This is written for newsie challenge over at Yahoogroups. Anyways, if you all wanted to know, the requirements were to start a one-shot with the phone being hung up and end with the phone being either hung up or picked up.
Disclaimer: Don't own Newsies or anybody in it. The chicken hat is mine.
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Unreachable
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"Dammit."
He knew he couldn't do it. He slammed the phone back down on its cradle, his clammy and sweaty fingers still holding on to it, tightening its grip as he kept his eyes on the black cordless phone he had in his room. He had finally gotten his own phone line and for once, he wished he didn't have it. He had acquired it by working as a busboy at the nearest fast food restaurant he could find. Sure, he had to wear the stupid hat with the makeshift chicken that clucked every few minutes that gave him a headache, but he wouldn't have gone through it without him.
Yet here he was; his throat tight, his heart faster than its usual pace, and his breath uneven. He never would have thought that there could be one person that could do that to him, to have such an effect on him both emotionally and physically, but it was true.
There was only one problem.
How could a person like that, a person who shares so much interests with him, a person who knows him better than any other person in the world, be straight?
He gulped, his eyes still on the phone as he fought his feelings of sadness and anger back down. He had said what he wanted to tell him so many times that he knew it on the top of his head. Of course, the only time he'd ever done it was in front of the mirror, which didn't count at all. He knew he liked him so much than anyone ever could, but he just couldn't get the words out of his mouth.
He shook his head, plopping down on the edge of his bed as he covered his face with both his hands, letting out a small groan.
Today just wasn't the day to tell him. Not today. Nothing worked today. Not ever.
Maybe one day he'll find out, his mind reasoned, just not today. He sat up, the phone being the first thing his eyes looked upon. He was a mixture of feelings; frustrated, sad, and relieved, both at himself and the phone. Standing up, he briskly walked over to his bedroom wall, looking for the slot in which the phone line was connected and within just a few minutes, the phone and everything else that came with it, was hidden from his sight.
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"Hello?" muttered Skittery, his brow furrowed with confusion as he listened to the empty silence on the other line.
Click.
He raised his eyebrow, taking the phone away from his ear and slowly placing it back down. Who could've it been? Though he knew he wouldn't be surprised if it was one of his cousins. They called him as much as they can, shouting obscene and rude things in his ear the moment he had would wake up in the morning. He had to admit, he had made the mistake of telling his family of what he was. What kind of a person he was and with that, he was never looked down by most of his family more than ever in his life. Except for his brother. He was still the same old brother but everyone else…
He kept it to himself. He didn't want anybody to know. And it was his secret.
"Who was on the phone?" asked Josh, his brother, breaking his thoughts as he tossed in a few bundles of popcorn in his mouth every few seconds.
"Oh, um, just one of the guys at school," muttered Skittery, shrugging carelessly, the words out of his mouth before he knew it. He knew that if he were to say that it was nobody or even a wrong number, Josh would make sure that it wasn't anybody to hurt him, especially his cousins. Besides, he didn't want his brother freaking out and overreacting over nothing again.
"Okay, well, I'm in the living room if you need me," he answered, walking away and leaving Skittery to his thoughts.
Then it finally clicked.
It couldn't have been him, could it?
His cousins never wasted any time on throwing any insults, but there was just silence on the other end of the phone. He felt his eyes widened as it suddenly dawned upon him. There were so many times when he wanted to tell him, but he couldn't. He was scared.
"I'll… I'll just talk to him for a few minutes and we'll see what…"
He paced back and forth, stuffing his hands in his pockets, lowering his head back down as he went through the thoughts inside his head.
This was it. Today.
He grabbed the phone from its cradle, punching in the numbers by memory as he held the phone once more in his hand, putting it up against his ear.
"Snitch, please pick up," he muttered towards the receiver, tightly gripping the phone with his hands. He felt his breath quicken and a bead of sweat form on his forehead as he listened to the first phone ring come from the other line. He knew he had just gotten his phone line a few weeks ago and was proud of it. There wouldn't be anything stopping him from jumping to answer the phone.
"What the…" mumbled Skittery, his brow furrowing with confusion as the phone ring stopped midway replaced by a static sound until there was silence on the other end once again. He kept the phone on his ear, confused and curious, as a female voice came on the other end of the line.
The number you have dialed is not yet in service. The number you have dialed is not yet in service. The number you have…
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Meep. Ta-dah!
I have to admit, I don't like it much. I have no idea why. Maybe its 'cause it's my first slash. Meep.
Anyways, thanks to Lute and Cerri for reading it. You guys are awesome.
Make my day brighter by sending me reviews. [wink]