Chapter 17: Da Past


*2 weeks later*
Time had passed quickly, my injuries healing. I had made plenty of friends being a newsie, and found it was easy to make money if you worked it right. But with being known as one of Medda's girls, the customers bought more willingly. Spot and I had a strong relationship, that continued to grow stronger. Spot had went back to Brooklyn last week, and I had no choice other than to stay. I loved Manhattan, trusting the newsies better, but I mainly stayed because Jack still insisted I was his sister. He refused to let me go until I was completely healed, and wasn't even sure if I could return to Spot after I was better.

"Sprite, wha are ya doin?" Kat asked as Sprite spun in circles.

"I'se so excited!! Its me and Mushy's 2 week anniversary tonight at 8:35 PM."

We all rolled our eyes at her, she and Mush had an anniversary everyday, sometimes more than once a day. But we all had to agree that they were truely in love, and so were the rest of us.

"Yeah, but tahnight is da pahty and you'se expect tah git Mush away from here?" Sweets asked with a laugh.

"Wha pahty?" I asked jumping up from the Horrace Greeley Statue that I sat upon.

The girls turned to look at me, with a surprised look in their eyes.

"Ya don't know?" Alicat asked.

"No, why didn't anyone tell me?"

Clue sighed, "Jack didn't wantchya tah know. He was hopin' dat ya wouldn't go."

"What?" I was astonished.

"Yeah, he doesn't like ya round Spot. He wants tah keep ya 'way from him." Kat joined in on the gossip.

"God dammit! I'se can't stand him! Well, I'se goin whether he likes it er not!" I jumped down, joining the other girls on our way to lunch.

~Tibby's~
We walked in to the packed restaraunt, finding our normal seats. Soon, we were joined by the boys. Race sat beside Clue, Kat was on Skittery's lap, Alicat stood behind Bumlets with her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Sprite and Mush sat together, whispering sweet somethings to one another. Sweets and Blink were all ready entangled in each others' arms making out. I sat, arms folded, as Jack approached.

"Heya Vix," He said as he sat next to me. I didn't answer, just turned away from him, staring out into the street.

"Wha's mattah?" He turned me towards him again.

"Why da hell didn't ya tell me bout tahnight? You'se really think I'se wouldn't figure it out?!?" I asked now standing.

"I'se just don't wantchya tah git hoit! You'se don't know Spot like I'se do! He's jist gonna end up hoiting ya and dumpin ya tah da side like all the others!"

I was making my way towards the door, when he said this I stopped dead in my tracks, "Wha'? You'se t'ink I'se like one o' da oddahs? You'se callin me a whore?"

He was now standing, the appology in his eyes, but wasn't backing down, "Well, I'se ain't sayin ya a whore, I'se jist sayin' tah him ya ain't any different!"

I bit my lip to keep from crying. The entire restaraunt was silent, all staring at us as we fought. Not even Sweets, or Kat jumped in on this one.

"Oh, so dats wha' he thinks? Well, I'se didn't know I'se actin like a whore, but I guess I'se gonna have tah start if dats wha' everyone thinks! That I'se no different than his whores, well, den meet the whore of the week, Vixen!" I turned away to keep from crying, and rushed to the door. When it opened, I came to a startling stop.

"Oh! Look who it is.. Spot!"

He looked a little confused, and was surprised when I pulled him into a passionate kiss. He was tense, slowly relaxing, as I continued to kiss him. But Jack's voice broke in, as well as his hand ripping us apart.

"Merriweather stop!" Jack exclaimed pulling me away from Spot.

"I'se not ya Merriweather! Why can't ya undahstand, I'se not ya sistah!!"

Thats when the boy who had come along with Spot spoke up, "Merriweather? Is dat you? I'se didn't even recgonize ya!"

I looked at him, the anger evident for being called Merriweather.

"I'se not Merriweather, are ya deaf? I'se jist said dat."

"But its me Tracker," He replied slightly confused.

My eyes scanned him before my head started to hurt. Memories flowed through my head, revealing my past. There was Jack and me, playing together. I was calling him Francis, and then we were running. I was taken away, but soon Jack was with me again. We were in a building with lots of little kids, and then we were suddenly older. Jack was gone, and I was alone with Tracker. We were at a window, I had a bag and was climbing out of the window. Then I jumped, and crawled, and then I was holding onto a carriage. Then I was running, and running. I came to a bridge, and walked across it, then I settled in an alley. Two men came out of the shadows, and attacked me. They cut me, and hit me. Finally, I was awake in Spot's room. I got my memory back, I can remember! I'se Merriweather Sullivan and Jack is me bruddah...
"FRANCIS!" I exclaimed remembering everything.

He smiled, "Merriweather, ya remember?"

I nodded my head, and ran into his arms. He lifted me up and spun me around, "I'se love ya Francis! Oh, I'se missed ya so much!"

He put me back on the ground, "I'se love ya too, and I'se been tryin tah git ya tah remember. Wha' made ya remembah?"

I grinned, wipping around to see Tracker, "Tracker! Oh I'se missed ya! I knew ya would come back tah me!" I hugged him tightly, never being happier in my life. Everyone, I noticed, looked completely confused.

"How da hell do ya know Tracks? An' Tracks wha ya doin' wit me goil?" Spot asked becoming jealous.

"Spot, knock it off. Tracker was in the refuge with me, he helped me escape. And.. Jack, why da hell didn't ya come back fer me? You'se left me fer dead!"

"I.. I dunno. I'se wanted tah come back, I'se been planning it. I'se guess I'se jist, I dunno. I just nevah came back. But dere wasn't a day dat went past that I didn't mention ya. Oh, I'se wanted to come git ya. I'se real sorry bout that, and bout Snooks."

My thoughts drifted to my best friend, "Da journal!" I couldn't remember Snooks, there being a gap keeping her out of my memory. But I knew that the journal had to reveal something about her. I was also hoping to learn of my attackers for I couldn't make out their faces in my reverie.

I ran from the restaraunt to the LH to find the journal. Spot, Jack, Tracker, and the girls followed, meaning that their men came too.

I scanned the journal after finding it, and discovered what happened to Snooks, and how my family died. I decided I'd put it away. I had figured out that I didn't really like my past, and threw the journal under my bed. Spot came up to me with the others behind him.

"Ya okay?" He asked placing his hands on my shoulders.

I nodded my head in response to his question, "Yeah, I'se fine. Dats da past, I'se ready for me new life. I'se don't need me past no more. All I need is right here."

*The story isn't over! There is one more chapter, so I can make a transition into the sequel. I'se not goin to write a chapter about the party unless enough ppl complain about me not writing it. So if you wanna be persnickety then I will write it in- but lemme know soon b/c I'se gonna post the last chappie soon! Lyals Vixen