I didn't need to hide the fact I was female because when I was in the refuge, I was a guy, when we were on the streets Jack made me hide my hair in an old cap because homeless girls were sent to the 'orphanage' to learn how to be a 'lady', so if I was dressed like a boy it would be easier for them to catch me, they only found out I was a girl the night I left, that was the main reason we escaped, they were going to send me to the orphanage the next day, so when Teddy Roosevelt came to do some charity work, we snuck out in his carriage. I'm pretty sure he saw us but after seeing how disgusting and crowded the refuge was he didn't rat us out.
We reached the circulation gates finally finishing the song when we were joined by two termites.
"What is that unpleasant aroma?" Race asked with his hand on his chest "I fear the sewers may have backed up during the night" he finished making us all laugh
"Nah, too rotten to be the sewers" Boots added
"It must be 'the Delancey bruddas'" Crutchy mocked as they approached.
"In the back you lousy little shrimp" Oscar said grabbing the back of Snipeshooter's head and pushing him to the ground. Jack went to help him up and I walked straight up to Oscar
" you shouldn't do that, not healthy" race said from behind me.
"You shouldn't call people lousy little shrimps Oscar, unless you're referring to the family resemblance in your brother here" I said pointing at Morris.
"5-1 the Kelly's skunk em, who's betting?" Race says, of course using any opportunity to bet, but he's shut down by moans and grunts from the newsies.
"Yeah, it's an insult" Jack says to Oscar
"So's this!" We say together and I grab Morris' hat and Jack takes oscar's and we bolt around the square. After running for a bit we run into two new guys
" what d'ya think you're doin?" The older one asked, I looked back to see the Delancey's catching up to us and nudge Jack in the ribs so he looks, he turns back to the boy and simply replies
"runnin!" Before we run off leaving the boy and his brother standing there confused. When the brothers finally catch up, Oscar pushes me to the ground and I turn on my back and kick him in the stomach as he leans over me, i jump onto my feet, Morris goes to punch Jack but he dodges so that Morris clocks Oscar in the jaw leaving them both slightly disorientated when the circulation bell rings and we all go back to get our papes. I get in line
behind jack,
"we'll get you tomorrow cowboy" Morris says to Jack
"didn't you say that yesterday?" I retort, he scowl and walks off.
"Mr weasel" Jack says tapping on the boards, when that doesn't work he rings the bell to get weasels attention
"alright alright I'm coming hold your horses" the voice of the Delancey brothers rotten uncle Mr Weasel came out from inside and when the boards are pulled up, it reveals his rat like face.
"D'ya miss me? Did ya, did ya miss me weasel?" Jack taunts.
"I told you a million times, the names Wisel, Mr Wisel to you" he growls. Jack gets his usual 100 papes and goes off to read the headlines, I grab a paper off a pile and start to read the headline, I couldn't read much but I knew certain words, "c'mon you're holding up the line" weasel says trying to make me hurry up,
"don't rush me I'm perusing the merchandise Mr Weasel" I say with emphasis on the weasel. "the usual" I say putting back the pape,
"100 papes for the smart arse" weasel says, I take my papes and go to sit with jack. After convincing weasel to give him free papes, promising he would win the race and get more money, he never wins, race comes to join us.
"Anything good?" He asks
"baby born with two heads" I reply reading through the paper
"must be from Brooklyn" he says, quite boldly because very few people mock Brooklyn, I laugh and we start to talk when we hear weasel shouting at the new boy
"you accusing me of lying kid?" He shouts
"no I just want my papes" the boy reply's innocently, Jack gets up and I follow behind, he counts the boys papes and then says to weasel
"nah, it's 19 but it's alright it's an honest mistake" he says and I cut in
"yeah ya see, Morris can't count to twenty with his shoes on" he grabs the bars growling and I just smirk and wink at him before turning back to race "hey race, spot me two bits" I ask, he chucks me the money and I slam it down "another fifty for my friend here" I say clapping the boy on the back
"I don't want any more papes" the boy says, is he mental, what newsie doesn't want more papes, Morris ignores him and shoves them into his hands and me a jack walk down the steps with the boy trailing behind "I don't take charity from anyone, I don't know and I don't care to" he says, a bit rude if u ask me, then his little brother pipes up
"tiger, they call her tiger, and he's cowboy." He says excitedly, he's so cute.
"Yeah, and a lot ah other things, including Jack Kelly which is what me mother called me" Jack says to the little boy,
"and I'm Cameron, but you can call me Caz. So what's your name kid?" I ask
"I'm les and this is my brother David, he's older" he says sweetly
"no kidding" Jack replies "so how old are you kid" he continues
"near 10" Les says cutely
"that's no good, if anyone asks your 7" I tell him
"you see younger sells more papes and if we're gonna be partners..." Jack starts but is cut off by Dave, who is really starting to get on my nerves,
"who said anything about partners?" He asked,
"well you owe me two bits right?" I say to him, then Race coughs behind him, I just roll my eyes and look back at davey who just looks at me blankly "so I'll consider that an investment, you sell with us, we split 70-30 and you get the honour of observing me and my brother, no charge" I say the newsies try to tell him how much of a good deal this was
"you learn from the Kelly's you learn from the best" Crutchy says.
"If they're the best then why do they need me?" He says, Jack goes to say something but I have slight anger issues and this kid is rlly getting on my nerves
" we don't need you pal" I say " but I no longer have as cute a face as little Les here" I say ruffling Les' hair
"with his puss and our god given talents, we could move 1000 papes a week" Jack says putting his hand on my shoulder to calm me down. I turn to Les
"so whada ya say Les, you wanna sell wi me and Jack?" I ask he nods frantically
"it's gotta be at least 50-50" David says, I look up to jack
"60-40 I forget the whole thing " he says, there's comments from the other newsies agreeing with the fairness, David sticks out his hand reluctantly and when Jack spits into his for a spit shake, David pulls away, "what's the matta" Jack asks
"it's disgusting" David replies, we laugh and head out to sell the papes.
YOU ARE READING
you can't outrun it
Fanfictiontrying to escape her past, Cameron kelly becomes a newsie with her brother jack, life's finally great and she's in love, but eventually her past will come back to haunt her, and no matter how hard she tries to run, she will never outrun the pain. (...
