Newsie Boy
Author's Note: The song Newsie Boy is derived from Avril Lavigne's Sk8ter Boi, and therefore it doesn't belong to me (nuh duh -_-). I hope you enjoy the story!
Dodger sighed as he counted his earnings from the first half of the selling day, only 88 cents. Now usually this would be fine, but he hadn't sold good yesterday and he needed to make up for the money he had lost. It was especially important that he do this because Rip was getting sick and it seemed he might not be able to sell for a couple of days. If Dodger and the other five newsies in their little group didn't make extra, Rip might not get anything to eat.
You see, Dodger and the other newsies he stays with, Showbiz, Marbles, Blackjack, Blade, and Rip, have a system. Lately a lot of the newsies had been moving into lodging houses across New York City, but sometimes even the lodging their was to high a price to pay. So Dodger and his best friend Showbiz had rounded up several newsies and created a little 'home' for them to live in behind a Fabric shop in Manhattan. As long as they lived there together, they pooled their earnings together to buy what they needed. They were a family.
Dodger headed off down a side street to Central Park, one of his favorite places in the city. He whistled a tune in his head, a song his friend Showbiz had written. She hadn't quite figured out lyrics for it, though. He was just passing by several beautiful maple trees when he saw her.
A few yards away she stood, as heavenly as an angel. Her skin was milky white and her hair was the color of ebony, and it rolled down her back in thick, curly locks. She carried a ruffled, yellow parasol that perfectly matched with her lacy yellow dress. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, a gift from God.
Lost in his thoughts of the dark haired angel, he ran straight into a tree, knocking himself flat on the back and drawing the girl's attention. She hurried over, followed by two other girls dressed in the same manner. "My goodness, are you alright?" she asked.
Dodger looked up at her and turned a slight reddish color. "Y-yes, thank you." He stood up and brushed himself off, taking off his cap in the presence of the ladies. The other two girls sneered at him and one gently nudged the girl.
"Well, t-that's good. We'll be leaving now, good day sir," she said quickly, opening her yellow parasol. The three girls then turned and began to leave.
"Wait!" Dodger called. He ran up to them and held out a newspaper. "Would you like to by a paper, miss?" The girl smiled and looked at her friends for approval. They just glared at dodger and turned up their noses. Uncomfortably, she said, "Well, I don't happen to have any change right now."
"Perhaps I could have your name, then? I'm Dodger, I mean, Henry Banes," dodger said, not wanting her to leave. The girl's smile widened. "I'm Elizabeth Maxson, and it was nice meeting you Mr. Banes," she said. One of the girls grabbed her arms and tugged her away and they left without another word.
Dodger sighed as he watched them, her, go. He was in love. Suddenly, he heard a loud voice from behind him and he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey Dodger! I've been looking all over for you, how's the selling been going?"
He'd recognize that voice anywhere, It was Showbiz, his best friend since before he could remember. Still in a daze though, Dodger replied, "Everythings been.wonderful. Everything's wonderful, now. How could it not be?" Showbiz laughed.
"Well that's good, cause I haven't done so well," she said.
Dodger looked up at the sky. "Isn't it a beautiful day, Showbiz? Don't you just love days like this? It's-it's perfect."
Showbiz raised her eyebrows and put a hand on Dodger's forehead. "You feeling okay dodge? You don't seem to well. You're all.happy, too happy." Dodger nodded and laughed.
"I'm fine, Showbiz. I just met the most wonderful girl.She's amazing!" Dodger said, a dreamy look in his eye. Showbiz looked a bit hurt, but she tried to smile. "Nice, really, I'm happy for you." she said. Dodger grinned. "Thanks, Showbiz."
Author's Note: The song Newsie Boy is derived from Avril Lavigne's Sk8ter Boi, and therefore it doesn't belong to me (nuh duh -_-). I hope you enjoy the story!
Dodger sighed as he counted his earnings from the first half of the selling day, only 88 cents. Now usually this would be fine, but he hadn't sold good yesterday and he needed to make up for the money he had lost. It was especially important that he do this because Rip was getting sick and it seemed he might not be able to sell for a couple of days. If Dodger and the other five newsies in their little group didn't make extra, Rip might not get anything to eat.
You see, Dodger and the other newsies he stays with, Showbiz, Marbles, Blackjack, Blade, and Rip, have a system. Lately a lot of the newsies had been moving into lodging houses across New York City, but sometimes even the lodging their was to high a price to pay. So Dodger and his best friend Showbiz had rounded up several newsies and created a little 'home' for them to live in behind a Fabric shop in Manhattan. As long as they lived there together, they pooled their earnings together to buy what they needed. They were a family.
Dodger headed off down a side street to Central Park, one of his favorite places in the city. He whistled a tune in his head, a song his friend Showbiz had written. She hadn't quite figured out lyrics for it, though. He was just passing by several beautiful maple trees when he saw her.
A few yards away she stood, as heavenly as an angel. Her skin was milky white and her hair was the color of ebony, and it rolled down her back in thick, curly locks. She carried a ruffled, yellow parasol that perfectly matched with her lacy yellow dress. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, a gift from God.
Lost in his thoughts of the dark haired angel, he ran straight into a tree, knocking himself flat on the back and drawing the girl's attention. She hurried over, followed by two other girls dressed in the same manner. "My goodness, are you alright?" she asked.
Dodger looked up at her and turned a slight reddish color. "Y-yes, thank you." He stood up and brushed himself off, taking off his cap in the presence of the ladies. The other two girls sneered at him and one gently nudged the girl.
"Well, t-that's good. We'll be leaving now, good day sir," she said quickly, opening her yellow parasol. The three girls then turned and began to leave.
"Wait!" Dodger called. He ran up to them and held out a newspaper. "Would you like to by a paper, miss?" The girl smiled and looked at her friends for approval. They just glared at dodger and turned up their noses. Uncomfortably, she said, "Well, I don't happen to have any change right now."
"Perhaps I could have your name, then? I'm Dodger, I mean, Henry Banes," dodger said, not wanting her to leave. The girl's smile widened. "I'm Elizabeth Maxson, and it was nice meeting you Mr. Banes," she said. One of the girls grabbed her arms and tugged her away and they left without another word.
Dodger sighed as he watched them, her, go. He was in love. Suddenly, he heard a loud voice from behind him and he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey Dodger! I've been looking all over for you, how's the selling been going?"
He'd recognize that voice anywhere, It was Showbiz, his best friend since before he could remember. Still in a daze though, Dodger replied, "Everythings been.wonderful. Everything's wonderful, now. How could it not be?" Showbiz laughed.
"Well that's good, cause I haven't done so well," she said.
Dodger looked up at the sky. "Isn't it a beautiful day, Showbiz? Don't you just love days like this? It's-it's perfect."
Showbiz raised her eyebrows and put a hand on Dodger's forehead. "You feeling okay dodge? You don't seem to well. You're all.happy, too happy." Dodger nodded and laughed.
"I'm fine, Showbiz. I just met the most wonderful girl.She's amazing!" Dodger said, a dreamy look in his eye. Showbiz looked a bit hurt, but she tried to smile. "Nice, really, I'm happy for you." she said. Dodger grinned. "Thanks, Showbiz."