"I Turn to You"

"I Turn to You"

By Ashley "Shasta"

Dedicated to Caroline Lucy who never made it to her senior year

RIP

Also I want to dedicate this to my sole motivator to finish this…who wrote FF FF FF! Countless times in my gb…LIZ!…whoa this is giving her WAY to much credit…sole motivator?! Hehe

Cast:

Listees and old listees:

Ashley-Shasta

Gen-Gen

Rachel-Owl

Blake-Key

Stephanie-West

Jess-Copper

Liz-Spot/July

Jessica-Ace

Anna-Pearl

Nina-Cone

Kelli-Patch

Nonlistees:

Caroline, Su, Sheila, Dan, Chelsea, Tasha, Vicki, Bryan, Erika

Disclaimer: Jack Kelly and Dave are property of Disney and the other actors portrayed as characters are fictional. Don't sue me!

Authors Note:

This Newsies Fanfiction is totally unlike any other you will read out there, I didn't know whether to actually put this in the Newsies Fanfiction part of this site.  This isn't a time travel, this isn't newsies being newsies, this is a story based somewhat on real life, but mainly fictional. I placed the newsies boys in a real life scene: high school. They are normal guys, only some of their personalities from the movie come through in the story. I use their real names mostly, as well as the girl characters I used. Some of you may understand the pressures of senior year, especially the last few months, what with prom and all.  I have tried my best to capture this time in my life, being started in the March of my senior year of high school. I finished it a year and 2 months later, after I finished my freshman year in college. It is very long, but well worth your read. This is the first FF I have finished, and I am very proud of it. Some subjects might offend you, but this is as real as its going to get. The sequel will deal with freshman year of college and the transitions the friends in this story take, as well as new friendships which blossom along the way, along with the change of personality between a few of the main major characters from I Turn To You. Please take the time to read this and review it at the end, or at the end of each chapter, whichever you like. Thank you!!

Ashley/ Shasta

Chapter 1

            Ashley placed her car in park and turned off the engine. 'This place is becoming more and more of a jailhouse everyday." she thought, gathering her books out of the back seat. Heading up the third tear she wished she could just graduate already.

            "Ashley!" A girl with olive skin and long black hair hurried to catch up to the other. "How was your vacation?"

            "Hey Caroline, mine was alright. Too short."

            "Tell me about it! There were soooo many hot guys in florida. You would not believe!"

            "Did you bring them with you?"

            "Yea," Caroline patted her butt. "They're right here in my back pocket."

            "Wow, they must be pretty small." A third girl joined their party on the stairs.

            "Hey Gen!" The 2 girls said in chorus

            "Damn girl, you are so tan!" Ashley hid behind her jacket, hiding her pale white skin. "I refuse to stand anywhere near you!" Gen just giggled and stuck out her tongue.

            The 3 girls reached the top of the stairs and attempted to make their way through the sophomores located in the hall above the stairs.

            "I've given up caring, I just shove." Ashley muttered pushing the underclassmen out of the way. Caroline, of course, upon trying to push a sophomore out of the way, ended up apologizing and latching on to Ashley as they managed to escape the insanity.

            "I hate that hallway. I'll see you guys later." Gen headed off into the C section to her locker.

            "Bye." Caroline and Ashley called back.

            The 2 girls headed off to the A section, soon to join the other thousand students making their way to class.

                                                *             *            *            *

            Fourth period finally began and Ashley was heading down to lunch. At her table were the usual group of friends: Nina and Vicki were in one section laughing to themselves, Gabe, Caroline and Jack were across from them, Tasha was sitting by herself half talking to Nina and Vicki, half flirting with Jack. Ashley took her seat next to Caroline.

            "Hey kids," she offered a greeting, hugging Caroline.

            "Hey," Jack nodded over his sandwich and Gabe responded with his usual grunt.

            Tasha just smiled. 'God she looks naked without Chelsea...' Ashley thought, taking out her brown paper bag lunch.

            The other girls offered their round of heys. The table was pretty quiet after that, as it usually was; people just did  their homework and ate and slept. Ashley not having any homework to do, leaned over Caroline who was engulfed in 'Like Water for Chocolate,' and started chatting with Gabe.

            "Where's Liz?" Ashley started

            "Hell if I care."

            "What happened now?"

            "What else? She doesn't leave MY business alone."

            "Can't you guys ever just get along?" Caroline threw in.

            Gabe just shook his head. "I'm getting chips. Ashley, you're coming with me."

            Ashley just rolled her eyes and pulled out her wallet. "Whatever you say, boss."

            Gabe just smirked back at her. "You know what Ash?" He didn't wait for her defiant 'I don't care' before continuing, "Liz thinks she rules the world, me included. You should--"

            "I'm NOT getting involved. She's my friend too. I don't see why you can't be nice to her once in a while." She pulled out a dollar, "Chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles." she said to the lunch lady. "Man that woman is EVIL." She whispered to Gabe.

            Gabe wasn't paying attention. "I AM nice. Why can't you ever be on my side?"

            "Oh don't pout. I'm not on either side when it comes to you two. And you are NOT always nice."

            "Whatever." He gave the lady his 75 cents. "You just never have liked me."

            "Oh shut up Gabe. I have but you do have a tendency to be....well...a pain in the ass."

            "I love it when you talk dirty." Gabe laughed throwing his arm around Ashley's shoulder. Ashley just rolled her eyes and took her seat.

            "Mmmmm...that looks good!" Caroline grabbed Ashley's spoon and took a bite. "Thank you. It is!" Her eyes never came out of the book.

            "No prob." Ashley just shook her head. After the quiet hour was up, the bell rang and the group split up.

            "Ash wait up." Jack called up to her.

            "What's up?"

            "You know I love you."

            "Ok what do you want now?"

            Jack just laughed. "Ok you got me. Can you please tell Tasha to leave me alone? I don't like her! Jon does-tell her to chase HIM!"

            "It's not up to me. I'm not really friends with her anymore."

            "What? Since when? I could have sworn you were."

            "Jack, how dense ARE you? Ever since Chelsea moved here last year, we've stopped talking."

            "Oh...yea. Right." Jack just shook his head. "But can ya please just talk to her? I mean you don't have to buy her dinner or anything, just a quick, leave jack alone!" Jack gave his puppy dog eyes.

            "Fine. I'll mention it when I see her without Chelsea."

            "Thank you!" Jack tried to kiss her but she pushed him off

            "You are so pathetic. Now go to class!" Ashley said pushing open the door.

            "Fine. Bye!" He blew her a corny kiss and headed off to talk to some of his hockey buddies as Ashley made her way through the hall.

            "Boys. They're all the same." Ashley turned at the sound of a familiar voice.

            "Hey Liz. I hear you and Gave not getting along?"

            "News travels fast. Did the big boy tell ya?"

            "Yea."

            "Figures. I really can't stand that kid...he's such an immature little brat..." Liz continued to babble as they entered their psych class.

                                                *            *            *            *

            2:09. Could this period be ANY slower? Ashley sighed. Jack was being obnoxious, tapping his pen on his desk, which was driving EVERYONE up the wall. Ashley suddenly turned around and snatched the pen away from him.

            "Hey!--" he said surprised

            "Thank you!" Erika said slapping Jack on the back of his head.

            Jack just groaned. Luckily the bell sounded and the day was over. Ashley tossed Jack back his pen and headed out the door.

            "Ash," Erika said giving Ashley's bag a tug. "Can you give me a ride home?"

            "Yea sure. Meet me in 10 minutes at the community entrance."

            "Thanks!" The 2 girls parted , Erika in one direction, and Ashley right into Gabe.

            Gabe nodded at her. "Tell Liz to call me."

"Am I now a messenger for Gabriel Damon Incorporated?" Gabe just

laughed. "Fine, I will. Trying to make amends?"

            "NO!" he retaliated. "Just tell her..to uh call me."

            "Ok."

            They both opened their lockers and grabbed their stuff.

            "So...did Liz say anything about me?"

            "Yea she did. She called you an immature littl--"

            "Ok, I meant something POSITIVE." he said getting his macho look on his face. "I am NOT immature."  Gabe slammed his locker shut.

            "Hey guys!" Trey said punching Ashley and Gabe in the arms.

"Ow!" Ashley winced. 'Could he hit less harder next time?'

            "Ash, you givin Jess a ride home?"

            "NO I'm NOT. Jess has a boyfriend so that means she UNAVAILABLE! Want me to spell it out?"

            Trey just grinned. "A boy can dream can't he?"         

            "I shudder to think what you dream about."

            Trey and Gabe just smiled. "That's what we're here for!" Gabe laughed, giving Ashley a headlock.

            "I'm starting to understand the true meaning of the immature HORNY brat thing." Gabe tightened his grip.

            "Gabe, she can sue for sexual harassment you know." Liz said sweeping past, glaring.

            From underneath her hair Ashley called out, "Oh Liz, Gabe says to call him."

            "I see he's using his trusty translator." Liz snapped back.

            "Whoa, Liz what the hell is wrong with you?" Ashley said pushing Gabe off.

            "Nothing. It's just you always seem to be on HIS side."

            "I am not! I'm on NEITHER side. Chill Liz." Ashley waved to Erika. "Bye guys. Gabe, Liz, one word of advice-don't kill each other ok? Bye Trey."

            "Bye" Liz sighed pushing her way to her car. She wasn't about to talk to Gabe right now. Luckily Gabe didn't even try.

            "Bye Ash." Trey called and Gabe did his infamous grunt.

            "Does he ever talk?" Erika giggled. "All he seems to do is grunt."

                                                *            *            *            *

            Ashley pulled into Erika's driveway. "I'll be glad when senior year is OVER. I'll see you later!" The 2 girls hugged and Ashley pulled out of the driveway.

            'Since when do we not get along anymore?' Ashley pondered. It seems that their group of friends never got along anymore. Actually the whole senior class was going through an I-Hate-You phase and no one got along anymore.

            "And now we have some new music from Vitamin C, going out to the class of 2000. It's called 'Graduation-Friends Forever'..."

            The radio started to play a new song, which soon had Ashley teary eyed.

            'Damn. I do like my friends, but can't we just get along for 2 milliseconds?!' Ashley muttered as she pulled down her driveway.