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Post by Bella Harris on Jun 8, 2008 17:45:59 GMT -5
Bella walked through Manhattan thinking over what Mike told her. "Convince Jack to let you be a Manhattan newsie, say that you're hardworking and dedicated. Come up with some sob story, and lie. You're a good lier, you've been doing it for the past couple of years." Okay, that was easy enough.
She took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the Lodging House. Glancing around she saw a few of the younger boys she was introduced to by Blink. Waving a small hello to them, she took the stairs up two at a time. Blink had already gave her a tour of the Lodging House when she came to meet a few of his friends a while back ago. So she knew her way around, but barely.
Blink didn't know anything about her becoming a newsie, what a surprise that would be. She smiled to herself as she walked to the bunk room. Her steady gaze darted around as she looked for the boy that she met who's name was Jack. Aha, she found him. He was tall, and he always wore a cowboy hat.
Breathe, She thought to herself, as she walked closer to him. "Um, excuse me?" She said in a timid voice. After clearing her throat she spoke in a more confident tone, "I would like to become a newsie." She said, hopefully it wouldn't be too hard. If she was dating Blink, couldn't he put in a good word for her? She didn't know, and she could only hope for the best.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Jun 10, 2008 21:05:50 GMT -5
That afternoon was the peak of the hottest day New York had seen for a while. The newsboys had sold their papers with a fervency that was attributed to the fact that the heat was sweltering, and it would only get hotter. Jack Kelly had sold his usual number of papers by noon, a new record, for he too had desired nothing more than to get inside, where at least the sun couldn't penetrate.
Unfortunately, the lodging house wasn't much cooler than outside. With unshaded windows closed tight, the bunk room was just as hot, if not hotter. Boys went around in their undershirts and bare-foot, abandoning their hats and their hair unruly. The entire atmosphere was that of a sluggish calmness, which was totally out of the ordinary for the lodging house.
Jack Kelly sat in the bunk room, his cowboy hat over his eyes. He reclined in a chair, trying to ignore the fact that it must have been over a hundred degrees in the room and nowhere else was it any cooler; someone had the bright idea to open the windows as if to tempt a nonexistent breeze to come in. Jack was slightly crabby because of the raging heat, and the quiet of the room was interrupted by a voice.
"Um, excuse me?"
The voice was female, and Jack sat up and pushed his hat back so it hung on his back around his neck. The girl who stood in the door looked about his age, and pretty. He didn't recognize her, but it was rare that someone would come waltzing in to the lodging house. Visitors knocked, newsies walked right in, but they didn't have to come by Jack for much. Jack regarded her calmly, waiting for her to continue.
"I would like to become a newsie."
Jack rose to his feet. No one really asked to become a newsie. He couldn't stop you from becoming one, really, no one could. But it was best to go by Jack and at least introduce yourself, because if anything you wanted to be in good with the leader, or at least, not get on his bad side. But asking to be a newsie wasn't too ordinary. He approached the girl and said, "Who's askin'?" She wasn't familiar, and Jack didn't let just anyone waltz in for no good reason...
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Post by Bella Harris on Jun 10, 2008 22:58:24 GMT -5
Bella surveyed the atmosphere she was about to put herself into. She grimaced, it smelt like perspiration, smoke and liquor. The liquor was an all too familiar smell, and it made her feel woozy. She could handle alcohol very well, and she did drink, but it brought back the memories when Edward would come home drunk.
She shivered, trying to get the memories to go away. He was gone, correction; she was gone. She was soon to become a newsie, and all would be right with the world. Except for the fact she was working for Mike and was basically betraying her boyfriend, close friends, and almost everyone.
But we'll leave that part out for now. She couldn't go up to Jack and say, "Hey, I'm working for your enemy. Make me a newsie now so I can spy on you!" She had a pretty good feeling that wouldn't go over too well. Bella wasn't exactly in the mood to get beaten to a bloody pulp, that's happened one too many times.
"Who's askin'?"
What did he mean by who's asking? She was standing right in front of him, asking if she could become a newsie. Bella felt really confused as she furrowed her brow. "Um, I am." She said. "I'm Bella," It couldn't hurt if she gave him her real name, would it? Oh well, too late now. "And I know Blink, h-he's my boyfriend." She said. Okay, that might win her some points. Now all she had to do was if he asked her for a story or something, she had to think of one. The background she left behind was a good enough background. She just had to skip the whole meeting Mike and working for him thing.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Jun 14, 2008 21:51:45 GMT -5
"Um, I am. I'm Bella."
Bella. Jack had heard that name before, but he couldn't remember where. He decided not to think about it, and extended his hand. "Jack Kelly," he said, in an attempt to be cordial, although he knew that Bella probably knew his name already. Jack could be a bit of a rogue sometimes, but he wasn't lacking in gentlemanly qualities. In fact, he prided himself on being pretty damn charming. Suave as hell, boy. But there was a difference between being charming and being a gentleman, and right now Jack was only interested in being a gentleman...and being the leader here.
"And I know Blink, h-he's my boyfriend."
Jack could remember now: Bella was Blink's girl. He knew he'd heard her name somewhere before. He nodded in recognition. "Blink's said some things about you," he informed her. He didn't hear too much about Bella; only things in passing. He figured that she would be alright to be a newsie. Jack couldn't exactly turn anyone away, if they wanted to sell, but he liked the people who ran themselves by him first. That showed respect, and Jack was pretty okay with people who respected him.
He nodded to Bella. "Sure, you can join up with us. Just run by Kloppman and sign in the log book. We need to get ya a bunk..." There weren't many spare bunks around nowadays, but Jack knew Kloppman always kept a few in storage.
((Kinda short...))
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Post by Bella Harris on Jun 15, 2008 14:07:29 GMT -5
"Jack Kelly,"
Bella nodded, she already knew who he was. She decided to try and see if she could win any points with him. She smiled and said, "Oh I know who you are. I don't think there isn't a person in New York that hasn't heard of you." When she lived with Edward she would sometimes be able to talk her way out of something, it didn't work all the time. Just when he was sober, so it wasn't often.
"Blink's said some things about you,"
She grinned, Blink didn't know anything about her working for Mike. And yet, he probably just helped her out. She felt a little guilty, but quickly pushed those feelings out of her head. "Oh really?" She said, "Good things I hope." She smiled, all of the nervousness was gone from her body. Bella just needed to relax and be herself.
"Sure, you can join up with us. Just run by Kloppman and sign in the log book. We need to get ya a bunk..."
That's it? That's all she had to do? Bella was stunned, she made sure her jaw wasn't hanging open. Oh how pleased Mike would be. She would just skip the whole selling thing unless she absolutely needed to. Mike told her that Daphne; the other spy, was having trouble convincing Spot in Brooklyn. What luck, Bella didn't have to do spit to be a Manhattan newsie. She smiled, "Thanks! Are there any rules I need to follow or anything?" She asked, this was going to be easier than she thought...
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