Author's Note: I know, I know, it's been forever. And this isn't
necessarily a very long chapter, but you have to understand. It's been
crazy and I've had so much work to get through. But I can tell you
this.There is only one more chapter and the epilogue left. And those'll be
up pretty soon. I wanna finish this story as much as you all want me to.
And then I'm gonna be launched straight into my next story, "Keeping Up the
Act." I've already written 4 chapters of it already and it's my personal
favorite. I think it's the best one- so far- that I've done. Anyways, I'll
let you read now.(
Chapter 11:
"He hates me now." Calli sobbed, burying her face in Michaela's lap.
The Brooklyn newsie stroked her hair, whispering assurances to her, "No, he doesn't. He's just confused right now but he'll be fine tomorra."
Several minutes passed before Calli lifted her head slowly, eyes red and hair disheveled. "I wanna go home."
Michaela sighed and stood up, "Okay. I'll take you back to the Lodgin' House."
"No," Calli said softly, "I think I should go alone."
"Um.. okay, I guess."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Brooke was silent as she stepped outside with Race. He glanced at her, "So what exactly happened wit' Calli an' Blink?"
Brooke sighed, "Well, Blink-"
"HEY RACETRACK!!!!"
"What?" Race turned towards the group of laughing Bronx newsies several yards away.
"C'mere a second. You gotta heah dis."
Race looked at Brooke, "I'll be right back."
Brooke stood still for a moment, watching him joke with his friends. She glanced the opposite direction, down the empty street with only a couple of lamp posts here and there to chase away the shadows.
"Nahh..not Buttons. He wouldn't..oh, numbah four?"
Brooke peeked up at Racetrack. He was still talking with his friends and wouldn't notice her missing for several minutes. She turned back to the street and with one more hesitant glance, slipped into the shadows and walked quickly towards Sheepshead.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Brooke slowly walked across the track, the sound of her own footsteps seeming unnaturally loud in the still night air. She stared straight ahead, ignoring the feelings of doubt and fear that tried to attack her at all sides. As she came within view of the shack her breathing started coming in short breaths and her heart was beating so loud she felt that he must be able to hear it.
*Only once,* she told herself soothingly, *ya just hafta do dis once an' den it's ovah wit'.*
As she got to only a few feet away from her home she stopped and closed her eyes. *Oh, please.please let me not regret dis.*
She opened her eyes and placed her hand on the door, pushing it in slowly.
"D-dad?" She whispered, stepping inside but leaving the door wide open behind her. "Daddy? Anyone home?"
She looked around the room and blew out her breath in relief when she saw no one. Well, that was it then. *I bettah get out of heah. Race will kill me if he-*
Suddenly the door slammed behind her and an arm encircled her neck, the strong smell of whiskey flooding her senses. "Where've you been young lady? You've been an awf'lly naughty girl."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Calli left Irving Hall and started on the slow walk back towards the Manhattan Lodging House. She hadn't gotten more than a block away when she heard her name and turned to see Spinz running after her. She bit her lip and crossed her arms, not sure what to think.
He stopped and looked rather sheepish, "Calli, look, I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't know you were tryin' ta have a serious talk wit' Blink."
Calli nodded, not meeting his eyes, "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."
There was a brief silence when suddenly Spinz stepped up to Calli and lifted her face with his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Calli.I know you really care for Blink. I'd understand if you want him more den me."
Calli stared up at him, feeling incredibly self-absorbed and selfish suddenly. He was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy even when all she could think about was herself and what she wanted. What was her problem? Calli had spent so much time regretting that she was stuck with Spinz that she hadn't even considered that he was worth more than that.
But on the other hand, she had to be fair to him. She could never truly care for Spinz and love him without thinking about Blink and wondering what being his girl would have been like. Lying to Spinz because she wanted to please him would just result in everyone getting hurt.
She lowered her head and quietly spoke, "Spinz.I'm sorry. You're a really great guy, I just."
"You love Blink."
"Yeah," she whispered, raising her head.
He forced a smile, "It's okay, Calli, really. I knew dat you didn't really wanna be wit' me."
"No, that's not it, Spinz! I would love being your girl, but I don't think I'm good enough for you. I'm so caught up in myself all the time it wouldn't surprise me if I never get a boyfriend."
Spinz lifted her head again. "I'm sure you will..." he grinned suddenly, his eyes twinkling mischievously, "especially if you keep kissin' like you did da othah night."
She smacked him, blushing.
Spinz laughed and pulled her to him for a hug, "Blink'll come to his senses soon, don't worry."
She nodded against his chest, but he wasn't finished, "but if he doesn't..I'll still be here."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Race laughed and turned away, "See ya fellas!"
They left and he looked around for Brooke, only just realizing how long he had been talking to them. *Oh man,* he thought guiltily, *I can't believe I just abandoned her.*
"Hey Race." Snitch said, walking by on his way back to the Lodging House.
"Hey," Race said distractedly. "Oh Snitch, have youse seen Brooke tanight.?"
"Brooke? Yeah, why?"
"I don't know where she is."
"Oh, well, da last time I saw her she was headin' down dat way." He pointed down the street and then waved goodbye, "Well, I'll see ya!"
Race stared down the street, puzzled. "But dat street leads towards.OH, SHOOT!"
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Spinz pulled away from Calli, "I betta be gettin' back soon."
"Yeah," she nodded and grinned. "I don't want Spot mad at you."
"Neither do I," he laughed and then turned serious, "You gonna be okay walkin' back by yerself?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
He grinned at her in farewell and started towards Brooklyn. She watched him for a moment and sighed, turning around. Hopefully everything would work out in the end.
"CALLI!!"
"Huh?" She spun around at Racetrack's voice, "what're you doing here? What's wrong?"
"Brooke. She's gone back ta Sheepshead."
Calli nodded, "Yeah, so?"
"Oh man, we never told you! Oh well, c'mon, we have to hurry!"
"But what-"
"I'll explain later, let's go!"
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Brooke hurt all over. Her father had left the shack minutes earlier, satisfied that he had taught her a lesson she would never forget.
She tried to look out the window, but she couldn't focus properly. That last blow to the head must have done more damage than she thought. Her back stung and she didn't have any feeling in her left arm. Suddenly she heard a pounding and voices outside. "BROOKE!!!! ARE YOU DERE????!!!! OPEN UP!!!!!!"
Things started to get even more hazy and Brooke began to slip into unconsciousness. The last thing she heard was a muffled yell and then hands started to lift her up off the floor.
Chapter 11:
"He hates me now." Calli sobbed, burying her face in Michaela's lap.
The Brooklyn newsie stroked her hair, whispering assurances to her, "No, he doesn't. He's just confused right now but he'll be fine tomorra."
Several minutes passed before Calli lifted her head slowly, eyes red and hair disheveled. "I wanna go home."
Michaela sighed and stood up, "Okay. I'll take you back to the Lodgin' House."
"No," Calli said softly, "I think I should go alone."
"Um.. okay, I guess."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Brooke was silent as she stepped outside with Race. He glanced at her, "So what exactly happened wit' Calli an' Blink?"
Brooke sighed, "Well, Blink-"
"HEY RACETRACK!!!!"
"What?" Race turned towards the group of laughing Bronx newsies several yards away.
"C'mere a second. You gotta heah dis."
Race looked at Brooke, "I'll be right back."
Brooke stood still for a moment, watching him joke with his friends. She glanced the opposite direction, down the empty street with only a couple of lamp posts here and there to chase away the shadows.
"Nahh..not Buttons. He wouldn't..oh, numbah four?"
Brooke peeked up at Racetrack. He was still talking with his friends and wouldn't notice her missing for several minutes. She turned back to the street and with one more hesitant glance, slipped into the shadows and walked quickly towards Sheepshead.
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Brooke slowly walked across the track, the sound of her own footsteps seeming unnaturally loud in the still night air. She stared straight ahead, ignoring the feelings of doubt and fear that tried to attack her at all sides. As she came within view of the shack her breathing started coming in short breaths and her heart was beating so loud she felt that he must be able to hear it.
*Only once,* she told herself soothingly, *ya just hafta do dis once an' den it's ovah wit'.*
As she got to only a few feet away from her home she stopped and closed her eyes. *Oh, please.please let me not regret dis.*
She opened her eyes and placed her hand on the door, pushing it in slowly.
"D-dad?" She whispered, stepping inside but leaving the door wide open behind her. "Daddy? Anyone home?"
She looked around the room and blew out her breath in relief when she saw no one. Well, that was it then. *I bettah get out of heah. Race will kill me if he-*
Suddenly the door slammed behind her and an arm encircled her neck, the strong smell of whiskey flooding her senses. "Where've you been young lady? You've been an awf'lly naughty girl."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Calli left Irving Hall and started on the slow walk back towards the Manhattan Lodging House. She hadn't gotten more than a block away when she heard her name and turned to see Spinz running after her. She bit her lip and crossed her arms, not sure what to think.
He stopped and looked rather sheepish, "Calli, look, I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't know you were tryin' ta have a serious talk wit' Blink."
Calli nodded, not meeting his eyes, "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."
There was a brief silence when suddenly Spinz stepped up to Calli and lifted her face with his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Calli.I know you really care for Blink. I'd understand if you want him more den me."
Calli stared up at him, feeling incredibly self-absorbed and selfish suddenly. He was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy even when all she could think about was herself and what she wanted. What was her problem? Calli had spent so much time regretting that she was stuck with Spinz that she hadn't even considered that he was worth more than that.
But on the other hand, she had to be fair to him. She could never truly care for Spinz and love him without thinking about Blink and wondering what being his girl would have been like. Lying to Spinz because she wanted to please him would just result in everyone getting hurt.
She lowered her head and quietly spoke, "Spinz.I'm sorry. You're a really great guy, I just."
"You love Blink."
"Yeah," she whispered, raising her head.
He forced a smile, "It's okay, Calli, really. I knew dat you didn't really wanna be wit' me."
"No, that's not it, Spinz! I would love being your girl, but I don't think I'm good enough for you. I'm so caught up in myself all the time it wouldn't surprise me if I never get a boyfriend."
Spinz lifted her head again. "I'm sure you will..." he grinned suddenly, his eyes twinkling mischievously, "especially if you keep kissin' like you did da othah night."
She smacked him, blushing.
Spinz laughed and pulled her to him for a hug, "Blink'll come to his senses soon, don't worry."
She nodded against his chest, but he wasn't finished, "but if he doesn't..I'll still be here."
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Race laughed and turned away, "See ya fellas!"
They left and he looked around for Brooke, only just realizing how long he had been talking to them. *Oh man,* he thought guiltily, *I can't believe I just abandoned her.*
"Hey Race." Snitch said, walking by on his way back to the Lodging House.
"Hey," Race said distractedly. "Oh Snitch, have youse seen Brooke tanight.?"
"Brooke? Yeah, why?"
"I don't know where she is."
"Oh, well, da last time I saw her she was headin' down dat way." He pointed down the street and then waved goodbye, "Well, I'll see ya!"
Race stared down the street, puzzled. "But dat street leads towards.OH, SHOOT!"
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Spinz pulled away from Calli, "I betta be gettin' back soon."
"Yeah," she nodded and grinned. "I don't want Spot mad at you."
"Neither do I," he laughed and then turned serious, "You gonna be okay walkin' back by yerself?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
He grinned at her in farewell and started towards Brooklyn. She watched him for a moment and sighed, turning around. Hopefully everything would work out in the end.
"CALLI!!"
"Huh?" She spun around at Racetrack's voice, "what're you doing here? What's wrong?"
"Brooke. She's gone back ta Sheepshead."
Calli nodded, "Yeah, so?"
"Oh man, we never told you! Oh well, c'mon, we have to hurry!"
"But what-"
"I'll explain later, let's go!"
^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^
Brooke hurt all over. Her father had left the shack minutes earlier, satisfied that he had taught her a lesson she would never forget.
She tried to look out the window, but she couldn't focus properly. That last blow to the head must have done more damage than she thought. Her back stung and she didn't have any feeling in her left arm. Suddenly she heard a pounding and voices outside. "BROOKE!!!! ARE YOU DERE????!!!! OPEN UP!!!!!!"
Things started to get even more hazy and Brooke began to slip into unconsciousness. The last thing she heard was a muffled yell and then hands started to lift her up off the floor.
