Chapter Sixteen

Sapphy paced back and forth as she looked around her. It wasn't unusual for a group of newsies to fill Medda's place every Saturday night, but this was different. This wasn't just another gathering where the newsies were to get together and talk about what was happening for the past few days. This was a competition between choirs, where they sing about God. She didn't know whether it was appropriate or not for them to be there, but still, they were humans too and they had a choice of coming. They obviously did. She peeked behind the curtain, glancing to see Jack, Mush, Blink, Skittery, and the other Manhattan newsies all seated to the closest table possible to the stage. She felt her nerves get calmer, but she could still feel the butterflies dance around her stomach. He wasn't here. He promised. Although he had pulled that trick on her two nights ago, she still wanted to be here. They were friends, after all. And he knew that she couldn't do this without him.

She could hear the announcer start to name off the different choirs in the competition. She let out one last sigh and looked at the other members of the original choir behind her. She was doing another solo, not to different from the one she and Strider sang that day they went to church. But she was doing this alone. And that was different.

She felt a nudge behind her back as she finally realized that they were next to go up. She gave a slight nod and started to walk towards the center of the stage, the members of the choir not to far behind, filling up the space behind her. She heard great whoops of encouragement and applause from the Manhattan newsies as she looked about her. It was packed. And the one newsie she needed wasn't there. But she couldn't always depend on him, could she?

Sapphy cleared her throat as she heard the first notes of the song begin to fill the air. She curled her hands into fists as she looked at Jack who shrugged and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter where you been or what you did wrong… it only matters that your heart believes and you confess…" started Sapphy. She loved to sing, so then why was she feeling so bad about this?

Her heart suddenly got caught in her throat as she took a gulp while the choir sang their part. Relief and confidence slowly flowed through her as she saw Race, his black hair hidden under his newsie cap and a smile placed upon his face. But her happiness snapped out of her as she realized what he was holding in his hand. It was somebody else's hand. He hadn't come alone. He came with Striker.

~*~

Anthony smiled as he looked up at Sapphy at the stage. Her strawberry blonde hair glowed when the lights touched her and her blue eyes shone back at the audience. He was glad that he didn't miss it. He didn't mean to come late, it was Strider. Not that he was blaming her. But he couldn't just leave her at the Lodging House and walk to Medda's all by herself, could he? It didn't help either that the rest of the newsies left earlier. He gave her a quick wave as he looked around to find a seat.

Anthony could see Sapphy take a pause from her song and take a deep breath. He knew that he had seen him. But he was here, wasn't he? So, there was nothing to worry about. But his thoughts were shattered when he saw Sapphy gave him a heated glare, walk offstage, and exit the building. The choir looked at the audience before them, no idea in what they should do. The audience turned their heads around in amazement as they watched Sapphy leave. The newsies stood up from their seats to see what was going on.

Anthony dashed up from his seat and pushed open the exit doors, the night sky covered with clouds and the air cool and damp. His eyes scanned the street as he finally found a familiar figure walking away.

~*~

"Sapphy!" shouted Race as he ran to catch up with her. "Why'd you leave all of a sudden? You were doing really good up there, too!"

"It doesn't matter," murmured Sapphy. "It ain't like I'm part of their stupid choir."

"What's wrong?"

She stopped in her tracks and faced Anthony, her eyes locking into his. She then sighed and shook her head and continued on walking, leaving Anthony's question unanswered.

"Come on, Sapphy! Will you please tell me what's going on?" urged Anthony. "I'm your friend, talk to me!"

"You want me to talk? Alright, I'll talk. You promised, Race. You promised that you were going to come alone… by yourself… unattached… no dates with the really pretty face and really nice hair…" said Sapphy as she started gesturing towards Anthony.

"You're mad at me about that?!" said Anthony. "I came, Sapphy! Aren't you happy about that?"

"Better you not coming than you coming with her," whispered Sapphy as she stopped to look at him, her breath rising in her throat.

"So, that's it, huh? You left just because I came with her? Sapphy! That's the most ridicul--."

"DON'T YOU GET IT?! You promised, simple as that. Let me remember what you said. Oh, I'll be right there, front, row, and center," shouted Sapphy as she mimicked Anthony. "You left me HANGING, Race! You understand?"

"I'm sorry, Sapphy…" said Anthony in disbelief. He didn't think that this was going to happen. He didn't know that this was going to hurt her this much.

"No," said Sapphy sternly. "You know, its funny, I made the worst mistake in my entire life. I fell in love with my best friend." Sapphy breathed a sigh to keep herself calm as she looked down on the ground and started to walk away.

Anthony's eyes widened in amazement as he let her words slowly sink in. All those nights that he had given up hope and thought that he was just nothing more but the best friend. All those days talking to her about anything that happened that day. It hurt him to think that she had even helped him be with Strider for a while. It wasn't going to be like this. He wasn't going to let her walk away.

He shook his head and briskly walked after her and powerfully grabbed her wrist, making her stop in her tracks and turn to face him. Her face was a mixture of anger and sadness. Her eyes were slowly watering with tears and her nose was turning into a slight shade of red. Her cheeks were flushed and her mouth was set in a tight grim line.

"Don't be--," started Anthony but his sentence was cut off when Sapphy forcefully tried to wrench her wrist away from his grasp and took a step back.

"What do you want, Race?" shouted Sapphy, her arms flailing wildly about her. "Don't tell me that you're forcing yourself to--."

But her words were cut off when she suddenly felt Anthony's body against her, his arms wrapped around her in a hug. She could feel his breath against her ear and his heart beating wildly.

"Sapphy! I'm so… I was so scared… scared that you were not going to like me… love me. I was scared that you wouldn't let me be yours. But, Sapphy, don't you see?" said Anthony as he kept her in his embrace. "I was just so stupid… but I really do, I do, love you."

Sapphy could slowly feel her tears slowly trailing down her cheek and unto his shoulders as she listened to him talk. She took a gulp and with all her force, pushed him away from her and shook her head.

"Yeah, right, Race. NOW you tell me all of those things… you choose NOW, don't you?" said Sapphy. "Funny, huh? You had bad luck in cards, and you're having bad luck with me. But I guess that I just don't matter to you. A card that you're saving for another time just in case the others don't work. So, that's how it is."

"Sapphy, you ain't--."

"DON'T YOU DARE!" shouted Sapphy as she pointed a finger at him angrily. "Don't."

She then turned around in a different direction from before and slowly walked away. Her heart was heavy and her body was tired. She could feel each pang of pain as she took a step away from him, knowing that he was just right there. Not too far away. That they could still fix things and talk it over. But it was too late. The damage was done and there was nothing she could do about it. he had left her hanging, waiting by herself. He had broken her promise. She blinked, trying her best not to fall in tears, but failed, when she felt the tears she had been holding back slowly fall down on her face. Her vision slowly blurred and her heart increased with pain as she continued to walk on. Was it supposed to hurt this much? She hung her head as she ducked into an alley, slid down against the wall and thought of what she had just done.

~*~

Anthony stood frozen to the spot as he watched her slowly walk away, her back towards him. What just happened? He knew it was more than about just coming here with Strider. It was more than that. She had said that she had fallen in love. With him. Her words hit him like a brick when he listened to her. But he wasn't being sane himself when he told her that he loved her. Was it supposed to end that way? He slowly felt a pain creep within him as he realized the scene unfold before his eyes. She was his friend, and he just let her walk away. That wasn't how it was supposed to end. They were supposed to make up, be friends, and be all happy. It obviously didn't end that way.

~*~

I know! I updated! I'm even happy about it! *does happy dance* but its so sad... *pout* another one of my serious and sad chappies. but aren't you happy that i updated? lol.

Shout-outs

Sapphy: ^^ yummy cinnamon bread. lol. hmm... you're gonna have to find out!!!

Emu: hahah, i love your reviews, Emu! ^^ it makes me want to update and write more! hahah, thanks for the fb! and you made the font small just for me! lol. *hugs* you get a piece of my cheesecake today. *hands cheesecake*

Hope: wow, i've been getting food from everybody lately! not that i'm complaining! ooh, and you DID see me enter this ff in your contest, right? right. ^^ heheh.

Strider: hahah, yeah, you can call this angst if you look at it that way. i'm still trying to find time to read your ff! hahah, i feel so bad! that, and 'cause i've been feeling lazy lately. have you noticed? lol.