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Post by Sunshine on Jun 10, 2008 23:48:42 GMT -5
Sunshine sighed loudly, then took in a breath so she could yell as strongly as she could. "Extra, extra...!" She held a newspaper up above her head, turning on her toes and rotating her body so more people could get a good look at the headline across the front page of The New York Journal. This was one of the last few papers she had to sell for the day, and she knew it wouldn't happen because most of the people walking around her were already reading a paper or had one tucked under their arms or sticking out of their bags. It had been getting old for a long time, getting down to the last few papers and striking out- but Sunshine didn't let it get the best of her. The afternoon edition was like that most of the time. It was close to sundown but still as hot as ever outside, the temperatures still up because the sun was still up- but Sunshine hoped they would go down when the sun did.
Decked out in her usual newsie pants and button up shirt, which was blue this time, both her pantlegs and sleeves were rolled up. It was just too damn hot. Her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, but shorter strands wisping around and getting in her eyes from time to time, caused Sunshine to constantly use her forearm to brush them away so she could see properly. She growled at the motion, the task itself, sighing and brushing her hair back out of her eyes. The one day she decided not to wear her knit hat, right? Right. Her mother had cautioned her to wear it, so she wouldn't get hurt from the heat, but stubborn Sunshine said she'd be fine without it for one day- how wrong she was. She could feel her face burning, her hair on fire, her eyes squinting against the sun... oh, how wrong she was. "Hell," She muttered, using a paper to shield the sun from her face. "Oh, that's better..." She said in relief, to no one in particular.
A younger aged man approached her, tipping his hat and giving Sunshine the amount for one paper. "Thank you, sir, have a nice night..." Sunshine said, giving him a smile- it was a tired one, but as courteous as possible, because she didn't want to give him a bad impression. The last thing anyone needed was more reason to think newsies were bad news, no pun intended- especially the girl newsies. And, even moreso, the girl newsies who didn't wear dresses. Sunshine had dresses, but her mother warned her not to wear them while selling, because the pants and shirts she wore ended up ripped or dirtied and Sunshine's mother wanted the dresses kept in as prime condition as possible. She watched the man walk away, checking the coins in her palm after he had his back turned. Nice. Sunshine slipped the coins into her pocket and grabbed up another paper, using it to shield her face. "Extra, extra!"
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Post by Adam Trumper on Jun 11, 2008 18:23:10 GMT -5
Today, Adam decided, he was going to Queens to play. Maybe the people there would appreciate good music. His luck hasn't been to great the past couple of days, music-wise. People snubbed their noses at him. Sometimes children would come up and listen with animated faces, but their mothers would come and shoo them away. The would say, "Never trust strangers, especially musicians." He wasn't going to steal from them or anything. all he asked was for a penny or something, a compliment, anything would do.
He set up his case on the corner of Hoover Avenue. It wasn't exactly busy, but beggars couldn't be choosers. He found a simple chord and strummed, making sure his guitar was tuned. It wasn't. He tuned it as he surveyed the area, just a few people were there; most of them old. Except for one, one of them was a girl that was either his age or younger. She was yelling out a headline, so obviously she was a newsie. Even though he would hate to admit it, Adam's focus was now on her.
The feelings he had were almost overwhelming. Half of him wanted to go up and talk to her, even though he didn't know her. The other half was warning him about what happened last time. Like usual, the fun side was canceled out, and he took the cautious side. But still, just asking for a paper would hurt, right?
He dug a penny out of his pocket, hoping it only cost one penny. He didn't have much money. Just ask for a paper, no harm can come from asking for one lousy paper. He thought. Besides, everyone needed to stay alive, right? So he was doing his part by helping her out. He was too paranoid about someone stealing his guitar, so he held it with him as he began to walk towards her.
"Thank you, sir, have a nice night..."
Adam cleared his throat. Even though he was just buying a paper, he felt nervous. Anything that required the opposite gender ever since Rose had died made him nervous. He was too paranoid that one of them would come up to him and get him hooked on drugs again. He was too scared that that would be his downfall, and the fault for what destroyed him. It already screwed his life up enough, if he got hooked again it probably would cost him his life. He cleared his throat, again. Trying not to chicken out. He had a right to know what was going on in the world, and that's all he was doing, buying a paper. "Excuse me, miss." He said, trying to make sure the wreck inside wouldn't show on the outside. "I would like to buy a paper." Smile, His mind yelled at him. Oh right, a smile would be helpful, and with that he smiled an uncomfortable smile. Hoping it looked genuine.
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Post by Sunshine on Jun 17, 2008 20:53:23 GMT -5
She probably wouldn't be able to sell these last few papers. Eh, that was okay. It didn't make much of a difference, as a long as majority of the papers were gone. Holding that one paper up above her head to shield the sun, Sunshine stood with her remaining few newspapers under her arm, weight balanced on one foot and the other stuck out and off to the side, rolling her eyes slightly at the weather conditions and giving a huff. She could easily be tapping her stuck out foot on the ground like an angry five-year-old wanting her doll back after a stubborn bully took it from her, but she wasn't. As she opened her mouth to shout another headline, Sunshine glanced over and caught sight of a young man holding a guitar and heading in her direction, looking rather nervous. "Excuse me, miss..."
Her mouth hung open. It would not close and no sound would come out, not at all. "I would like to buy a paper." You'd like to buy a paper? Sunshine wanted to tell him he'd could take the paper for free for all she cared- this boy was cute. And he had a guitar. A guitar. Sunshine had had limited experience with guitars but she admired everyone that was able to play, but they were mostly older men- definitely not Sunshine's type. She watched the young man approach her and force on a smile and she wondered if he was all right. Her eyes shifted up to his and, once she remembered her mouth was just hanging open, she immediately closed it shut and grinned widely. "Of course, sir," She recited happily, lowering the paper from above her head and holding it out to him. "Thank you, sir."
He had pretty eyes. Not pretty in the sense of being physically beautiful and that's the end of it, but pretty in the sense of- well- there was a person behind those eyes. He hadn't said much to her and she didn't even know him or his name or where he came from but Sunshine looked into his eyes and immediately knew he was just- someone. She couldn't explain it any more than that. She'd had experience with "men" before but this one was different, it seemed. He looked like a gentleman while the others Sunshine had known were just pigs. This man didn't look like a pig and he didn't look like he could ever behold the qualities of a pig, nor did he look like he would ever even go near the type of situation pigs were into. "And, um," Sunshine continued, still smiling as she looked down to the penny in the man's palm, "you can keep the penny and the paper if you play for me." She looked back up at him, lifting her eyebrows and smiling excitedly, tilting her head a bit with it.
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Post by Adam Trumper on Jun 18, 2008 22:39:27 GMT -5
"Of course, sir, Thank you, sir."
Adam returned her smile, and took his paper. There, mission accomplished. He did what he had (well, really wanted) to do, and he needed to finish his day. The agenda for him today was well, nothing really. He just needed to earn enough for today, just enough to buy dinner. Adam didn't know how to cook, and he was pretty sure that if he tried, he would fail miserably.
He was just about to walk away when he noticed something; she had the same eyes that Rose did. The same eyes that captivated him two years ago. They weren't the same color wise, Rose's were hazel, and this girl's was blue. But it was the look they both had in their eyes that was similar. Both had this special...something about their eyes. Adam saw a light; a fire, the same fire he saw in Rose's eyes. A joyfulness, a passion, and a story. Every person had a story, good and bad.
Realizing he was staring, Adam shook his head and looked at the ground. The ground didn't have a story, and the ground wouldn't get him into trouble. If he allowed himself to get captivated again who knows where it would lead.
"And, um, you can keep the penny and the paper if you play for me."
The corner's of his mouth twitched slightly, just enough to form a small smile for a brief second. A million thoughts ran through his mind. Hadn't he lingered there enough? Shouldn't he get back to playing? Then again, he did get to keep his penny, and a paper. Should he just play, or should he sing too? He swallowed, and tried to smile again. "S-sure," And with that he began to play a sweet, haunting melody. He concentrated on the notes, and kept a rhythm with his foot.
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