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! My thanks especially go out to Gypsy, Bittah, Olive, Candi Kane, Blinks-Tiger, Dragon, Sab, Script, and Draco's Secret Lover! You guys just plain rock!
Chapter 10: Explanations and Confessions
Mush and Fleck entered the bunkroom to fin Jack, Blink, and Race staring at the overturned bed stand. Fleck was making a conscious effort to hide the bruised side of her face, but to no real avail. "What da fuck happened in heah? Did you two do dis?" Jack said in an almost angry tone of voice.
Fleck rolled her eyes. "Don't get so pissed, Jack, it was an accident," she said, moving to resume cleaning up the mess.
The side of her face caught Blink's eye and he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaning down. He pulled her closer to get a better look at the bruise. "Whoa, what happened ta ya? Didja get in a fight or somethin'?"
Fleck panicked for a second, but put on a calm façade. "Nah, I just fell. It was stupid really. I jumped down from my bunk an' I landed weird an' fell inta da bed stand an' I guess I hit my cheek on da way down."
"Nice woik, clutz," Race said jokingly, pushing her shoulder lightly.
Fleck smiled. "I toldja it was stupid."
"So den what did you hafta do with dis?" Jack asked, skeptical of her explanation.
"Me?" Mush asked.
"Yeah you. You was up heah, wasn't ya?"
"I just came up aftah when I hoid da crash," Mush said truthfully.
"Fine," Jack said. Changing the subject, he asked, "So how come ya stayed heah all aftahnoon 'stead a sellin' papes taday, Fleck?"
She shrugged. "I donno."
"Are ya sick?"
"Course not."
"Den why ain't ya sellin'?"
"Cuz I didn't feel like it."
"Woikin' ain't optional ya know."
"Huh?"
"Well, ya ain't sold in like, two days."
"I been busy, ya know dat, Jack," Fleck said, giving him a meaningful look.
"Yeah well, I'se just tellin' ya is all. Ya know dat ya gotta sell 'less you'se sick, it's just undahstood dat way. Ya just bettah sell tamorrow, or-"
"Or what, ya gonna kick me out?"
"Maybe."
"Fuck you," Fleck said, rolling her eyes. She knew he was right, but she wasn't about to admit that. And so what if he was the 'leader', he had no business telling her what to do.
"Hey guys, stop fightin' an' let's just get dis cleaned up," Mush said, always the peacemaker.
"Shoah. I got da broom," Fleck muttered, staring angrily at Jack.
Mush, Blink, Race, and Fleck set to cleaning up the mess while Jack sat on his bunk cooling down a bit. He couldn't even understand why he was really angry. Maybe because Fleck had cost him his relationship with Sarah, but that reasoning didn't make any sense. He had caused that because he was almost sure that that was what he wanted. Fleck had nothing to do with that decision. She didn't even know about it yet. He was just confused about the swirl of feelings in his head. He watched Fleck as she picked up the shards of porcelain and felt an uncontrollable smile cross his lips. She was pretty even when she was annoyed. At that moment he resolved to tell her about Sarah. Because he knew that somewhere inside of him he did love her, and she had to know that before she gave up on him. Or worse, gave up on him and went for Spot. "Heya Fleck? I gotta tawk ta ya."
She looked up at the mention of her name. Glancing at the others in the room, she said, "So tawk. I'se listenin'."
"Let's go on da roof."
Blink snickered. "Oh, dat kinda tawk, huh?"
"Shove it, Blink. Fleck, come on," Jack said, holding his hand out to her.
Fleck took his hand wearily. He never showed any kind of affection to her in front of the others. Something was up. Mush sensed it too. He felt a twinge of jealousy cross his mind as Jack helped Fleck through the window with his hand in the small of her back. But he knew there wasn't much he could do. He knew that Fleck would pick Jack over him any day of the week and he knew they had some sort of unspoken bond with each other. He couldn't contend with that.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Once on the roof, Fleck walked over to the opposite side of the roof and sat on the ledge. She was still semi-annoyed with Jack, but even she had to admit that she was intrigued by his invitation to the roof. Jack sat down next to her, but didn't speak for a few moments. He was still formulating what he was going to say to her. Fleck broke his concentration by speaking in a clearly agitated voice. "So what da hell was dat about down dere?"
"What was what?"
"Oh don't play dumb with me. 'I'se gonna kick ya out.' What a stupid thing ta say!"
"Well, considerin' I nevah said dat…"
"Dat's what ya implied."
"I'se just lookin' out fer ya Fleck. I'se kinda getting' worried 'bout ya. I mean ya didn't sell yestahday, den ya was with Spot taday an' didn't sell, an' den ya show up with some mysterious bruise on ya face-"
"So what are ya sayin' exactly?"
"I donno, ya just seem a little off, dat's all."
Fleck sighed. "Guess I'se just in a perpetual state a confusion right now."
"You ain't on drugs, are ya?" Jack asked.
Fleck nearly laughed at this. "Does it look like I'se on drugs?"
He shrugged. "Just throwin' it out dere is all. Are ya?"
"Yeah, I'se as high as da sun an' coked outta my mind. In fact, I'se surprised me veins ain't collapsed yet, considerin' da amount a stuff I been shootin' up," she said, completely poker faced.
"Are you shittin' me?"
She rolled her eyes. "A course I'se shittin' ya! Do ya even hafta ask? Ya know I can't afford a habit."
He offered her a half smile. "Yeah, I figured as much. But, for da sake a argument, if ya could afford it, wouldja?"
"Eh, maybe. I mean a hit every now an' den's all well an' good, but it might be nice ta afford ta have it available all da time. An' good stuff, not da cheap shit dat we can afford."
"So ya barely make a dime a day, an' ya waste ya money on drugs as it is?"
"I'se 16, whaddya expect?" she said, then with a grin she added, "Course most a da time da guy I'se with will buy a joint or somethin' for me. Dat way I don't gotta waste my money."
"How romantic," Jack quipped.
Fleck shook her head and changed the subject quickly. "So what was it ya wanted ta tawk ta me about? Or didja just wanna drill me on my drug a choice?"
"No, no, no I needed ta tell ya somethin'."
"Well, ain't no time like da present. Spit it out."
"It's 'bout Sarah."
"What happened? Ya finally have sex?"
"Nah, not quite…"
"Don't tell me ya-"
"I broke up with her?"
"No way, really? Why? I thought ya loved her," she asked, thoroughly confused at how he could change his mind so quickly. She thought only girls were allowed to be that fickle.
"I thought I did too, 'til you an' me had dat tawk da oddah night."
"Jack, we have dat same tawk nearly every night. How's dat time any diffrent?"
"I donno, it just was. An' den when ya went an' slept with Spot, I think I was actually jealous."
"Ya were?"
"Yeah, an' you've slept with a lotta guys since I known ya, an' I ain't nevah been jealous b'fore."
"So dis was just some kinda epiphany ya had?"
"Yeah, I guess I just kinda realized dat I was with da wrong goil."
"An' da right goil would be…"
"You."
"Me?"
He nodded.
"Ya shoah 'bout dis?"
He leaned over and kissed her hard and while she didn't pull away, she didn't kiss back with the same intensity. Wasn't this what she had always wanted, to actually be with someone? Especially someone like Jack Kelly? Then why was she suddenly so hesitant to even kiss him, something she had done hundreds of times? "Course I'se shoah 'bout dis! Ain't you?"
She looked down at the ground and spoke quietly. "I…I donno really."
"I thought dis was what ya wanted?"
"I nevah said fer ya ta dump Sarah. I even toldja not ta."
"What, ya'd rather me be cheatin' on Sarah an' keepin' everythin' we got secret?"
"Whaddya mean everythin' we got? We ain't got nothin', Jack. All we evah done is sleep tageddah. Dat ain't a relationship."
"Well den heah's da chance ta make dat a relationship."
"I donno if dis is sucha good idea?"
"Why not? I love ya, everythin' 'bout ya, you love me, an' we should be tageddah, simple as dat. Unless…did somethin' happen ta change dat?"
She looked away from him. "Kinda…"
"Is it Spot?"
"Kinda…"
"Whaddya mean kinda? Didja sleep with him?"
"Well yeah. I stayed da night in Brooklyn, whaddya think we was doin'?"
"Just askin' is all! So ya slept with Spot, ya like him bettah den me now?" he asked, not exactly sure where she was going with this.
"No, it ain't dat, it's-" but she stopped herself. She couldn't tell him that Spot had hit her. Even worse, she couldn't tell him that she thought she might have feelings for Mush. He wouldn't understand. "I'se just upset right now is all. An' confused. 'Bout…Spot."
"Why, what happened? I don't undahstand da problem heah."
"I donno, he just wasn't what I thought he'd be."
"What, he was bad in bed?"
"No, he was fine, it ain't dat. It's just dat…well, we had a fight awready," she said, skirting around the real issue. "He knew dat I liked him an' he just used dat ta get some play. It didn't mean nothin' ta him, I didn't mean nothin' ta him. He didn't care 'bout me."
"We toldja dat was gonna happen, why're ya so surprised?"
"I didn't believe ya. I just didn't think dat he would do dat ta me. I didn't think he'd hit me," she said, but realizing what she had said, she quickly added, "Hit me with his woids! Hit me with his woids I mean. Like call me names an' stuff."
"He hit ya?"
"No! I didn't mean dat!"
"Don't lie ta me Fleck, I know ya an' I know when you'se lyin'. When did he hit ya? An' why?"
"Jack, dat ain't what I was sayin'-" she said, staring at the ground.
He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face so she had to look at him. He touched her bruised cheek gently. "Look me in da eyes an' tell me he didn't do dis to ya."
She sighed. "Look, don't go sayin' nothin' ta nobody 'bout it. It ain't dat big of a deal."
"Dat's bullshit, Fleck. Dat ain't right."
"Just leave it Jack, it ain't none a ya business."
"Like hell it ain't my business! Nobody hits my goil an' gets away with it."
"I ain't your goil."
"Ya are now."
Fleck looked at him, but said nothing. His mind was made up already; dissension was futile. She was Jack's girl now, which pleased her on some level, but she was still confused. The only problem with his relationship with Sarah was the lack of sex. Fleck's common sense told her that the only reason he wanted to be with her now was because she put out easy. That was the only reason he ever wanted to be with her. "Just please keep it quiet, wouldja? It ain't somethin' I need goin' 'round right now. I don't wanna be known as da goil dat got hit by Spot, ya know?"
"Fine," he said, kissing her cheek lightly. His lips quickly moved to her lips then down her neck. "Now how 'bout we do somethin' a lil more intimate, huh?"
"Jack, it's been a rough day, I don't really wanna right now. Maybe latah?" she said, letting him unbutton her shirt nonetheless.
"It'll make ya feel bettah, come on," he urged, pulling off his own shirt and moving her tenderly to the ground so he could lay on top of her.
"No, Jack, can't we just not?" she asked, pushing him away slightly.
"Come on," he insisted, lifting her skirt higher. "Ya know ya want ta."
She resisted for a second, then relented to him. There was nothing she could do because Jack always got his way. She wished for once that she could just say no to people, to boys especially. As he thrust against her, she sighed and kissed him passionately as usual, but this time was different. For the first time, she was Jack Kelly's girl. But for the first time, her heart was elsewhere.
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! My thanks especially go out to Gypsy, Bittah, Olive, Candi Kane, Blinks-Tiger, Dragon, Sab, Script, and Draco's Secret Lover! You guys just plain rock!
Chapter 10: Explanations and Confessions
Mush and Fleck entered the bunkroom to fin Jack, Blink, and Race staring at the overturned bed stand. Fleck was making a conscious effort to hide the bruised side of her face, but to no real avail. "What da fuck happened in heah? Did you two do dis?" Jack said in an almost angry tone of voice.
Fleck rolled her eyes. "Don't get so pissed, Jack, it was an accident," she said, moving to resume cleaning up the mess.
The side of her face caught Blink's eye and he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaning down. He pulled her closer to get a better look at the bruise. "Whoa, what happened ta ya? Didja get in a fight or somethin'?"
Fleck panicked for a second, but put on a calm façade. "Nah, I just fell. It was stupid really. I jumped down from my bunk an' I landed weird an' fell inta da bed stand an' I guess I hit my cheek on da way down."
"Nice woik, clutz," Race said jokingly, pushing her shoulder lightly.
Fleck smiled. "I toldja it was stupid."
"So den what did you hafta do with dis?" Jack asked, skeptical of her explanation.
"Me?" Mush asked.
"Yeah you. You was up heah, wasn't ya?"
"I just came up aftah when I hoid da crash," Mush said truthfully.
"Fine," Jack said. Changing the subject, he asked, "So how come ya stayed heah all aftahnoon 'stead a sellin' papes taday, Fleck?"
She shrugged. "I donno."
"Are ya sick?"
"Course not."
"Den why ain't ya sellin'?"
"Cuz I didn't feel like it."
"Woikin' ain't optional ya know."
"Huh?"
"Well, ya ain't sold in like, two days."
"I been busy, ya know dat, Jack," Fleck said, giving him a meaningful look.
"Yeah well, I'se just tellin' ya is all. Ya know dat ya gotta sell 'less you'se sick, it's just undahstood dat way. Ya just bettah sell tamorrow, or-"
"Or what, ya gonna kick me out?"
"Maybe."
"Fuck you," Fleck said, rolling her eyes. She knew he was right, but she wasn't about to admit that. And so what if he was the 'leader', he had no business telling her what to do.
"Hey guys, stop fightin' an' let's just get dis cleaned up," Mush said, always the peacemaker.
"Shoah. I got da broom," Fleck muttered, staring angrily at Jack.
Mush, Blink, Race, and Fleck set to cleaning up the mess while Jack sat on his bunk cooling down a bit. He couldn't even understand why he was really angry. Maybe because Fleck had cost him his relationship with Sarah, but that reasoning didn't make any sense. He had caused that because he was almost sure that that was what he wanted. Fleck had nothing to do with that decision. She didn't even know about it yet. He was just confused about the swirl of feelings in his head. He watched Fleck as she picked up the shards of porcelain and felt an uncontrollable smile cross his lips. She was pretty even when she was annoyed. At that moment he resolved to tell her about Sarah. Because he knew that somewhere inside of him he did love her, and she had to know that before she gave up on him. Or worse, gave up on him and went for Spot. "Heya Fleck? I gotta tawk ta ya."
She looked up at the mention of her name. Glancing at the others in the room, she said, "So tawk. I'se listenin'."
"Let's go on da roof."
Blink snickered. "Oh, dat kinda tawk, huh?"
"Shove it, Blink. Fleck, come on," Jack said, holding his hand out to her.
Fleck took his hand wearily. He never showed any kind of affection to her in front of the others. Something was up. Mush sensed it too. He felt a twinge of jealousy cross his mind as Jack helped Fleck through the window with his hand in the small of her back. But he knew there wasn't much he could do. He knew that Fleck would pick Jack over him any day of the week and he knew they had some sort of unspoken bond with each other. He couldn't contend with that.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Once on the roof, Fleck walked over to the opposite side of the roof and sat on the ledge. She was still semi-annoyed with Jack, but even she had to admit that she was intrigued by his invitation to the roof. Jack sat down next to her, but didn't speak for a few moments. He was still formulating what he was going to say to her. Fleck broke his concentration by speaking in a clearly agitated voice. "So what da hell was dat about down dere?"
"What was what?"
"Oh don't play dumb with me. 'I'se gonna kick ya out.' What a stupid thing ta say!"
"Well, considerin' I nevah said dat…"
"Dat's what ya implied."
"I'se just lookin' out fer ya Fleck. I'se kinda getting' worried 'bout ya. I mean ya didn't sell yestahday, den ya was with Spot taday an' didn't sell, an' den ya show up with some mysterious bruise on ya face-"
"So what are ya sayin' exactly?"
"I donno, ya just seem a little off, dat's all."
Fleck sighed. "Guess I'se just in a perpetual state a confusion right now."
"You ain't on drugs, are ya?" Jack asked.
Fleck nearly laughed at this. "Does it look like I'se on drugs?"
He shrugged. "Just throwin' it out dere is all. Are ya?"
"Yeah, I'se as high as da sun an' coked outta my mind. In fact, I'se surprised me veins ain't collapsed yet, considerin' da amount a stuff I been shootin' up," she said, completely poker faced.
"Are you shittin' me?"
She rolled her eyes. "A course I'se shittin' ya! Do ya even hafta ask? Ya know I can't afford a habit."
He offered her a half smile. "Yeah, I figured as much. But, for da sake a argument, if ya could afford it, wouldja?"
"Eh, maybe. I mean a hit every now an' den's all well an' good, but it might be nice ta afford ta have it available all da time. An' good stuff, not da cheap shit dat we can afford."
"So ya barely make a dime a day, an' ya waste ya money on drugs as it is?"
"I'se 16, whaddya expect?" she said, then with a grin she added, "Course most a da time da guy I'se with will buy a joint or somethin' for me. Dat way I don't gotta waste my money."
"How romantic," Jack quipped.
Fleck shook her head and changed the subject quickly. "So what was it ya wanted ta tawk ta me about? Or didja just wanna drill me on my drug a choice?"
"No, no, no I needed ta tell ya somethin'."
"Well, ain't no time like da present. Spit it out."
"It's 'bout Sarah."
"What happened? Ya finally have sex?"
"Nah, not quite…"
"Don't tell me ya-"
"I broke up with her?"
"No way, really? Why? I thought ya loved her," she asked, thoroughly confused at how he could change his mind so quickly. She thought only girls were allowed to be that fickle.
"I thought I did too, 'til you an' me had dat tawk da oddah night."
"Jack, we have dat same tawk nearly every night. How's dat time any diffrent?"
"I donno, it just was. An' den when ya went an' slept with Spot, I think I was actually jealous."
"Ya were?"
"Yeah, an' you've slept with a lotta guys since I known ya, an' I ain't nevah been jealous b'fore."
"So dis was just some kinda epiphany ya had?"
"Yeah, I guess I just kinda realized dat I was with da wrong goil."
"An' da right goil would be…"
"You."
"Me?"
He nodded.
"Ya shoah 'bout dis?"
He leaned over and kissed her hard and while she didn't pull away, she didn't kiss back with the same intensity. Wasn't this what she had always wanted, to actually be with someone? Especially someone like Jack Kelly? Then why was she suddenly so hesitant to even kiss him, something she had done hundreds of times? "Course I'se shoah 'bout dis! Ain't you?"
She looked down at the ground and spoke quietly. "I…I donno really."
"I thought dis was what ya wanted?"
"I nevah said fer ya ta dump Sarah. I even toldja not ta."
"What, ya'd rather me be cheatin' on Sarah an' keepin' everythin' we got secret?"
"Whaddya mean everythin' we got? We ain't got nothin', Jack. All we evah done is sleep tageddah. Dat ain't a relationship."
"Well den heah's da chance ta make dat a relationship."
"I donno if dis is sucha good idea?"
"Why not? I love ya, everythin' 'bout ya, you love me, an' we should be tageddah, simple as dat. Unless…did somethin' happen ta change dat?"
She looked away from him. "Kinda…"
"Is it Spot?"
"Kinda…"
"Whaddya mean kinda? Didja sleep with him?"
"Well yeah. I stayed da night in Brooklyn, whaddya think we was doin'?"
"Just askin' is all! So ya slept with Spot, ya like him bettah den me now?" he asked, not exactly sure where she was going with this.
"No, it ain't dat, it's-" but she stopped herself. She couldn't tell him that Spot had hit her. Even worse, she couldn't tell him that she thought she might have feelings for Mush. He wouldn't understand. "I'se just upset right now is all. An' confused. 'Bout…Spot."
"Why, what happened? I don't undahstand da problem heah."
"I donno, he just wasn't what I thought he'd be."
"What, he was bad in bed?"
"No, he was fine, it ain't dat. It's just dat…well, we had a fight awready," she said, skirting around the real issue. "He knew dat I liked him an' he just used dat ta get some play. It didn't mean nothin' ta him, I didn't mean nothin' ta him. He didn't care 'bout me."
"We toldja dat was gonna happen, why're ya so surprised?"
"I didn't believe ya. I just didn't think dat he would do dat ta me. I didn't think he'd hit me," she said, but realizing what she had said, she quickly added, "Hit me with his woids! Hit me with his woids I mean. Like call me names an' stuff."
"He hit ya?"
"No! I didn't mean dat!"
"Don't lie ta me Fleck, I know ya an' I know when you'se lyin'. When did he hit ya? An' why?"
"Jack, dat ain't what I was sayin'-" she said, staring at the ground.
He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face so she had to look at him. He touched her bruised cheek gently. "Look me in da eyes an' tell me he didn't do dis to ya."
She sighed. "Look, don't go sayin' nothin' ta nobody 'bout it. It ain't dat big of a deal."
"Dat's bullshit, Fleck. Dat ain't right."
"Just leave it Jack, it ain't none a ya business."
"Like hell it ain't my business! Nobody hits my goil an' gets away with it."
"I ain't your goil."
"Ya are now."
Fleck looked at him, but said nothing. His mind was made up already; dissension was futile. She was Jack's girl now, which pleased her on some level, but she was still confused. The only problem with his relationship with Sarah was the lack of sex. Fleck's common sense told her that the only reason he wanted to be with her now was because she put out easy. That was the only reason he ever wanted to be with her. "Just please keep it quiet, wouldja? It ain't somethin' I need goin' 'round right now. I don't wanna be known as da goil dat got hit by Spot, ya know?"
"Fine," he said, kissing her cheek lightly. His lips quickly moved to her lips then down her neck. "Now how 'bout we do somethin' a lil more intimate, huh?"
"Jack, it's been a rough day, I don't really wanna right now. Maybe latah?" she said, letting him unbutton her shirt nonetheless.
"It'll make ya feel bettah, come on," he urged, pulling off his own shirt and moving her tenderly to the ground so he could lay on top of her.
"No, Jack, can't we just not?" she asked, pushing him away slightly.
"Come on," he insisted, lifting her skirt higher. "Ya know ya want ta."
She resisted for a second, then relented to him. There was nothing she could do because Jack always got his way. She wished for once that she could just say no to people, to boys especially. As he thrust against her, she sighed and kissed him passionately as usual, but this time was different. For the first time, she was Jack Kelly's girl. But for the first time, her heart was elsewhere.