~*~Shout-Outs~*~
Bookey Elliot: Yay! Someone else thinks I'm a good writer. *happy dance* But yeah, the stories been done. *sigh* But I am trying to do my own thing with it. Keep reading and reviewing! Thanks.
A/N: Wow, I'm doing pretty good with getting these chapters up here. 4 chapters in 2 days…go me! I just have so many ideas, and they all like hit me at once, so hopefully I'll be able to finish this story soon.
Chapter 7
The next few days passed slowly, bringing little problems with their passing. Aslyn's grew stronger and more confident in her swimming, Spot kept his feelings to himself, and Matthew did not return to the lodging house. That is until the next Friday, exactly a week after Spot and Aslyn's first encounter with Matthew.
Aslyn and Spot returned to the lodging house when they had finished selling. As they entered the small lobby, the man that ran the place, Mr. Booker, or Books as the newsies usually called him, looked up.
"Hello Spot, Aslyn," he said, looking at the two, "Miss Aslyn, I got a' lettah' (*letter) here for ya'. A man came in not too long ago, sayin' he had an urgent lettah' for ya'."
"Thank ya', Books," Aslyn said, taking the letter from the elderly man's hand.
She and Spot ascended the stairs to their room and Spot shut the door behind them.
"Who's it from?" Spot asked immediately.
"I dunno'," Aslyn said, warily. She opened the letter slowly and began to read.
Aslyn,
I'm tired of playing your stupid games. I'm warning you, you better come home soon or that little boyfriend of yours is history.
Your beloved brother,
Matthew
"Who's it from?" Spot asked again when he saw Aslyn's face go white. She stared at the letter in her hands and then handed it to him.
"Don't worry," Spot said, softly, "I'll protect ya'. I'm not gonna' let anything happen to ya'."
"Me?" Aslyn asked, "What about you? I might as well go home, Spot. If I don't he'll come after you. I can't let anything happen to you."
"Aslyn, I's can take care a' meself (*myself). And I'm not letting ya' go anywhere, especially not home. I won't let anything happen to ya'. I promise. I care about ya', Aslyn," Spot whispered.
"I'm sorry I got you into this mess," Aslyn said, crying softly.
"Don't be," Spot replied. He pulled her close to him, and she cried into his shoulder. "I'm glad ya' came into me (*my) life," he said, kissing the top of her head gently.
"So am I," Aslyn whispered, "So am I."
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Another week flew by uneventfully. It had now been two weeks since Spot and Aslyn's first meeting with Matthew, and a week since the threatening letter had arrived.
Aslyn lay in bed, unable to sleep. She changed positions several times, snuggled closer to Spot, and counted sheep, but nothing worked. She had too much on her mind to fall asleep. It's been a week, she said to herself, thinking of Matthew's letter. It's been a week and nothing's happened. Surely, he would've acted by now. But what if he's waiting—waiting till we least expect it. I don't want to lose Spot. I can't lose Spot. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I love him. I've barely known him three weeks and I'm already thinking I'm in love with him. You're being ridiculous, Aslyn, she scolded herself. You can't love him—you barely know him. She sighed, but isn't it possible to love someone after only knowing them a short time? Isn't it possible to need to be near someone twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week? Isn't it possible to want someone to kiss you and hold you every minute of every day? It must be, because that's how I feel about Spot. She sighed again. I love him, she told herself, I love him.
As soon as Aslyn thought this, she heard the window open. Before she could react, she felt a cold hand slip over her mouth, keeping her from screaming. Matthew, she thought, her eyes opening wide, as she tried to grab for Spot to wake him up. The person that kept her mouth shut, yanked her out of her bed, and carried her out he window and down the fire escape. She was blindfolded and her wrists were tied together as soon as she was outside, and she couldn't tell how far she was forced to walk. God, she prayed, if you're still there, please let Spot find me.