Learning Magic
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I do however own the idea and the character Andra.
"This is ridiculous." I've woiked enough fer one day." I declared, slamming the rag down on the floor. Spot didn't object for once. Leaving the bucket where it was, I stomped off to my room. The piece of clothing that used to be wrapped around Spot's head was still laying there. I walked over to it and picked it up. Stepping out the door, I aimed carefully and launched the bloody cloth. It connected with Spot's arm. Laughing, I darted back to my room. I expected for him to throw a fit, and get up in my face, yelling. Instead I heard nothing for awhile. It must have been a couple minutes later when he opened the door and dumped the dirty water I had been cleaning with. He grinned happily, then disappeared.
"How'd it go Spot?" I heard Jack's voice ask. I had been on my way out the door of my room to retaliate, but this stopped me. I did not wish to talk to him, or anyone else. Unless of course I was arguing with Spot.
"Fine. I hate sittin' round heah though. I tink I am gonna head back ta Brooklyn either tonight or tomorrow mornin'. Haven't decided o' course." I couldn't hear the rest of what he was saying, but if my workload increased, I knew who to blame. At first the conversation slipped right through my ears, but it registered a little later. Spot didn't live in Manhattan. He said something about going back to Brooklyn. My heart leaped up into my mouth, and almost fell out as I almost screamed. I held it back, not wanting to bring attention to myself. Instead, I immaturely ran around my room, jumping up and down. Was I too excited? Some may say that, but me, I didn't care how excited I appeared. I stopped as I saw a shadow on the door. Without knocking, Jack walked in.
"Didn't get much done did ya?" He asked.
"I did wha' I could with dat ape watchin' me." I raised my voice pointing out the door. I wanted Spot to hear.
"Calm down now." He told me, motioning me to sit down on the bed. "I don't recall lettin' an ape in heah." He joked. I shot him a dangerous look.
"I do." I replied nonchalantly.
"Even if dere was, I don't tink dat would effect da way ya woik. I tink ya was jus' slow today." He said. I gritted my teeth. "Ya don't hafta stay ya know. If dis is too much fer ya." He started, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It ain't too much fer me." I said defensively.
"Are ya sure?" He smiled.
"Positive." I told him. "I'll woik harder tomorrow, if ya leave now." I pointed to the door. He looked at my strangely.
"Fine." He stood up and walked away. I would work however fast and hard I wanted. As long as something looked clean he should be happy.
Not three seconds after he left, did someone else come in. It was Racetrack. He looked tentative to come in with me. It was probably because of how I had treated a few nights ago. He had a plate of food in his hands. I looked at it greedily.
"Fer me?" I asked quietly.
"Fer you." He smiled, handing me the plate. I took it. It contained a piece of bread, a little bit of butter, and a glass of water. Dirty water. I pretended not to notice.
"Wheah did ya get it?" I asked, munching into the bread, which wasn't stale. He looked down at his feet.
"I bought it fer ya jus' a couple of minutes ago from Tibby's." He blushed. He sat and watched me eat. It wasn't until I was almost done that I realized that my dinner was his dinner.
"Ya didn't eat yet did ya?" I asked him.
"It's alrigh'. I bought it fer ya." He smiled again, lighting a cigar. I looked at it for a moment. It reminded me of home. I hadn't had one for awhile. I had to be a role model for my little brothers and sisters. Not an easy job whatsoever. I was sucked back into reality when Race tapped my shoulder.
"You gonna finish?" He asked. I looked into his big brown eyes.
"Nah. You can 'ave da rest." I passed him the plate. He looked surprised by this, but accepted and ate the part of the bread that I hadn't.
"Spot is goin' back ta Brooklyn?" I asked randomly.
"Yeah. Didn't 'spect 'im ta stay long. He neva does. Wish he would though, he's a nice guy." He told me sadly.
"Nice? Dat boy is a bastard an' I don't care if he comes back or not." I replied sourly. He looked at me wildly, but understood why I felt that way.
"He can be a jerk sometimes, but once you get to know him..."
"Get to know him? I don't think so! He pisses me off so much." I told him; he stopped talking. "Well, anyways, tanks fer the food." I told him, kissing his cheek. He blushed slightly. I hoped that no one else had seen, luckily they didn't. I smiled at him. "If you're lucky, you'll get more." I winked at him, standing up to leave. Why I have no idea. I guess I just wanted out of the room quickly, so I would leave an impression on him. Mush saw me and walked over.
"Glad ya is up an' about today. It was unbearable waitin' fer ya ta come out." He smiled, I returned it. I couldn't stay bitter forever, and I knew that.
"I'd be much more enthusiastic if I didn't hafta clean all day."I hinted. He understood, but I knew by the expression on his face that he wasn't going to protest against it.
"Jack wasn't too happy with the job you did today." Mush frowned.
"What made him think that? Spot?" I asked seriously.
"No. Spot said goodbye den left jus' a few minutes ago." This surprised me. I was sure Spot Conlon had something to do with the talk that Jack had just given me.
"Spot didn't say anything about me?" I asked, disappointed.
"No. Were you expectin' 'im ta? He grinned at me. "Ya don't got sometink goin' on now do ya?" His smile widened.
"Heck no! Not with him, though I'm sure it crossed his mind more than once."
"He wasn't hittin' on ya at all?" He asked me. He seemed surprised by my responses.
"No. He was insultin' me, den, we just stopped talkin'. Actually, he wasn't in the room with me half da time." I reflected on the day.
"Odd. Wanna clean some more?" He teased, holding out a dirty rag. I took it and threw it in his face, laughing. He joined in soon enough. Life here wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I just had to give the world a chance.
"Who threw that rock at Conlon anyway?" I asked curiously. He turned to me and laughed.
"You are always talkin' bout Spot, ya know dat?" He laughed some more. I furrowed my brow.
"No I don't." I insisted defensively. "I jus' wanted ta know what happened. Is dat a crime?"
"Nah. We don't know who threw it. We was tinkin' dat someone jus' threw it and it hit his head. Jus' an accident. Of course he don't believe dat." He smiled again. I continued to ask questions. "What's he do in Brooklyn?" I asked innocently. He choked on the water that he was drinking and stared at me.
"Are ya tellin' me dat ya neva hoid of Spot Conlon?" He asked.
"I only met 'im today." I reminded him.
"You ain't neva hoid of him?" He repeated himself.
"No." I answered flatly. His jaw dropped a couple of feet. He sat like that for a few moments before composing himself.
"Alrigh' believable I guess." He started. "Anyways he's da most famous newsie around." He paused, letting it sink it. He started to speak again, but I interrupted.
"Why?" I asked seriously, looking into his eyes, leaning closer.
"Why? Well let's see. He jus' is. Da leader of Brooklyn too!" He smiled again.
"Dat boy is a leader? Surprising." I thought out loud.
"Why is it surprisin'?" He asked, taking my hand in his. I tried to ignore it.
"Well, he did seem like a leader when he was insultin' me. I dunno. I guess I jus' don't want him ta be." I don't think he understood what I meant, so the conversation ended there. He didn't let go of my hand though, and he was looking around at our surroundings. He took in a huge breath.
"Uh, well. I just' wanted ta tell ya dat you are really poity." He blushed. I laughed freely.
"And I think you are a cutie." I laughed again. He blushed again, then smiled. I released my hand from his, and walked away. I really didn't want to leave him, but what else was I going to say. I decided that later I would talk to him that night. At the moment though, I had to decide what I was going to do. Nothing really, unless I wanted to reduce myself to being their slave for no reason at all again. Instead of going through with that plan, I turned my eyes onto the streets. It might be nice to see the sights for awhile. I didn't want a guide, but I decided that it might be polite to invite Mush with me since I had just abandoned him. Polite? When was I ever polite? Almost never. This would have to be an exception.
"Mush." I beckoned. He jumped off the stool he was sitting in and rushed over to me. "Would ya like to take a walk?" I asked him quietly.
"Dat would be nice." He smiled. I slowly took his hand, not knowing if I was too forward. He didn't seem to think so. Instead of letting go, he grasped it and squeezed it tight. I turned to him and smiled. He returned it. "So where too?" He asked me.
"Somewhere nice. I'm in the mood for a nice sunset tonight." I laughed childishly. When I was in the mood for a sunset? The truth was, always. But I never wanted to share it with anyone else. Tonight was different, and I don't know why.
"I've got da poifect place." He told me excitedly, pulling me behind him, changing his walking pace into a jog. I followed. He led me to the Brooklyn Bridge. I had never seen it before, and it took my breath away.
"Oh my god. It's beautiful." I said breathlessly. He smiled at me.
"Jus' like you." He turned my head so it faced his. His eyes gazed into mine. They were brown, and so attractive. I tried to look away but I couldn't. It took some time before I convinced myself that there was a sunset to watch. I turned away and pointed out into the sky.
"Isn't dat jus' the prettiest thing you've ever seen?" I asked him. He nodded, smiling. I felt a little awkward standing there, but ignored that feeling. I heard footsteps behind us, and whirled around, so did Mush. Jack Kelly was standing behind us, smirking. I glared at him. He didn't seem to notice.
"Magic is finally outta da lodgin' house eh?" He laughed.
"It's Andra." I corrected through gritted teeth.
"Magic sounds betta, an' I like it betta." He smirked again. He was almost as bad as Spot. "Anyways, what are ya doin' out heah?" He asked.
"Watchin' da sunset." I replied coldly. I listened for a laugh or snicker but there was nothing. I turned back to face him. His face was reserved and calm.
"I didn't tink a goil like you would do sometink like dat. Or was it Mister Mush who convinced you into dis?" He smiled widely.
"Surprisingly no. She axed me if I wanted to." Mush confessed. Jack stared at me for a second before I interrupted his thoughts.
"I'm gonna go back now." I announced, mostly to Mush, letting go of his hand and rushing away from the two boys. I don't really know why I left, it was mostly because Jack had shown up, and well, he had hurt my feelings. What did he mean by I was not that type of girl? Who did he think he was? I ran faster as I felt warm tears slide down my face. I looked through blurry eyes at the number of boys who were staring now. I ran up the steps and into my cold room, slamming the door behind me and throwing myself onto my bed. I heard footsteps coming up the staircase. I jumped up and frantically looked for a lock on the door, there was none. I rushed back to my bed, crying harder now, and pushed it in front of the door before they could open it. I sat down on my bed, exhausted, engulfed in my tears.
a/n
Well how did you like this chapter? I am not happy with how long it took me to update, please forgive me. I had LOTS of stuff to do..I mean lots. School ends next Thursday, in one week! I should have more time on my hands then. Thanks to all my reviewers, those meant a lot to me. I am working on the 3rd chapter now! Please review this chapter, I love reviews!
NaughteeLady: Thanks very much for your review. I hope you like this chapter, and I hope you review again!
Coin: Thankies soo much for reviewing! I'm very glad that you LOVE it ;) I hope you loved this chapter and I hope you come back and review!
Uninvisible: Glad you liked it! Yes, Spot should have suffered more, but I love him too much! I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you review! Thanks!
Cassies-Grandma: Yes, that would be interesting if the newsies learned magic, and quite scary! Thanks soo much for you review, I hope you upstate your story soon, I love it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Dimonah Tralon: Hey there! I'm very happy that you enjoyed that last chapter. I hope that you liked this one and I hope you review! Can't wait to hear from you!
Wisecracker88: I wouldn't let them boss me around either. If you can't tell, she is going through a tough time and is very vulnerable. She is an emotional girl inside, but tries to hide it with the tough girl attitude! Thanks sooooooooo much for reviewing my last chapter! I hope you liked this one as much!
Behind-blue-eyes: Thanks soo much! I'm glad you think it is the freaking bomb :) I like writing it a lot! I hope you come back and review this chapter. Thanks again!
Tiggerbaby2430: Thankies for reviewing gurlie! Luv ya! Yea it was more of an excuse so Spot and Andra could meet hehe! I'm just like that. But he's gone now, and I don't know when he will be back, this story is unraveling by itself really! I had no clue what I was going to do for this chapter, but look at what I got! Hope you liked it!
Please review..the button is right down there ;)
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I do however own the idea and the character Andra.
"This is ridiculous." I've woiked enough fer one day." I declared, slamming the rag down on the floor. Spot didn't object for once. Leaving the bucket where it was, I stomped off to my room. The piece of clothing that used to be wrapped around Spot's head was still laying there. I walked over to it and picked it up. Stepping out the door, I aimed carefully and launched the bloody cloth. It connected with Spot's arm. Laughing, I darted back to my room. I expected for him to throw a fit, and get up in my face, yelling. Instead I heard nothing for awhile. It must have been a couple minutes later when he opened the door and dumped the dirty water I had been cleaning with. He grinned happily, then disappeared.
"How'd it go Spot?" I heard Jack's voice ask. I had been on my way out the door of my room to retaliate, but this stopped me. I did not wish to talk to him, or anyone else. Unless of course I was arguing with Spot.
"Fine. I hate sittin' round heah though. I tink I am gonna head back ta Brooklyn either tonight or tomorrow mornin'. Haven't decided o' course." I couldn't hear the rest of what he was saying, but if my workload increased, I knew who to blame. At first the conversation slipped right through my ears, but it registered a little later. Spot didn't live in Manhattan. He said something about going back to Brooklyn. My heart leaped up into my mouth, and almost fell out as I almost screamed. I held it back, not wanting to bring attention to myself. Instead, I immaturely ran around my room, jumping up and down. Was I too excited? Some may say that, but me, I didn't care how excited I appeared. I stopped as I saw a shadow on the door. Without knocking, Jack walked in.
"Didn't get much done did ya?" He asked.
"I did wha' I could with dat ape watchin' me." I raised my voice pointing out the door. I wanted Spot to hear.
"Calm down now." He told me, motioning me to sit down on the bed. "I don't recall lettin' an ape in heah." He joked. I shot him a dangerous look.
"I do." I replied nonchalantly.
"Even if dere was, I don't tink dat would effect da way ya woik. I tink ya was jus' slow today." He said. I gritted my teeth. "Ya don't hafta stay ya know. If dis is too much fer ya." He started, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It ain't too much fer me." I said defensively.
"Are ya sure?" He smiled.
"Positive." I told him. "I'll woik harder tomorrow, if ya leave now." I pointed to the door. He looked at my strangely.
"Fine." He stood up and walked away. I would work however fast and hard I wanted. As long as something looked clean he should be happy.
Not three seconds after he left, did someone else come in. It was Racetrack. He looked tentative to come in with me. It was probably because of how I had treated a few nights ago. He had a plate of food in his hands. I looked at it greedily.
"Fer me?" I asked quietly.
"Fer you." He smiled, handing me the plate. I took it. It contained a piece of bread, a little bit of butter, and a glass of water. Dirty water. I pretended not to notice.
"Wheah did ya get it?" I asked, munching into the bread, which wasn't stale. He looked down at his feet.
"I bought it fer ya jus' a couple of minutes ago from Tibby's." He blushed. He sat and watched me eat. It wasn't until I was almost done that I realized that my dinner was his dinner.
"Ya didn't eat yet did ya?" I asked him.
"It's alrigh'. I bought it fer ya." He smiled again, lighting a cigar. I looked at it for a moment. It reminded me of home. I hadn't had one for awhile. I had to be a role model for my little brothers and sisters. Not an easy job whatsoever. I was sucked back into reality when Race tapped my shoulder.
"You gonna finish?" He asked. I looked into his big brown eyes.
"Nah. You can 'ave da rest." I passed him the plate. He looked surprised by this, but accepted and ate the part of the bread that I hadn't.
"Spot is goin' back ta Brooklyn?" I asked randomly.
"Yeah. Didn't 'spect 'im ta stay long. He neva does. Wish he would though, he's a nice guy." He told me sadly.
"Nice? Dat boy is a bastard an' I don't care if he comes back or not." I replied sourly. He looked at me wildly, but understood why I felt that way.
"He can be a jerk sometimes, but once you get to know him..."
"Get to know him? I don't think so! He pisses me off so much." I told him; he stopped talking. "Well, anyways, tanks fer the food." I told him, kissing his cheek. He blushed slightly. I hoped that no one else had seen, luckily they didn't. I smiled at him. "If you're lucky, you'll get more." I winked at him, standing up to leave. Why I have no idea. I guess I just wanted out of the room quickly, so I would leave an impression on him. Mush saw me and walked over.
"Glad ya is up an' about today. It was unbearable waitin' fer ya ta come out." He smiled, I returned it. I couldn't stay bitter forever, and I knew that.
"I'd be much more enthusiastic if I didn't hafta clean all day."I hinted. He understood, but I knew by the expression on his face that he wasn't going to protest against it.
"Jack wasn't too happy with the job you did today." Mush frowned.
"What made him think that? Spot?" I asked seriously.
"No. Spot said goodbye den left jus' a few minutes ago." This surprised me. I was sure Spot Conlon had something to do with the talk that Jack had just given me.
"Spot didn't say anything about me?" I asked, disappointed.
"No. Were you expectin' 'im ta? He grinned at me. "Ya don't got sometink goin' on now do ya?" His smile widened.
"Heck no! Not with him, though I'm sure it crossed his mind more than once."
"He wasn't hittin' on ya at all?" He asked me. He seemed surprised by my responses.
"No. He was insultin' me, den, we just stopped talkin'. Actually, he wasn't in the room with me half da time." I reflected on the day.
"Odd. Wanna clean some more?" He teased, holding out a dirty rag. I took it and threw it in his face, laughing. He joined in soon enough. Life here wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I just had to give the world a chance.
"Who threw that rock at Conlon anyway?" I asked curiously. He turned to me and laughed.
"You are always talkin' bout Spot, ya know dat?" He laughed some more. I furrowed my brow.
"No I don't." I insisted defensively. "I jus' wanted ta know what happened. Is dat a crime?"
"Nah. We don't know who threw it. We was tinkin' dat someone jus' threw it and it hit his head. Jus' an accident. Of course he don't believe dat." He smiled again. I continued to ask questions. "What's he do in Brooklyn?" I asked innocently. He choked on the water that he was drinking and stared at me.
"Are ya tellin' me dat ya neva hoid of Spot Conlon?" He asked.
"I only met 'im today." I reminded him.
"You ain't neva hoid of him?" He repeated himself.
"No." I answered flatly. His jaw dropped a couple of feet. He sat like that for a few moments before composing himself.
"Alrigh' believable I guess." He started. "Anyways he's da most famous newsie around." He paused, letting it sink it. He started to speak again, but I interrupted.
"Why?" I asked seriously, looking into his eyes, leaning closer.
"Why? Well let's see. He jus' is. Da leader of Brooklyn too!" He smiled again.
"Dat boy is a leader? Surprising." I thought out loud.
"Why is it surprisin'?" He asked, taking my hand in his. I tried to ignore it.
"Well, he did seem like a leader when he was insultin' me. I dunno. I guess I jus' don't want him ta be." I don't think he understood what I meant, so the conversation ended there. He didn't let go of my hand though, and he was looking around at our surroundings. He took in a huge breath.
"Uh, well. I just' wanted ta tell ya dat you are really poity." He blushed. I laughed freely.
"And I think you are a cutie." I laughed again. He blushed again, then smiled. I released my hand from his, and walked away. I really didn't want to leave him, but what else was I going to say. I decided that later I would talk to him that night. At the moment though, I had to decide what I was going to do. Nothing really, unless I wanted to reduce myself to being their slave for no reason at all again. Instead of going through with that plan, I turned my eyes onto the streets. It might be nice to see the sights for awhile. I didn't want a guide, but I decided that it might be polite to invite Mush with me since I had just abandoned him. Polite? When was I ever polite? Almost never. This would have to be an exception.
"Mush." I beckoned. He jumped off the stool he was sitting in and rushed over to me. "Would ya like to take a walk?" I asked him quietly.
"Dat would be nice." He smiled. I slowly took his hand, not knowing if I was too forward. He didn't seem to think so. Instead of letting go, he grasped it and squeezed it tight. I turned to him and smiled. He returned it. "So where too?" He asked me.
"Somewhere nice. I'm in the mood for a nice sunset tonight." I laughed childishly. When I was in the mood for a sunset? The truth was, always. But I never wanted to share it with anyone else. Tonight was different, and I don't know why.
"I've got da poifect place." He told me excitedly, pulling me behind him, changing his walking pace into a jog. I followed. He led me to the Brooklyn Bridge. I had never seen it before, and it took my breath away.
"Oh my god. It's beautiful." I said breathlessly. He smiled at me.
"Jus' like you." He turned my head so it faced his. His eyes gazed into mine. They were brown, and so attractive. I tried to look away but I couldn't. It took some time before I convinced myself that there was a sunset to watch. I turned away and pointed out into the sky.
"Isn't dat jus' the prettiest thing you've ever seen?" I asked him. He nodded, smiling. I felt a little awkward standing there, but ignored that feeling. I heard footsteps behind us, and whirled around, so did Mush. Jack Kelly was standing behind us, smirking. I glared at him. He didn't seem to notice.
"Magic is finally outta da lodgin' house eh?" He laughed.
"It's Andra." I corrected through gritted teeth.
"Magic sounds betta, an' I like it betta." He smirked again. He was almost as bad as Spot. "Anyways, what are ya doin' out heah?" He asked.
"Watchin' da sunset." I replied coldly. I listened for a laugh or snicker but there was nothing. I turned back to face him. His face was reserved and calm.
"I didn't tink a goil like you would do sometink like dat. Or was it Mister Mush who convinced you into dis?" He smiled widely.
"Surprisingly no. She axed me if I wanted to." Mush confessed. Jack stared at me for a second before I interrupted his thoughts.
"I'm gonna go back now." I announced, mostly to Mush, letting go of his hand and rushing away from the two boys. I don't really know why I left, it was mostly because Jack had shown up, and well, he had hurt my feelings. What did he mean by I was not that type of girl? Who did he think he was? I ran faster as I felt warm tears slide down my face. I looked through blurry eyes at the number of boys who were staring now. I ran up the steps and into my cold room, slamming the door behind me and throwing myself onto my bed. I heard footsteps coming up the staircase. I jumped up and frantically looked for a lock on the door, there was none. I rushed back to my bed, crying harder now, and pushed it in front of the door before they could open it. I sat down on my bed, exhausted, engulfed in my tears.
a/n
Well how did you like this chapter? I am not happy with how long it took me to update, please forgive me. I had LOTS of stuff to do..I mean lots. School ends next Thursday, in one week! I should have more time on my hands then. Thanks to all my reviewers, those meant a lot to me. I am working on the 3rd chapter now! Please review this chapter, I love reviews!
NaughteeLady: Thanks very much for your review. I hope you like this chapter, and I hope you review again!
Coin: Thankies soo much for reviewing! I'm very glad that you LOVE it ;) I hope you loved this chapter and I hope you come back and review!
Uninvisible: Glad you liked it! Yes, Spot should have suffered more, but I love him too much! I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you review! Thanks!
Cassies-Grandma: Yes, that would be interesting if the newsies learned magic, and quite scary! Thanks soo much for you review, I hope you upstate your story soon, I love it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Dimonah Tralon: Hey there! I'm very happy that you enjoyed that last chapter. I hope that you liked this one and I hope you review! Can't wait to hear from you!
Wisecracker88: I wouldn't let them boss me around either. If you can't tell, she is going through a tough time and is very vulnerable. She is an emotional girl inside, but tries to hide it with the tough girl attitude! Thanks sooooooooo much for reviewing my last chapter! I hope you liked this one as much!
Behind-blue-eyes: Thanks soo much! I'm glad you think it is the freaking bomb :) I like writing it a lot! I hope you come back and review this chapter. Thanks again!
Tiggerbaby2430: Thankies for reviewing gurlie! Luv ya! Yea it was more of an excuse so Spot and Andra could meet hehe! I'm just like that. But he's gone now, and I don't know when he will be back, this story is unraveling by itself really! I had no clue what I was going to do for this chapter, but look at what I got! Hope you liked it!
Please review..the button is right down there ;)