(Requested by BeckyMerari1808 (hope you enjoy, darling!) This isn't really.... A romance thing. It's more about Race than it is about Oscar (I'm sorry). But I kind of like how it turned out- by which I mean 'sort of' (by which I mean,,,, not at all); what do you think? This will also probably be my last request because I'm closing them for a bit until I finish the rest of the oneshots I've got going for this book- and get into the swing of a new story. Yay? Maybe. -M)
Fast selling meant getting done earlier.
Getting done earlier meant dinner.
Dinner meant a decent sleep.
Decent sleep meant fast selling for the next day.
With fast selling, Katie Higgins could beat her brother, Race- which meant she beat most of the other Lower Manhattan newsies as well. It meant getting back to the Lodging House. Getting back to the Lodging House meant less time on the streets. The streets, though Katie had dealt with them all her life, only meant one thing: danger.
From the occasional unfriendly stray dog- by which I mean 'happened that one time three years ago'- to Snyder's thugs to the Delanceys, the streets after dark were unfriendly and unforgiving. The Bulls wouldn't see or hear a scuffle in an already dark alleyway during the day- at night, it was even worse.
Which was why, as the sun sank lower into the sky, orange light setting the tops of the tall city buildings aflame, Katie Higgins was all on edge. She continually glanced over her shoulder as she tried to pass off the last couple papers. There was always the sneaking- slightly terrifying- suspicion that she was being followed. Still, if Race knew she was scared, Katie knew she'd never hear the end of it.
So, she tried for a grin and turned to her brother. "I'm headin' back to the Lodgin' House, Racer. Beat ya there!"
Race chuckled to himself, adjusting the strap on his paper bag. "Good luck with that."
She grinned back and jogged off towards the Lodging House. It wasn't much of a distance- from her selling spot to the House, that was. A few city blocks, at most. Still, tonight, it felt like she couldn't get there fast enough.
So, when Katie bounded up the steps to the Manhattan (formerly) Newsboys' Lodging House and into the light spilling out of the lobby, it was an instant relief. It wasn't much to look at- the outside was shabby and the same drab brown as all the other buildings in Lower Manhattan, and the tight check-in room and dusty chandelier hanging from the ceiling weren't much in the way of a grand entrance, but still. It was home; it always had been- always would be.
She didn't think much about Race, alone on the darkened city streets.
"Hey, Kate!" Smalls called, running up to the girl in name, grinning like a madwoman. "You're back late!"
"Yeah," Katie replied with a sigh. "Tough selling today. Race decided to change our selling spot on the one day this week the headline sucked. The one day!"
"Mm," Smalls commented, trying for a sympathetic expression. It didn't work. "Anyways! Sniper owes me a nickel for me beatin' you, so I'se just comin' round ta say: thanks!"
Katie smiled. "You're welcome."
The small girl bounced off again, probably to gloat to someone else. Katie smiled after her. Of course it was Sniper and Smalls to bet on something like that. And of course it was Smalls to beat her.
"Oi! Higgins!" Katie spun around just in time to see Albert DaSilva coming up to scare her. She quickly stepped out of the way and the redheaded newsboy stumbled and fell flat on his face. Katie grinned.
