AN: Well, this is going to be a rough chapter for me. I'm kinda scared. I've been putting off writing it cause I'm afraid I'll butcher it. I'm praying right now, can ya tell?
Read and review…or throw it out…cause I'm really nervous about this one…
All the newsies were waiting on me to speak. Word had already gotten around that I was the boy that the newspaper article referred to, and it was hard enough trying to answer their questions about that. Now I had to tell them that this would be my last night in the lodging house.
I didn't want to go. If he hadn't mentioned bringing one other person and funding the lodging house, then I never would've said yes. This was crazy. I sat down on my bunk, everyone waiting for me to speak.
"I…won't be stayin' at da lodgin' house after tonight."
It was like I had said that Teddy Roosevelt had turned black overnight. There was worry, curiosity, concern, but mostly anger.
"Why? What's goin' on, Skitts?" Jack asked. I could already feel his curiosity giving way to suspicion.
"There's a couple up at Midtown dat wants ta adopt me. And they said dat if I come live with them, they'll fund the lodgin' house. You guys won't be goin' hungry anymore."
"But that means you'd have ta give up sellin'." Mush said, stating the obvious. I felt the urge to just cry, but I never have cried where they can see me. I didn't want their pity.
"Yeah, I know. They're gonna send me ta school instead."
I guess it was obvious that I didn't want to go, because Jack laid a hand on my shoulder and said, "You don't have ta do this. We've managed fine by ourselves all along, without some hoity-toity person's funds behind us."
Suddenly, Boot's fury got the better of him. "He probably wants ta go. He just wants ta wear a suit and tie and leave us heah! You're no bettah den a scab!" he yelled, then he climbed out the window, making for the roof. I dropped my head into my hands, already feeling a huge headache coming on.
"Don't listen ta him, Skitts. He's gonna miss ya as much as we will." Kid said, offering comfort but not helping much. Boots was right. I was no better than we'd considered Jack to be when he walked out on us.
"There's something else." I managed to choke out.
"What?"
"They want me…ta bring one of you guys."
Complete silence. I hadn't wanted to lay this on them, but I had no other choice. It's not like my decision would be a secret forever, and telling them sooner was better than later.
I could feel the tension in the room grow by tenfold, and Jack let his hand drop off my shoulder. I couldn't take this. I jumped up and ran out the door, taking the steps three at a time and sitting down on the entrance steps to the lodging house.
I shivered against the cool air and realized that I was going to make myself even more sick, sitting out here like this. But at the moment, I didn't care. I couldn't face my friends like this, not when the urge to break down was so overpowering.
It was a few minutes before I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and Jack sat down beside me. For a brief moment, I wondered why they had sent him instead of someone like Mush. Jack wasn't exactly well known for his abilities in comforting depressed newsies.
"Ya know, when I was sitting there with Roosevelt, I was havin' the same trouble deciding whether or not to go to Santa Fe."
"But you stayed."
"I had a reason to." He draped his arm around my shoulders, and then grabbed one of my hands with his. "From what I hear, you've got a whole lot of talent in dese hands of yours. Medda thinks so, the press thinks so…heck, da whole city thinks so. And they don't want that to go to waste. And you know what?"
"What?"
"We think so too. We talked it through up dere, and we's all agreed. It'd be best for you if you go. Dey say opportunity only knocks once in a guy's life. I passed mine up, and it worked out. I don't think it would be da same for you."
He removed his arm, and I studied my hands carefully, suddenly wishing I didn't have that talent that everyone loved so much. "I just wish none of dis evah happened. I nevah woulda stepped onto dat stage, not for a million bucks."
"You can't change da past, Skitts."
"I know." I sighed heavily, ending up going into a coughing fit.
"Come on, let's get you inside. You're already sick." Jack said, tugging on my sleeve and standing up.
"I think I'm gonna stay out here a while, Jack. I still gotta decide who I'm gonna ask ta come with me."
And soon, once again, I was all alone on the steps, lost in my thoughts.
AN: Sorry I didn't get any further with this one. Next chapter, we find out who he's taking!
