A/N: hello! This may be a shirt chapter but at least it will tell you how everyone is feeling. It's kind of a filler. Also, I came up with a schedule if you want to read my other Newsie stories. This one will usually be updated first, then my The Little Richgoil will be updated, then my In The Blink of An Eye which I'm almost done with (tear). But I still hope you like it and please favorite and review to let me know what's up. And to Ealasaid Una, I owe you the biggest of thanks for commenting on all my Newsie fanfics! You are the best ever!
Disclamier: I do not own Newsies nor the name of the chapter. The song of the chapter is On The Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady.
Chapter 9: On the Street Where You Live
Chava doesn't leave the house after that ordeal with Mush. How she broke his heart. She's so afraid she'll run into him. Or worse, she'll run into Skittery.
There's no doubt in her mind that she will blab her feelings to him but her fear of rejection keeps her from leaving her house. She looks up phobias in an old encyclopedia she found in her house and the fear of leaving the house is called Agoraphobia. She thinks she's developing this disorder but she remains rooted.
She barely eats, just enough to keep her from starving to death or being so malnourished she faints or develops an illness. Yet, she still loses weight, she has lost several pounds and is now worrying her father and maid Violette who are always try to get her to eat more. But Chava won't have it. Her appetite is slim to none because she is sick to her stomach for treating Mush in such a manner.
"He probably thinks I'm a whore for doing this. For using him but I didn't. At least I never wanted to." Chava thinks to herself. She keeps to herself often, she'll occasionally do the small talk with her Father but that's it. Chava rolls her eyes at the way she puts it. The small talk. Like it's so specific that the article the is put there. But it's true. Almost the same thing is said.
"Summer's nearly over." Her father says.
"Look like a cold winter." Chava will answer. "How's work?" She asks.
"The same but I must say that business is booming more here."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"You should eat more, Chavaleh."
"I'm fine, Father."
Nearly the same thing is said during breakfast and dinner between them two. He isn't home for lunch, that is silence so quiet Chava feels like her body is imploding on herself. If the quietness wasn't bad enough, her mother's stare makes it all the worse.
For vast periods if time, Chava practices sign language to keep her terrible feelings and thoughts away. It works and she's grateful for that.
Skittery tries to sell as close to Chava's house as he can without raising suspicion to her or the bulls. If the police saw this, he would be arrested for stalking when in reality, he is only trying to make sure Chava is safe. But that's what happens, when you're poor in New York, people judge you. Chava never did, which is one of the many reasons, he loves her. She doesn't judge because she knows it's not a good feeling. If she had judged him, he never would've known her this well, and maybe he wouldn't be in this situation.
Loving without knowledge of being loved back. Feeling vulnerable around her, or that he's flying several stories high. All this and more just by thinking he'll see her again. But there's Mush.
Mush hasn't said much since the party in Brooklyn. Whenever someone asks about Chava he leaves the building. Skittery wants to confront him about it and make him answer so he can know why he hasn't seen her around at all lately. He knows they went to the party together but that was the last time he spoken to her. Now he really wishes he confessed his feelings at that time. But since he didn't, he doesn't have the jurisdiction to ask such a question or force such an answer.
He worries about Chava, that something bad has happened to her, that The Lords have her and are violating her. Or worse, that's she's already dead. He shouldn't have let himself get so close, he doesn't deserve her love back. She needs to know about him, because if they do end up fancying each other, she could be in danger. Or at least, Skittery's paranoia lets him think so.
He is jumpier than usual and soon all the newsies minus Mush and even Kloppman notice. One day, after walking down Chava's street a couple times, Kloppman stops him at the door.
"Skittery, are youse a'right? Youse is latah than Race afta a day at the track. Youse almost missed curfew." Says Kloppman
"I'se fine jus' not sellin' papes like I used ta. They'se startin' ta notice I ain't young. That there are fresh faces to be sorry for." Skittery bluffs.
"Hey, that ain't true! If I squint hard 'nough, youse could pass for Tumbla." Kloppman says making Skittery smile.
"Where is he? Speakin' of which."
"He's upstairs. Asleep wit' a few of the younga ones as well."
Skittery thanks him as he works his way up the stairs to the bunk room where he sees six sleeping bodies, exhausted from a day of selling.
There's, a five year old named Crimson because if his crimson red hair. There's a ten year old named Sunny due to the fact he arrived with a really bad sunburn. There's a seven year old named Pogo because he is always jumping around, unless he's sleeping. There's a six year old named Whistler who is always whistling a good tune. It's annoying at first but the newsies learned to love it. There's another seven year old named Smiley because of the big genuine smile plastered on his face, even now in his sleep. Then there's eight year old little Tumbler who's named for his clumsiness. But Skittery loves him all the same. He knows he shouldn't but he does. He sits by his bedside and removes his cap and shoes so he can rest more comfortably. He would tuck him in but it's much too hot to do so. He would spontaneously combust.
"Skitts?" Tumbler asks sleepily. Skittery accidentally woke him when removing his boots.
"Sorry, didn't mean ta wake youse. Go back ta sleep." Skittery says.
"Okay, but foist I needs ta ask youse a question." Tumbler says sitting up.
"Yea, shoa wha' is it?"
"Wha' happened ta Colors? I haven't seen her an' I kinda liked havin' her 'round."
"Youse an' me both kid." Skittery answered with a sad smile.
"Youse gonna find her?" Tumbler asks worried for the girl.
"I'se gonna try me darnedest." Skittery says reassuring the young newsie.
"Good. 'Cause she makes youse happy. I like it when youse is happy. Doesn't happy that much." Tumbler says as he drifts off to sleep.
The rest of the boys quickly barrel up the stairs so Skittery undresses into his pink long johns and hauls himself up onto his bunk.
He lies there as the lights flicker off waiting for sleep to grace him. Instead he thinks of the last time he has seen Chava.
"No." Chava answers bluntly.
"No?" Skittery asks confused. He has no idea what she's talking about.
"No we haven't kissed yet." Chava clarifies.
"I nevah shoulda asked that anyways. It ain't me business." Skittery says hiding his happiness at the news; putting out his half finished cigarette, preparing himself for his apology. "An' 'bout that day, I'se sorry for all I said, I knows that a simple sorry shouldn't even mean somethin' afta what I said but-"
"You were right." Chava interrupts stepping down the three steps to be in level ground with Skittery as she looks up into his eyes. "I'm never going to be a teacher. They will always be people with more credentials than me, or I'll get shot down because of my gender or creepy eyes. You were the voice of reason."
Skittery looks at her in disbelief. How could he let himself do something so terrible, "What? Chava, no, no." He says taking a couple of steps towards Chava and placing one hand on her cheek. "I was wrong. I lied ta youse. I regret sayin' that every minute of everyday."
"No, Skittery. You-"
He shushes her and places his thumb over her lips. Her soft pale pink lips. "I am an idiot. A big one. I'se so sorry an' I knows I don't doisoive youse's forgiveness but I want youse ta knows that. At the very least."
Chava takes the hand on her cheek in hers and says, "I've already forgiven you."
"But promise me this, youse'll nevah lose faith in yerself. No mattah what lies come from me big mouth or anyone else's."
"I promise." She whispers. The two hug and hold on for dear life.
As for Skittery, his heart is on fire and he is enjoying the feeling of being burned because Chava is his flame. Now if only he could mutter the three words that would change his life forever, "I love you." But instead what came out was, "I was so worried 'bout youse. Where've youse been?" He asks and Chava pulls away.
She can't tell him the truth, she wants to but she can't will herself to. "That's no important. What's important is, I-" she says but is interrupted by the door opening to reveal Mush.
"Hey, youse okay? Youse been out here for awhile?" Mush says with an innocent smile as he has no idea Chava was about to confess her feelings for Skittery.
"I ran into Skittery. We made up, over our petty fight." Chava explains.
"Oh, I'se glad youse guys is friends again. But c'mon youse guys is missin' the whole party." Mush says as he offers up his hand which Chava numbly takes.
Chava smiles sadly at him when she is ushered inside.
"Wait, Chava!" Skittery shouts as she and Mush turn to see what he wants. He looks at the two as a pair and can't find the words he once had. She's with Mush and maybe it's time for him to respect that. Yet he knows he can't. "Nevah mind." he says and the two walk away.
What was she going to say? Why didn't she say it? Why didn't he say it? He blames no one but himself.
He pictures her in his mind and then he notices how she looked like she was unhappy, miserable even. She also looked like she is unhealthy, skinnier than before. How could he have been so blind? He has to see her and speak to her. He'll do whatever it takes.
And it was closer than either one of them are prepared for.
