Seven of Nine's Story

It was late that night, and Alice couldn’t sleep. She could hear the other seven girls sleeping, but she couldn’t fall asleep. She rolled over onto her other side and closed her eyes, but a loud thumping made her eyes open. She sat up and heard whispering coming from behind the door. Alice got up and tiptoed over to the door. The voices on the other side of the door belonged to Brad and Toby.
“C’mon, ya klutz!” Brad whispered hoarsely. “We don’t want da goils ta wake up an’ squeal on us!”
“Well excuse me, but I din’t see dat shoe der!” Toby whined.
Alice grinned to herself and opened the door. Both Brad and Toby’s jaws dropped when they saw the girl standing in the doorway.
“Don’tcha think it’s a liddle early to be playin’ tricks on us?” she sneered.
“We ain’t playin’ tricks.” Toby said. “We’s runnin’ away.”
“Oh really? Well, I could tell sister Marjorie what you’s doin’ right now.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Brad said.
“I would. But I won’t...” Brad and Toby sighed with relief, “on one condition.” Alice finished.
“What is it?” Brad asked, irritated by Alice’s game.
“You take me wit ya. I’ve been here for as long as I can remember and I want out.”
Brad raised an eyebrow, and Toby looked doubtful. Both boys turned their backs to her to talk over what they would do, and Alice quietly tapped her foot against the floorboards. ‘They’d better hurry, or I’ll hafta squeal on ‘em.’ Finally, Brad and Toby turned and Brad nodded.
“Okay, you’s cin come. Jus’ hurry cuz we want out as soon as possible.”
Alice nodded and rushed to her bunk to gather her few things. All she had to own was a few clothes, two books, an amethyst broach and a topaz ring that had belonged to her mother. Alice had never known her mother; she had heard that her parents had died when she was two. She shoved her things into a pillowcase and rushed out to the hall. Brad and Toby were waiting for her, and Brad beckoned for her and Toby to follow. The three went to the window and Brad tossed a rope down to the ground. He tied the rope off and then slid down to the ground. Toby followed, and the Alice went down. Once they reached the stone wall around the orphanage, a bell started ringing. They had been discovered.
“Cheese it!” Brad yelped.
He reached into the crevices of the wall and began to climb. Toby followed, and Alice tried to get a good hold on the wall. She was having no such luck, and she was beginning to slip.
“Toby, I’m slipping!” she cried, since Brad was already at the top. Toby looked down at Alice and saw that the orphanage superintendent was coming toward them. “Toby, come on!” Brad said.
“Toby, I need help! Please help!” Alice cried.
Toby looked at Alice, and then back at Brad. The superintendent was coming closer. Toby had to make a choice now. He looked away from Alice and continued climbing.
“Toby!” Alice cried. “Wait!”
It was too late. Brad and Toby disappeared over the wall and the superintendent reached Alice. She was punished for her attempted to escape by having her mother’s broach taken away. Alice had happened to slip the ring into her boot so they wouldn’t find it, but she would do anything to get her broach back. A few days later, Brad was found and brought back, but Toby was never found. Alice swore that she would never forgive him for what he had done to her if she ever met up with him again.

Two years later....
Brother Alexander signed the paper and handed it to Alice. She took in and looked it over.
“The factory is over on Elm Street.” Brother Alexander told her. “You will work there and the owner will give you free lodging.”
“Brother Alexander,” Alice said, “I haven’t been trouble over the past two years, so may I have my mother’s broach back?”
“And what do you intend to do with it?”
“Keep it. It’s all I have of my mother’s.”
Brother Alexander sighed and opened a desk drawer. He drew out the amethyst broach and handed it to Alice.
“There, you have it now. You must leave now, I told Mr. Alman that you would be there by noon today.”
Alice nodded solemnly and enclosed her fingers around the broach. She then picked up her sack and left the orphanage. Oh, how wonderful it felt to be free! She was free from the orphanage and free to do as she wished. When she was a safe distance away from the orphanage, she tore the slip of yellow paper into shreds, threw them into the streets and broke into a run. She had no idea what she could do now, but she was a quick thinker and could probably get any job she wanted.
As she wandered the streets of Manhattan, she saw a young man dressed as a cowboy with a stack of newspapers under his arm. Alice’s eyes lit up as she saw the cowboy, for now she knew what she could do. She could be a newsie! It wouldn’t make a lot of money, but it would definitely be enough to live on. Alice hurried over to the cowboy as he called out the headlines.
“Extra, extra!” the cowboy called. “Murder in Bronx leaves four children orphaned!”
“Excuse me,” Alice asked timidly.
The cowboy turned and looked at Alice. He looked her up and down and finally acknowledged her.
“Buy a pape, miss?” he asked.
“Um, no thank you, I just wanted to know if I could get a job as a newsie.”
The cowboy’s eyes lit up. “Ya do?”
Alice nodded. “Yes. Please, I need a job. I’ve been in an orphanage for the past thirteen years, I have no memory of my parents and I need to make money.”
“’Ey, no problem!” The cowboy spit in his hand and extended it to Alice. “Name’s Jack Kelly, leada of da Manhattan newsies. Me newsies also call me Cowboy. What’s yer name?”
“Alice. Alice Seymour.” She answered, mimicking Jack’s action of spitting in her hand and shaking his.
Jack shook his head. “Ah, dat’ll neva do.”
“What won’t do?”
“Yer name. Ya gotta ‘ave a newsie name if ya wanna be a newsie.”
“Why?”
“Two reasons. One, ya might ‘ave da same name as someone else, an’ two, pickin’ a new name is kinda like fergettin’ da past. So, ya got a nickname ya’d like ta go by?”
Alice thought for a minute. She had never really had a nickname, but once, a nun had given numbers to each of the girls. There were nine girls, and Alice’s number was seven. Alice pondered that and created a name she would like.
“I’d like ta be called Seven of Nine. Call me Seven fer short.”
“Fast learner.” Jack said observantly. “Yer already pickin’ up a New Yawk accent! So, ya wanna loin how ta sell papes? I bought a liddle more dan usual and I can give ya some.”
“Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks.”
Jack handed Seven a few of his papers and taught her how to improve the headlines and make the public believe more to the story. Seven caught on pretty quickly and was doing pretty good for her first day. She had sold three-quarters of her newspapers when Jack told her to stop.
“Lunchtime.” He said. “Me an’ da newsies meet at a rest’rant called Tibby’s fer lunch. Ya’d bedder come if ya wanna meet da guys...an’ goils.”
“There’s other girls?”
“Yep. We got about eight. Say, ya picked a good name! Now dat der’s nine, ya probly are seven of nine!”
Seven began to laugh, but Jack’s laugh was louder. Together they walked down the street as Seven told him about her life’s story, though there wasn’t much to tell. They finally stopped in front of a small restaurant with the word “Tibby’s” painted on the windows. Jack stepped in and was greeted by “Hey Jack!” or “Hey Cowboy!”
“Hey guys!” Jack called. “Guess what? I’se got a new newsie!”
“Oh really?” a Italian boy asked. “’Zit a guy or a gal?” Jack held the door aside and let Seven step in. There were about ten or eleven newsies in the restaurant, and three of the boys were staring at the young girl with wide eyes or their mouths open. Seven blushed a little, but it didn’t show very well.
“Dis ‘ere’s Seven of Nine. But call ‘er Seven fer short. Seven, dese are da guys you’s gonna be woikin’ with. We got Race, Kid Blink, Boots, Bagel, Midgy, David, Swifty, Pie Eater, Snitch, an’ Les, David’s younga brudder.”
“Hi.” Seven offered timidly.
“Hey!” the newsies said.
Jack led Seven inside and then joined the table with David, Race and Les. Seven was about to sit with Jack when one of the girls called her name. She turned to see Midgy and Bagel beckoning to her.
“Hey!” Midgy said. “Sit wit us!”
Seven cracked a tiny smile and went to their table. She sat down in the booth and folded her hands in her lap.
“Welcome to da wonderful woild of newsies.” Midgy said. “I’se Midgy an’ this is Bagel. What’s yer story?”
“Jus’ got out of an orphanage. Been there since I’se two, an’ I’m finally free afta thirteen years.”
“Yow.” Said Bagel. “Hate ta be der fer dat long.”
“I know. I hated it too. The only good thing was dat I had a lotta friends. But me best friend moved away two years ago.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Yeah. An’ dat night I tried ta leave da orphanage wit two guys, but da guys found out before we were out. One guy was already out, and de udder was right above me. I ast ‘im ta help me but ‘e din’t an’ ‘e left me. I got in trouble, an’ dey found da foist guy that got away. Da guy dat was supposed ta help me was neva found.”
“So he got away.” Midgy said.
“Yep. I hope ‘e’s happy dat ‘e got me in trouble.”
At that minute, a group of newsies entered the restaurant. Midgy waved at two girls who entered, and they came over. Seven looked at the boys that had entered and one of them looked familiar. He had dark hair and dark eyes, and he looked so familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Suddenly, she knew who it was. Her eyes widened in surprise and anger. She then saw another boy with brown hair and round spectacles tap on the boy’s shoulder and point in her direction. ‘Good,’ she thought, ‘he’ll see me.’
Bumlets did look, and his eyes widened when he saw Seven. ‘Her?’ he wondered. ‘What’s she doin’ here?’ He hadn’t seen her in two years, and she looked much different. She had transformed from an unattractive, pesky little girl into a beautiful young woman. The last time he had seen her, she was 4’11, and now she was about 5’5. Her hair was longer, and her eyes were narrower than they used to be. Her skin was a little paler than it used to be, and she was a little bit thinner. But he knew who she was, and how she must feel about him.
Jack saw the newsies and walked over to the girls’ table to tell Seven about the newsboys. Midgy had already introduced her to Adele and Darts, the girls who had just come in.
“Hey Seven,” Jack said. “Dose guys ova der are Bumlets, Specs, Dutchy, Itey an’ Skittery.”
“Thanks Jack.” Seven said smugly, still looking over at Bumlets.
Seven flashed Bumlets a smug smile and then turned back to the girls to chat with them. Bumlets only frowned at her enticing smile. So she still hadn’t forgiven him. ‘Why should she?’ He wondered. ‘If I had helped her, I never woulda made it out of the orphanage.’
“Wow.” Itey said, looking at Seven. “She’s awfully pretty, an’ it looks like she’s a newsie now.”
“Great.” Bumlets mumbled. “Jus’ great.”
“Wassup wit you?” Skittery asked.
“I knew dat new goil. She hates me.”
“That sweet lookin’ thing?” Itey asked. “She don’t look like she’s able ta hate anybody.”
“Oh believe me, she can. She probly hates me more dan anythin’.”

Seven tossed her bag onto a free top bunk and climbed atop. She pulled out her few possessions and looked them over. She stuck her two books under her pillow and took her clothes and put them at the foot of her bed. She then got off her bunk and pulled out a cigar box from her sack. She placed her broach and ring in the box and then pulled out a pencil stub and wrote her name on the box. Afterwards, she stuck the box under the bottom bunk.
When that was taken care of, she went to the boys’ bunkroom to play some poker. She found Race, Midgy, Flame, Jake, Sticks and Bumlets playing a game of poker, and she smiled smugly to herself. She walked steadily over to the game and asked Race if she could join in.
“Suah,” Race said, “siddown an’ I’ll deal ya in.”
Seven nodded and sat down across from Bumlets where she could see him. He saw where she sat and frowned at her. Seven returned him with a smirk. Race then dealt the cards and Seven looked hers over. She smiled once again and put one card down. Race handed her another card and she placed her bet. One of the things she was best at was bluffing.
As the round went on, Flame folded and Jake did the same. The next round, Race and Sticks folded. Then Midgy folded. It was between Seven and Bumlets. Seven tossed two pennies into the center and leaned back a little. Bumlets smiled the smug smile this time and put four pennies in the center.
“I see yer two an’ raise ya two.”
Seven frowned a little. Bumlets was good at bluffing too.
“Alright. I see yer four an’ raise you four more.”
“Ooh!” Jake mumbled. This was getting interesting.
Bumlets looked at his cards, and then back at Seven. “If that’s the way you wanna play, fine.” He placed eight pennies into the center. Seven also placed eight more pennies into the center. Bumlets looked at her, and then back at his cards.
“Show me what ya got.” Seven said.
Bumlets grinned at set his cards down. He had an eight, seven, six, five and four of clubs. “Straight. All clubs.”
“Hmm.” Seven mumbled. “That’s pretty tough to beat.”
Bumlets leaned back and smiled triumphantly. He wanted to see what Seven had so he could tease her about it.
“Yours is pretty tough to beat,” Seven said, “but mine’s tougher.” She put her cards down, revealing a royal flush; all hearts. “You lose.”
Bumlets’ eyes widened as Seven gathered her spoils. ‘How did she get those cards?’ he wondered. He arose as Race shuffled the cards for the next round.
“I don’ wanna play anymore.” He said.
“Sure, Bumlets.” Seven said with a haughty tone in her voice. “Run away like ya always do.”
Bumlets’ eyes darkened and he leaned down in front of Seven. “I’ll have ya know, liddle missy, dat I don’t run away. I only ran away from you cuz I neva liked ya.”
“Whoever said I liked ya? I only tagged along wit ya cuz I wanted out. Do ya really think that I expected ya ta help me? No. I knew you; you were gonna leave me hanging so I could get caught.”
Bumlets was ready to strike her, but when he looked into her eyes, he stopped. She had developed a weapon. Just one look into her eyes and he lost himself. There was no way he could hurt her. Her eyes were like marble, but marble so hard and beautiful that he couldn’t bring himself to hurt her.
Seven saw that his attempt had failed and smiled triumphantly. Bumlets’ temper rose, but he turned on his heel before she could plague him with any more of her venomous words. That’s what she was; a cold, beautiful viper that only spat venomous words to the heart. And because of that, he hated her.
Midgy saw the hatred within Seven’s and Bumlets’ eyes when they looked at each other. She couldn’t help but wonder why.
“Seven,” she said, “what’s up wit you an’ Bumlets?”
“Rememba da guy I toldja ‘bout that left me when we was leavin’ da orphanage?” Seven asked.
“Yeah.”
“Bumlets was da guy dat left me.”
Midgy’s eyes widened. Was Bumlets capable of doing such a thing? She didn’t think so. In fact, he seemed to have a lot in common with Seven; only they didn’t seem to know it. They seemed to hate each other so much that they had no care what they had in common.
Jack, even though a good distance away from the argument, heard the entire thing. He didn’t want to see them fighting the entire time, and he wondered how to turn them around. Finally, he had an idea. A plan began formulating in his head, and he knew that it was going to change them for good.

It had been a week since Seven became a newsie, and the spite between her and Bumlets was fierce. It seemed to be a barrier between the two that was almost unbreakable, and they waved it like a banner over the city.
Jack could tell that the barrier between the two was growing, and that they needed to act now. If they waited any longer, it might be too late and the two would never change their feelings for each other. He went to Spot and David and asked for their help. They agreed. Jack then went to Midgy, Dot and Bagel and asked them to help out. They were almost too willing to help, and Jack was glad that they were so inclined to help.
When Bumlets had finished selling his papers that day, he went back to the lodging house because he had found a half-dollar on the sidewalk, and he wanted to store it for future use. When he reached the boys’ bunkroom, he knelt under his bed to stick the half-dollar in his pouch filled with money he saved. Jack, David and Spot were outside, and they knew that they had to act now.
They stealthily walked into the bunkroom and began laughing. Bumlets saw that they didn’t seem to notice him there, so he was about to say hello when Spot spoke.
“I jus’ wanted ta tell ya what I saw yestaday.” Spot said. “I wanna tell ya here cuz I don’ want anyone else to hear.”
Bumlets immediately fell silent. If Spot didn’t want anyone to hear it, it had to be important. He couldn’t miss this.
“Oh, are ya talkin’ ‘bout Seven?” Jack asked. “If ya are, I already know.”
“I don’t know about Seven.” David said. “What’s up with her?”
“You’ll neva believe it!” Spot exclaimed. “Yestaday she was on the Brooklyn Bridge, shoutin’, ‘Oh Lordy, I will die before I proclaim my love for Bumlets!’”
Bumlets’ jaw nearly hit the floor. He couldn’t have heard right. Seven, in love with him? Impossible! The earth would surely stop spinning if it were true!
“You’ve GOT to be kidding me!” David cried.
“’E ain’t.” Jack said. “I saw ‘er las’ night, cryin’ cuz she was in love wit ‘im. She kept sayin’, ‘I love him! I love him so much that I’d die if he didn’t say he loved me! I will also die if he does say he loves me!’”
“Oh, she’s really got da hots fer ‘im!” Spot said. “I even saw ‘er when I’se headin’ here! She said, ‘I love Bumlets more dan anythin’ in the woild! An’ I most definitely will die if he doesn’t love me!’”
David shook his head. “I don’t believe this.”
“Believe it. It’s all true. Well, gotta head back ta Brooklyn now. If ya guys come wit me, we’ll probly catch Seven weeping her heart out on the bridge.” Spot said, his voice dreamy as he finished.
All three newsies laughed and left. When they disappeared, Bumlets arose with wide eyes and a joyous feeling in his heart. He never would have known she loved him! She made him think that she hated him, but she would die if he didn’t love her.
‘She’s so good at covering it up,’ Bumlets thought. ‘I think I’m falling in love with her now. I guess a girl can never be found out, but knowing how she knows how to bluff, I can believe it.’

Seven whistled a little bit to herself as she walked toward the lodging house. She had thought up the best remarks to give to Bumlets if he mouthed off at her again. She favored her quick thinking, for she was even digging up more rude things to say to him.
As she walked down the street, she saw Midgy, Bagel and Dot walking down the street. She didn’t have the time to say hi; she had to tell Bumlets what was on her mind.
As she passed them, she heard Bagel say rather loudly, “but are you sure Bumlets is infatuated with Seven of Nine?”
Seven’s eyes grew huge and she was halted to a dead stop. She couldn’t have heard right. Bumlets, infatuated with HER, of all the people on the earth? She looked back at the girls and saw that they didn’t seem to notice that she had heard, or the fact that she was there. She immediately ducked away behind a crate so they wouldn’t see her and that she could hear what they would say next.
“I’m sure.” Dot said. “I heard him last night. He was on the roof, saying, “I love her! I love her so much I can’t live if she doesn’t love me!’”
The tips of Seven’s ears turned crimson and she immediately forgot the rude remarks she was going to give Bumlets. She got a little closer to the girls so she could hear better.
“That ain’t all.” Midgy said. “I even saw him banging his head with a book saying, ‘I love her! I can’t live without her! If she dares deny her love for me I will most surely die!’”
“That don’t sound like Bumlets.” Bagel said.
“Oh, but it’s true! I know for a fact that he loves her! He said that he wouldn’t live if she weren’t there with him for the rest of his life!”
The girls then continued on, leaving Seven behind the crate, dumbfounded. How could it be true? Bumlets, in love with her? But he had also given her some cruel remarks too! Had it all just have been an act to hide his true feelings? ‘Is it possible?’ she wondered. ‘Could he really be in love with me?’ But Seven had heard everything the girls had said, and it had to be true. Were her feelings for him beginning to change?

That night, there was no sharing of cruel things to say between Seven and Bumlets. If either of them were caught staring at each other, they would blush brightly and turn away. Jack sensed it and did his best to hide his laughs in his hand, but it was so hard. Later that night, Seven went to Jack for advice.
“Jack,” Seven said, “can I talk to ya?”
“Sure kid.” Jack said. “What cin I do fer ya?”
“Well, I gots a question fer ya.”
“Shoot.”
“Well, I...have a friend who needs some help. Ya see, she used to hate dis one guy, an’ she thought that she hated him an’ now she thinks she’s fallin’ in love wit ‘im. Can ya give ‘er some advice?”
Jack smiled warmly. This was just the moment he had been waiting for. “Well, all I can say is dat yer friend should do what ‘er heart says. If ‘er heart really loves ‘im, she should go fer it.”
Seven sighed and nodded. “’Kay. Thanks Cowboy.”
“Hey, no prob. What’re friends fer?”
Seven chuckled to herself. “Bein’ there fer each udder. Glad you’s my friend.”

Seven had had a long day selling papers. No one seemed to like the headlines and they didn’t buy them. It took her quiet a while to sell them, and she was tired when she finished. She trudged back to the lodging house, dragging her feet as she went. She was so tired, for she hardly got any sleep that night from thinking about Bumlets.
‘What’s going on?’ She wondered. ‘Am I really falling in love with him? Him, out of all the people, even after what he did to me? But that happened over two years ago, why am I still angry at him?’ She continued asking herself questions as she dragged herself to the lodging house.
When she reached the girls’ bunkroom, she had an odd feeling. Something was very strange. No one was there. She entered, and was met with a faint scent...a very faint scent of wildflowers. Seven walked toward her bunk and the scent was growing stronger. When she finally reached her bunk, she found a bouquet of a variety of wildflowers. The bouquet included a blue violet, pink camellia, orange carnation, red lamb’s ear, yellow marguerite, blue flax, tiger lily, white iris with purple outlining the edges, red rose, red, yellow, orange, pink and white daisies, and some sprigs of baby’s breath. The bouquet was finally tied off with a red satin ribbon.
“Oh, how lovely.” Seven whispered to herself as she picked up the bouquet and inhaled the sweet scents.
She drew the bouquet back to look the flowers over again when something caught her eye. There was a scrap of paper neatly tucked beneath the ribbon. Seven pulled the paper loose and unfolded it. In scribbled yet readable handwriting, she read the note to herself.
It read:
“Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
But none of the flowers you behold
Are as beautiful as you.”
Seven suppressed a giggle as she read the love letter. She knew who it was from, and all of her suspicions were confirmed. She knew very well now how she felt about Bumlets. She had the chance to tell him too, for at that very moment, Bumlets stepped out of nowhere and appeared in front of Seven.
“I knew it was you.” Seven said.
“I know dis may be a liddle late,” Bumlets said, “but I’se sorry I left ya hangin’ der at da orphanage. I wasn’t thinkin’ straight. I was...only thinkin’ about myself, an’ how much I wanted out. I shoulda helped ya cuz we had a good chance of gettin’ out on time. Will ya forgive me?”
Seven nodded. “Yes. I also wanna say I’m sorry fer all the...nasty things I said to ya. I was still jus’ a liddle ticked at what ya did ta me.”
“Ah, it’s okay. Well, what I really wanna say is...well, it’s actually a question.”
“Yes?” “Uh...well, um...”
“I’m listenin’.”
“Will...will ya be my goil?”
A wide smile spread across Seven’s lips as she nodded once more. She set her bouquet on her bunk and just stared at Bumlets. They stared for a few brief seconds when Bumlets finally stepped a little closer to Seven.
“Cin...cin I kiss ya?”
“Yes.” Seven said. “You can kiss me.”
Bumlets got even closer to her and placed his hand on the back of her head; running his fingers through her silky hair. He then moved his hand a little closer to her face and began to stroke the soft skin of her cheek with his thumb. Seven closed her eyes for a minute, but only a minute and reopened them to see Bumlets’ face in front of her. Shutting her eyes again, she allowed him to do as he wished. He slowly leaned forward and enclosed his mouth around hers. It was a simple kiss, but Seven made more of it and wrapped her arms around him. Bumlets then wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
At that moment, a strange feeling overcame Seven. When she was thirteen, she had made a vow never to forgive Bumlets for leaving her at the orphanage.
Now, he was like a missing puzzle piece in her life; a piece that so needed to be fitted in. But Bumlets had said that he was sorry, and Seven broke her oath. ‘Some vows just need to be broken.’ She said to herself. ‘I guess all I needed to do was give him a second chance.’