(3rd Person)

It was a hopeless crush. A crush that soon destroyed her on the inside, and easily faked on the outside.

"Good morning," she greets him handing him a paper with a bright smile.

"Morning," he replies handing her a penny and walking away as quickly as he came. He was Jesse Brewer. A well-known, well respected, and handsome, young man. She has secretly developed feelings for this rich fellow although part of her knew she was dreaming. She was kidding herself, ever thinking Jesse Brewer would ever love her.

Jesse Brewer was often seen with rich girls, mayor's daughter, newspaper owner's niece- girls like that who have the prettiest dresses and curliest hair. Girls opposite of her.

Each day she would see him walk home with his arm slung around a new, rich girl. As each new girl comes in, her self esteem plummets. She kept thinking it was her. That she wasn't good enough. That she was a nobody.

She stopped smiling. This vicious attack on herself killed her more and more. She kept trying to change herself. She worked on her accent. Educated girls don't have accents, and she did, so she changed it. Anything different between her and other girls- she changed it.

She sat down in an alley to rest after selling her papers. She looked to the street watching Jesse walk by with his arm around Margaret Finch, a successful business man's perfect daughter. Margaret is everything she isn't. Beautiful, educated, rich. She sighs and looks away as they turn a corner, and no longer in her sight.

"Why can't I be like her?" she whispers to herself not expecting an answer. She picked a piece of glass she found and wiped off the dirt. She stared at her reflection hating everything she saw. She hated herself and not just her appearance. She hated her family, who left her when she was younger. She hated her personality. She hated the way she talked, the way she walked, the way she acted- everything. Anything that made her herself, she hated.

She threw the glass at the brick wall across from her, watching it shatter into minuscule pieces. She stood up and made her way to the lodging house wanting today to end. Wanting everything to end.

"(Y/N), are ya okay?" Specs asked once she was inside.

"Of course. Why do you ask?" she puts on her usual fake smile although he could see right through.

"Nothin'," he stops himself.

"I'm going to go to bed," she told him standing up and making her way to the stairs. She climbed up the wood stairs before collapsing on her bed, but not falling asleep.

Specs stayed with the other newsies wondering why she was doing that to herself. In the short time since she has began changing for Jesse, Specs has noticed. He noticed her fake smiles, her fake laughs, her covered up tear-stained cheeks- everything. Although he didn't know why she suddenly changed, it still bothered him. Watching the most perfect girl in the world all of a sudden change. He likes her, but she has been too blind to realize the guy she should be with is right in front of her.

....

She woke up the next morning before the other boys did as usual. She stood in front of the mirror pointing out every flaw she saw. And then everything she couldn't see. As she listed everything wrong, a silent tear ran down her cheek followed by more. Not being able to control herself, she ran out and climbed up the fire escape and onto the roof not wanting any of the boys to notice.

Except one did. Specs woke up hearing her sob and quickly changed before climbing up the fire escape, too. He looked around the roof, finding her sitting on the ledge looking down.

She could see the people walking up and down the streets, and sadly, she could see the rich girls making their way to school to become educated- unlike her.

"What are ya doing up here?" Specs asks making her turn around. She sniffled and wiped her face.

"Nothin'," she replied trying to make it seem like she wasn't crying, although she was too late. He took a seat next to her and slung his arm around her allowing her to cry on his shoulder. Once she was finished he spoke.

"What's the mattah?"

She finally let go of her fake smile as more tears cascaded down her cheeks as she whispered, "I don't want to be me."

"Why not? You're amazin'," he tries to boost her spirits.

"No, I'm not. I'm uneducated, ugly, fat, and poor. I'm not like the other girls," she explains.

"But that's da best part," he comments as she looks at him confusingly. "The othah girls. Sure they may be rich, but they lack what you have, independence, natural beauty, dignity, and a personality. Most of 'em are just plastic dolls. All those things ah way better than what money can get'cha," he tells her making her smile. "Ya gorgeous-"

"You're just sayin' that-"

"No, I'm not. I really mean it. Ya da most poifect girl I know," he finishes.

"I wish Jesse Brewer would see that," she says under her breath, but he could hear it.

"He's not worth ya tears. It's his lost that he doesn't see how truly amazin' ya are," he smiles at her. "And plus, he's not all that great. There's a different goil wit him each day for a reason," he nudges her making her giggle.

"Thanks, Specs," she leans her head on his shoulder.

"Anythin' for ya," he says back leaning his head on hers and wrapping an arm around her. He just hoped one day she could see herself through his eyes, and all her insecurities will vanish. And maybe one day, she could be his.

A-N- Hello! For everyone who would like a one shot:

I will tell you when I begin taking requests again. Thank you!

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