All the Newsies waited outside for the twins. When they finally walked out of the lodging house with Jack Maria was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, a plaid brown and black vest, and a pair of trousers with suspenders. Jack had told her to change before they left for Races selling Spot was in Brooklyn and Jack didn't trust her to be safe as a girl.
While she was changing, Race was pulled aside by Jack.
"You sure youse ok wit her goin ta Brooklyn wit youse? I know ya know ya way around da place and you can keep 'er safe but dis is Brooklyn we'se talkin' bout here. Not 'Hattan." Jack's face was concerned as he said this.
"I'm sure Jacky-boy. We'se'll be fine." Race face grew in seriousness and he leaned in and whispered to the oldest boy in the room. "But if sometin' does 'appen, it'll be me dat it 'happens to. If I can't, keep 'er safe Jack. A'right?"
"Alright Race." Jack answered grudgingly. Race nodded his head in thanks. Maria walked into the room. She was wearing one of Race's old outfits that had long outgrew him and didn't fit any of the other boys. Her hair was braided and resting on her shoulder.
"Well don' you look like a real Newsie." Race remarked. "Just needs one more ting." He searches through a trunk in the corner of the room and pulled out a hat. "Now you'se a Newsie."
"Come on ya lugs, we'se gonna be late and da boys ain't gonna wait for us."
"Ya still sure you'se wanna go Maria? I ain't so sure I am. I mean-" As Race was voicing his opinion, Maria cut him off.
"Yes Anthony, I'm sure. Now as I said before let's go!" Race and Jack shared a look behind the determined young woman.
The boys arrived at the distribution center just in time to see the headline go up. All the boys crammed against the gate, waiting for the man to write in chalk how much pay they would get today. "Factory on 21st Street to Close!" Specs read the words out loud and all the boys groaned.
"Come on, we had a bad headline yesterday too!" Blink complained.
As the boys complained about the headline, chatted about random things and ruffhoused, two figures approached the gate.
Race caught sight of them first. "Dear me, I tink someone's dog may have dumped its last meal on the ground in front of us. It's up ta you to decide which end it came out of! Or is it jist da Delancey's?" All the boys erupted into laughter as the Delancey Brothers opened the gates and glared at the boy who taunted them.
The older one reached through the gate and grabbed the front of Race's shirt, pulling their faces togeather so they were eye to eye. "Watch ya mouth Higgins!" He growled.
"Why, I love ya too, Morris. But it ain't anywhere close to Valentine's Day." Race smirked as he said this. A rumble of ohhs were heard from the crowd of rowdy kids behind them. Morris shoves Race back into said crowd of adolescents with a sneer. Mush was behind Race and steadied him when he was forced back into the crowd.
The gate was then opened by the brothers. All the boys filed out while Morris and Oscar monitored them. The boys muttered to themselves as they passed them. Race waited behind for Maria who looked at him extremely confused.
"Who?"
"Jist da Delancey Braddahs. Always lookin to cause trouble. Always a pain in te ass." He muttered the last part under his breath.
The pair walked out of the gate close to the end of the line, the only ones behind them were Mush and Blink. As they walked past the Delanceys, Morris kicked Race in the back, successfully knocking the boy to the ground. Oscar had grabbed Maria by the collar (not knowing she was a girl as her outfit was one of a newsies) and pulled his arm back, ready to puch her. Blink and Mush sprang into action, ripping Oscar away from Maria and pulling her away from the brawl.
All the while, Race had turned onto his back in an attempt to get up, but Morris had put his knees on the sides of his arm, effectively holding them in place. Race was now on the ground and unable to move with Morris basically sitting on top of him. Before Blink or Mush could get to him Morris had punched Race in the jaw.
Then Morris was pulled off of Race, who stayed on the ground. Maria raced (ha) over to him and helped him to his feet. Blink and Mush had given the brothers a good soaking and were now walking over to the twins. Maria poked at the already forming bruise on her brothers cheek, making him wince and suck in a breath. The brothers hobbled past and glared at the group. Race lunged at them and they ran to the line of paper boys waiting to get their papers.
"Drop it Race. 'Cmon, Guys. Let's get our papes and move on. Ya still gotta gets yaselves ta brookl'n." Mush said solemnly.
"A'right." Race muttered, mimicking his sister by poking at his jawline, making him wince once again.
I haven't been that into writing lately so if this seems rushed or something it's because of that. Also my swim coach decided that we needed swim practice over break. And I got my contacts yesterday and my eyes still. Hurt. My Christmas was literally RENT. I got a book written by Anthony Rapp, the libretto, and the piano music book thingy. Welp happy new year fansies. Sees yas laters. (Wtf was that? Idek anymore. I'm too tired for this schnitzel.)