Hidden Love: A Newsies Fanfiction

Chapter 4

I woke up the next morning, sore as ever. At first I had no idea why, then I remembered. Delancey's. I stretch out, attempting to get rid of my sore limbs.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," Jack says, jumping down from the top bunk.

"What's so good about it?" I mumble.

"Let me guess, you're sore?"

"Boy, how ever did you guess that?" I ask sarcastically.

"Magic. Now get up. And remember, you're selling with Race."

"Yay," I mumble.

"Liv, loose the sarcasm. You brought this on yourself."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Is it too late to change your mind?"

"When you came home last night it was too late."

I groan and get out of bed. "Fine. You win."

"Good. Get dressed. We head out in ten minuets," Jack says walking out.
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"So, why does Jack want you to sell with me?" Race asks as we walk towards the tracks.

"I went to Harlem and had a run in with the Delancey's," I explain.

"Wait, Harlem? You're not allowed to go there."

"I would've gotten away with it if Oscar and Morris didn't soak me. But, that's why Jack wants me to sell with you."

"Oh," Race says. We walk in silence for a few more minuets before Race finally speaks. "You know Jack is going to get them for hurting you."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah I know."

"You don't sound happy about it."

"I just, I don't want people to think I'm a weak girl. I can handle myself."

"Liv, it's Oscar and Morris who we're talking about. It takes a lot to handle them. They're evil," Race says as we get to the track.

We sell a few papes before I finally ask the question that's been haunting me. "Do you ever wonder if maybe they are rude because they have a hard life?"

Race laughs. "Yeah. And maybe Pulitzer is secretly not greedy. And maybe Spot is secretly kind."

"I'm being serious, Race."

"So am I," Race says as he stops his selling, walking over to me. "Liv, Oscar and Morris are mean, evil little jerks. They were born that way and will stay that way. Just like Spot was born short yet mean."

"Did you just call Spot 'short?'" I ask.

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Race leans closer. "But we both know it's true." As he starts to walk off, he yells back, "It's best that you stay away from those bothers!" He goes back to sell his papers in the far end of the track, leaving me alone.

As I continue selling, I start to think. "No one can be born bad. Something must've happened. And even if they are bad, there has to be a bit of good in them. Right?"

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I walk into the newsboys lodging house after selling with Race. I'm tired, my feet hurt, and I smell slightly like horse. In a nutshell, I'm completely miserable.

"You looked pissed," Jack says with a laugh. He is sitting on the ground playing cards with Mush, Skittery, and Snotty.

I sit next to Jack. "Deal me in."

"One day with Race and you've already turned into a gambler." Jack laughs and deals me in.

"One day with Race and I'm about to kill you."

"Where'd that shiner come from?" Mush asks.

"Nowhere," I mumble.

"She went to Harlem and got soaked by Oscar and Morris," Jack explains.

"Hey!" I punch Jack in the arm.

"You went to Harlem? Don't you know they hate us?" Snotty asks.

"I'm aware."

"What's wrong with those two?" Skittery pipes in. "Why would they pick on an innocent little girl?"

"I'm not a 'little girl'! Besides, they wanted payback for what I did at the distribution center yesterday."

"I'm going to get them back," Jack mumbles.

"I'll help you, Jack," Mush says. Skittery and Snotty agree.

"No! That's what they want! Just leave it alone ok!" I yell.

"Liv, I told you. They need to know they can't touch you."

"I handled it Jack! Why can't any of you just understand That?!" I slam my cards down and start my track to the roof.

"Shame she quit. She had good cards," Mush says.

I climb up to the roof and look out over the city bellow. When we were younger, Jack used to take me up here when I was feeling sad. Now, it's become our special place to think.

"I don't understand," I mumble to myself. "I don't understand why the boys don't think I can handle myself. I'm not a kid anymore. Ha! I can beat most of them in a fight." I look at my hands. "And I don't understand why they think Oscar and Morris are pure evil."

When I was a little kid, I remember my mom telling me that I should never judge anyone for mean things they may do to me. That I don't know anything about what they've been through or live with. I look up to the sky. "Your right mom."

As I climb down the ladder I can't help but smile. Maybe it's because I feel rebellious, or maybe because it's silly to think everyone has a little good in them. All I know is that I have a new goal. I need to find out more about the Delancey brothers.