Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies. I just own the video, the DVD, pictures…
A/N: Hm… I actually don't have anything to say, except that this story took away time from my English paper. I was supposed to be writing it, but no. The story decided that it wanted to be written. (directs speech towards story) If I can't finish this paper in time, I will blame you (turns back). Enjoy!
Shattered Glass
She tucks a strand of long, brown hair behind her ear. However, she does not notice. Her gaze is fixed upon the boy across the table from her. He stands there, not looking up, he stares at his hands as they flex upon the table. She waits.
His black cowboy hat covers his dirty blond hair. His eyelids hide the hazel eyes she thought she knew so well. However, she knows nothing of them. She knows nothing of anything. She knows that much.
This day, all the illusions, which she took as facts, have shattered and fallen to the ground like a glass knocked from a table. The pieces are innumerable and scattered too far. She could not repair them.
Who is at fault for the broken glass? Was it the boy for knocking it down? Was it her brother for concealing the boy's intent? Was it her family for turning a blind eye to the plan? Was it she, with her decision to lay out, so trustingly, the glass upon so dangerous a peak?
He stares at the table, stubbornly. If he looks long enough, he may find that this is a dream. Everything would be normal when he woke. Inside, however, he knows that they have not been normal. Deceit is not normal.
He can feel her gaze upon his head. It has not wavered. He sighs. He must look up and face this. He must be a man. He can no longer pretend and run from his problems. He deserves better than that. She deserves better than that.
She watches as he lifts his head. Her brown eyes meet the hazel ones that she no longer recognizes. She had known them, loved them, and memorized them. Now, there is nothing left of what she knew. He has changed or perhaps she has changed.
Is she different? Is that what has happened? Did the glass shards cut away the delusional portion of her along with everything she knew? Is she seeing the truth now, for the first time, and too late?
She blinks and looks away; not wishing to see what is there. This cannot be the truth. It is too harsh, too painful, too unfair. It proves that the life she has led has been a lie. Not only has her life lied to her, but her family and friends have lied to her. The strangers on the street that pass them by have lied to her. They have smiled sweetly, but they must have seen the truth. Everyone else has seen it. It must be the truth. She sees it more clearly than anything she has ever seen before. When she looks into his eyes, she sees dishonesty.
How can he have done this? It is so cruel and unjust. She has done nothing to deserve it. She is nothing but kind to him. Why has he deceived her so? It was unnecessary. It was not the only way.
She looks torn. Her eyes have been averted for the past few minutes, but they flash back. He can almost see the tears forming in them. Why has he done this to her? It seemed so brilliant at the time. He knows that this is why he did it. It had sounded good on paper, but in action, it was brutal. The plan had not involved hurting her. That is a common flaw in his plans. The outcome is correct, but the means are not considered. The means are often worth consideration, for the outcome is not worth the means used to achieve it. Unfortunately, he has realized too late.
Their eyes meet across the table. Hers are filled with tears, his are fighting them down. He does not cry. Though, the pain of seeing her tears is nearly enough to break that habit. The pain is worse, for he knows that he causes those tears.
He has broken it all. He broke her dreams, her life, and her heart. They were all inside of the glass. Why had she trusted him with it? Why did he not live up to her expectations? Her tears spilled over in hate, sorrow, and frustration.
He starts. A waterfall of tears has erupted from her eyes. He lifts his hand slightly, wanting to comfort her. However, he will only cause more pain. He drops his hand.
The tears have blurred her vision, but she still watches him. She does not see his hand, for the tears block it out. She only sees his face stare back at her, unmoved. She chokes back a large sob. She trusted him with so much, only to have him break it all, as she looked on. She will never again be able to trust another with everything. She will not be able to fix it all, so there will be less, but she will be more protective of it.
His voice is caught in his throat. It is cracked, but it does not matter. He must speak. He must try to fix this. He cannot stand here silently any longer. He forces it out.
"I'm sorry, Sarah. I know that it was wrong, but-"
"No; you don't know, Jack. You don't know how much it hurts."
"Sarah, I-"
"Don't bother. It's too late. Please, just go."
Defeated, he obeys. She watches him go, each knowing that what they had is gone. A crack can be mended, even a complete break. They could have moved past that. But once shattered, the glass can never be repaired.