Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies :( and I also don't own that scene from Pretty Woman... But I love it anyway.
OH. MY. GOD. Do you have any idea how sorry I am for making you all wait this long?! Seriously. slaps wrist Oh, the guilt... Well, I won't sit here and ramble, here's the third chapter FINALLY! By the way, sorry if there are any typos... my eyes hurt...
"I wish I were dead, Bumlets. I really, really do." The lobby was now empty except for two boys sitting on the couch, one with his face in his hands and the other with his arm draped around the first's shoulders.
"Aw, come on Skitts," replied, Bumlets softly, "You don't mean that." Skittery shook his head at his friend's words.
"No, Bumlets, I really, really, do mean that." Bumlets got up quickly and knelt in front of him.
"No, you really don't," he said, prying Skittery's hands from his face, "So you made one mistake. The world ain't goin' to end!"
"Yeah?" Skittery said, feeling anger rising in him, "And what would you know?" Bumlets didn't respond. He didn't know how to. "That's what I thought. See, you don't know," he continued, standing up and making his way toward the staircase.
"I'm just tryin' to be a friend," said Bumlets, following Skittery to the stairs, "And you know what I think?"
"No, Bumlets," Skittery said, not turning to look at the other boy as he walked, "What do you think?" He didn't care what Bumlets thought. Bumlets hadn't gone through what he had.
"I think you're blowin' this whole thing outta proportion," Bumlets said as Skittery continued up the steps, still not turning to look at him, "She's obviously moved on and it's time you should to! She ain't the only girl out there so you should just get over it and—."
"Get over it?" Skittery said in a low voice, finally turning around to face the boy at the bottom of the stairs, "You want me to get over it? Well, I'm sorry, Bumlets, if I can't just fuckin' get over it. You don't think I haven't tried? For god's sakes, Bumlets, I've been trying for two fuckin' years! I mean, I'm sorry if I can't be all smiles and sunshine like you are. I ain't you and I can't just get over things!" Bumlets fell silent at his friend's sudden outburst.
"You didn't go through what I went – no – am goin' through, okay? Friends I once had hate me, you got that? They fuckin' hate me. Two of 'em would even be happy to see me dead. So, you know what? I'm goin' to go do them both a favor and just DROP DEAD." Skittery turned around quickly, not waiting to see Bumlets' reaction as he fled up the stairs and into the empty boys' bunkroom, slamming the door behind him and locking it.
Leaning against the door, he slid to the floor, sighing. Although he didn't want to admit it, he knew Bumlets had been right.
The sound of muffled footsteps could be heard before a gentle knock at the door sounded. "Skitts?" Skittery let out another sigh before drawing his knees up to his chest.
"Just go away, Bumlets," he said loud enough for the other boy to hear him. Skittery shifted slightly, listening for sounds on the other side of the door.
Silence.
"I SAID GO AWAY!" Skittery yelled, disturbing the stillness of the room. He heard footsteps again on the other side, only this time they were growing fainter and fainter, much to his relief. Once he was sure there was no one outside, Skittery stood up, unlocked the door and pushed it open slowly.
After making sure no one was in sight, Skittery made his way quickly and silently toward the staircase at the end of the hallway. Making his way up the stairs, he opened the door at the top and exited onto the Lodging House rooftop.
Sighing deeply, he slowly took in his surroundings. The sun was just setting, a light breeze was blowing, and the only sounds were the rustling leaves in the trees below him.
"You know, you never could keep your temper from getting the best of you, could you?" came a voice from somewhere behind him. Skittery turned around slowly to find Kyriel sitting on one of the ledges of the rooftop.
"You heard me, huh?" Skittery asked, walking toward her, "And don't sit there… You're makin' me nervous."
"Not really," Kyriel replied, shaking her head, "But I got the gist of it. That's some nice language you used." She smirked at him.
"Yeah, well, I was frustrated," said Skittery, running a hand through his messy brown hair nervously, "Could you get off the ledge, now?"
"If you hate heights so much, why do you like to come up on the roof?"
Skittery shrugged. "I don't know. It's just peaceful, you know?"
"A-ha," Kyriel replied, pausing for a moment before smirking mischievously. She glanced behind her and at the street below. "Whoa, it's pretty high up here."
"It is. Now would you please—."
"What if I leaned back a little?"
"Ky—."
"Would you catch me if I fell?"
"Ky—."
"Look! No hands! Okay, okay, alright… I'm stoppin'," Kyriel laughed, hopping down from the ledge and taking a seat on the ground against it, "Scared you, huh?"
"Yeah, well, I don't need 'The Death of Kyriel' added to my list of things to be guilty about," Skittery replied, sitting on the ground next to her.
"So…"
"Hm…"
"So, who hates you?"
Skittery looked to the ground nervously. "Oh, you heard that, huh?"
Kyriel shrugged. "I think I might know someone in Queens who didn't quite hear you as well as I did."
"I thought you said you only heard the 'gist' of what I said," Skittery replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Skittery, that WAS the gist."
"Right."
"So…"
"Hm…"
"So, are you going to tell me or not?" Kyriel asked exasperatedly.
Skittery shrugged, trying to act as casual as possible. "I was sort of opting for 'not'."
"It's Ershey isn't it? And Mush?"
Sighing, Skittery leaned back against the ledge, turning his gaze back to the ground. "I can't say I don't blame them," he said, finally without looking up. "They have a right to hate me."
"That's not true," Kyriel replied, shaking her head. "They don't have any right to hate you."
"That doesn't change the fact—."
"The only person who has a right to hate you is me," she continued, pausing to take a deep breath. "Which, for the record, I don't." Skittery could see a hint of a smile on her face as she said those words to him.
"You don't?" he asked, hope rising in him.
"How can I?" she replied, smiling at him.
"What?" said Skittery, knowing there were probably a million reasons he could name that would answer her question.
Kyriel let out a short laugh, brushing back a stray lock of black hair from her face, and gazing at the setting sun. "I've spent the last two years trying to forget about my feelings for you. I thought I had succeeded, but…" She paused and turned to look at him. "But then I come back here and see you… And all those feelings come rushing back."
Skittery was rendered speechless at this point. For the past two years, he had been sure that she had hated him as much as Ershey and Mush did, but now he didn't know what to think.
Before he could reply, however, Kyriel was on her feet and heading toward the stairs that led back into the Lodging House.
"Where are you goin'?" Skittery asked, standing up quickly.
"I've gotta talk to Ershey," Kyriel replied. "I'll see you later." She smiled and disappeared down the stairs, leaving Skittery alone on the roof, with a small smile on his face.
"Have you ever been in love, Skitts?"
AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?! You'll find out soon, hopefully... Anyway, THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed and waited ever-so patiently for me to get off my lazy ass and update. :D I don't have time to do shout-outs right now, but thanks to all of you! Ooh, and, MY BIRTHDAY IS TOMORROW! :D