IT was 8:30 a.m. and the sun was shining over the happy city of Manhattan. "Hey, Weasel, 50 papes! And get it right dis time!" Matt said with a stern tone in his voice.
He started walking down the street, when something caught his eye. It was Mush carrying a girl on his shoulder. The girl was knocked out, so Matt decided to find out what was wrong.
"Mush, what's with the goil? Don't tell me you beat her." "No! Of course not, what kinds of a guy do youse t'ink I am? I hoid a scream and I found Oscar and Morris soakin' her."
"Well, let's take her to the Lodging House." Said a worried Matt.
When they got to the Lodging House Mush took the unconscious girl to his bunk and laid her down gently so he wouldn't hurt her more than she already was. He and Matt were watching over her for about 10 minutes when they saw a flinch in her eyes.
"Wha...wheres am I?" I said, just coming to.
"Youse in da Newsie's Lodging House." Mush said in a concerned manor.
"How'd I get heah?" I asked still not knowing what had happened.
"Youse was getting' soaked by two joiks in da alley, so I stopped 'em, an bought ya heah." He stated with a proud smirk on his face.
"Youse means Oscar and Morris? T'anks for helpin' me, .sorry what's ya name?"
"I'm Mush, an dat's Matt, he's pretty new heah too." Mush started to look as if he had just saved the world, and then his smile dropped. "Hey, your clothes look badly ripped.do you want ta use some of mine?"
"Yeah, t'anks Mush. By da why my name is Riff." I said as I walked over to Mush.
He handed me a pair of his cut off pants and a shirt. "I hope dey an't too big for ya. The washing room is right down da hall from heah, youse can change dere."
I took the clothes from Mush and thanked him for his hospitality. Then I walked to the washing room and changed from my old torn up blouse and skirt to the clothes Mush had given me.
"Do dey fit aright Riff?"
"Yeah dey do, a bit big, but real comfy! T'anks a lot! Youse must be real gentlemen ta help me like dat! T'anks again, but I really gots to go Mush."
He started to blush, as he noticed not only Matt there, but also David, Les, Boots, Kid Blink, Racetrack, and Jack, all making-kissing faces. "Oh it's-it's really not'in' at all. I mean it's da right t'ing ta do, right?" Mush stuttered as he talked, trying not to be so mushy sounding around the guys. Because if he did, he'd never hear the end of it.
I laughed as he talked. I knew that the other guys were there too. "Yeah, I guess it is, but its not everyday dat youse are saved by a really nice guy. I t'ink I gotta go, but I'll see youse again, aright?" I winked. I gave Mush a kiss on the cheek as I left out the window.
As I left, the other guys came out of their hiding places.
"Dat's some catch Mush!" Blink said elbowing him right in the stomach.
"Yeah, she's a cute goil, ain't she?!" Mush sighed. "But she don't likes me dough."
"Hey, glum and dumb, youse blind? Of course she dose! Did ya see duh way she looked at ya?" Racetrack yelled.
Mush looked out the window and sighed, "I really need ta sell papes today, I ain't gots a cent ta my name!" and then ran out side to start selling papers.
As I walked down the street I stared thinking about how nice it was to be treated I like was a somebody, not a street rat, but a real person. Then I stared thinking about Mush and how sweet he was to let me wear some of his clothes, which was probably his only other pair. Then I decided to pay him back for the clothes he let me barrow.
I went up to the newsstand where it looked like newsies got their papes. When it was my turn I said, "30 papes please."
"Whose dis? I neva seen youse heah before? Are you a newsies?" Weasel proclaimed.
"No, I ain't a newsie, but I want ta be."
"If youse ain't a newsie, youse don't get no papes."
"Oh, I didn't know, sorry."
I started to walk out of the line when Matt pulled me back to Mr. Weasel. "I don't t'ink youse know who you're dealing with if you tell my friend Riff dat she can't have any papes, do ya Weasel? Now, give her, her 30 papes so dere won't be any trouble heah."
He gave me my papes and I paid him the money. Then I thanked Matt for his help.
"Anytime Riff, a friend of a newsie, is a friend of all da newsies. An youse seem like a really good friend of Mush's!" He chuckled.
"Awww, did he say dat? Dat's sweet!"
"So, ya want ta be a newsie? Well, all youse have ta do is get a bunk at da Lodging House, an make friends wit' da guys, which is easily done!"
"Ya t'ink I could be a real newsie?"
"Youse can be a real newsie if ya do what I said, and can handle getting' soaked every once and a while."
"I can handle dat, I mean, I did live t'rough Oscar and Morris' soakin'! Will youse come wit' me to get a bunk at da Lodging House?"
"Of course Riff."
So I got a bunk, and after a full day of sellin' papes wit' Matt, we went back to the Lodging House to count how much we made. He had taught me all the tricks of the newsies, from making up new headlines to acting like you're very sick. While we were there, I met the rest of the guys. Out of all of them, Mush and Matt were my favorites. Not just because they helped me out when I needed it, but because they had the most heart.
"Riff, so ya decided ta become a newsie? Dat's great! Now we can sell papes tageda!" Mush exclaimed.
"Yeah, da reason I became one was-" I started.
"It don't matta why ya 'came one, it just mattas dat youse is one!" Mush yelled, hugging me.
"I'm glad youse is glad I'm stayin' and workin' heah, but PLEASE let go of me! T'anks, youse were cuttin' off my circulation dere!" I gave him a smile and then left to sit on the roof.
Sitting on the roof of the Lodging House is spectacular. I've always thought it was romantic to sit there and watch the sun set. I was hoping Mush or Matt would come out and keep me company, but I sat there for an hour watching the city alone.
Suddenly Mush stuck his head out the window. "Hey Riff, Kooplman's gonna be comin' up heah soon an' tellin' us ta go ta bed. Just thought I would let ya know."
"T'anks Mush, tell me, do ya t'ink about da future eva, ya know, what's gonna happen to ya when ya olda? Who ya are gonna be with when ya are olda?"
He came out and sat next to me. "Sometimes, I always t'ought dat I'd get away from heah; ya know, live far away. An' I want ta be wit' a nice goil when I'm olda."
"Got anyones inparticular?"
"No, not really."
"Oh. Umm, I'm kinda tired; I'll see ya tamarrwa. Good night Mush." I kissed him on the cheek and then left to go to bed. I turned my head to see if he was following me, but he was still sitting there. But he looked different, he had this dazed look on his face, and he had this slight smile in the corner of his lips."He might not have a giol in mind 'yet,' I'm gonna be da best darn friend he eva had!" I whispered, hoping he would hear bits and pieces of it.
The next day all of the newsies got up a little earlier so they could show me around the city. We heard the bell ring and everyone ran to get his or her papes. I had no idea what was going on so I just stood there confused.
Matt grabbed my wrist as he ran by and pulled me all the way to "The World" gates.
"Hey Matt! Let go of me wrist, youse is hoiting it!" I yelled and push him away.
"Sorry Riff, but ya didn't know what was happenin' an' so I was takin' ya with me."
We got our papes and he asked me if I wanted to sell with him today, but I rejected his offer and went to sell on my own. "I'll see ya later Matt, but really want ta try dis on me own!"
As the day went by, Matt bumped into Mush as they were going back to the Lodging House.
"I see Riff isn't wit' you now Dave." Mush laughed (you know, that laugh that makes girls sigh.)
"Ha ha, very funny Mush, but she will be "wit' me" if ya know what I mean."
"No, why do ya t'ink she likes youse best! She is all over me, not youse!"
They were fighting like this all the way to the Lodging House and up into the bed room area. My greetings and question of why it took them so long to get back suddenly stopped them.
"Hiya fellaws! What took ya so long?" I went over to them and gave Matt a hug. He smiled at Mush evilly. Then I went over to Mush and gave him a hug and a kiss. That was the one thing Matt needed to crack.
"Dat's it Mush we rumble t'night, 11:00 at Central Park." Matt yelled.
By this time all the other newsies had come back from a hard day of selling papes. We all were surprised that Matt wanted to rumble, especially with one of his good friends. But we were even more surprised that Mush agreed and said that he would be there. I started to tell the guys that two friends should never wanted to soak eachother, especially for no reason.
"Oh, dere is a reason all right!" Matt told me mouthing off.
"An' dat would be...?" I asked doubting Matt.
"Youse is da reason Riff, he t'inks ya love him more den me." Mush stated.
I was shocked! I couldn't believe that they would fight over a stupid thing like that! I wasn't going to allow the rumble to go on, but by the time I got over my shock, they two friends were on different sides of the bed room area. So, I went over to Jack to have him try to get some sense in their heads.
"Sorry Riff, but once a newsie says dey're gonna rumble, dere minds can't be changed." Jack told me.
"Then if I can't get dem to stop, den I'm gonna come to da rumble!"
"No! No normal goils come ta dese t'ings!"
"Well, youse know, as well as I know, dat I'm no normal goil."
His trying to make me not come failed and I went to my bunk. I was going; no one could stop me. I was going to stop that fight!
Finally 11:00 came, and we all went to Central Park. There we saw Davy and Mush. We gathered around them in awe. Race and Blink told me that I might not want to watch, but mind their warning I was going to watch.
They agreed that they wouldn't use any weapons, then they got started. Matt gave the first punch. MISS! Mush gave Matt a right hook and got him! It went on like that for ten minutes. Matt finally got so made that he took out a knife and slashed Mush's arm. Mush fell to the ground in pain.
That's when all my feelings for Mush rushed in. I dashed to Mush to protect him from Matt. I held Mush head in my arms, and cried. Then anger filled me. I lowered Mush's head down on the ground so that I wouldn't hurt him. Then I turned to Matt. "Is dis what youse do ta friends? Hoit dem? And what's dis Matt, a knife, youse two said no weapons, oh, ya must t'ink dis is a tool not a weapon! See dat's how blind youse are!" I yelled at the top of my lungs at Matt.
Matt ran away from the scene. I actually frightened him! Mush was starting to get up on to his feet. I rush over to help him.
"Riff, ya saved me. Dose dat mean..."
"Mush it means I care for youse and always have. We gotta get youse to da Lodging House so ya arm can get wrapped. Heah, let me help ya up!"
All the other newsies walked with us. When we got to the Lodging House, they all told Mr. Kloppman what happened, and that Mush needed an arms wrap. He came up to the bed room area to hand me the wrap.
"You think you can handle this Riff?" He asked.
"Yeah, an' I want ta do dis for him, to show him I really care."
He walked downstairs and told the guys to wait down by the stairs so that no one would interrupt us.
I started to wrap his Mush's arm. "Hey Riff, I'm sorry for not comin' to ya to ask ya who youse loved, instead o' fightin' wit' Matt."
"It's ok Mush, right now, the only t'ing dat I care about is getting ya arm wrapped up so no more blood can come out. I gotta ask youse t'ough; youse an' Matt were fighting 'cause both o' youse loved me?"
"Yeah, it's dumb ain't it?"
"It is, but it's also sweet. I t'ought youse didn't want me ta be your goil, and den ya go and fight for me! I didn't t'ink ya loved me." I stared to cry.
"I t'ought you really only liked me as a friend, but when Matt said youse loved him, I blew up!"
"Wait he said dat I loved him! No way! I did before, and always will love you wit' all me heart!"
We both leaned in for a kiss, the single thing we both wanted from eachother to feel like we truly were together. Little did we know, all the other newsies came in and were looking at us. Then they all said, "awww!"
We looked at them and smiled, we really were a couple and we really did love eachother with all of our heart. Then we gave eachother one more kiss before going to bed. Mr. Kloppman turned out the lights and then left.
"Goo' night Riff." Mush said from above my bed. "I love youse."
"I love youse too Mush, goo' night." I finally felt at home, and with that thought in my head, I fell asleep eager to start a new life.