HERROW! How ya all doing my fellow readers? Finals are DONE and I can actually write something and not have to worry about writing a paper and take my time on this and have longer and better chapters! Hope you all enjoy :) Please R&R

Dear You chapter 7. Mixed Feelings

Please stay shining
Stay and smile here for always

Evelyn jumbled around in her bag, trying to find her Romeo and Juliet book. The darn thing was nowhere. Suddenly she stopped, Bianca stopping a few paces after her. "What is it this time?" She asked.

"My book. I left it in the classroom. We have to go back and get it."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "No you don't just use mine." Evelyn stood there, looking stubborn. "Is your book THAT important to you?" Evelyn nodded. Bianca sighed. "Alright. Let's head back."

The girls headed back to the school and Bianca stopped at the front door.

"What are you doing?" asked Evelyn.

"It's a decent day out so I think I'll wait out here for you." Evelyn shrugged her shoulders as in "Oh well." and headed inside. The school was so quiet it was almost creepy. It was a good thing the school had lots of windows so light could come in otherwise it would look haunted. Evelyn pushed opened the door to her class room and stopped for she saw a teary-eyed Miss. Thorn suddenly stand up and walk over to her board. "Forget something?" she said in her snooty voice.

Evelyn cleared her throat and walked over to her desk. There she saw her book sitting right on top of her desk. She picked it up and placed it in her bag. Evelyn looked up at her teacher and saw that she was still facing the black board. She felt like she should say something, but couldn't find the right words so she headed right to the door way and stopped. She looked back again, seeing that Miss. Thorn was still writing on the black board. Evelyn turned around and headed out to the hallway.

As Bianca waited for Evelyn to return, she looked up at the sky. It was still it grey murky color and the city was still bustling with people. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds, pretending she was back in her own time. Back at home. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of a boys voice. Bianca shot her eyes open and looked down at the bottom of the steps. There she saw Thomas Higgins or better known as Racetrack.
She smiled. "Hey, Thomas!"

Racetrack smirked. "Please miss. Call me Racetrack...or Race. Thomas is what my ol' granny calls me." Bianca chuckled and nodded. Racetrack then stuffed his papes under his right pit and stuffed his hands in his pocket. "So why ya jus' standin' 'round heah for?" he asked.

Before Bianca could reply, Evelyn came walking out the door. "Oh! Hi, Thomas."
"Call me Racetrack."
"Or Race," said Bianca. Racetrack grinned at her comment. "You ready to head back now?" Bianca asked. Evelyn nodded.

"Ya two min' if I'se come walkin' 'round with ya's. I'se could sells my papes on the way." The two girls looked at each other and then nodded at Racetrack.

On their way back, Racetrack shouted out headlines. Mainly false once or ones that only spoke half the truth. As they walked closer to the O'Brian's house the ever distant sounds of boys shouting became louder.
"What's that sound? Is there a fight going on?" Bianca asked. And just as they turned the corner, there they saw a bunch of Newsies piled together in a big heaping mess of a fight.
"Plug Uglies..." Racetrack gulped.

"Plug what?" said Evelyn.

"Plug Uglies. They be oldeh boys or old time newsie boys comin' to soak us younger newsie boys. They steal our money and take our papes. Happened to me few days ago. Got fourteen cents taken from me."

"Is that all you made?" Bianca asked.

Racetrack shook his head. "Nah. My sis, Abby. She 'em get me and ran oveh to help me out." The two girls thought then. It now made sense to them as to why Abigale was gone the day she was. Must have gotten beat up by the Plug Uglies herself while trying to protect her little brother.

"Did they stop when she came over?" Asked Evelyn.

Racetrack shook his head again. "They got her too. They only stop cause a cop came by and yelled at 'em, which was surprising. Mos' cops won't do a damn thing 'bout nothin'."

Suddenly the crowd of Newises and Plug Uglies started to disapate as the whistle of a cop came strolling by. The fight was probably stopped because there were so many fighting, not that they cared about anyone getting hurt. When just a few were left standing there, rooting for the boys fighting on the ground, Evelyn, Bianca and even Racetrack walked a little bit closer to get a better look at the two fighters in the ground. The person on top was throwing punch after punch at what looked like an older boy. A Plug Ugly perhaps? But then again the boy on top of him, soaking his very brains out with a single fist while the other held his shirt, looked like an older boy too. When he finished his final blow, the Plug Ugly fell flat and still on the dirty street. The older boy who had won the fight stood up and spat on the Plug Ugly. The newsie boys cheered him on while the Plug Uglies dragged their friend away.

There was something very odd though about this fellow as Evelyn continued to stare at his back. His dirty blonde hair messy from the fight. His hat stuffed in his back pocket and pink suspenders. He turned around and walked up to a young newsie boy, maybe ten years old, and plopped what seemed to be change in his hand and patted the little head. The little boy smiled up at his and placed his newsie hat back on top of his head.

"Is that..." Bianca started.

"Spot Conlon!" shouted Racetrack. Spot looked up and saw Racetrack and waved. His face smudged with dirt and a few blood splatters on his shirt. Probably from the Plug Ugly. Evelyn grew disgusted and turned away. Of course he was only helping out the newsies, but the sight of him beating that Plug Ugly up...just the way he took him down...It scared her.

"E-Evelyn? Where are you going?" Bianca called out to her friend. "Sorry, Race. Gotta go!" she gave Racetrack a small peck on the cheek and headed after her friend.

"Evelyn? What's wrong?" Bianca placed a hand on Evelyn shoulder and turned her around. They stood just outside the O'Brians house.
"Did you not see him? That fight?" said Evelyn.

"You mean...the way Spot beat the ever living crap outa that Plug...Plug-whatever-you-call-them?" Evelyn nodded. Bianca rolled her eyes. "Oh please! This is New York City, Evelyn! 1899 New York City! This is not the New York City you used to know and love."

Evelyn hung her head. "I know...I just...It scared me when I saw the way Spot pounded that...that boy."
Bianca placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Spot was doing it to protect those young Newsie boys. You should be thrilled that Spot can kick some ass!" Bianca nudged Evelyn in the shoulder. "At least you know your future man will be able to protect you." Bianca laughed and Evelyn's face turned beat red.
"Stop it!" Evelyn put her head down again, her face getting ever redder and pressing her lips together so she wouldn't start smiling.

Bianca continued to laugh at her. "C'mon! Let's head inside." The two friends locked arms and headed inside. There they saw decorations being put up.

"What's the occasion?" asked Bianca to a nearby maid.
The maid got a big smile on her face and said, "It's the lovely couples 30th anniversary." she giggled. "They are throwing a party tonight. You best be ready for a full house." the maid then went right back to work and the girls looked at each other.
"Thirty years?" Bianca whispered loudly.

"That's crazy!" whispered Evelyn just as loud. The girls walked up to their room and placed their school bag on their beds. "What should we wear?" Evelyn said.

Bianca went right to the closet and swung it open fast. She looked back at Evelyn and said, "I got this." and started going through the dresses.

Within ten minutes, Bianca had both her and Evelyn's dresses picked out.

Evelyn stared down at the pink dress on her bed. It's little white frills at the bottom and white shiny beads on the bosom. "You want me to wear this God forsaken thing?" she said to Bianca.

Bianca giggled. "Oh c'mon! You'll look so CUTE in it. Besides I have a great idea on how to style your hair. It's not every day girls like us get to dress up like this. "Live it up, Evelyn!" Just then a knock came to the door and Mrs. O'Brian came walking in. Seeing the dresses on the beds she smiled.
"I'se guess ya both heard the news." the girls nodded. Sybelle practically squealed and clasped her hands together. "Oh good. You two best get ready fast then. Wash yer faces up good and pretty ya selves up. Tonight is going to be very busy." she then walked out of the room, leaving the girls to their dressing.

Evelyn and Bianca looked at each other and started giggling.
"If I ever get that excited about a thirty-year-old marriage party, slap me!" said Bianca, falling back on her bed and holding her stomach from all the giggling she was doing. Evelyn lightly tapped Bianca face and laughed even more.
"Sure thing," she said. After they stopped laughing so much the girls regained their composure and started getting ready for the dance.

Evelyn reluctantly put on the pink dress and swished around, trying to get used to it.

"See? You look adorable!" said Bianca. Evelyn's face went red again. "Here, sit down. I'll do your hair." Evelyn sat down in front of the mirror and watched at Bianca brushed through her hair.

After a moment of silence, Evelyn looked down at her hands and sighed. "Bianca...if there was or is...any chance of us going back home...Would you go back?"
Bianca stopped brushing for a second and grabbed some hair pieces and then went back to brushing. "I suppose so. I mean...there's no one or anything stopping me from leaving."
"Well what if your only chance to go back was to leave right now?"
Bianca stopped brushing again and thought for a moment. "Where is this all coming from, Evelyn? What's on your mind?"

Evelyn twiddled with her fingers. "Well...Let's just say I have grown attached to the people here."
Bianca looked at Evelyn in the reflection of the mirror. "Don't tell me...You've fallen for that Conlon dude, haven't you?"

Evelyn sighed. "I can't help myself, Bianca. We looks so much like Scott. So much so it's kind of crazy. I can't stop thinking about him. Even if he scared me earlier today with that fight I still have feelings for him.

"Evelyn," Bianca said. "Just because he looks like Scott, doesn't mean that he is. They are TWO completely DIFFERENT people from TWO completely DIFFERENT times." Bianca finished putting up Evelyn's hair by twisting it into a bun and placing a hair pick to stick the bun place. "There that should do it."
Evelyn looked back at Bianca said. "Your right, I shouldn't be falling head over heels for him so quickly."

Bianca smiled. "Just be careful, Evelyn. Now...do my hair." The friends switched places and went back to no talking and all hair.

Later that night Evelyn sat in a chair in the living room, gazing out at all of the people who came to the party. Most of them were older folk while a small sort of them were small children. Music played in the background and the sound of people laughing and talking filled the whole house. Evelyn could hardly hear herself think so she stood up fast, her dress swaying with her every movement, she headed out the room to find a quieter place. Bianca had left with Mrs. O'Brian to tend to some cookies they were baking. As Evelyn passed the halls she looked up at the pictures, not taking notice to who she was about to run into. THUMP! "Ouch!" Evelyn stumbled back a few feet, rubbing her head and then looked up at none other Spot Conlon. "Oh...Sorry." she tried passing by him after that, but he caught her arm and pulled her back in front of him.

"Evelyn?" he said. Oh his voice made Evelyn weak in the knees. She loved hearing his voice, but then she thought of what Bianca told her and she got some strength back in her legs.

"Yes?" she said.

"Look uh...Listen...I'se saw ya earlieh today when I'se was soakin' that Plug Uglie. I'se saw the look on ya face. You'se was scared, weren't you?" Evelyn slowly nodded, putting her head down, afraid to look up at Spot. Spot then placed a finger under her chin and her face up to look at him. "Of me?" he then said.

Evelyn looked into his bright green eyes and felt herself growing more attached to him. Finally she nodded. Spot took a step back, leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Well...I'se awfully sorry 'bout that. Don't want ya to be scared of me. Especially not you." Evelyn was about ready to say something, but a group of people walked back, laughing and giggling.
"Hurry!" one of them cried. "Were all going to dance outside in the back yard!" Evelyn and Spot glanced at each other and then headed outside like all the others.

There the music was getting set up and people started to get in groups, still talking and laughing, some tapping their feet and the younger kids holding hands and going 'round in circles. Spot stood right behind Evelyn. He looked down her, wanted desperately to ask her to dance, but too nervous to say anything to her he missed his chance when Charles Vanham walked up to her, grabbed her hand, kissed it and smiled. Spot wanted to punch himself in the leg for letting that jerk get to her first and he wanted to punch Charles even more. They may have worked somewhat together at the Union, but that didn't mean they got along. Spot and Charles had always butted head. They thought about things different. Not to mention, Charles loved kissing ass just so he could be the bosses pet, whereas Spot worked his butt off trying to make a living and work his way up in life the hard way. It had always been that way.

"Care to dance?" said Charles. Evelyn looked to her left and then her right and then nodded. Charles took Evelyn out further into the yard and started to dance with her. Spot watched from the porch with envy.

Evelyn was shy at first. She didn't know how these people danced.

"What's the matter?" asked Charles. "Don't dance."
Evelyn cocked her head to the side. "Eeeeh...Not like this."
Charles laughed and took her hands, spinning her 'round and 'round. Suddenly she stopped and Charles tipped her over and then brought he back up, spun her around again and lifted her into the air. Evelyn squealed. Not from excitement, but from surprise. When the song was over with Charles took her hand again and kissed it. Evelyn had to admit. This guy was charming. Just then a hand was placed on Charles shoulder. Charles turned around and saw Spot standing behind him.

"Ah. Mr. Conlon. Fancy meeting you here."
Spot ignored Charles and walked right up to Evelyn. "May I have this dance?" he asked. Evelyn blushed and nodded. Charles stepped away trying not to show his irritancies by Spot and went off to find someone else to dance with.

As the soft music started to play, Spot placed his hand on Evelyn's lower back, pushed her closer to him and grabbed her hand and placed it on his shoulder. For a while they said nothing to each other. Evelyn kept her gaze on one of Spot's buttons on his shirt while Spot kept his eyes on her, wishing she would look up at him so he could see those big pretty eyes of hers. "Evelyn..." he said her name softly and quietly so that only she could hear. Evelyn looked up at him for a second and then looked back down. "I'se neveh got to heah ya answer to what I'se told ya in the hallway."
"What do you want me to say?" she finally spoke to him.

"Anything." he told her. He was surprised how fast he answered her and he felt his stomach flip.

"Anything huh?" Evelyn said. "To be honest I was scared, but now I'm not. I understand why you did what you did."
Spot nodded. "Ya do huh?"

"Yeah...So I'm not scared of you...If that's what you're still worried about." Evelyn looked up at Spot and he looked down her. They still danced. "Spot..." she said.

"Yeah?"
"...The music has stopped."

Spot instantly stopped right there and let her go. "Ah...Yeah. Sorry."

Just then Bianca came running up with a great big smile on her face. "Evelyn, you have to come try these cookies, Sybelle and I just made! They taste SO great!" she then stopped and turned toward Spot. Her eyes grew wide. "Ah...I see now," she giggled. "Uhmm...Just come to the kitchen when ya both get done talking." Bianca nudged Evelyn in the arm and was off.

"Ouch!" Evelyn grabbed her arm and rubbed it. Spot laughed and Evelyn lightly blushed.
"Hey, listen, Evelyn. How 'bout one of these nights I take you'se to a real party. One with Irish folk."
"Isn't this already a party with Irish folk?"

Spot leaned in a little closer to her and said, "When I'se says 'real Irish party' I don' mean these kinda ol' folk party. I'se talkin' 'bout an Irish party with folk such as ourselves."

Just then a small boy came running up to Spot. "Spot! Spot! You'se gotta come quick!"
"What? What's wrong, Jacob?" The little boy looked tired and out of breath. "How ya get in here anyway?"
Jacob shook his head. "No time to explain. Ya gotta come quick!" Jacob continued to pull on Spot sleeve.

Spot looked back at Evelyn and said, "Sorry, Evelyn. Somethin's come up. I'se see ya some otheh time. Keep that thought in mind though." with that said, Spot was taken away by the boy named Jacob. Evelyn could help but wonder what was so wrong.