[Disclaimer] Still don't own Newsies, and of course, Ershey owns herself.

Oy, well, it took me long enough to get out another chapter, didn't it? Well, here it is, chapter one of Fallen Leaves! Enjoy. :D

~*~

"Have you ever been in love, Skitts?" she asked, leaning against lamppost in front of the Lodging House and staring up into the clear, baby blue sky.

"I wouldn't call it love, exactly," Skittery replied, leaning against the other side of the same post, "It was more like a crush. Then, I realized she was nothin' but a bitch hidden under a pretty face and I stopped likin' her."

"So, that's a 'no', right?" she replied, smirking as a small gust of springtime wind breezed by them, "But that's it? Just one crush in your whole life?"

"Guess I'm just waitin' for the right girl to come along," said Skittery, turning around to face her, "What about you? You ever been in love?"

She shook her head. "Nah, same as you, just crushes." She brushed a stray lock of her jet-black hair behind her ear. "I guess we're both just waitin' for the right person, then. 'Course, there ain't nothin' wrong with waitin'."

"Yeah," Skittery replied. They stood in silence, enjoying the light breeze before returning to the noisy atmosphere inside the Lodging House.

"But what if that someone you're waitin' for doesn't like you back?" Skittery said, breaking their silence, "I mean, what if you find the perfect person, fall in love with 'em, and then find out they don't feel the same way?"

"Then," she paused, searching for the right answer, "I guess they weren't the perfect person after all."

"Why's love got to be so complicated?" Skittery sighed.

"Aw," she cooed, standing up straight and moving in front of him, "Don't worry, Skitts. You'll find your perfect person." With that, she reached out to mess up his hair, then turned and walked back toward the door of the Lodging House.

"It's nice to know you're so optimistic about my future," Skittery said, laughing.

"What are friends for?" she replied, shooting him a smile before disappearing behind the door.

~*~

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming." But in reality, that was the last thing Skittery wanted to do. He didn't want to trudge downstairs and join the rest of the newsies as they filed out of the Lodging House and toward the distribution center. He didn't even want to sell papers even though it meant he wouldn't have anything to eat the whole day. It wasn't like he was hungry anyway. He pushed his own feelings aside once he saw his best friend at the bottom of the stairs, eagerly awaiting what the new day brought.

Bumlets was almost the complete opposite of Skittery. The black-haired boy was optimistic, kind to everyone he met, and it was rare to see him angry. Skittery, on the other hand, hardly ever looked to the bright side of things, was easily angered, and liked to be left alone most of the time. Many people wondered how the two boys could be the closest of friends, but they figured it was just like the old saying: opposites attract.

"Finally!" Bumlets exclaimed, "I was about to check if you'd fallen back asleep! Ready for another day?"

"In a word: No," Skittery replied, making his way slowly down the wooden steps. Bumlets frowned at him.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Same side I always get up on."

"Yeah, I noticed," Bumlets replied. He smiled, letting Skittery know it had been a joke. Skittery smirked and rolled his eyes. If it hadn't been Bumlets he was talking to, Skittery would have glared at the person or yelled. Lucky for Bumlets, he was the only person who could dish out the "bad mood" jokes and not get a black eye in return.

"Ready to sell some papes, walkin' stick buddy?" Bumlets asked cheerfully as the two boys grabbed the two wooden walking sticks from the wall and exited the Lodging House.

"Okay, Bumlets, how many times have I told you never to say that?" Skittery replied with an exasperated sigh. Bumlets stuck out his tongue.

"You're no fun today," he teased.

"Am I ever?"

Bumlets rolled his eyes. "You know, you need to be more upbeat. People are gonna start thinkin' there's somethin' wrong with you if you act so glum around 'em all the time."

"I'll keep that in mind," Skittery said sarcastically as the two made their way across the square.

"I mean, where else did you think you got the nickname 'glum and dumb'? It ain't because you're happy…" But Skittery wasn't listening anymore. His attention had turned to the lamppost in front of them.

"You'll find your perfect person…"

He reached out slightly, allowing his fingertips to brush past the green post lightly as they passed. He let out a deep sigh as he and Bumlets turned the corner and the lamppost disappeared from sight. As they continued their walk, Skittery noticed Bumlets gazing up at the sky every so often and frowning.

"What is it?" he asked, when the darker-haired boy looked up again.

"It's gonna rain," Bumlets replied, returning his gaze forward, "I hate rain."

"You and Ershey both," Skittery replied, looking up at the rain cloud above them, "You know, I don't get what's so wrong with rain. I like it."

"It's just so gloomy. Actually, I can see why you like it so much, now," Bumlets joked, "Wait a minute. Ershey? I thought you hated her." Skittery shook his head.

"It's more that she hates me. " He couldn't blame her though. She had every right to hate him.

"Don't look now," Bumlets said once they had reached the distribution center. Skittery turned his gaze toward the crowd of other newsies in line to buy their papers. Right at the end, talking and laughing with a group of other newsies was none other than Ershey.

"Great," Skittery muttered as he and Bumlets made their way to the line.

"Remember," said Bumlets, "Upbeat! Happiness!" Skittery gave another exasperated sigh.

"Well, fine," Bumlets replied, "But a small smile wouldn't hurt. Heya, Ersh!" He waved at the girl, who smiled and waved back.

"Hey there, Bumlets!" Ershey said before turning toward Skittery, "Aw, what? No 'hi' from Skittery? Now that's just heart breakin'!" She clapped her hand over her chest and frowned in mock sadness. The newsgirls behind her started giggling. Skittery rolled his eyes.

"But, of course," Ershey continued, "You're used to breakin' hearts, ain't you?" Skittery glared at her. Bumlets glanced at him nervously.

"Don't do anythin'—."

"At least I ain't used to bein' a conceited bitch," Skittery snarled. There came a couple of "ooh"s from behind Ershey, who was now glaring menacingly at him.

"You're just used to bein' a damn jerk who doesn't care about people who have feelin's for you. People who might actually love you."

"Have you ever been in love, Skitts?"

"You don't know how I fuckin' felt, so you just shut the fuck up!" Skittery shouted, his temper getting the best of him, "Damn, if you weren't a fuckin' girl I'd—."

"You'd what?" came a voice from behind him. Skittery whipped around and came face to face with Mush Meyers. Bumlets stepped between the two glaring boys.

"Nothin', Mush!" he said, trying to put out the fire between them, "He wouldn't have done nothin'!"

"Ha!" Ershey scoffed, "Cuss me out then do nothin'. Yeah, right. I don't know what my sister ever saw in you but—."

"I don't have time for this," Skittery said, scowling, "Sorry, Bumlets, I gotta go." He pushed his way past Bumlets and Mush, heading out of the distribution center. He could hear Ershey yelling from behind him as he exited.

"Yeah, that's right, Skittery! Go on and run! You should be used to that, too!"

Skittery's walk quickly turned into a sprint as he made his way back to the square. As Bumlets had predicted, it started to rain as he ran. Thunder roared from the clouds above him and waves of rain fell onto the cobblestone streets. He finally stopped running once he had reached the statue of Horace Greeley. He leaned against it, out of breath and soaked to the bone. Sliding slowly to the ground, Skittery let out another sigh.

"Why was I born so stupid?" he whispered to himself, the words drowned out by the pouring rain, "Why was I born so goddamned stupid?"

~*~

Skittery sat alone inside the lobby of the Lodging House, his hair still soaked but the rest of him in dry comfortable clothes. He sat in silence, glaring at the wall in front of him as if he could burn a hole straight through it. The sound of rain grew louder, telling him that the door had been opened and someone had walked inside.

"Skitts?" came the voice of his best friend, "Are you in here?"

"Yeah," Skittery replied in a low voice, "I'm in here, Bumlets."

Bumlets made his way over to the couch, taking off his rain-soaked hat. "What happened earlier?" he asked, "I thought you were goin' to try to stay upbeat!"

"There are some things that I just can't try to ignore with a smile," Skittery replied, never taking his eyes off the wall in front of him. He heard Bumlets sigh.

"Well, you gotta try. You can't let Ersh and Mush get to you. Mush is on a warpath, by the way. You'd better watch your back."

"Oh, now that's something to be happy about," the other boy replied sarcastically, "Anythin' else that could just brighten up my day?"

"This really won't help," Bumlets said, running a hand through his hair nervously, "But you have to know…"

Skittery tore his gaze from the wall to look up at his friend. "What is it?"

"Kyriel's movin' back to Manhattan tomorrow."

~*~

Ershey - We'll soon find out what happened to Skittery... *cough* Even though this chapter made it a bit obvious and you might know already because I'm horrible at keepin' secrets from you! We must make mookies... *death poke*
Azn-Kimmi - *waves* 'Allo Kim! *gives mookies*
Sapphy - *nod* Sad... but me likey sad fics. *nod* ANGST 3 *gives mookies even though I've drowned you in them*
Josephine August - Thank you so much! You probably left me the best review I've ever received. Hehe, you should have seen me... I scrapped this chapter so many times tryin' to get it as good as the last. I'm finally satisfied with it. :D *gives mookies*
Dewey - Hehe, I love that sentence a lot too. *nods and gives mookies*
Dippy Conlon - Thankos for the review! But, that sentence actually turned out the way I intended it to. ^^

You know what to do! Review for mookies!