Chapter Text
Racetrack Higgins had started to admire Jack's cousin, Cherry Blossom a few months before the strike. After a long day, Jack wanted to take Race to Medda's bowery, since he heard that Race was a little stressed.
Race followed Jack, as Jack continued rambling. "I personally like dreamin' about Santa Fe to wind down. I feels like you'se gotta find another way besides smokin' to cope, Racer."
Race wasn't having anything that day. For some reason, something happened. Something that he didn't tell anyone about it, and he didn't plan on telling anybody.
"Ya pretty quiet today" Jack said.
Race didn't respond.
At the bowery, Jack had a backstage pass from Miss Medda herself.
When Jack ran in before a show, Medda welcomed Jack with a hug. "Welcome, Gentlemen!" Medda let go of Jack to greet Race. "Is this your friend?"
Race finally spoke. "..Racetrack Higgins."
Medda is a nice lady, Race thought to himself. He decided that he shall speak just for now.
A girl appeared behind Medda. "Who's this?" She asked Jack.
"That's Racetrack Higgins" Jack said, patting Race's back.
"..Hello, I'm Cherry Blossom Sullivan." She said, deadpan.
Race took a look at Cherry. He noticed that she had a very layered dress, and she wore a very large hat.
"You know ya could take yer hat of now. Yer not in the sun anymore." He said.
Cherry blinked once. "...I like my hat."
Race opened his mouth, then closed it.
"...Fair enough."
"Anyways... Why'd Jack bring you here?" Cherry stepped toward to Race.
"He said that I didn't look so good." Race answered.
They both went silent, and Medda's show was about to start.
Neither of them found anything else to say.
From the other side of the curtain came the orchestra's opening notes, followed by the roar of an eager audience.
Medda's stage manager, Pat clapped his hands together.
"Places, everyone!"
Cherry watched all the actors slipped on stage, and she went to sit in the group of chairs in the wings, where she allowed Jack to sit next to her.
Race sat at the other side of Jack, admiring Cherry, wondering why someone so quiet had already become impossible to ignore.
He probably has seen her before. A few weeks ago. It was early in the morning, and Race had just woken up, cigar in his mouth. He looked put the window, to see a girl around his age, walking down the sidewalk across the lodging house. The same layered, decorated pastel dress like she was currently wearing. The morning sunlight caught her hat, and sunk into her face, which radiated her. Now, he realized why he had felt weird for the past few weeks. He stared at her more, thinking that he could see things more differently now that Cherry's in his life.
Bless me, I think I just saw an angel.
Cherry was paying attention to the show, but Race wasn't. He was thinking about taking Cherry out, all that mushy stuff. He knew that if he had told anyone, that they'd absolutely make fun of him. Racetrack Higgins? In love with a richie? Impossible! That was the moment that he'd swore that he wouldn't tell anyone until he'd end up with Cherry. He might never tell anyone anyway. He wouldn't even have a single chance with her anyways. She's a high-class rich girl, and he doesn't even actually know what she's like yet.
Race knew that he was able to charm many girls and boys.
But many other newsies could too.
Jack could.
Romeo could.
So what even made him special?
It's not even like Cherry would choose a newsie anyway. For a girl like her, she'd definitely be arranged. Maybe she's just not comfortable with people she's not close to. Race knows that one day they'll be close. In all of his eighteen years of living, he never had felt so self conscious before. The thing was that this wasn't even Race's first crush. Yeah, he's had some girls here, some guys there, but Cherry's different. He never felt so intimidated by love. He wouldn't even have a chance.... Cherry was rich, refined, and probably destined for some respectable gentleman. A newsie wasn't even part of that world.
When he had that interaction, he had noticed that she smelled like roses instead of what he's used to, like tobacco. When he heard her voice he noticed how she wasn't hostile at all, she just wasn't open. She was straightforward, but not too friendly. She was clean, unlike him.
Cherry didn't know Race was looking at her at all, but she was curious. She wanted to know Race more. She didn't look at him, but she thought about him. Why he was so silent, maybe he was also like her. Maybe they didn't warm up to each other yet. No — Jack had told Cherry about Race before. He was loud, and ignorant. She knew who and what Racetrack Higgins was, and she wanted to talk to him. At the same time, she knew better. Rich folks shouldn't be talking to newsies, but for Cherry, Medda allowed it.
Cherry relied on Medda for everything after her father had divorced Medda, because Medda was nice enough to take custody of Cherry. That's how Cherry met Jack, because she was Medda's daughter. Not only that, but her father was Jack's uncle. Jack's uncle just didn't care about his daughter that much. She knew her parents had met under a cherry tree, and that's why they named her Cherry Blossom. She was just young when the divorce happened, and she couldn't get over it for the past 12 years. She's nineteen now, she needed to learn how to get over a divorce that happened over a decade ago. Maybe Race was her distraction from the divorce, and she finally could get over it. Cherry sighed to herself.
No, a newsie can't distract you, Cherry Blossom. That's stupid!
You— and a newsie? How scandalous! What would father even think of that?! You're polar opposites with him, you'll never end up with a rough newsie, even if Medda allows it.
All the rich folks will gossip, and you'll someday end up in the papers.
After the show, Race went straight for the newsboys' lodging house without telling Jack or anybody at all. He ran the fastest he could. He even dropped his cigar on the way, but his cigar didn't matter anymore. He just needed to get back home. He kept thinking, "She's just another street crush. Another one of those girls you'll see once or twice, and ever again. She's not special to me."
Jack looked all around the bowery. "Race? Race?!" Cherry watched Jack, but she didn't want to help him. She didn't want to associate herself with anymore newsies.
Jack yelled at Cherry. "Cherry! Have you seen Race?" Cherry turned to Jack. She knew she didn't want to help with any business that involved newsies. But Jack's her cousin, of course she always helped him from time to time. She just can't say no to her cousin!
"..I think he ran out of the theatre the minute the show ended." She calmly said.
Now she's wondering why she's even helping Jack Kelly. She's helped him from the start, they were very good friends, not just cousins. She felt guilty for being tied to someone who's an escaped convict. She came to realization that Jack might be a bad person a long time ago, why's she even still hanging out with him.
Cherry watched her cousin run out the door. She knows one day that he'll get into really big trouble, and she fears the day.