Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or any other media references I may make throughout the duration of this fic.
Chapter 7: Why Do We Lie To Those We Love?
Spot
Class has become so mundane. I'm bored out of my wits and I want to do something else. My brain seems to have been moving in slow motion since the night in the alleyway. I keep nodding off in class and thinking how much I wish Racetrack was here to help pass the time.
Cherish. She's sitting beside me, but she knows something is going on. It's the way she keeps looking at me.
She pushes a note across the desk and points obviously at it.
Wanna go for coffee after class? it reads. I nod and turn back to the blackboard.
================================
The coffee house was full with the thick smell of ground beans and dust. We sit in a deep couch and order our coffee.
"Spot, I think we need to talk." This is apparently the most dreaded sentence in the English language, but I've never been happier to hear it. She was going to take care of my problem for me! She was going to dump me!
I nodded and looked thoughtfully and concerned-like at her. "What about?"
"Are you cheating on me?"
My mouth dropped open. Am I cheating on her? Well, technically, yes, but does it count when it's with another guy?
"Why do you think that?"
"Spot, are you?"
"Well, no...actually, kinda. In a way... I—"
"How can it be 'in a way'? Spot, you're either cheating on me or you're not." Her eyes were begging me to say I wasn't, but her jaw was clenched in challenge, waiting for the possible blow to her ego.
"I guess I am."
Cherish's eyes welled up but her face remained serious and her voice was steady as she asked: "who is it?"
"It's..." I glanced across the room and saw him. "It's Racetrack."
She blinked a few times, as if allowing me to take it back and say I wasn't serious. I didn't say anything.
"Racetrack?" she gasped in a disbelieving tone.
I nodded. Racetrack watched from across the room.
"Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have—I didn't—"
"You didn't know? Cherish, I didn't think it was anything. He's just...I just...he's so..."
"Perfect?" she finished my sentence for me. I noticed that she no longer looked like she was going to cry. She had completely regained herself and was almost smiling even, a bittersweet smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"What do you mean?" Cherish was acting totally the opposite way I expected she would when she found out.
"Spot, Racetrack is my best friend. He's the most perfect guy I've ever met."
She stood up and turned to leave. "Just don't let him get away. Spot, you may have broken my heart, but if you're with him and you're happy it'll be all worth it."
Racetrack
Something made me look up. Maybe it was just pure instinct or maybe it was his aura, either way I was blown away when he walked in the door. With Cherish.
He looked nervous, but slowly, as she talked, his expression grew from happiness, to confusion, to disbelief. When she got up and walked away it was the utter face of a man who had been spared. I waited for her to leave before approaching.
"What's going on?" I asked, sitting down beside him.
"We're broken up." Spot's face brightened as soon as he said it.
"Why?" did he dump her? Because of me? Cherish wouldn't do that, she's too in love with Spot. Unless...
"She thought I was cheating on her."
"And..."
"She knows it's you. She wants us to be 'happy'. She says," he blushed, "you're the most perfect guy I've ever met."
The truth of Cherish's good deep was just settling around me. "She said I'm perfect? What do you think?"
"You're the closest I'm ever gonna get." He pulled me in close and snuck a kiss.
=======================
I should be relieved about getting the worry and feeling of guilt over Cherish, but I want to go find her. We've been friends forever. Our mothers have bridge nights every Tuesday and attended the same rehab for alcohol abuse. She's always been my best friend and I repay her by stealing her boyfriend?
I'm like the evil stepsister.
I keep waiting for her to burst through the door and scream at me for stealing her beautiful Spot. What am I supposed to do next? I'm pretty sure that Hallmark doesn't make a 'Hey, it's your gay best friend here! Sorry for stealing your once-straight boyfriend who I introduced you to and who also happens to be my roommate from under your nose after we did it in the alleyway!' card. Do I call her on the phone? Should I ask her to meet me so we can talk? How can I console her when I caused her pain?
Spot seems giddily oblivious to any problems and has proceeded in making our bed up with a queen-sized comforter instead of the two twin-sized ones we were using last night. When he leaves the room I pull them off and push his bed back where it should be.
"What's going on?' he asks when he sees what I've done.
"I can't sleep with you until I talk to Cherish. Just go with me on this, OK?"
He nods, stupefied at what I've just said, and remakes his bed so that it's under a twin-sized sheet again. To my surprise he pushes the bed around so it's facing the window above mine.
"I like the maple tree," he explains.
It has almost lost all its leaves and this morning I found some in the comforter that had probably blown in the open window. They make the room smell fresh, like the outside autumn air and I turn to face the window. The tree is gnarled and old. If you look at about standing height you can see carvings that people have left behind as souvenirs over the years. Squirrels have built their nests in the inner branches, which are now bare and showing off the squirrel's handy work. Bird droppings litter the main base and it looks as if it's going to fall down any minute now. It may be distinguished in some eyes, but still hideous in mine.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?'" he asks.
That wasn't the word I might have picked. "Yeah, beautiful."
((Liked it? No? Racetrack is confused. I had to do it, it keep the story going. Reviews!!!))
Shoutouts:
Erin Go Bragh- THAT'S what happened with Cherish. I hope it answers your question.
Madison Square- (blush) aw, you flatter me. I'm really not that clever, I just have my moments.
Coin- they're such big things in New York, I couldn't leave them out!
Padfootismyhero- and I do feel special
Strawberri Shake- thanks for checking out my story. I don't know why Spot's daddy didn't stay around, it's just the way some people are. And I think you have mentioned you love SpRace. Several times.
Chapter 7: Why Do We Lie To Those We Love?
Spot
Class has become so mundane. I'm bored out of my wits and I want to do something else. My brain seems to have been moving in slow motion since the night in the alleyway. I keep nodding off in class and thinking how much I wish Racetrack was here to help pass the time.
Cherish. She's sitting beside me, but she knows something is going on. It's the way she keeps looking at me.
She pushes a note across the desk and points obviously at it.
Wanna go for coffee after class? it reads. I nod and turn back to the blackboard.
================================
The coffee house was full with the thick smell of ground beans and dust. We sit in a deep couch and order our coffee.
"Spot, I think we need to talk." This is apparently the most dreaded sentence in the English language, but I've never been happier to hear it. She was going to take care of my problem for me! She was going to dump me!
I nodded and looked thoughtfully and concerned-like at her. "What about?"
"Are you cheating on me?"
My mouth dropped open. Am I cheating on her? Well, technically, yes, but does it count when it's with another guy?
"Why do you think that?"
"Spot, are you?"
"Well, no...actually, kinda. In a way... I—"
"How can it be 'in a way'? Spot, you're either cheating on me or you're not." Her eyes were begging me to say I wasn't, but her jaw was clenched in challenge, waiting for the possible blow to her ego.
"I guess I am."
Cherish's eyes welled up but her face remained serious and her voice was steady as she asked: "who is it?"
"It's..." I glanced across the room and saw him. "It's Racetrack."
She blinked a few times, as if allowing me to take it back and say I wasn't serious. I didn't say anything.
"Racetrack?" she gasped in a disbelieving tone.
I nodded. Racetrack watched from across the room.
"Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have—I didn't—"
"You didn't know? Cherish, I didn't think it was anything. He's just...I just...he's so..."
"Perfect?" she finished my sentence for me. I noticed that she no longer looked like she was going to cry. She had completely regained herself and was almost smiling even, a bittersweet smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"What do you mean?" Cherish was acting totally the opposite way I expected she would when she found out.
"Spot, Racetrack is my best friend. He's the most perfect guy I've ever met."
She stood up and turned to leave. "Just don't let him get away. Spot, you may have broken my heart, but if you're with him and you're happy it'll be all worth it."
Racetrack
Something made me look up. Maybe it was just pure instinct or maybe it was his aura, either way I was blown away when he walked in the door. With Cherish.
He looked nervous, but slowly, as she talked, his expression grew from happiness, to confusion, to disbelief. When she got up and walked away it was the utter face of a man who had been spared. I waited for her to leave before approaching.
"What's going on?" I asked, sitting down beside him.
"We're broken up." Spot's face brightened as soon as he said it.
"Why?" did he dump her? Because of me? Cherish wouldn't do that, she's too in love with Spot. Unless...
"She thought I was cheating on her."
"And..."
"She knows it's you. She wants us to be 'happy'. She says," he blushed, "you're the most perfect guy I've ever met."
The truth of Cherish's good deep was just settling around me. "She said I'm perfect? What do you think?"
"You're the closest I'm ever gonna get." He pulled me in close and snuck a kiss.
=======================
I should be relieved about getting the worry and feeling of guilt over Cherish, but I want to go find her. We've been friends forever. Our mothers have bridge nights every Tuesday and attended the same rehab for alcohol abuse. She's always been my best friend and I repay her by stealing her boyfriend?
I'm like the evil stepsister.
I keep waiting for her to burst through the door and scream at me for stealing her beautiful Spot. What am I supposed to do next? I'm pretty sure that Hallmark doesn't make a 'Hey, it's your gay best friend here! Sorry for stealing your once-straight boyfriend who I introduced you to and who also happens to be my roommate from under your nose after we did it in the alleyway!' card. Do I call her on the phone? Should I ask her to meet me so we can talk? How can I console her when I caused her pain?
Spot seems giddily oblivious to any problems and has proceeded in making our bed up with a queen-sized comforter instead of the two twin-sized ones we were using last night. When he leaves the room I pull them off and push his bed back where it should be.
"What's going on?' he asks when he sees what I've done.
"I can't sleep with you until I talk to Cherish. Just go with me on this, OK?"
He nods, stupefied at what I've just said, and remakes his bed so that it's under a twin-sized sheet again. To my surprise he pushes the bed around so it's facing the window above mine.
"I like the maple tree," he explains.
It has almost lost all its leaves and this morning I found some in the comforter that had probably blown in the open window. They make the room smell fresh, like the outside autumn air and I turn to face the window. The tree is gnarled and old. If you look at about standing height you can see carvings that people have left behind as souvenirs over the years. Squirrels have built their nests in the inner branches, which are now bare and showing off the squirrel's handy work. Bird droppings litter the main base and it looks as if it's going to fall down any minute now. It may be distinguished in some eyes, but still hideous in mine.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?'" he asks.
That wasn't the word I might have picked. "Yeah, beautiful."
((Liked it? No? Racetrack is confused. I had to do it, it keep the story going. Reviews!!!))
Shoutouts:
Erin Go Bragh- THAT'S what happened with Cherish. I hope it answers your question.
Madison Square- (blush) aw, you flatter me. I'm really not that clever, I just have my moments.
Coin- they're such big things in New York, I couldn't leave them out!
Padfootismyhero- and I do feel special
Strawberri Shake- thanks for checking out my story. I don't know why Spot's daddy didn't stay around, it's just the way some people are. And I think you have mentioned you love SpRace. Several times.