1February 1899
Dear diary
Valentine's day. The day I hate the most. Don't get me wrong it's…..who am I kidding, this is the month I can't stand the most.
It was barely a week into February when the boys started going girl crazy. Now I know I should be used to this, seeing as I'm the only girl here, but it's also the one day out of the year I'm flying solo. Usually, if all the boys are out on dates there's always one, maybe two of them at the Lodge, so I'm not completely alone.
But with all of them being that age I'm pretty much alone now. I remember when it was always me and the other younger newsies, we'd set up pranks for the older boys, run around and tease each other. I'm pretty sure it drove Klopp crazy, but he was too nice to say anything. But with everyone almost being ages fifteen to seventeen, (besides Romeo, but I guess this never applied to him before) I can guarantee you, my dear diary that I'm going to be spending the night all by myself, with nothing to do.
I know the boys are too nice to leave me alone, and if they did they'd all feel bad seeing as I'm the "baby" of the Family. So they always invite me out to go to Medda's with them, and their dates. But usually they'd get so wrapped up in their girl that I'm usually sitting at myself at the table, so there's really no difference in either of those choices. Plus I'd much rather stay in the safety of the Lodge then walking at night.
The times I do go a few of the boys always check on me. Specs, Crutchie, Elmer, Tommy boy, and Buttons, just to name a few. While everyone else is busy with their girl. Half the time the girl they're out with is almost always completely rude to me for no reason. And the boys always think I'm the one who cause trouble since apparently I have a short temper, and I don't know when to keep my mouth shut.
I may also add that the girls they go out with won't even last to the end of the month, with all of them being that age, and Romeo being well...Romeo. I don't even think any of them had a steady girlfriend that lasted close to a year. Oh, did I also mention with me being the only girl that
"Feisty I need yer help!" a voice yelled, which made Feister let out a very loud sigh. "I think I finally got the perfect pick up line-"
"Albert, yer pick up lines are never good!" Feister yelled cutting the redhead off. You see, with Feister being the only girl in the Lodging House, the boys always ask her for girl advice, even though Feister has the least amount of experience in the dating category, they still ask her.
"Ouch."
"Shut up an' get outta my room!" Feister snapped.
"If you don't want anyone in here you'se really should lock the door."
"I would if the lock wasn't broken!" Feister yelled. "Remember, you ran in here after you stole Race's cigar again, an' after less than two minutes the lock broke! Besides that get out!" she yelled while pointing her finger to the door. Sadly it was true about the lock being broken, at night Feister always has to push heavy boxes so the boys won't play any pranks on her at night. Or barge in while she's getting changed. Luckily none of those things have happened, and Feister hoped it would stay that way until the new lock came.
"I just wanna see if it's good or not," Albert replied. Feister mumbled something in French as she slammed her journal shut and tossed it to the end of the bed. "Ok here it goes...wait for it….if nothing lasts forever will you'se be my nothin'?"
"Are ya done?" Feister asked after a few quiet moments.
"Not until ya tell me if it's good or not," Albert replied.
"An' here I's was thinkin' you'se was a ladies man," she replied. "Now get out fore I's soak ya."
"Ice queen," Albert teased before walking out.
"Ya have ta work a lot harder ta insult me Dasilva!" Feister shouted. "An' close the-"
"Feisty-"
"Out!" Feister yelled while once again pointing her finger towards the door.
"Oh c'mon!" Henry yelled. "Just help me an' I'll leave ya alone."
"If ya really wanted ta leave me alone you'se wouldn't be in here," Feister replied firmly while leaning back a little. Needless to say Henry didn't leave, and when he did Jojo was the next to walk in. It went on like that until Feister had enough and took her journal and pencil before going to hideout underneath the front desk so she could write in peace.
Oh, did I also mention with me being the only girl that they always ask me for help. I mean what makes them think that the girl who is one of the boys, can give them girl advice? And If that isn't reason enough, then why would they
"Feister?" a voice asked, making Feister jump up. "What're you doing here?" Kloppman asked as he looked down at said girl.
"Hidin' from the boys," she replied quietly. "I's love 'em an' all, but with Valentine's day bein' today, they's won't stop askin' me for last minute goil advice, or what shirt they should wear. An' let's not forget how their hair looks, an' worse of all, how they's smell." she shuddered at the thought before yelling, "I can't stand it! Please tell me the new lock is gonna be here soon? I can't stand havin' the boys burst in every five seconds."
"It'll be here this weekend," Kloppman replied.
"Hey Klopp have ya seen Feisty anywhere? I's need ta ask 'er somethin'," an all too familiar voice asked. Feister looked up at Kloppman with her big eyes, shook her head, and mouthed the words, "I'm not here".
"Have I seen Feister?" Kloppman asked.
"Yeah, I's been lookin' everywhere for 'er," Mush replied while leaning his arms on the front desk. "She ain't in 'er room, the fire escape, or the bathroom. An' I's know she's here somewhere cause Elmer said he saw 'er come down here."
"No, I haven't seen her since you two came back from sellin'," Kloppmann replied. Feister let out a small sigh of relief as she slumped back a little bit.
"If you see 'er, can ya tell 'er I's wanna tawk ta 'er?" Mush asked sheepishly. "It's kinda important," he finished in a quiet tone while tracing his finger in a circle on the desk.
"If I see her, I'll let you know," Kloppman reassured with a smile.
"Thanks," Mush replied before walking out the door to see if Feister had gone out for some air.
"Thanks, Klopp," Feister said once she knew Mush wasn't there anymore.
"Maybe you should go see what he wants to talk about," Kloppman replied.
"He probably wants goil advice, or wants a second opinion on how he looks," Feister said with a small huff as she crossed her arms. There was no way she was going to talk to Mush, or any of the other boys until the next morning. "Can I's hide out here for a while?" she asked shyly.
"If that's what you want," Kloppman replied. "While you're down there can you hand me the stack of papers? On the left." she handed him the papers while thinking that, maybe Kloppman was right, maybe she should go see what Mush wants to talk about. After all, the other boys keep telling her, over, and over again that Mush has a little massive crush on her. Feister of course never believed it, but just hearing those words made her second guess everything. So, after thinking long and hard about it, she went back up to the bunk room and waited for Mush to come back.
Which wasn't a very long wait. By this point most of the boys had already left to do whatever it was they were doing for Valentine's day. Feister was sitting up in her bunk while playing with her cap when she noticed Mush was back. "Hey Meyers," she said as he walked up to his bunk.
"Johnson," Mush replied with a smile. "Where have ya been? I's been lookin' for ya."
"If I's told ya, you'se just come an' bug me," Feister replied with a small laugh. "So, Klopp said ya wanted ta tawk bout somethin'?"
"Yeah…." Mush replied while rubbing the back of his neck. "Well ya see...it's just that…..It's gettin' late, an' if I don't go now I'll be late for my date."
"That's what ya wanted ta tell me?" Feister asked quietly.
"That an' I's forgot what I's was gonna ask ya," Mush lied. He knew what he was going to ask. But chickened out at the last second. "See ya in the mornin'," he quickly said before walking back to the stairs, leaving Feister to the empty bunk room.
Feister just sighed. She should've known that it wouldn't be what she was hoping for. By this point, it's pretty clear that somewhere in the back of her mind, she was hoping he'd ask her out or something along the lines of more than friends. But that didn't happen, and now Feister was left in the bunk room, by herself, with nothing to do but mope. She let out one more sigh before opening her journal to finish what she was writing.
If that isn't reason enough then why would they ask the girl who can't even tell her crush she likes him? Then again, nobody even knows that side of me. I always hide behind a smile when he has his arm around another girl. Besides that, why would he even go for a girl like me? I know he only sees me as his annoying little sister. And that's all I'll ever be to him. Valentine's day, the day I hate the most.
"Whenever I's try ta tell 'er how I's really feel, I's get tongue tied!" Mush exclaimed. "See, this is why you'se should never listen to yer friends! They's always say ta me "Face it Mush brains, little Feisty likes ya! So, get yer big boy pants on an' ask 'er out already!" Easier said than done! Do I's like 'er? Yeah, I's do. Do I's see 'er more than just a little sister. Absolutely! Does she like me back? Probably not! Why would a goil like 'er like a guy like me? She's known me since she was six! She probably thinks of me as a brudda! Nothin' more, nothin' less. An' I's was gonna ask 'er out. But as usual, I's chickened out at last minute an' that's how I's spendin' Valentine's day tawkin' ta a cat, who's diggin' in the garbage in an alley!"
The little black cat that was hearing Mush's mid life crisis just looked up at him with it's big black eyes, and tilted its head before letting out a little "meow", before continuing to dig in the trash. Mush just stared at the little kitten as he slowly realized what was going on. "Well, I's finally lost it."
"You'se can say that again," someone said, making Mush go into self-defense mode. "Woah, calm down, it's just me," Kid Blink said while taking a small step back, just to be on the safe side.
"Thought ya would be back later," Mush said while letting his body relax once again.
"Well later came a lot sooner," Blink replied while stepping into the alley, and leaned on the other building as he crossed his arms. "So, whaddya gonna do bout Feisty?"
"Whaddya tawkin' bout?" Mush asked playing dumb. But the redness that was spreading across his cheeks said otherwise.
"I's heard everythin' ya said ta the cat," Blink said with a quick tilt of the head to the little black kitten, who had found some food scraps. Mush's eyes went wide at the sound of Blink's words. "Don't worry, I's bet you'se would come clean on 'er birthday."
"What?" Mush asked.
"Nothin'!" Blink shouted once he realized what he had just said. If it wasn't already obvious, the boys all had a little betting pool on when Mush and Feister would make it official. So far, nothing. But in the past few months the boys started to notice that the nothing is slowly starting to turn into something. "Anyways, when are ya gonna tell Feisty ya like 'er? An' if ya can do it on 'er birthday that'll be great."
"'Er birthday ain't for anudda three months," Mush reminded.
"An' it'll probably be the best thing she's ever gotten. Maybe add a kiss for good measure."
"Blink!" Mush shouted. "This is serious stuff! It's not like I's can say flat out that I's like 'er!"
"An' yet, you'se can tell a cat," Kid Blink said deadpanned. "In all seriousness, Feisty likes ya, a lot. Don't ya ever notice the way she looks at ya?"
"Ya mean with disgust," Mush asked deadpanned.
"Like yer the only guy in the woild," Kid Blink replied in an obvious tone.
"She don't like me like that," Mush replied firmly before walking out of the alley, and then off somewhere into the streets of New York City.
Kid Blink just sighed and shook his head. The little black cat looked up Blink and "meowed ". "You said it."
Author's note
Bet you all didn't expect that ending! Besides that, just a quick thanks to everyone who read/reviewed NYC Winter, writing those one shots was so much fun. Like I said at the end of that author's note I will continue it when the winter season comes back. But if I'm being honest I'm ready for some Summer sun, in fact, there were a few times I wore shorts just cause.
Update on the April Fools, I finally got it going the right way. I also have a Newsies/Tuck Everlasting crossover one shot coming out sometime in early June, and the next multiple story coming out in June a few weeks later. So stay on the lookout for those. And I have been posting my stories on Wattpad recently, and this one will not go up just yet since I want to get everything else up first. Ok, I think that wraps up the announcements for now. What did you think? Thanks for reading, and Happy Valentines Day!
