Hey all... Okay, I've been thinking, and I hate leaving you all hanging. So
I'll probably end the story soon, I already know what's going to happen.
You all won't have to be mad at me anymore lol
Oh, and I can't write out all the shouts for the reviews this time, but hopefully I'll be able to do shouts soon.
One more thing - This chapter goes on right where the last one ended. I recommend that you re-read the last chapter so that you don't get confused.
Thanks for the support, you're all the best! E-mail me if you have questions. Racehiggins@yahoo.com
"...And then they gave me the money to come back. So.. here I am." Reffy finished, her voice still hoarse. All during her and Racetracks' walk to Manhattan she told him about Boston. She told him about the factory, the girls in it, the work, the food, the house...
But the one thing she didn't tell him was about Gracie, and the fight, and Jack's daughter... And when she got sick...
"They just gave you the money? Just like that?" Racetrack asked curiously.
"Well, yeah. They were my friends."
"Where the hell do I find friends like THAT?" Racetrack asked. Reffy smirked and cleared her throat once more, deciding not to answer his stupid question.
"Ref, what's up with your voice?" Racetrack asked. She hoped he wouldn't ask her this.
"I don't know." Reffy replied simply. She shrugged her shoulders and tried to keep in the coughs that were trying to escape from her throat.
Racetrack looked at her from the corner of his eye as they walked down the final street towards the Lodging House.
"Are you gonna talk to Jack tonight?" He asked.
"Why should I? I'm in the Lodging House, and that's all that matters. It's not like I need him for anything else." Reffy lied.
"It's just weird, you and Jack not talking... Y'know? And a lot of the guys are afraid to talk to you."
Reffy raised her eyebrows at Racetrack.
"They're afraid Jack would get mad that they're welcoming you back or something." Racetrack said, answering her silent question.
"That's stupid." Reffy replied quietly. They walked up the steps to the Lodging House, the day was breaking into night, and all of the guys were returning from their long days out on the streets.
"What are you gonna do about Spot?" Racetrack asked Reffy quietly as they both sat on her bed in the corner of the room. (She glared over at her old bed, knowing that Ruby slept in it now.)
"Avoid him." She answered.
Racetrack rolled his eyes at her pitiful response. He got up so that Reffy could lay down, and went over to his own bunk.
The night was uneventful, in Reffy's mind. Jack didn't return until later, and climbed into the top bunk the second that he got in. The newsies avoided Reffy at all costs, but it didn't bother her. They just weren't useto her being home yet. Especially when there was so much tension between her and Jack.
Besides, she didn't want to deal with anybody right now. She was tired, and thoughts ran through her mind a mile a minute.
Jack and Chelsea. Jack and Gracie. Spot and Ruby. Spot and her... Everything was so messed up. She fell into a dreamless sleep, dreading the fact that she had to face another day the next morning.
- - -
"What's Tips doing here?" Racetrack asked the next afternoon, looking over Reffy's shoulder. She finished selling before Racetrack and was having fun rubbing it in his face.
Reffy looked up at Racetrack and let out an aggravated sigh.
"Tips, the kid that Spot sends around everywhere? THAT Tips?" She asked.
"Do you know another Tips, Ref?" Racetrack asked. Reffy rolled her eyes, knowing that answer to the question already.
"Don't tell me he's coming over here." Reffy replied.
"Alright, I won't. But I'm lying to you. I'll see you back at the Lodging House, I gotta sell these." Racetrack disappeared into the crowd before Reffy could stop him.
"Reffy, Spot needs you."
Reffy put her hand to her forehead when she heard Tips voice behind her. She slowly turned around and stared at him.
"Tell him I'm busy." Reffy said. Tips was breathing heavily, as if he ran over here.
"He said it's important. He said that somethings wrong and he needs you as soon as possible." Tips said. His voice sounded serious.
The calm look on Reffy's face quickly dropped.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" She asked quickly.
"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me." Tips said quickly, trying to catch his breath.
"Shit." Reffy mumbled underneath her breath.
"So are you gonna go?"
"You gotta be kidding me..." Reffy said under her breath again.
"He said it was important - "
"I knowww..." Reffy whined. She didn't want to walk to Brooklyn again.
"Are you gonna go?"
"Fine." Reffy said quickly. "Fine, fine, I'll go."
Reffy walked past Tips in a rush, trying to walk through the crowds as fast as possible. Tips would usually hang around Manhattan for a while, so she didn't even bother waiting for him.
Her mind wasn't thinking straight. Something must have been wrong. It was obvious that Tips ran over to Manhattan. She felt bad for the kid, she'd never be able to run that far, no matter how much she's ran from the cops before.
Reffy walked faster than usual, trying to get to Spot as soon as she could. What if something happened? Why would Spot send for her, and not Jack or something?
Thoughts were running through her head as she walked onto the dock and down the damp wood structure, past all of the people staring at her.
"Where's Spot?" Reffy asked a group of boys over where Spot usually was.
"He's inside." One of them answered.
The boys kept talking to her, but she ignored them and walked through the doors.
"Spot?" Reffy said loudly, almost in a panic.
Spot came from inside one of the rooms and motioned her to follow him. The went into the room and he shut the door quickly behind her.
"What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Reffy asked as they walked into Spot's room.
Spot walked over to Reffy and wrapped his strong arms around her waist.
"Everything's fine." He replied, looking down at her and smirking.
Reffy's eyes got wide and she pulled away from him.
"Are you serious?!"
"Relax, Ref." "Spot, I practically killed myself getting over here as fast as I could walk and there's nothing important you need to tell me?!"
"I didn't think you'd come if I didn't say it was important." Spot said honestly, but Reffy's anger was still inside of her.
"You scared the shit out of me, Spot! I thought something happened!"
Spot came closer to her and put out his arms.
"Stay the hell away from me, I can't even look at you right now." Reffy said, turning around and wrapping her arms around her waist.
"I'm sorry, Reffy, okay? I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you, is that so bad?"
She didn't answer.
"You're telling me you didn't feel anything yesterday on the dock? Are you honestly trying to tell me that you didn't feel that?"
"Feel what?" Reffy asked, turning around and facing him.
"I don't know what it was, but it was something. Something was there." Spot said.
Reffy couldn't tell if he was lying. His eyes would sometimes have a look of mystery in them that she could never figure out.
"The only thing I felt was me telling you to stop - "
"Ref, don't start with this, please..."
" - And did you? Ofcourse not! You didn't even hesitate, you just kept going! and I - "
Spot went closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist again. Reffy quickly shut up and put her hands on her chest to push him away.
"Relax." Spot said calmly for the second time.
Reffy felt her heart beating harder than ever. "Spot.." She fought, but he held her closer.
"It's okay, Ref." He said softly. "Calm down, nobody's gonna know." He said and lowered his lips near hers.
Reffy felt as if she couldn't breathe. Spot's soft lips brushed hers, and Reffy jolted her head back.
"You can't just do this. What if people know?" She asked, looking into his eyes.
"Relax." Spot said repeated, and started kissing her.
Reffy gave up and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Although, in her mind, she knew she'd regret it.
Spot smiled within the kiss and pushed her over to his bed, lowering her body down and laying ontop of her.
The only thing that didn't stop Reffy was the curiousity in her mind. Practically her whole life as a newsie she wanted this moment to happen. She didn't want it now, but her mind was taking over, and just wanted to see what it would have been like.
Reffy felt his strong body ontop of hers and ran her fingers through his hair. Spot removed one of his hands from around her waist and crept it up her stomach.
"SPOT!" Reffy and Spot broke their kiss and sat up as fast as they could.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Ruby screamed, standing at the doorway with her hand slightly covering her mouth.
"What are you doing here?!" Spot asked. "I told you a couple hours ago I was going for a walk with Jimmy!" Ruby yelled.
Reffy couldn't believe her ears. Spot knew she was in Brooklyn, but he still did this.
Spot rolled his eyes and removed his hand from around Reffy's waist and stood up. Reffy still sat there in complete shock.
"This can't be happening. You knew she was here?!" Reffy said outloud and ran her fingers through her hair. Spot never answered.
"I come to see my boyfriend and I have to walk in on you and this.. this SLUT?!" Ruby yelled, pointing at Reffy on the bed.
"EXCUSE ME?!" Reffy yelled, standing up next to Spot. "I'm not the one who wanted me to come here, HE wanted me here."
"Ruby, it's not what you think." Spot said, walking over to her.
"Yea, okay, like THAT line is gonna work, Spot." Reffy said obviously, looking at Ruby's furious face.
Spot looked back at Reffy and gave her a look, and quickly turned around to face Ruby again.
"Listen, baby." He explained, putting his arms on her shoulders.
"NO!" Ruby screamed and ran out of the room.
Spot followed her, and Reffy walked over to the door, looking out at the two fighting in the bunkroom.
"Get out of here!" Ruby yelled, pointing at Reffy.
"So it's okay when it's you and Racetrack, but this isn't acceptable? YEAH, RUBY, because that makes PERFECT sense." Reffy said sarcastically, throwing her hands in the air and walking past them to the door.
Spot put his hand up to his face and took a deep breath.
"Wait until I tell everybody, Spot. YOU JUST WAIT!" Ruby said, pointing a finger in Spot's face.
"Reffy." Spot said over Ruby's shoulder. Reffy turned around and glared at him.
"Don't talk to me again, Spot Conlon. Don't you ever, understand? Ever! Or I'll tell Jack, and you know what he'll do!"
"Jack hates you! Get the hell out of here!!" Ruby screamed at her, and turned back to Spot.
Reffy stormed out of the Lodging House, wrapping her arms around her waist and letting out a long sigh. She heard the couple yelling at eachother, but decided to get as far away from them as she could.
She hated herself. Why did she have to do stupid things like that? Now she was stuck walking back to Manhattan by herself, with nothing but the images of Spot in her head. 'I had no idea I was this stupid,' Reffy thought to herself. Walking towards the bridge, she started to realize how many regrets she had in her life so far.
'Well..' Reffy thought to herself again. 'Atleast he's a good kisser.'
She let out an aggrivated sigh, and regretted even thinking that.
"I hate him." Reffy said outloud to herself. She started the long walk back to the Lodging House.
Oh, and I can't write out all the shouts for the reviews this time, but hopefully I'll be able to do shouts soon.
One more thing - This chapter goes on right where the last one ended. I recommend that you re-read the last chapter so that you don't get confused.
Thanks for the support, you're all the best! E-mail me if you have questions. Racehiggins@yahoo.com
"...And then they gave me the money to come back. So.. here I am." Reffy finished, her voice still hoarse. All during her and Racetracks' walk to Manhattan she told him about Boston. She told him about the factory, the girls in it, the work, the food, the house...
But the one thing she didn't tell him was about Gracie, and the fight, and Jack's daughter... And when she got sick...
"They just gave you the money? Just like that?" Racetrack asked curiously.
"Well, yeah. They were my friends."
"Where the hell do I find friends like THAT?" Racetrack asked. Reffy smirked and cleared her throat once more, deciding not to answer his stupid question.
"Ref, what's up with your voice?" Racetrack asked. She hoped he wouldn't ask her this.
"I don't know." Reffy replied simply. She shrugged her shoulders and tried to keep in the coughs that were trying to escape from her throat.
Racetrack looked at her from the corner of his eye as they walked down the final street towards the Lodging House.
"Are you gonna talk to Jack tonight?" He asked.
"Why should I? I'm in the Lodging House, and that's all that matters. It's not like I need him for anything else." Reffy lied.
"It's just weird, you and Jack not talking... Y'know? And a lot of the guys are afraid to talk to you."
Reffy raised her eyebrows at Racetrack.
"They're afraid Jack would get mad that they're welcoming you back or something." Racetrack said, answering her silent question.
"That's stupid." Reffy replied quietly. They walked up the steps to the Lodging House, the day was breaking into night, and all of the guys were returning from their long days out on the streets.
"What are you gonna do about Spot?" Racetrack asked Reffy quietly as they both sat on her bed in the corner of the room. (She glared over at her old bed, knowing that Ruby slept in it now.)
"Avoid him." She answered.
Racetrack rolled his eyes at her pitiful response. He got up so that Reffy could lay down, and went over to his own bunk.
The night was uneventful, in Reffy's mind. Jack didn't return until later, and climbed into the top bunk the second that he got in. The newsies avoided Reffy at all costs, but it didn't bother her. They just weren't useto her being home yet. Especially when there was so much tension between her and Jack.
Besides, she didn't want to deal with anybody right now. She was tired, and thoughts ran through her mind a mile a minute.
Jack and Chelsea. Jack and Gracie. Spot and Ruby. Spot and her... Everything was so messed up. She fell into a dreamless sleep, dreading the fact that she had to face another day the next morning.
- - -
"What's Tips doing here?" Racetrack asked the next afternoon, looking over Reffy's shoulder. She finished selling before Racetrack and was having fun rubbing it in his face.
Reffy looked up at Racetrack and let out an aggravated sigh.
"Tips, the kid that Spot sends around everywhere? THAT Tips?" She asked.
"Do you know another Tips, Ref?" Racetrack asked. Reffy rolled her eyes, knowing that answer to the question already.
"Don't tell me he's coming over here." Reffy replied.
"Alright, I won't. But I'm lying to you. I'll see you back at the Lodging House, I gotta sell these." Racetrack disappeared into the crowd before Reffy could stop him.
"Reffy, Spot needs you."
Reffy put her hand to her forehead when she heard Tips voice behind her. She slowly turned around and stared at him.
"Tell him I'm busy." Reffy said. Tips was breathing heavily, as if he ran over here.
"He said it's important. He said that somethings wrong and he needs you as soon as possible." Tips said. His voice sounded serious.
The calm look on Reffy's face quickly dropped.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" She asked quickly.
"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me." Tips said quickly, trying to catch his breath.
"Shit." Reffy mumbled underneath her breath.
"So are you gonna go?"
"You gotta be kidding me..." Reffy said under her breath again.
"He said it was important - "
"I knowww..." Reffy whined. She didn't want to walk to Brooklyn again.
"Are you gonna go?"
"Fine." Reffy said quickly. "Fine, fine, I'll go."
Reffy walked past Tips in a rush, trying to walk through the crowds as fast as possible. Tips would usually hang around Manhattan for a while, so she didn't even bother waiting for him.
Her mind wasn't thinking straight. Something must have been wrong. It was obvious that Tips ran over to Manhattan. She felt bad for the kid, she'd never be able to run that far, no matter how much she's ran from the cops before.
Reffy walked faster than usual, trying to get to Spot as soon as she could. What if something happened? Why would Spot send for her, and not Jack or something?
Thoughts were running through her head as she walked onto the dock and down the damp wood structure, past all of the people staring at her.
"Where's Spot?" Reffy asked a group of boys over where Spot usually was.
"He's inside." One of them answered.
The boys kept talking to her, but she ignored them and walked through the doors.
"Spot?" Reffy said loudly, almost in a panic.
Spot came from inside one of the rooms and motioned her to follow him. The went into the room and he shut the door quickly behind her.
"What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Reffy asked as they walked into Spot's room.
Spot walked over to Reffy and wrapped his strong arms around her waist.
"Everything's fine." He replied, looking down at her and smirking.
Reffy's eyes got wide and she pulled away from him.
"Are you serious?!"
"Relax, Ref." "Spot, I practically killed myself getting over here as fast as I could walk and there's nothing important you need to tell me?!"
"I didn't think you'd come if I didn't say it was important." Spot said honestly, but Reffy's anger was still inside of her.
"You scared the shit out of me, Spot! I thought something happened!"
Spot came closer to her and put out his arms.
"Stay the hell away from me, I can't even look at you right now." Reffy said, turning around and wrapping her arms around her waist.
"I'm sorry, Reffy, okay? I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you, is that so bad?"
She didn't answer.
"You're telling me you didn't feel anything yesterday on the dock? Are you honestly trying to tell me that you didn't feel that?"
"Feel what?" Reffy asked, turning around and facing him.
"I don't know what it was, but it was something. Something was there." Spot said.
Reffy couldn't tell if he was lying. His eyes would sometimes have a look of mystery in them that she could never figure out.
"The only thing I felt was me telling you to stop - "
"Ref, don't start with this, please..."
" - And did you? Ofcourse not! You didn't even hesitate, you just kept going! and I - "
Spot went closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist again. Reffy quickly shut up and put her hands on her chest to push him away.
"Relax." Spot said calmly for the second time.
Reffy felt her heart beating harder than ever. "Spot.." She fought, but he held her closer.
"It's okay, Ref." He said softly. "Calm down, nobody's gonna know." He said and lowered his lips near hers.
Reffy felt as if she couldn't breathe. Spot's soft lips brushed hers, and Reffy jolted her head back.
"You can't just do this. What if people know?" She asked, looking into his eyes.
"Relax." Spot said repeated, and started kissing her.
Reffy gave up and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Although, in her mind, she knew she'd regret it.
Spot smiled within the kiss and pushed her over to his bed, lowering her body down and laying ontop of her.
The only thing that didn't stop Reffy was the curiousity in her mind. Practically her whole life as a newsie she wanted this moment to happen. She didn't want it now, but her mind was taking over, and just wanted to see what it would have been like.
Reffy felt his strong body ontop of hers and ran her fingers through his hair. Spot removed one of his hands from around her waist and crept it up her stomach.
"SPOT!" Reffy and Spot broke their kiss and sat up as fast as they could.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Ruby screamed, standing at the doorway with her hand slightly covering her mouth.
"What are you doing here?!" Spot asked. "I told you a couple hours ago I was going for a walk with Jimmy!" Ruby yelled.
Reffy couldn't believe her ears. Spot knew she was in Brooklyn, but he still did this.
Spot rolled his eyes and removed his hand from around Reffy's waist and stood up. Reffy still sat there in complete shock.
"This can't be happening. You knew she was here?!" Reffy said outloud and ran her fingers through her hair. Spot never answered.
"I come to see my boyfriend and I have to walk in on you and this.. this SLUT?!" Ruby yelled, pointing at Reffy on the bed.
"EXCUSE ME?!" Reffy yelled, standing up next to Spot. "I'm not the one who wanted me to come here, HE wanted me here."
"Ruby, it's not what you think." Spot said, walking over to her.
"Yea, okay, like THAT line is gonna work, Spot." Reffy said obviously, looking at Ruby's furious face.
Spot looked back at Reffy and gave her a look, and quickly turned around to face Ruby again.
"Listen, baby." He explained, putting his arms on her shoulders.
"NO!" Ruby screamed and ran out of the room.
Spot followed her, and Reffy walked over to the door, looking out at the two fighting in the bunkroom.
"Get out of here!" Ruby yelled, pointing at Reffy.
"So it's okay when it's you and Racetrack, but this isn't acceptable? YEAH, RUBY, because that makes PERFECT sense." Reffy said sarcastically, throwing her hands in the air and walking past them to the door.
Spot put his hand up to his face and took a deep breath.
"Wait until I tell everybody, Spot. YOU JUST WAIT!" Ruby said, pointing a finger in Spot's face.
"Reffy." Spot said over Ruby's shoulder. Reffy turned around and glared at him.
"Don't talk to me again, Spot Conlon. Don't you ever, understand? Ever! Or I'll tell Jack, and you know what he'll do!"
"Jack hates you! Get the hell out of here!!" Ruby screamed at her, and turned back to Spot.
Reffy stormed out of the Lodging House, wrapping her arms around her waist and letting out a long sigh. She heard the couple yelling at eachother, but decided to get as far away from them as she could.
She hated herself. Why did she have to do stupid things like that? Now she was stuck walking back to Manhattan by herself, with nothing but the images of Spot in her head. 'I had no idea I was this stupid,' Reffy thought to herself. Walking towards the bridge, she started to realize how many regrets she had in her life so far.
'Well..' Reffy thought to herself again. 'Atleast he's a good kisser.'
She let out an aggrivated sigh, and regretted even thinking that.
"I hate him." Reffy said outloud to herself. She started the long walk back to the Lodging House.