tired of ya two fightin' an bein' mad at each udder. Dis is how ya two are gonna fix it. Youse pahtners now, and ya gonna deal wid it!" he practically yelled it at both of us. Both Racetrack and I stared at the ground quietly. I looked up first before grumbling to myself and saying, "Fine." I glared at Racetrack who rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance. "Ya okay."
"Great den it's settled. Ya gonna split it 50/50 and Rosabella ya's gotta listen ta Race heah. He knows what he's doin'. An Race, don't push ya luck. She ain't gonna take yer crap so don't try anythin' funny." Both of us nodded understanding the terms. With that, Jack said his goodbye and left the two of us alone.