Note from the Author: This is a song fic. The song is: "Concrete Angel" by
Martina McBride. If you don't know who this lady is or what this song
sounds like I'd recommend finding out and listening! It's beautiful! The
song lyrics will be surrounded like this: __ "Concrete Angel"__ ((just so
you know)). I myself, do not own Newsies or Disney, or Martina or the
song. So I appreciate all those people letting me use their stuff. As well
as I do not own Southern Spark/Ashlyn. She's a sweetheart, but my friend
Heather owns her.
Dedication to SS. Every time I've needed her for anything she's been there. Even when I haven't been there for her and I should have been, she was still there. So, although I don't want you to cry, you might. I apologize, but I wanted to write a story about this song, and so I wrote this story and I want to dedicate it to you. Ok.so you may not want me to dedicate it to you, but too late. It's been done.
Everyone else? MG, Col, my campers, my camp staff, and my friends back at school who I don't get to see anymore, this is also to you. Although it may be sorta sad in a small way. ((not really)) Ok, you guys have helped me through everything and friends are wonderful! Especially when I have friends like you!.
Concrete Angel
"Get out of here!" a furious voice rang out through a third story apartment on Main Street in Manhattan. Sounds of soft, hurried footsteps could be heard from downstairs as a petite girl attempted to tie her boots and race out the door and down the stairs. Her blonde hair, falling into her face from being pulled up into a sloppy pony-tail, caused her to lose sight of the floor and stumble down a few steps.
"Ow," she breathed softly, feeling the bruise on her ribs that she earned last night. She pulled her hair back and wiped the tears from her pale blue eyes. She quickly looked down the hall as she heard her father storm out.
"You're still standing there? Go! You're worthless Ashlyn." He shook his head and walked back into the apartment room, slamming the door.
The echo the door made sounded throughout the entire building waking everyone up at a quarter to seven in the morning. The sun was barely peaking out behind the clouds as the young girl, only 17, raced through the empty streets to a nearby school. She stopped only once to buy an apple for breakfast and then continued on her way. Her gray dress swung low to her knees as she ran and her pocket of change jingled lightly, reminding her of her after school job. Ashlyn smiled remembering her previous day with the newsies. The only place she felt safe was around them.
__"She walks to school with the lunch she packed. Nobody knows what she's holding back. Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday. She hides the bruises with the linen and lace."__
"Ashlyn? Would you mind staying after class?" Mrs. Henderson, the history teacher asked politely during study period, "I'd like to talk to you about some things."
"I uh, I can't. I have a job to go to." she replied in a polite southern accent, "See my parents just moved here four months ago, and I need to help with the rent. I'm real sorry. It's jus' taken my dad awhile to git a job, so he's countin' on me." She kept her answer short and to the point, looking down every so often at her school books she was trying to concentrate on.
"Are you ok? You seemed very quiet in class today. I'm worried. Your studies seem to be slipping." Mrs. Henderson frowned, looking at Ashlyn closely.
Mrs. Henderson thought Ashlyn was very different from the other girls. Her shyness set her apart, but she was very intelligent and always worked hard on her studies. Unfortunately, Mrs. Henderson had noticed a decrease in effort being shown from Ashlyn and it upset her lightly. She might have considered taking the issue further if Ashlyn hadn't explained about her after school job.
"Well then, just keep working hard all right? Your studies are just as important as your job. You have a bright future ahead of you, and you have potential. You can go far. Just keep working."
__"The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask. It's hard to see the pain behind the mask. Hiding the pain of a secret storm, sometimes she wishes she was never born."__
Ashlyn gave a timid nod and then looked back at her books, not truly hearing what her teacher was saying. It didn't matter to her what her teacher thought. She had other things to worry about. She checked the time and smiled lightly, knowing class was almost over and she could leave soon. Just then a boy behind her shoved her desk forward, sending her paper and pencils to the floor. She frowned and leaned over to pick them up, but winced as if something hurt when she leaned forward. The teacher gave her an odd look and Ashlyn noticed. She quickly picked up her papers and sat back down in her seat, looking at her book, not speaking another word.
"Teacher's pet.goirls don't belong in school. 'Specially ones like you. You don't belong in New York." The boy whispered from behind in a harsh voice, "You think you got the newsies to protect yous? Yous wrong Ashlyn. Goirls are worthless if they go ta school. They're suppose ta stay in the house and work. You are jus' gonna grow up to be a nuthin'. Jus' like tha rest of your family."
His painful words fell to deaf ears as Ashlyn bit her lower lip to keep herself from crying again. She tried to take a deep breath to relax but couldn't and strained to calm herself to deter any more pain that she might inflict on herself. She remained seated, staring down at her tear stained books. She was starting to wonder if anyone in this city truly cared about her.
__"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone, in a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved."__
The bell rang suddenly, waking Ashlyn from her daydreaming and scribbles on her notebook. She had drifted off and hadn't completed any of her history notes. Unfortunately, she knew she'd never finish them now because her schedule would keep her running for the next few hours until she found a place to sleep. She knew from the way her father had acted this morning that she didn't want to go back home again. Ashlyn didn't have time to worry about that right now, because if she didn't hurry she'd be late to work.
The streets were much more crowded then before and she had to push past some people to get to the newsboys lodging house on time. Still in her dress, she marched into the lodging house, trying to find her selling partner who she always borrowed some selling clothes from.
"Yous late!" a voice rang out from upstairs in the obnoxiously loud bunkroom.
Ashlyn looked up, shying away but then noticed the friendly face of her partner. She jogged up the stairs quickly to meet with him. Boys filled the bunkroom as some were just returning from their morning routes selling papers. Others were getting ready to head back out for their second shift of the day. The clatter of squeaky bunk beds and rowdy boys jumping around filled the room, muffled only by their constant yells back and forth to each other.
"Yous' late. I was worried my southern spark wouldn't show up and I'd be sellin' solo today." The boy smiled and greeted Ashlyn with a kiss on the cheek, "What took you?"
Ashlyn blushed and looked away, "I got out of class a few minutes late and the crowds out there won't let anyone through."
"Well, Ise glad you showed up. Go get changed and we can go." He paused and looked at her for a second. There was something different about her. Her eyes didn't show that glimpse of happiness he had grown to love over the past two months. "Yous ok Ashlyn?"
She looked up and nodded briefly, "Yeah Mush, I'm fine. It's jus' been a long day. Mind if I stay here for a bit tonight before goin' home? I need to finish up my homework."
Mush nodded, "Yeah shoah, anythin' for you." He paused, "Now go git dressed. Unless you wanna wear your dress out on the town."
Ashlyn shook her head, "Ok, I'm going." She smiled sweetly and walked over to Mush's bunk, taking the clothes he had laid out and started to remove hers.
After combing his hair and washing his face Mush walked over to Ashlyn, but as she was taking her dress off he saw bruises on her back and frowned. They didn't look normal to him. They were a little black and looked painful. Mush slowly walked up to Ashlyn and just watched. Something was wrong, he could tell now.
"Ashlyn? What happened to your back?"
Ashlyn spun around quickly while she buttoned up Mush's shirt. She shook her head, "To my back? Nothing. I fell and hit a table." She mumbled under her breath, her southern accent still audible.
Mush shook his head, "Ashlyn." he gave a warning tone.
She buttoned up her shirt and put her pants on quickly, "Mush," she looked back softly, "I fell and hit a table. It's nothing. I'll be fine. Please can we talk about something else. Like, about us running away in a few months and going to Vermont on the train." She smiled, looking off into the distance, "How much more do we need for tickets?"
Mush shrugged, "Aw, Ashlyn, I dunno. A few more dollahs maybe?" He sighed and looked at her with soft eyes, "But it'll make you happy the sooner we leave and it'll make me feel bettah when I know you can be safe wid me all the time. And not." he paused, "Running into tables."
Ashlyn frowned at Mush hard. He had said the last comment in such a tone that made her worry that he suspected something. Mush shrugged and walked off, back down the stairs waiting for Ashlyn by the door.
__".concrete angel."__
"Ashlyn? Ise been thinkin'." Mush walked around the bunkroom and peered out into the street, watching the street lights flicker. "It's time yous got a newsie name jus' like everyone else."
Ashlyn looked up from her homework through tired eyes, blinking back the sleep for a few more minutes, "A newsie name? What for?" she whispered through a yawn.
Her day out selling had dragged on for what seemed like forever. By the time she had sold her papers it was nearly seven. Now she was attempting to take history notes without falling asleep, knowing she still needed to walk home without stumbling and waking up her father.
"Cause yous officially a newsie. At least I think you is. And all the boys here know you as one. The prettiest newsie in New York. So what do you think? Southern Spark seems to suit yous well." Mush smiled and sat down on his bed, next to Ashlyn.
"Southern Spark huh? It has a sweet ring to it." She lay down on her back and faced Mush, "You come wid that all by yourself?"
Mush nodded and leaned down kissing Ashlyn on the lips softly, "Yeah, cause yous my little southern spark."
Ashlyn blushed and didn't return the kiss, "Thanks." She studied Mush for a second, "What was that for?"
Mush shrugged, "Dunno. Yous were jus' sitting there and you jus' looked like you could use a kiss. From somebody who..really cared 'bout ya."
Ashlyn looked away, "There isn't anything about me worth caring about Mush."
Mush took Ashlyn's chin in his hand and pulled her to face him, "What are ya talkin' about? Yous got determination, working and going to school. You're gonna be a real somebody in your life. Yous smart and pretty and you have a great heart. And over the past few months I just kinda fell in love wid your smile."
Ashlyn's smile grew and she reached her arms up, pulling Mush down for a real kiss, holding him there for a few seconds.
"What was that for?" Mush smiled.
Ashlyn smirked, "Cause I fell in love with your smile too.and I wanted to see it again before I left."
Mush smiled sweetly and gave Ashlyn a long embrace, "You bettah git home if you're goin'. Or you ain't evah going to get sleep tonight."
Ashlyn nodded slowly, "Yeah I should go. I don't want to keep my father waiting for me. Hopefully he's already asleep."
Mush helped Ashlyn with her things and walked her out into the street a few blocks, with hopes on walking her all the way home. She stopped him halfway, and kissed his cheek.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be early, I swear." she quickly straightened out her dress and hair, "Thanks for letting me stay awhile. I owe you."
Mush shook his head, "Nah, you don't owe me nuthin' SS.jus' bein' there is all that's important to me." He blew her a kiss and walked slowly back to the lodging house, while Ashlyn took off down the streets to get home.
"Please let him be asleep." she silently prayed.
__"Somebody cries in the middle of the night. The neighbors hear but they turn out the light. A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate. When morning comes it'll be too late."__
"Dad?" Ashlyn whispered softly as she stepped into her dark apartment. She listened for any sounds in the room and smiled to herself as she shut the door slowly, only hearing the familiar click of the lock. She crept into her small room and turned on the light, walking over to her bed. "Southern Spark has a nice ring to it," Ashlyn smiled dreamily, thinking about Mush, "Thank you Mush.for everything."
"Who's Mush?" growled a voice behind her.
Ashlyn jumped and spun around to see her father, standing calmly in the middle of her doorway.
"Who's Mush?" he father repeated drunkidly, "And where's my money?"
Ashlyn stood for a second before handing over the money to her father, "Mush is a friend of mine. He helps me sell sometimes. He gave me a newsie nickname today. Southern Spark, sounds pretty doesn't it?" she whispered softly.
Her dad shook his head after he counted the money, "You ain't a newsie Ashlyn." He looked at her, "You're done selling. Stay in school and then come home. I got myself a job and I need you here working. Making food, cleaning, you know, women stuff."
Ashlyn frowned, "But dad."
"Don't' but dad me!" He glared and started to leave, "You'll do as you're told around here Ashlyn." He stumbled back a bit.
"Dad, please. I like working there. I have friends."
Her dad stopped and looked back, "Are you talking back to me?"
Ashlyn's face went white, "No dad."
"You're talking back to me! Your mother left me already for some stupid reason. You aren't going anywhere." He snapped.
Ashlyn made a move for the door, around her father, "Mom left cause she was scared!" she defended her mom quickly and lunged at the door.
Her father grabbed her arm and threw her back hard, hitting the wall with a thud, "You aren't going anywhere!"
__"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone, in a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved.concrete angel."__
Mush sat on his bunk, waiting for SS to show up in her usual upbeat manner the next afternoon. He held a letter he had written to her in nervous hands and glanced out the window every so often, a mix of anxiety and eagerness flooding him. He waited for two hours, watching all the other newsies leave the lodging house, starting their jobs out carrying the banner.
Mush paced nervously looking out the window, "Come on SS, you should be here by now."
"What's the letter for?" Racetrack teased Mush as he walked by, adjusting his hat and checking himself out in the mirror before heading out to sell.
"It's for Ashlyn." Mush looked away.
"What's it say, huh Mush?" He elbowed Mush teasingly, "What yous tellin' her that you can't say out loud?"
Mush smiled, "Does it matta to you? It's important. I don't know how ta tell her this stuff out loud, so I wrote a letter to her." He shrugged shyly, "She's jus' special ya know? I wanna make shoah she knows it too." He looked around for Ashlyn again, worried that she wasn't there yet.
"So.? You gonna tell'er you love'er or somethin'?" Race laughed.
Mush gave Racetrack a serious look but said nothing.
"Really!? Yous do Mush?" Race laughed, "That's.that's great. I hope she shoah feels the same."
Mush nodded briefly, "Yeah me too."
"Well I wish you good luck." Race nodded and headed off to sell.
"Thanks Race," he smiled and went back to waiting for Ashlyn.
Just then Kid Blink strolled in downstairs and yelled up to the boys, "Come on boys! What are ya waitin' for? Evenin' edition headline just got bettah then this morning! Some goirl was found this mornin'.they don't know who it is, but they arrested her fatha for assault and intentional killing. It's on front page. Come on."
Mush looked away from the window when he heard Blink. He let the words register in his head but tried to shake them out, "No.can't be. Not her. Not now."
__"A statue stands in a shaded place. An upturned girl with an angel face. A name is written on a polished rock. A broken heart that the world forgot."__
Mush walked down the cemetery path, looking straight ahead at the newly upturned ground that lay before him. Slowly he knelt in front of a white carved headstone that read a girl's name, "Ashlyn." He took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He brought two fingers up to his lips and kissed them softly before placing them on the angel's face on the headstone.
"For all the words I never said, and for the ones I'm glad I did, this is for you my Southern Spark, I will nevah forget you."
He opened the letter and looked at the angel statue, "I was gonna give this to you the day you nevah came to sell. This was before I found out what happened to you. I'm so sorry Ashlyn. If I woulda known what was gonna happen, I woulda made you stay in the lodging house wid me." He let his head drop, "I jus' nevah got to tell you what you really meant to me. So I wrote this letter." he repeated, "It doesn't say much, but I thought.I thought I'd read it to you."
"Dear Ashlyn, I just wanted to tell you a few things that have been on my mind the past few days. I want you to know that you are a beautiful girl, not only on the outside but on the inside. You have a kind heart that opens the eyes of many in this city to what it truly means to be caring. You are the one person I can go to for help and I trust you with all my heart. I'm so glad you came into my life and I know this may seem a bit forward, but I love you. I love the way you smile at me, the way your hair falls into your face when you're frustrated, the look you get every time someone buys a paper from you, and the feeling I get when I'm around you. You mean so much to me, and I would do anything to keep." he paused, taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes before continuing, "To keep you forever in my arms. To keep you safe and to keep you with me. I love you. Mush."
Mush slowly folded the letter back up and lay it softly down on the ground in front of the headstone. He tried to smile as he stood up and felt the wind blow around him. Somewhere he knew he had an angel watching down on him through the clouds above. A young girl, only seventeen with blue eyes that sparkled. His little Southern Spark.
__"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone. In a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved. Concrete angel."__
Dedication to SS. Every time I've needed her for anything she's been there. Even when I haven't been there for her and I should have been, she was still there. So, although I don't want you to cry, you might. I apologize, but I wanted to write a story about this song, and so I wrote this story and I want to dedicate it to you. Ok.so you may not want me to dedicate it to you, but too late. It's been done.
Everyone else? MG, Col, my campers, my camp staff, and my friends back at school who I don't get to see anymore, this is also to you. Although it may be sorta sad in a small way. ((not really)) Ok, you guys have helped me through everything and friends are wonderful! Especially when I have friends like you!.
Concrete Angel
"Get out of here!" a furious voice rang out through a third story apartment on Main Street in Manhattan. Sounds of soft, hurried footsteps could be heard from downstairs as a petite girl attempted to tie her boots and race out the door and down the stairs. Her blonde hair, falling into her face from being pulled up into a sloppy pony-tail, caused her to lose sight of the floor and stumble down a few steps.
"Ow," she breathed softly, feeling the bruise on her ribs that she earned last night. She pulled her hair back and wiped the tears from her pale blue eyes. She quickly looked down the hall as she heard her father storm out.
"You're still standing there? Go! You're worthless Ashlyn." He shook his head and walked back into the apartment room, slamming the door.
The echo the door made sounded throughout the entire building waking everyone up at a quarter to seven in the morning. The sun was barely peaking out behind the clouds as the young girl, only 17, raced through the empty streets to a nearby school. She stopped only once to buy an apple for breakfast and then continued on her way. Her gray dress swung low to her knees as she ran and her pocket of change jingled lightly, reminding her of her after school job. Ashlyn smiled remembering her previous day with the newsies. The only place she felt safe was around them.
__"She walks to school with the lunch she packed. Nobody knows what she's holding back. Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday. She hides the bruises with the linen and lace."__
"Ashlyn? Would you mind staying after class?" Mrs. Henderson, the history teacher asked politely during study period, "I'd like to talk to you about some things."
"I uh, I can't. I have a job to go to." she replied in a polite southern accent, "See my parents just moved here four months ago, and I need to help with the rent. I'm real sorry. It's jus' taken my dad awhile to git a job, so he's countin' on me." She kept her answer short and to the point, looking down every so often at her school books she was trying to concentrate on.
"Are you ok? You seemed very quiet in class today. I'm worried. Your studies seem to be slipping." Mrs. Henderson frowned, looking at Ashlyn closely.
Mrs. Henderson thought Ashlyn was very different from the other girls. Her shyness set her apart, but she was very intelligent and always worked hard on her studies. Unfortunately, Mrs. Henderson had noticed a decrease in effort being shown from Ashlyn and it upset her lightly. She might have considered taking the issue further if Ashlyn hadn't explained about her after school job.
"Well then, just keep working hard all right? Your studies are just as important as your job. You have a bright future ahead of you, and you have potential. You can go far. Just keep working."
__"The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask. It's hard to see the pain behind the mask. Hiding the pain of a secret storm, sometimes she wishes she was never born."__
Ashlyn gave a timid nod and then looked back at her books, not truly hearing what her teacher was saying. It didn't matter to her what her teacher thought. She had other things to worry about. She checked the time and smiled lightly, knowing class was almost over and she could leave soon. Just then a boy behind her shoved her desk forward, sending her paper and pencils to the floor. She frowned and leaned over to pick them up, but winced as if something hurt when she leaned forward. The teacher gave her an odd look and Ashlyn noticed. She quickly picked up her papers and sat back down in her seat, looking at her book, not speaking another word.
"Teacher's pet.goirls don't belong in school. 'Specially ones like you. You don't belong in New York." The boy whispered from behind in a harsh voice, "You think you got the newsies to protect yous? Yous wrong Ashlyn. Goirls are worthless if they go ta school. They're suppose ta stay in the house and work. You are jus' gonna grow up to be a nuthin'. Jus' like tha rest of your family."
His painful words fell to deaf ears as Ashlyn bit her lower lip to keep herself from crying again. She tried to take a deep breath to relax but couldn't and strained to calm herself to deter any more pain that she might inflict on herself. She remained seated, staring down at her tear stained books. She was starting to wonder if anyone in this city truly cared about her.
__"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone, in a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved."__
The bell rang suddenly, waking Ashlyn from her daydreaming and scribbles on her notebook. She had drifted off and hadn't completed any of her history notes. Unfortunately, she knew she'd never finish them now because her schedule would keep her running for the next few hours until she found a place to sleep. She knew from the way her father had acted this morning that she didn't want to go back home again. Ashlyn didn't have time to worry about that right now, because if she didn't hurry she'd be late to work.
The streets were much more crowded then before and she had to push past some people to get to the newsboys lodging house on time. Still in her dress, she marched into the lodging house, trying to find her selling partner who she always borrowed some selling clothes from.
"Yous late!" a voice rang out from upstairs in the obnoxiously loud bunkroom.
Ashlyn looked up, shying away but then noticed the friendly face of her partner. She jogged up the stairs quickly to meet with him. Boys filled the bunkroom as some were just returning from their morning routes selling papers. Others were getting ready to head back out for their second shift of the day. The clatter of squeaky bunk beds and rowdy boys jumping around filled the room, muffled only by their constant yells back and forth to each other.
"Yous' late. I was worried my southern spark wouldn't show up and I'd be sellin' solo today." The boy smiled and greeted Ashlyn with a kiss on the cheek, "What took you?"
Ashlyn blushed and looked away, "I got out of class a few minutes late and the crowds out there won't let anyone through."
"Well, Ise glad you showed up. Go get changed and we can go." He paused and looked at her for a second. There was something different about her. Her eyes didn't show that glimpse of happiness he had grown to love over the past two months. "Yous ok Ashlyn?"
She looked up and nodded briefly, "Yeah Mush, I'm fine. It's jus' been a long day. Mind if I stay here for a bit tonight before goin' home? I need to finish up my homework."
Mush nodded, "Yeah shoah, anythin' for you." He paused, "Now go git dressed. Unless you wanna wear your dress out on the town."
Ashlyn shook her head, "Ok, I'm going." She smiled sweetly and walked over to Mush's bunk, taking the clothes he had laid out and started to remove hers.
After combing his hair and washing his face Mush walked over to Ashlyn, but as she was taking her dress off he saw bruises on her back and frowned. They didn't look normal to him. They were a little black and looked painful. Mush slowly walked up to Ashlyn and just watched. Something was wrong, he could tell now.
"Ashlyn? What happened to your back?"
Ashlyn spun around quickly while she buttoned up Mush's shirt. She shook her head, "To my back? Nothing. I fell and hit a table." She mumbled under her breath, her southern accent still audible.
Mush shook his head, "Ashlyn." he gave a warning tone.
She buttoned up her shirt and put her pants on quickly, "Mush," she looked back softly, "I fell and hit a table. It's nothing. I'll be fine. Please can we talk about something else. Like, about us running away in a few months and going to Vermont on the train." She smiled, looking off into the distance, "How much more do we need for tickets?"
Mush shrugged, "Aw, Ashlyn, I dunno. A few more dollahs maybe?" He sighed and looked at her with soft eyes, "But it'll make you happy the sooner we leave and it'll make me feel bettah when I know you can be safe wid me all the time. And not." he paused, "Running into tables."
Ashlyn frowned at Mush hard. He had said the last comment in such a tone that made her worry that he suspected something. Mush shrugged and walked off, back down the stairs waiting for Ashlyn by the door.
__".concrete angel."__
"Ashlyn? Ise been thinkin'." Mush walked around the bunkroom and peered out into the street, watching the street lights flicker. "It's time yous got a newsie name jus' like everyone else."
Ashlyn looked up from her homework through tired eyes, blinking back the sleep for a few more minutes, "A newsie name? What for?" she whispered through a yawn.
Her day out selling had dragged on for what seemed like forever. By the time she had sold her papers it was nearly seven. Now she was attempting to take history notes without falling asleep, knowing she still needed to walk home without stumbling and waking up her father.
"Cause yous officially a newsie. At least I think you is. And all the boys here know you as one. The prettiest newsie in New York. So what do you think? Southern Spark seems to suit yous well." Mush smiled and sat down on his bed, next to Ashlyn.
"Southern Spark huh? It has a sweet ring to it." She lay down on her back and faced Mush, "You come wid that all by yourself?"
Mush nodded and leaned down kissing Ashlyn on the lips softly, "Yeah, cause yous my little southern spark."
Ashlyn blushed and didn't return the kiss, "Thanks." She studied Mush for a second, "What was that for?"
Mush shrugged, "Dunno. Yous were jus' sitting there and you jus' looked like you could use a kiss. From somebody who..really cared 'bout ya."
Ashlyn looked away, "There isn't anything about me worth caring about Mush."
Mush took Ashlyn's chin in his hand and pulled her to face him, "What are ya talkin' about? Yous got determination, working and going to school. You're gonna be a real somebody in your life. Yous smart and pretty and you have a great heart. And over the past few months I just kinda fell in love wid your smile."
Ashlyn's smile grew and she reached her arms up, pulling Mush down for a real kiss, holding him there for a few seconds.
"What was that for?" Mush smiled.
Ashlyn smirked, "Cause I fell in love with your smile too.and I wanted to see it again before I left."
Mush smiled sweetly and gave Ashlyn a long embrace, "You bettah git home if you're goin'. Or you ain't evah going to get sleep tonight."
Ashlyn nodded slowly, "Yeah I should go. I don't want to keep my father waiting for me. Hopefully he's already asleep."
Mush helped Ashlyn with her things and walked her out into the street a few blocks, with hopes on walking her all the way home. She stopped him halfway, and kissed his cheek.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be early, I swear." she quickly straightened out her dress and hair, "Thanks for letting me stay awhile. I owe you."
Mush shook his head, "Nah, you don't owe me nuthin' SS.jus' bein' there is all that's important to me." He blew her a kiss and walked slowly back to the lodging house, while Ashlyn took off down the streets to get home.
"Please let him be asleep." she silently prayed.
__"Somebody cries in the middle of the night. The neighbors hear but they turn out the light. A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate. When morning comes it'll be too late."__
"Dad?" Ashlyn whispered softly as she stepped into her dark apartment. She listened for any sounds in the room and smiled to herself as she shut the door slowly, only hearing the familiar click of the lock. She crept into her small room and turned on the light, walking over to her bed. "Southern Spark has a nice ring to it," Ashlyn smiled dreamily, thinking about Mush, "Thank you Mush.for everything."
"Who's Mush?" growled a voice behind her.
Ashlyn jumped and spun around to see her father, standing calmly in the middle of her doorway.
"Who's Mush?" he father repeated drunkidly, "And where's my money?"
Ashlyn stood for a second before handing over the money to her father, "Mush is a friend of mine. He helps me sell sometimes. He gave me a newsie nickname today. Southern Spark, sounds pretty doesn't it?" she whispered softly.
Her dad shook his head after he counted the money, "You ain't a newsie Ashlyn." He looked at her, "You're done selling. Stay in school and then come home. I got myself a job and I need you here working. Making food, cleaning, you know, women stuff."
Ashlyn frowned, "But dad."
"Don't' but dad me!" He glared and started to leave, "You'll do as you're told around here Ashlyn." He stumbled back a bit.
"Dad, please. I like working there. I have friends."
Her dad stopped and looked back, "Are you talking back to me?"
Ashlyn's face went white, "No dad."
"You're talking back to me! Your mother left me already for some stupid reason. You aren't going anywhere." He snapped.
Ashlyn made a move for the door, around her father, "Mom left cause she was scared!" she defended her mom quickly and lunged at the door.
Her father grabbed her arm and threw her back hard, hitting the wall with a thud, "You aren't going anywhere!"
__"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone, in a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved.concrete angel."__
Mush sat on his bunk, waiting for SS to show up in her usual upbeat manner the next afternoon. He held a letter he had written to her in nervous hands and glanced out the window every so often, a mix of anxiety and eagerness flooding him. He waited for two hours, watching all the other newsies leave the lodging house, starting their jobs out carrying the banner.
Mush paced nervously looking out the window, "Come on SS, you should be here by now."
"What's the letter for?" Racetrack teased Mush as he walked by, adjusting his hat and checking himself out in the mirror before heading out to sell.
"It's for Ashlyn." Mush looked away.
"What's it say, huh Mush?" He elbowed Mush teasingly, "What yous tellin' her that you can't say out loud?"
Mush smiled, "Does it matta to you? It's important. I don't know how ta tell her this stuff out loud, so I wrote a letter to her." He shrugged shyly, "She's jus' special ya know? I wanna make shoah she knows it too." He looked around for Ashlyn again, worried that she wasn't there yet.
"So.? You gonna tell'er you love'er or somethin'?" Race laughed.
Mush gave Racetrack a serious look but said nothing.
"Really!? Yous do Mush?" Race laughed, "That's.that's great. I hope she shoah feels the same."
Mush nodded briefly, "Yeah me too."
"Well I wish you good luck." Race nodded and headed off to sell.
"Thanks Race," he smiled and went back to waiting for Ashlyn.
Just then Kid Blink strolled in downstairs and yelled up to the boys, "Come on boys! What are ya waitin' for? Evenin' edition headline just got bettah then this morning! Some goirl was found this mornin'.they don't know who it is, but they arrested her fatha for assault and intentional killing. It's on front page. Come on."
Mush looked away from the window when he heard Blink. He let the words register in his head but tried to shake them out, "No.can't be. Not her. Not now."
__"A statue stands in a shaded place. An upturned girl with an angel face. A name is written on a polished rock. A broken heart that the world forgot."__
Mush walked down the cemetery path, looking straight ahead at the newly upturned ground that lay before him. Slowly he knelt in front of a white carved headstone that read a girl's name, "Ashlyn." He took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He brought two fingers up to his lips and kissed them softly before placing them on the angel's face on the headstone.
"For all the words I never said, and for the ones I'm glad I did, this is for you my Southern Spark, I will nevah forget you."
He opened the letter and looked at the angel statue, "I was gonna give this to you the day you nevah came to sell. This was before I found out what happened to you. I'm so sorry Ashlyn. If I woulda known what was gonna happen, I woulda made you stay in the lodging house wid me." He let his head drop, "I jus' nevah got to tell you what you really meant to me. So I wrote this letter." he repeated, "It doesn't say much, but I thought.I thought I'd read it to you."
"Dear Ashlyn, I just wanted to tell you a few things that have been on my mind the past few days. I want you to know that you are a beautiful girl, not only on the outside but on the inside. You have a kind heart that opens the eyes of many in this city to what it truly means to be caring. You are the one person I can go to for help and I trust you with all my heart. I'm so glad you came into my life and I know this may seem a bit forward, but I love you. I love the way you smile at me, the way your hair falls into your face when you're frustrated, the look you get every time someone buys a paper from you, and the feeling I get when I'm around you. You mean so much to me, and I would do anything to keep." he paused, taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes before continuing, "To keep you forever in my arms. To keep you safe and to keep you with me. I love you. Mush."
Mush slowly folded the letter back up and lay it softly down on the ground in front of the headstone. He tried to smile as he stood up and felt the wind blow around him. Somewhere he knew he had an angel watching down on him through the clouds above. A young girl, only seventeen with blue eyes that sparkled. His little Southern Spark.
__"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone. In a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved. Concrete angel."__