I'm going to try and finish this up in these last two chapters. Thanks to everyone who has been with me from the very start or just jumped in. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
"Blink, you okay?" I heard someone from behind me ask. I shook my head and turned on the spot to be faced by Mush, David, Race, and Jack. They looked a bit concerned but I just nodded and tried to give them my best convincing smile.
"I'm fine. Why?" I shifted my papes to my other shoulder.
"Ya came in last night in a hurry. We didn't get a chance to ask ya how it went with Siren." Race said. I looked away and found a piece of dirt very interesting. I didn't want to talk about Siren at the moment, but I knew that if I didn't answer them, they would only press the subject. I looked up and made the mistake of looking directly at Jack. Sadness filled his eyes while looks of confusion filled the others'. Had Lucky told Jack about my letter?
I sighed and motioned for them to walk with me over to the statue in the square. We set our papes down on the ground and I waited for everyone to get comfortable before I started to explain the events of the night before. I began with receiving my letter and what its contents had to say and they, except for Jack, looked stunned.
"Well, ya ain't gonna go are ya?" Mush asked.
"I gotta, Mush. I can't be a newsie all me life! There are other opportunities out there and me father just offered me one." I said.
"What about Siren? Surely you aren't just going to leave her like that." David tried.
"I told her last night that I was goin'." I admitted.
"How'd she take it?" David asked.
"Not so well. I wouldn't be surprised if she nevah wanted to see me again." I sighed.
"Uh, I wouldn't say that just yet, Blink." Race said. I looked at him, intrigued.
"Why?"
"'Cuz she's comin' this way." Race said simply. My head turned so fast that I heard it pop. Siren was indeed skipping her way over to our little group. A huge, bright smile was plastered on her face and another girl was walking right behind her, trying to keep up. Siren looked as if nothing was wrong, as if everything last night had never happened. She was even looking straight at me whenever she and her friend finally reached us.
"Hi, Blink. Hi, everyone. This is my friend Allie. Allie, this is Blink, Race, Mush, Jack, and David. There are a whole bunch more, but take my advice and don't try to memorize their names. You'll get confused in the end," Siren laughed at the already confused look on Allie's face. I saw her eyes linger over David a moment longer than she did with the others, and I noticed the way David was looking at Allie. "Anyway, are you guys going swimming today?"
We all looked at each other, eyebrows raised, all probably thinking the same thing. Why was Siren so happy all of a sudden?
"Uh, sure if ya wanna. I can run and get Lucky at her sellin' spot if ya want." Jack offered. Siren beamed at him.
"Great! We'll meet you guys there," Siren said and turned to leave, but instincts made me reach out and grab her arm. She faced me again, smile still gracing her lips. "Blink? What-"
"Go on, guys. We'll catch up, I gotta talk to Siren for a minute." I said, glancing over my shoulder at the others. They nodded at me and Siren motioned for Allie to go with them. She nodded uncertainly, but joined the other guys, staying suspiciously close to David.
"What's going on, Blink?" Siren asked after everyone left.
"You, that's what's up." I said, letting go of her arm.
"What do you mean?"
I sighed impatiently. "Ya can't pretend that last night nevah happened."
"Who's pretending?"
"Apparently you!"
"I don't see what all the fuss is about, Blink. I mean yes I will miss you when you leave, but you're getting too old to be a newsie. And your father did offer you a great job, plus a home, so that must be good, right?" NO! That's not good! I don't know what I was thinking. I wanted to stay here and be with her. Or better yet, take her with me. But she was still in school. She has at least one more year left until she graduates. She was right anyway; I am getting to old to be a newsie. This was the only logical thing do to, really.
"Yeah I guess so. But last night you were just so-"
"Let's not talk about last night. Let's enjoy our time we have left together. When do you leave?" I looked down grinding the toe of my shoe into the dirt
"Wednesday." I said simply. Siren looked a little shocked.
"Wow. Wednesday? That's only in three days...Are you sure you can get everything packed by then?"
I raised my eyebrow at her. "Siren, I'm a newsie. Do ya really think I got a lotta stuff ta pack?" I asked seriously. She considered this for a moment then shook her head.
"I guess not," she laughed. "So come on! Come swim with us! Last one to the harbor has to...eat Racetrack's socks!" I cringed at this. Race's socks are never very pleasant after he takes them off. Well, none of ours are, but his are the worst. So when Siren sprinted up the street, I went off after her, hoping that the bet wasn't real.
Lucky and the rest of the newsies later joined the others well after they were done selling. Everyone kept jumping off the harbor pier, doing cannonballs or diving in headfirst. Bumlets had a running start and did a cannonball so big that waves crashed in to everyone within the vicinity of the jump. Samantha and Blink spent a lot of time together, which the others made sure to be a safe distance away from when they were doing some obvious flirting.
The sun started to drift away and pink was beginning to replace the blue, and then orange overcame the pink, and finally twilight cut through the orange, signaling that it was time to get out and go home. Samantha jumped out of the river, pulling Lucky and Allie up one by one, and stepped back into her dress. Her under dress was soaked, but that didn't matter because none of the others cared. Allie had been a little shy at first, but then overcame it once she saw that the boys never even gave her a second glance. Lucky just stripped off and jumped in, right next to Jack, splashing him.
"That was a very productive day. I had fun." Allie said, wringing out her hair.
"Yeah." Samantha and Lucky agreed.
"Thank you for inviting me, Sam. That really meant a lot to me." Allie said sincerely. Samantha waved her hand.
"Don't worry about it, it was my pleasure. Come on, we better get home." Samantha said and turned to Lucky and gave her a huge hug.
"If you ever need to talk, I'm here." Lucky whispered.
"Thanks, but I think I'll be okay." Samantha laughed.
"Don't believe her, Lucky." Allie cut in.
"I don't." Lucky said, grinning. Samantha rolled her eyes, and the two best friends said their goodbyes and parted. Samantha and Allie passed Blink on the way, and Samantha just gave him a small, sad wave. He smiled at her in return.
"Are you really going to be okay?" Allie asked with concern.
"Yes, I'll be fine. I may be in love with the boy and be really depressed when he leaves, but I'll get over it. Life does go on, and I'll find someone someday whom I truly love." Samantha said.
"Truly?" Allie asked with suspicion in her voice. Samantha sighed.
"No, not truly, but I can't exactly stop him from going can I? I mean it's not like I can show up at the train station on Wednesday and beg him to stay, right?" Allie sighed. "I mean, what if I show up and find that he's already left? What if I tell him how I really feel and he doesn't feel that same, and I make a fool out of myself?"
"Ah yes, the wonderful 'what if's'. Sometimes you believe something is really there and it is, but then they leave. And the questions you should have asked but didn't. And even if you don't want the sun to rise it still does, and it warms your skin. It is good that you, you know, realize this right? And I believe considering what an amazing friend you are, that there will be this 'quirky' guy who will take you by surprise and make it worth while for endearing a love that might not have meant to be. Either way, things will go the way they will so might as well just pick up your feet and fly."
"Allie, that was...incredible. Where do you come up with this stuff?" Samantha breathed, looking quite impressed. Allie shrugged.
"I read a lot." Allie grinned and the two of them linked arms, and made their way home.
Not much to say here except REVIEW! Hehe
Newsies- What she said
(beams)