All the boys had lined themselves up at the window to buy there papers for the day. The line started with Jack, who had been the first out of the gate. Those who had just been in the brawl had just walked into the sight of the rest of the boys, following a limping pair of brothers. Not many of the boys noticed their tardy arrival, except for Jack. Not wanting to forfeit his spot in the front of the semi-straight Jack just gave Race an inquisitive look, glancing at the Delanceys. Race just nodded, him, Maria, Blink and Mush taking a place at the end of the line.
"Dat's Weasel at da winda ova dere. His real name is Mr. Wiesel but no one calls 'im dat." Race explained to Maria.
The line moved at a good speed and soon enough so Blink and Mush had gotten their 50 papers and moved out of the way to read them to the best of their abilities. Race went up to the window and slammed down his money. "75 papes Weasel."
After he was given the amount of newspapers he asked for he started to walk away- Maria in tow the girl feeling ever so slightly out of place.
The twins sat on a cart while the rest of the boys mingled. Unlike most of them, Race had yet to take a single one of his papers.
"I was listening and most of the boys got 50 papers. Why'd you get 75?"
"50 fa me ta sell an 25 fa youse, dependin day it's ya foist time." Race answered, smiling. After a minute all the boys started to leave the center. "C'mon. We'se gotta get ta Brooklyn." He stood and helped Maria down from the wagon.
The whole way to Brooklyn was filled with laughs as the twins told jokes about the portion of their lives the other had missed. They stopped on a street corner that Maria didn't recognize. Race had said it was next to Sheepshead Racetrack and that he'd sold here since he first became a newsie. He said that's what had gotten him the name Racetrack. There was a bench right next to them where Race laid the bag of papers he had been carrying for the past 3 hours and then sat.
"So? What do we do now?" Maria asked sitting down and resting her tired feet.
"We get up." Race said, that damn cigar messing with his speech. He stood and grabbed a paper from his bag. "Just do what I do and you'll get da hang o' it!"
Maria nodded in agreement and grabbed a paper from the bench. Race mumbled to himself for a moment before he raised the paper high over head and yelled into the crowd. "Factory on 21st street burned to the ground!"
"I thought the headline was that the factory closed. Not that it was burned down."
"Sometimes ya gotta spice up tings a bit. Not one Newsie I know uses the actual headline. Most a da time it's based on da real headline but sometimes some a da boys come up with some real dooseys." Race laughed remembering the time one of the littles had made up a headline about a monster found on the steeets of Manhattan. "Well, give it a try. Look through youse pape, find a headline ya like an' use ya's imagination!"
"Alright." Maria skimmed through her paper until she found something that looked like she could come up with a lie that might convince some people. Well here goes nothing. She thought as she yelling into the crowd. "New kind of disease found! Learn how to protect your family!"
A group of men walked up to her and payed her the pennies, taking her papers in return. "Not bad fo a beginner. What headline was that? I might have ya steal dat one."
"It said something about the mayor getting a cold on page 2." Race didn't look at it- which Maria thought was odd- and laughed.
"I gotta say, dats some a da quickest improving of truth I've eva seen. With some training youse might be as good as me one day!" He put his cigar in his mouth and yelled another headline, Maria following suit.
Soon there were only 2 papers left. Race let Maria sell them and they were gone rather quickly. Suddenly Maria heard a voice behind them.
"So who's ya little friend here Higgins?" The voice asked. It sounded intimidating and strong. Something she would be afraid of. Maria spun around and was met with something she might have been afraid of were she 3 feet shorter. The boys was short, but muscular. He had black hair and brown eyes.
Race had also turned around. But not as hastily or frightened as Maria. "Oh, hey Spot. Dis is Maria. Maria dis is Spot."
Maria remembered the boys talking about Race's crush on a boy named Spot. Because she wasn't as derogatory, she had no trouble with this. Unlike most of the world. But she had to admit, this boy was handsome. She could see why her brother liked him. Hell, even she thought he was pretty and had almost never been attracted to anyone her life.
"Maria? Race I tink youse need to get your eyes checked cause dats a boy. Is it some sort a nickname a somethin'?"
"Nah. She my twin sister. We just didn't want 'er coming' ya Brooklyn as a goil. Ya knows why." Race said while putting the bag over his head and taking out his money to count the days earnings.
"Nice to meet you, Spot. Race told me about you. I believe he said you here the first person to take him in. Thank you for caring for him." Maria said sticking her hand out for him to shake, which he accepted.
"Da pleasure is mine Miss. Higgins." He kissed her hand. Race cleared his throat.
"Sorry but we'se better get goin back to hattan. I'de gotta getcha back ya Medda's, Maria." Race said. Spot nodded at him.
"Ya betta Be here tomorra night Higgins! Ace still tinks he c'n beat ya in poker."
"Really? Dat nut job? Well I'll be dere 100% ya teach 'im a lesson! See ya tomorra, Spottie." Race Spot in his hand and put it out for Spot to shake.
"Don' call me dat. See ya tomorra Racer. Later Miss." He tipped his hat to Maria with a smile
"Call me Maria. Please." She retuned the smile and joined Race in walking back to Medda's Theater.
After crossing the bridge and walking halfway to the theater, the twins started feeling like someone was following them. The walk had been quiet. Both of them felt uneasy, though neither of them said anything. Until they were 3 blocks away from Medda's was a sound uttered from either of them.
"Is it jist me or does it feel like deres sometin' behind us?" Race asked quietly, as if he was trying to keep the pristine almost silence of the street.
"It's not just you." Maria answered just as quietly. "Let's just go faster, ok?"
Race nodded and stated to move faster, Maria doing the same. The person behind them did the same. Soon enough the twins were running.
"Over there!" Race said gesturing to a nearby alley. They ran into it thinking it might gain them some time from running. Race leaned against the wall and panted, Maria doing the same on the opposite wall.
"That was close!" Maria said in between breaths.
"Yes it was." Said a voice from the mouth of the alleyway. Neither of the twins had noticed the dead end at the other side of the alley. They were trapped. Race jumped in front of Maria, blocking her.
"Who are ya an' what da youse want?" Race asked, puffing out his chest, trying to be menacing.
"Oh, Anthony. I thought you would have recognized me. Can't a father see his children?" It all snapped into place as the man stepped into the light. He was In fact the twins father. Race's eyes widened out of fear. Only when Maria gripped his hand did he realize he was shaking. Only 2 things scared him this much. The man in front of him and the refuge.
"And I'm not here to do anything. Yet." He took a step closer, making the terrified children step back. "But keep an eye out. I'll see you later bambini." And then he left. Race and Maria just stood there.
"C-c'mon. Let's get ya back ta Medda's." Race said as he stuffed his cigar in his mouth. He started chewing on it as he walked out of the alley with Maria's hand still in his.
When they made it to Medda's Maria went up the stairs to the door to knock, but turned around and planted a kiss on Races forehead. "Stai al sicuro, Antonio"
"Stai al sicuro, Maria" Race returned and then made his way to he lodging house.
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