Something More Than Temporary
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! And this isn't one of my better chapters, but then again, this hasn't been one of my better days.
Chapter 7: A Breakup
Jack had finished selling his papers by noon and, as decided earlier in the week, he headed to the Jacobs' apartment afterwards to spend the afternoon with Sarah. Davey and Les were at Tibby's with the rest of the newsies and their parents were at work, leaving Jack and Sarah alone in the apartment for a couple of hours. So they did what any couple would do in that situation. They went into Sarah's room and shut the door. To Jack's disappointment, Sarah was still not ready to have sex, so instead, they made out for a while on her bed. Making out was one of Jack's favorite pastimes, but he had other things on his mind and as a result, he indulged himself only half-heartedly. Sarah could tell something was a bit off, but didn't stop to ask him. They had precious little time to be together while her parents were still out. Mid-kiss, Jack pulled away from Sarah and sat up on the bed to take a look at his pocket watch. Sarah looked up at him strangely. "What are you doing?"
"What's it look like? I'm just lookin' at my watch."
"Why? You know my parents won't be home for at least another hour. Neither will Davey and Les."
"I know, I was just checkin'."
Sarah tugged gently at his sleeve. "Come on, let's keep going."
Jack pulled away again. "Nah, I really oughta go. It's gettin' kinda late."
"Jack, it's only 1:30."
"I know, but I gotta go anyways."
"I already told you my parents won't be-"
"Sarah, I know dat," he said, getting irritated. "It ain't 'bout dat. 'Sides, I been heah fer almost two hours. Ain't dat enough?"
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Jack, I just thought it would be nice to spend some time together this afternoon. We don't get to do that as much as I'd like to."
"Well, we spent some time tageddah, an' now I gotta leave. What's da problem?"
"What's your problem?"
"It's – well, I just gotta get home, dat's all."
"What is it?" she said relentlessly. Determination was one of her stronger characteristics.
"Nothin'."
"Jack, tell me. There's obviously something wrong, you've been acting weird this whole time."
Jack sighed. He knew she'd pry it out of him sooner or later, so he might as well give in sooner than later. "Well, it's just dat Fleck didn't come home last night an' I wanna get home an' make shoah she got back awright."
Sarah scoffed. "Where was she? A bordello?"
"She was in Brooklyn."
"With Spot, am I right?"
"Yeah. So what?"
"So that's basically not any better than being in a bordello," Sarah replied dryly.
"I don't see why ya don't like Fleck. She's one a da nicest goils I know."
"Why don't I like her? Because she's a hussy, that's why!"
"No she ain't," Jack said as a feeble attempt to stand up for Fleck.
"Oh please! You told me yourself that she's slept with nearly everyone in the Lodging House! She's a tramp with absolutely no sense of morality. She's not the kind of person that I would ever choose to be friends with."
"Well at least she ain't a prude," Jack muttered.
"What was that?"
"I said at least she ain't a prude," he answered, looking her straight in the eyes.
"Are you insinuating something?"
"Maybe I am."
"Look Jack, I know what you're hinting at and I've told you a million times, I'm not ready!"
He rolled his eyes. Salvaging the situation was hopeless now that he had brought her abstinence into the argument. She didn't even like to talk about sex, and she would probably never forgive Jack if he finally argued with her about it. But he couldn't care less. "An' when are ya gonna be ready, huh?"
"When I'm married, like any respectable girl should be!"
"Yeah, well, I ain't gonna wait no more," Jack said, heading to the door.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm sayin' it's ovah, I'se sick a waitin' on ya. I'se sick a hearin' ya insult me friends too. Hell, I'se just sick a you in general," Jack said, sounding like he couldn't care less. He had learned from Fleck that the way to hurt them was to pretend you were invulnerable.
"That's it? You're going to end it because you can't wait a little longer to sleep together?"
"Why should I wait fer you when I got it available ta me anytime I want back at da house?" Jack said, suddenly feeling bold.
"What?!"
"You hoid me."
"Are you saying you've been cheating on me? With that…that…floozy?!"
"Maybe I am, maybe I ain't."
"I can't believe this!"
"Why not? What da fuck do ya expect me ta do? I'se 17 yeahs old, I gotta get some somehow, an' you coitenly ain't helpin' me out."
"But her? She's such a slut! You know she's not even waiting up for you. She's probably sleeping with someone else right now! How can you live with that?"
"I donno, why don't you tell me?" he said, smirking, but Sarah was irate.
"Don't you dare try to make this into some joke! Some sick joke! Is this just a game to you, Jack Kelly? Am I just some goddamn hobby to you? Like you just decided one day that maybe it might be fun to have a girlfriend, then break her heart?"
"Sarah, it ain't like dat! Stop twistin' my woids, ya always do dis," Jack said. He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped himself, having just realized that this conversation was extremely similar to the one he had had with Fleck on the roof. And deja vu can be a bitch.
"When?"
"When what? When do ya twist me woids? Practically everyday-"
"No, when did you sleep with her?!"
"Well, which time?"
"It's happened more than once?!"
Jack nodded. "Sarah, you just don't understand what it's like. I been waitin' fer ya fer so long, an' it ain't like I ain't done it b'fore ya neiddah. So goin' from havin' sex, ta bein' with ya an' not havin' sex just ain't right. Fleck moved in, she established a reputation fer bein' real easy, an' everythin' just fell inta place."
Sarah had tears in her eyes by this point. "So I meant nothing to you because I wasn't willing to sleep with you at the drop of a hat?"
"No, Sarah, ya meant nearly everythin' ta me. You was one a da foist goils I guess I really loved, an' at foist I felt real guilty, an' I didn't wanna do it evah again. But den, I started noticin' dat Fleck just felt right."
"But all she did was sleep with you! She doesn't love you like I do!"
"Maybe not, but I can't love ya like I love her. A relationship with you ain't what I need right now, especially since ya seem ta hate everythin' 'bout me dat's important ta me: my friends, my job, my home, just everythin'."
Sarah grabbed his arm and begged," Jack, that's not true! But we can work it out! Please don't give this up just like that! I can change! Don't leave me for that…trash! She's not worth a second of your time!"
"See, dere ya go again, trashin' my friends. I ain't gotta take dat, an' I ain't gonna, so just let go, I'se done with you," he said, pulling his arm away and heading towards the door. Again.
"Jack, please! I'll forgive you for cheating on me! Just don't leave!"
"Sarah, just stop. I ain't askin' ya ta forgive me, cuz frankly, I ain't sorry for doin' it!"
Sarah stood up, tears sliding down her cheeks and yelled, "If you dare walk out that door, don't ever expect to come back here again!"
Jack didn't even hesitate as he grabbed the door handle. "See if I care!" he yelled back, slamming the door to her room, then slamming the apartment door as he stormed away. As he ran down the stairs and out the tenement door, he stopped for a second, too angry and confused to think straight. Had he just dumped Sarah for Fleck? Why was he so angry that she had insulted Fleck if he supposedly didn't have feelings for her? Maybe he was wrong; maybe he did have feelings for Fleck. Still angry, he decided to take a walk to clear his mind and cool down a bit before he even thought about seeing Fleck again.
Sarah meanwhile had collapsed to the floor in tears. Hurt tears and angry tears were streaming from her eyes. Hurt that Jack had actually dumped her and angry because she knew it was Fleck's fault. She continued sobbing, upset that such a slut had cost her her first and only boyfriend. The only thought on her mind at that point was revenge.
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! And this isn't one of my better chapters, but then again, this hasn't been one of my better days.
Chapter 7: A Breakup
Jack had finished selling his papers by noon and, as decided earlier in the week, he headed to the Jacobs' apartment afterwards to spend the afternoon with Sarah. Davey and Les were at Tibby's with the rest of the newsies and their parents were at work, leaving Jack and Sarah alone in the apartment for a couple of hours. So they did what any couple would do in that situation. They went into Sarah's room and shut the door. To Jack's disappointment, Sarah was still not ready to have sex, so instead, they made out for a while on her bed. Making out was one of Jack's favorite pastimes, but he had other things on his mind and as a result, he indulged himself only half-heartedly. Sarah could tell something was a bit off, but didn't stop to ask him. They had precious little time to be together while her parents were still out. Mid-kiss, Jack pulled away from Sarah and sat up on the bed to take a look at his pocket watch. Sarah looked up at him strangely. "What are you doing?"
"What's it look like? I'm just lookin' at my watch."
"Why? You know my parents won't be home for at least another hour. Neither will Davey and Les."
"I know, I was just checkin'."
Sarah tugged gently at his sleeve. "Come on, let's keep going."
Jack pulled away again. "Nah, I really oughta go. It's gettin' kinda late."
"Jack, it's only 1:30."
"I know, but I gotta go anyways."
"I already told you my parents won't be-"
"Sarah, I know dat," he said, getting irritated. "It ain't 'bout dat. 'Sides, I been heah fer almost two hours. Ain't dat enough?"
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Jack, I just thought it would be nice to spend some time together this afternoon. We don't get to do that as much as I'd like to."
"Well, we spent some time tageddah, an' now I gotta leave. What's da problem?"
"What's your problem?"
"It's – well, I just gotta get home, dat's all."
"What is it?" she said relentlessly. Determination was one of her stronger characteristics.
"Nothin'."
"Jack, tell me. There's obviously something wrong, you've been acting weird this whole time."
Jack sighed. He knew she'd pry it out of him sooner or later, so he might as well give in sooner than later. "Well, it's just dat Fleck didn't come home last night an' I wanna get home an' make shoah she got back awright."
Sarah scoffed. "Where was she? A bordello?"
"She was in Brooklyn."
"With Spot, am I right?"
"Yeah. So what?"
"So that's basically not any better than being in a bordello," Sarah replied dryly.
"I don't see why ya don't like Fleck. She's one a da nicest goils I know."
"Why don't I like her? Because she's a hussy, that's why!"
"No she ain't," Jack said as a feeble attempt to stand up for Fleck.
"Oh please! You told me yourself that she's slept with nearly everyone in the Lodging House! She's a tramp with absolutely no sense of morality. She's not the kind of person that I would ever choose to be friends with."
"Well at least she ain't a prude," Jack muttered.
"What was that?"
"I said at least she ain't a prude," he answered, looking her straight in the eyes.
"Are you insinuating something?"
"Maybe I am."
"Look Jack, I know what you're hinting at and I've told you a million times, I'm not ready!"
He rolled his eyes. Salvaging the situation was hopeless now that he had brought her abstinence into the argument. She didn't even like to talk about sex, and she would probably never forgive Jack if he finally argued with her about it. But he couldn't care less. "An' when are ya gonna be ready, huh?"
"When I'm married, like any respectable girl should be!"
"Yeah, well, I ain't gonna wait no more," Jack said, heading to the door.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm sayin' it's ovah, I'se sick a waitin' on ya. I'se sick a hearin' ya insult me friends too. Hell, I'se just sick a you in general," Jack said, sounding like he couldn't care less. He had learned from Fleck that the way to hurt them was to pretend you were invulnerable.
"That's it? You're going to end it because you can't wait a little longer to sleep together?"
"Why should I wait fer you when I got it available ta me anytime I want back at da house?" Jack said, suddenly feeling bold.
"What?!"
"You hoid me."
"Are you saying you've been cheating on me? With that…that…floozy?!"
"Maybe I am, maybe I ain't."
"I can't believe this!"
"Why not? What da fuck do ya expect me ta do? I'se 17 yeahs old, I gotta get some somehow, an' you coitenly ain't helpin' me out."
"But her? She's such a slut! You know she's not even waiting up for you. She's probably sleeping with someone else right now! How can you live with that?"
"I donno, why don't you tell me?" he said, smirking, but Sarah was irate.
"Don't you dare try to make this into some joke! Some sick joke! Is this just a game to you, Jack Kelly? Am I just some goddamn hobby to you? Like you just decided one day that maybe it might be fun to have a girlfriend, then break her heart?"
"Sarah, it ain't like dat! Stop twistin' my woids, ya always do dis," Jack said. He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped himself, having just realized that this conversation was extremely similar to the one he had had with Fleck on the roof. And deja vu can be a bitch.
"When?"
"When what? When do ya twist me woids? Practically everyday-"
"No, when did you sleep with her?!"
"Well, which time?"
"It's happened more than once?!"
Jack nodded. "Sarah, you just don't understand what it's like. I been waitin' fer ya fer so long, an' it ain't like I ain't done it b'fore ya neiddah. So goin' from havin' sex, ta bein' with ya an' not havin' sex just ain't right. Fleck moved in, she established a reputation fer bein' real easy, an' everythin' just fell inta place."
Sarah had tears in her eyes by this point. "So I meant nothing to you because I wasn't willing to sleep with you at the drop of a hat?"
"No, Sarah, ya meant nearly everythin' ta me. You was one a da foist goils I guess I really loved, an' at foist I felt real guilty, an' I didn't wanna do it evah again. But den, I started noticin' dat Fleck just felt right."
"But all she did was sleep with you! She doesn't love you like I do!"
"Maybe not, but I can't love ya like I love her. A relationship with you ain't what I need right now, especially since ya seem ta hate everythin' 'bout me dat's important ta me: my friends, my job, my home, just everythin'."
Sarah grabbed his arm and begged," Jack, that's not true! But we can work it out! Please don't give this up just like that! I can change! Don't leave me for that…trash! She's not worth a second of your time!"
"See, dere ya go again, trashin' my friends. I ain't gotta take dat, an' I ain't gonna, so just let go, I'se done with you," he said, pulling his arm away and heading towards the door. Again.
"Jack, please! I'll forgive you for cheating on me! Just don't leave!"
"Sarah, just stop. I ain't askin' ya ta forgive me, cuz frankly, I ain't sorry for doin' it!"
Sarah stood up, tears sliding down her cheeks and yelled, "If you dare walk out that door, don't ever expect to come back here again!"
Jack didn't even hesitate as he grabbed the door handle. "See if I care!" he yelled back, slamming the door to her room, then slamming the apartment door as he stormed away. As he ran down the stairs and out the tenement door, he stopped for a second, too angry and confused to think straight. Had he just dumped Sarah for Fleck? Why was he so angry that she had insulted Fleck if he supposedly didn't have feelings for her? Maybe he was wrong; maybe he did have feelings for Fleck. Still angry, he decided to take a walk to clear his mind and cool down a bit before he even thought about seeing Fleck again.
Sarah meanwhile had collapsed to the floor in tears. Hurt tears and angry tears were streaming from her eyes. Hurt that Jack had actually dumped her and angry because she knew it was Fleck's fault. She continued sobbing, upset that such a slut had cost her her first and only boyfriend. The only thought on her mind at that point was revenge.