After Tristan fell asleep, Sean and I fell into an uncomfortable silence.
"So where have you been since here?" Sean finally asked.
"Anywhere and everywhere."
"Wow," he paused, "So When are you leaving New York?"
"Never. I found family there."
"I thought the only family you had was your pop, and all he did was beat you?"
I sat there indifferent, wanting to smile at the thought of the newsies, but wanting to cry at the mention of my father. "Not blood related family," I finally answered, "Just people who care about me, people who want me, people who love me."
Sean smiled, "I was hoping you would consider me family, cause I do care about you and I do want you. And I definitely love you." He leaned in and brushed his lips on mine. I quickly pulled back.
"I can't do this. You know I can't do this Sean!"
"Why not? Is there someone back in New York?" His eyes were full of pain and sorrow, so I had to divert my gaze to the floor.
"No," I lied, "but I'm leaving in a day or so and I may never see you again. I can't do that to myself, or you for that matter."
"Then stay here!" he pleaded, "Please Crystal. Stay here with me and Tristan. I loved you long before your new family did."
I took a deep breath and held back tears, "You parents hate me. It would never work."
Sean scowled, "Who exactly is your family?"
"There newsies."
"Newsies? You're too good for street rats."
That really hit a nerve, "Am I? Cause last time I checked I was a newsie. And if I'm not one of them, I sure as hell ain't better. I'm worse. They're good kids, who've had a tough life. They have to go through more hardships in one afternoon, then you will in your whole life!"
"You are much better than them! They steal, they cheat, they gamble, they fight, they're dirty, and they have no education!"
"And you think I don't do all those things?"
"I know you have an education and if my eyes perceive correctly, you're not dirty."
"You think they like being dirty?! You think they like being stupid?! Are you thick?! They don't have a God damn choice, Sean! They're dumped on the streets with nothing but the clothes on their back, and sometimes not even that much. And here's a little update in my life. I steal, I cheat, I gamble, I fight, I'm dirty, I don't talk right, I'll do anything for money to survive. I've even been a damn prostitute! You think I'm better than them? Well you're fucking wrong. They are a hundred times better people than me. And I am lucky that they befriended me and let me be apart of their family."
There was an awkward pause as I let my words sink in. "I'm sorry," he said finally, "You're right. They aren't trash, they don't have a choice of how their life is. They have to take what they can get, and I guess I can respect that."
"I'm glad you understand. I think I'll leave tomorrow morning, I don't want your parents to get angry with you again."
Sean nodded, "Good night Crystal."
I lied down on my blanket, "Night."
The next morning I woke to Tristan poking me in the side. Mumbling curses I opened an eye and caught a glimpse at Tristan. "She's alive!" he yelled as he ran in circles around me, "Wake up! Wake up! CHRYS! WAKE UP!"
"I'm up, I'm up!" I groaned as I rolled over.
"Yay! Come on lets play!"
"I gotta go to the train station. I can't play."
Tristan stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh yea. I forgot."
"How did you know I was leaving?"
"Sean told me."
"Where is he?" I asked looking around.
"He left. He said he'd meet us at the train station."
"Alright mate. Let's go find our treasure before Sean does!" I said in a pirate voice.
"Grr.. Let's go!" Tristan said, trying to impersonate my voice.
We skipped off towards the station. Occasionally fighting other pirates and finding new territory to claim our own. We finally arrived at the station and Tristan seemed to remember why we had come. "I don't want you to go!" he whined, "Stay here! Please!"
"I can't buddy. I gotta go home."
"Hey guys! Over here!" Sean said as he walked up.
"Hi," I said.
"Here," he handed me a wad of bills, "I want you to give some of this to all the newsies. I doubt there's enough for everyone, but give it to them none the less."
"They don't want your charity," I was slightly impressed by Sean's action, but it was also slightly offending.
"It's not charity. Consider it an early Christmas present from me. To your new family."
"Thanks. I hope to see you guys soon. Maybe one day you can come and visit. Just go to Manhattan and they'll know where I am," I said as I stepped on the platform. Sean had insisted on buying me a ticket.
"I thought you lived in Brooklyn?"
"You don't want to be wandering around in Brooklyn looking for me," I said with a laugh, "Bye guys! I love you both very much!"
---------------------
A/N: I wasn't really sure what to do for this chapter so it was kinda hard to write. I'm sorry it's another short one, but I'll work on making the next chapter a long one. Or at least a normal one. Please, please review! I love 'em. Yup yup.
And if ya got some extra time, please read Voices and tell me what you think. It's very... different. I finally got to the newsies (well I got to Spot)! It only took...err... 6 chapters! Buy yea, read that, and review! I'm really stretching it with Voices, so I wanna know what you think!
Shout Outs:
Sapphy: My loyal reviewer. You've been here since the beginning and always has something good to say about my story! Thank you mucho! I love Tristan too! He's my little overactive, hyper psycho! Hehe.
Sweetgal1: Thank you for reviewing! You also have been here since the beginning! You're the best! Thanks again!
TheCrazyUnknown: Camping is the best! I wish I was camping right now, but I'm not... dang it! Thanks for reviewing!
AnUndercoverNewsie: Yay camping trips! I didn't really put a lotta camping tripness in here, but oh well! Camping is still the best! Thank ye for reviewing!
Angelfish7: Running around in circles is fun! I always run around my couch when I'm hyper. I find it quite entertaining! Mucho thank ya for reviewing!
Kawaii Julie Sama: Stupid school! Getting in the way of writing time! Grr... But anyway, thanks for reviewing! It means a lot ta me! Oh! And you really need to update Of All The Odd Places To Find Love! Yup yup!
"Anywhere and everywhere."
"Wow," he paused, "So When are you leaving New York?"
"Never. I found family there."
"I thought the only family you had was your pop, and all he did was beat you?"
I sat there indifferent, wanting to smile at the thought of the newsies, but wanting to cry at the mention of my father. "Not blood related family," I finally answered, "Just people who care about me, people who want me, people who love me."
Sean smiled, "I was hoping you would consider me family, cause I do care about you and I do want you. And I definitely love you." He leaned in and brushed his lips on mine. I quickly pulled back.
"I can't do this. You know I can't do this Sean!"
"Why not? Is there someone back in New York?" His eyes were full of pain and sorrow, so I had to divert my gaze to the floor.
"No," I lied, "but I'm leaving in a day or so and I may never see you again. I can't do that to myself, or you for that matter."
"Then stay here!" he pleaded, "Please Crystal. Stay here with me and Tristan. I loved you long before your new family did."
I took a deep breath and held back tears, "You parents hate me. It would never work."
Sean scowled, "Who exactly is your family?"
"There newsies."
"Newsies? You're too good for street rats."
That really hit a nerve, "Am I? Cause last time I checked I was a newsie. And if I'm not one of them, I sure as hell ain't better. I'm worse. They're good kids, who've had a tough life. They have to go through more hardships in one afternoon, then you will in your whole life!"
"You are much better than them! They steal, they cheat, they gamble, they fight, they're dirty, and they have no education!"
"And you think I don't do all those things?"
"I know you have an education and if my eyes perceive correctly, you're not dirty."
"You think they like being dirty?! You think they like being stupid?! Are you thick?! They don't have a God damn choice, Sean! They're dumped on the streets with nothing but the clothes on their back, and sometimes not even that much. And here's a little update in my life. I steal, I cheat, I gamble, I fight, I'm dirty, I don't talk right, I'll do anything for money to survive. I've even been a damn prostitute! You think I'm better than them? Well you're fucking wrong. They are a hundred times better people than me. And I am lucky that they befriended me and let me be apart of their family."
There was an awkward pause as I let my words sink in. "I'm sorry," he said finally, "You're right. They aren't trash, they don't have a choice of how their life is. They have to take what they can get, and I guess I can respect that."
"I'm glad you understand. I think I'll leave tomorrow morning, I don't want your parents to get angry with you again."
Sean nodded, "Good night Crystal."
I lied down on my blanket, "Night."
The next morning I woke to Tristan poking me in the side. Mumbling curses I opened an eye and caught a glimpse at Tristan. "She's alive!" he yelled as he ran in circles around me, "Wake up! Wake up! CHRYS! WAKE UP!"
"I'm up, I'm up!" I groaned as I rolled over.
"Yay! Come on lets play!"
"I gotta go to the train station. I can't play."
Tristan stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh yea. I forgot."
"How did you know I was leaving?"
"Sean told me."
"Where is he?" I asked looking around.
"He left. He said he'd meet us at the train station."
"Alright mate. Let's go find our treasure before Sean does!" I said in a pirate voice.
"Grr.. Let's go!" Tristan said, trying to impersonate my voice.
We skipped off towards the station. Occasionally fighting other pirates and finding new territory to claim our own. We finally arrived at the station and Tristan seemed to remember why we had come. "I don't want you to go!" he whined, "Stay here! Please!"
"I can't buddy. I gotta go home."
"Hey guys! Over here!" Sean said as he walked up.
"Hi," I said.
"Here," he handed me a wad of bills, "I want you to give some of this to all the newsies. I doubt there's enough for everyone, but give it to them none the less."
"They don't want your charity," I was slightly impressed by Sean's action, but it was also slightly offending.
"It's not charity. Consider it an early Christmas present from me. To your new family."
"Thanks. I hope to see you guys soon. Maybe one day you can come and visit. Just go to Manhattan and they'll know where I am," I said as I stepped on the platform. Sean had insisted on buying me a ticket.
"I thought you lived in Brooklyn?"
"You don't want to be wandering around in Brooklyn looking for me," I said with a laugh, "Bye guys! I love you both very much!"
---------------------
A/N: I wasn't really sure what to do for this chapter so it was kinda hard to write. I'm sorry it's another short one, but I'll work on making the next chapter a long one. Or at least a normal one. Please, please review! I love 'em. Yup yup.
And if ya got some extra time, please read Voices and tell me what you think. It's very... different. I finally got to the newsies (well I got to Spot)! It only took...err... 6 chapters! Buy yea, read that, and review! I'm really stretching it with Voices, so I wanna know what you think!
Shout Outs:
Sapphy: My loyal reviewer. You've been here since the beginning and always has something good to say about my story! Thank you mucho! I love Tristan too! He's my little overactive, hyper psycho! Hehe.
Sweetgal1: Thank you for reviewing! You also have been here since the beginning! You're the best! Thanks again!
TheCrazyUnknown: Camping is the best! I wish I was camping right now, but I'm not... dang it! Thanks for reviewing!
AnUndercoverNewsie: Yay camping trips! I didn't really put a lotta camping tripness in here, but oh well! Camping is still the best! Thank ye for reviewing!
Angelfish7: Running around in circles is fun! I always run around my couch when I'm hyper. I find it quite entertaining! Mucho thank ya for reviewing!
Kawaii Julie Sama: Stupid school! Getting in the way of writing time! Grr... But anyway, thanks for reviewing! It means a lot ta me! Oh! And you really need to update Of All The Odd Places To Find Love! Yup yup!