~ Four ~

The next morning, we did our usual. We sold our papers, took some bread from the nuns, it was a regular Friday morning. Hey, we're free by noon. No wonder the guys are so happy today.

We all got in line to get our papes. Well, more like a clump. All of the boys were trying to get to the front. Cane soothed all the chaos on Fridays. And I liked the way he did it.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. YOU KNOW THE RULES. LADIES FIRST." He bellowed as I made my way to the front of all the Newsies. Cane picked up my hundred papers and I pulled out my fifty cents to pay. Wiesel stopped me before I left.

"Uh-uh, not so fast," he pulled my shoulder as I began to walk away.

"Where do you'se thinks you goin'?" Oscar, one of the Delancey brothers, stood in front of me.

"60."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Nah, nah, it's fifty," Romeo stepped out of the line to stand up for me.

"'Scuse me, we'se don't have no 60 cents." Crutchie limped up to the front.

"Well, that's too bad, then, isn't it?" Morris Delancey teased.

"Ay! Either get your pape, or get outta the way." Wiesel shouted at me. I looked at Cane, but he gave me a shrug. I stormed off and sat on the wall of the fountain, with other Newsies following. I looked around and stopped when I saw Davey and Les grabbing a few satchels.

"Davey?" I walked over to where they were getting in line.

"Hey, Cory. How's it going?"

"What are you doing?"

"We're gonna be Newsies!" Les cried excitedly.

"What? What do you mean?"

"We're going to be helping out our family. My dad got in a factory accident," Davey explained.

"So you're gonna sell some papes 'till he's alright?"

"Yeah... Hey! We can all work together!" Les was super excited to be a Newsie.

"Sorry, guys. You'se on your own."

"I'm sorry..?" Davey asked.

"Unless you got 60 cents for me to use every day-"

"60? You said it was fifty!"

"Yeah, well, the price was raised, so it's 60."

"Why would they raise the price? You guys are just a bunch of newspaper-selling kids. You don't have any money!" I raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh, I mean, a bunch of kids... who sell newspapers...and this town wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you all...?"

Les whispered to him loudly, "Nice save."

I turned my head and saw Jack talking to Wiesel. He storms over to the fountain, where I was sitting.

"Is that, is that... Jack Kelly?"

"Well, yeah," I shrugged. "I've been best friends with Jack since I was ten."

"You've known Jack Kelly since you were ten? AND YOU'VE NEVER INTRODUCED US?!" His jaw dropped and he ran over to the fountain, where everyone began to crowd around him.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. LET THE MAN THINK." Les pushed everyone away.

Jack looked up, confused. "Wait, who are you?"

"Shhhhhhh......" Les put his finger up to Jack's lips. "Just think."

Race nudged Jack and whispered, "Ya done thinkin' yet, Jack?"

"Well, we ain't gonna let 'em get away wit dis, eh?"

"What are you going to do, go on strike?" Davey asked, jokingly.

"Yeah! We'se goin' on strike!" He stands up and shouts.

"Wait, wait! I was only joking." Davey raises his hand.

I run up to confront him. "Jack, are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. It'll be fun."

"Fun?!" I hear Davey behind me. "It's not fun! You can't even go on strike. You need a union."

"Hey, what's you'se name?" Jack points at him.

"That's Davey. I'm Les. We're brothers. He's the older one." Les jumps up.

"You'se kiddin'." Jack laughs. "And, how old are you?"

"Nearly ten!"

"Nearly ten? Now, listen, if anyone asks, tell 'em you'se seven."

"Why?"

"It's how ya sell papes."

"Hey, we don't want any part of your strike, or your paper selling. We're fine on our own, thanks."

"Then get outta here." Race yelled.

I ran to Davey's defense. "Hey, boys! Listen, Davey here is my friend. You better treat him right, alright?" They all fell silent.

Right about then, another group of Newsies came around the corner to buy a few papes. Half of the boys ran up in front of them and the counter.

"Hey, get outta de way!" One demanded,

"You don't wanna buy no papes." Boots told him.

"What? What's goin' on here?" He looked around.

"'Course we wanna buy papes, what'chu talkin' 'bout?"

"They raised the price. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout." I explained.

"Yeah!" Jack stood up. "And we'se goin' on strike!"

"You in?" I asked.

"We can't go on strike!" At that, I heard Davey behind me mumble, "thank you!"

"Well, we can't go along wit' dis!" Race yelled out.

"So, what do ya say? You'se in?"

"Heck no!" One of the boys shouted.

"C'mon!"

It didn't take too long to convince the few boys to join us, but soon enough, Wiesel told us to move out of the way or buy some papes. We refused, of course, but the Delancey Brothers came outside and threw us out. We sat by the statues in the middle of the square.

"What's we gon' do?" Race answered.

"We doesn't have a choice." Jack replied. We all sat in silence for a long while.

"The World's gonna know." I said softly.

"What?" Jack turned and looked at me.

"The World will know!" I stood up and yelled. Jack stood up with me and we began to chant: "The. World. Will. Know! The. World. Will. Know!"

Pretty soon, every Manhattan Newsie was standing up and chanting this phrase.

This is it. The strike starts now.

❤️ 📰 🎵 ❤️ 📰 🎵 ❤️ 📰 🎵 ❤️ 📰 🎵

-Welp, another Author's Note. 😬

-I'm thinking about doing a time skip a couple weeks ahead. This story's kinda lagging on...

-QOTD: Favorite Broadway.com Vlog?

-AOTD: King of New York, Natural Woman, and of course, Going Bridal. ☺️

-Thanks again for reading! I love you all so, so much. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, more will be coming soon!

Stay Musical. Hayden Beth 🍪❤️