Ok guys. I know you've all been waiting so I'm trying to hurry this along as quickly as possible without doing badly on the new additions. Hope ya'll enjoy this chapter. R&R!
Chapter 8: The Last Stand
"ALL ABOARD!" I heard the conductor yell, indicating it was time for the three of us to board the train. I was beginning to proceed onto the train when I realized that Jack and Michael were nowhere to be found.
"Jack? Michael! It's time to go!" I yelled, hoping they'd hear me over the noise of the crowd surrounding me. But no luck. I continued to look in the crowd as I made my way to the outer edge, where I then saw the two boys I was searching for. I started to approach when Michael looked to me and shook his head, indicating for me to wait right there.
He and Jack looked very serious. "They've been talking for a while." I thought to myself, realizing how long they'd been away from me.
Michael then turned towards me and began to walk closer to me. "Ready to go?" he said with a smile.
"What'd you tell him?" I muttered.
"Nothing. Let's just get on the train ok? I was just giving him my brotherly duty talk about how he better treat you right." My brother smiled once more and headed to board the train. "I'll save the seats." And with that he disappeared into the crowd.
For a moment, I believed him. But when I turned to face Jack, his head was hung, and his hands in his hair as if he was stressed or sad.
He then noticed that I was approaching and looked up at me. "Ready to go babe?" he asked, putting on a smile.
"Ye.." I started. "Wait a second. I know that look better than anyone." As I looked into his eyes, I saw a sad look of sympathy as he faked a smile. "He told you didn't he?" My teeth were clenched and my stare was hard.
"Liz. Please don't be mad he did. He just thought I should know what I was getting' myself into before I came with you guys. That's all."
"I don't care." I said, staring into the windows of the train in search for Michael. "He should've let me tell you. It wasn't his place. It's my life, my friends, my boyfriend. I should've been the one to tell you if I wanted it known. And this is the reason I didn't want anyone to know!" I said pointing into his eyes. "That look right there. I got so sick of it at home. I didn't want it here. Who knows who else he told. I can't believe him!" I clenched my fists in anger as Jack pulled me close, trying to drown my feelings in his embrace. It wasn't going to work. "Stop. I'm too mad right now. I know what you're trying to do but stop. All I want you to do is get that look off your face that screams how badly you feel for me. I don't want to see it." And with that, I boarded the train, with Jack slowly behind. When I found my brother, I sat on the opposite seat, not making eye contact with him. I simply looked out the window and watched my new home slowly roll away.
FLASHBACK
"You've gotta go. It's the only way you'll be safe. I won't let you stay here. Not while it's like this. Liz you gotta go. Please. For me." he pleaded while I sat in protest on my bed.
"NO! I won't leave you alone. I won't. You can't make me." I screamed, tears beginning to fill my worried and frightened green eyes.
"Liz. You need to go now." He pulled my suitcase that he'd packed for me from under the bed and sat it in my lap. "Go." he said.
I smiled shakily and jumped into his arms, hugging him and taking in everything about his touch and scent before I pulled away, now crying.
He pulled out a long silver chain with a key attached to it and put it around my neck. It was the key to his window. "As long as you have this, I'll be with you. You'll be home." he smiled and hugged me once more.
Heavy footsteps made themselves known as they came closer up the 32-step staircase.
"Hurry! Go!" he said, pushing me toward the window.
I kissed his cheek and climbed down and fell into the grass below, tears flowing down my cheeks. I looked into his eyes one last time before turning and running for my life to the train station.
END
"Liz? You ok babe?" I heard Jack's gentle voice say, his hand on my knee.
I simply nodded my head and smiled.
"ATTENTION PASSENGERS. WE WILL BE ARRIVING AT THE OPELIKA TRAIN STATION IN APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES."
I looked out the window to see green pastures and cows everywhere. I was home.
When we got to the station and got off, I saw a familiar boy, roughly the age of my brother, sitting waiting for us in a black car (A/N: I know cars were invited in the time of the newsies, but I'm not sure how many people had them. So just go with me if I'm wrong). We all loaded our stuff and selves into the car and began the longest thirty minutes I've ever had to endure.
"So Lizzi, how've you been lately?" the boy said, looking me up and down as he watched me in the rearview mirror.
"Fine." I replied, now very uncomfortable, moving closer to Jack. For I now recognized the boy driving. He used to be a good friend of Michael's before he stopped going places to stay home with me.
Jack obviously picked up on my insecurity and put his arm around me, pulling me close and kissing my forehead.
Now that I felt safe, I dosed off for the remaining minutes of the drive.
"Ok. We're here! Wakey wakey everyone!" the boy said.
Michael and myself had apparently both fallen asleep, but Jack was still wide awake and still holding me close.
He helped me out of the car and grabbed some bags to carry them up to the house.
"You don't have to be on good behavior you know?" I said smiling. "Let me carry something." I said, reaching for one of the bags.
He pulled away, saying, "No. A gentleman doesn't let a lady carry a bag. Ever."
I smiled and looked him in the eyes. But what I saw surprised me. There was a look of worry in his eyes, and in his face.
"Jack, are you ok?" I asked getting close to him.
He switched the bags to his left hand and used his right to wrap around my waist, pulling me right up next to him.
"I will be. But fs now jist stay wit' me ok?" He gave me a small smile and kissed me gently on the lips.
I smiled back and simply responded, "Ok."
Once we'd put all the bags away, I asked Jack to come outside with me. We walked to the back porch and then out into the large backyard. "Come on!" I yelled as I ran away from him, heading toward a large oak tree with a swing hanging from one of its larger limbs.
Once Jack caught up with me he proceeded to sit down into my lap.
"No sir. That's not how this works!" I squealed and pushed him off of me.
He wallowed in the grass, looking at the house. "This place is amazing."
"Isn't it? I love this house. It's always been my dream to come back from wherever I will be in the future and live in this house, raise my family in it, grow old and die in it." I said peacefully.
Jack stood and walked to where he could be closer to me. He bent down and kissed me lovingly, his fingers tangled in my long blond hair.
When he pulled away, I asked, "What was that for?"
He just smiled and said, "You're amazing."
"Thank you. That's sweet. But I'm just me. Nothing special."
A look of disagreement came across his face. "I.."
"Hey guys! We need some stuff from town. Lizzi, how bout you come with me?" the boy said from the porch.
I instantly grabbed Jack's hand and whispered, "Come with me."
He become tense and noticed how uncomfortable I would become around this boy, and immediately agreed. "That guy can't have you all to himself," he whispered into my ear, attempting to cover his seriousness.
I smiled and we walked to the car together.
IN TOWN
"What to get.. What to get." The boy said.
I walked around, grabbing things here and there that I thought we could eat when I noticed the boy eyeing me.
"So Liz, how's it going?" he asked as he walked over to be closer to me.
"Um, good thanks." I said inching over to make some space between the two of us. "Where's Jack?" I thought as I began to look around for him.
"So you still get wild like you used to?" he said huskily, placing his hand on the lower part of the small of my back.
I instantly tensed, moving away once more. But the boy just continued to move closer. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Surely you remember that night I rocked your world. Every other girl does."
"I.."
"Get ya hands off my girlfriend." Jack's tense voice sounded from directly behind us.
The boy jumped back, throwing his hands innocently in the air. "Hey man, you can't blame a guy. But I've already tried that anyways." He said, still eyeing me. "But who says you can't go back for second helpings?"
"Listen," Jack said through clenched teeth. "Touch 'er again, I'll kill ya."
As we went to check out, the older woman looked at me peculiarly. "I thought it was you. You're Michael Desirae's younger sister, Elizabeth. We haven't seen you around lately. How've you been?"
The minute the woman said those words, every eye in the store was on me, and I could see that hated look in every single stare. "I'm fine. Thanks." I said. I looked to Jack for some kind of exit.
"Well, we gotta get back. We got dinnah ta cook." He smiled and we headed out the door. But as soon as I walked away, I heard them whispering.
With that we left and got in the car, heading home. Jack now had his arm around me kissing me and holding my hand, showing the boy how I was his girlfriend and to lay off.
"That's exactly why I didn't want anyone in New York knowing about me." I said quietly as we walked in the door. The boy had run to the back to talk to Michael for a bit.
"Babe, you know we wouldn't treat ya the way they did. I'm suah they didn't mean to hurt ya feelins. It's a big thing though, ya know? Can ya blame 'em?"
"No, because they've seen it. They saw me every day with the bruises and the cuts. But the boys haven't so I'd get the looks without the history to back it up." I looked angrily around, searching for anything to take my mind off of the incident at the store.
"Hey." Jack said snaking his arms around my waist from behind. "Don't worry about it. I, nor Race, nor Spot will tell anyone. It's you'ah decision when and if you tell anyone else." He kissed my neck and then released me. "Time to get cookin'," he said with a smile.
"I've never had so many foods I've never tried at once in my life." Jack said. "That was incredible. Different from Tibby's though." Jack said laughing as he saw me smiling at him.
"Come outside with me. It's such a beautiful night." I whispered as I grabbed his and my plate to take it into the kitchen.
He followed me out onto the porch, closing the door behind him. As soon as it shut, he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight. "You'ah beautiful," he whispered huskily into my ear.
I turned around and faced him with a smile as we made out way out to below the oak tree. "You're sweet." I pushed his hair out of his caring hazel eyes and kissed his cheek. "Your injuries look a lot better." I said touching his bottom lip and other injuries softly.
"It's because you came to take care of me." He smiled and kissed my lips sweetly as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"I don't think so but thank you. Glad I could help." I laughed as he picked me up and swung me around.
"It's so beautiful out tonight." I said looking out into the dark sky lit by billions of stars.
"Sure is."
I smiled as I noticed he wasn't looking at the sky as I was, but at me.
He slowly walked me back against the trunk of the tree and placed his hands on my face, pushing my long blond hair away from it.
"I have something I want to tell you," he said, now looking nervous and confident at the same time.
"Ok." I said. "What is it?"
"Ever since the first time I saw you, I've had this incredible feeling burning for you."
"I felt that too. It was like… an instant connection." I smiled, feeling good that he'd felt it right away as well.
"I know it hasn't been terribly long, only a few months."
"That's ok." I smiled and placed my hand in his, lacing my fingers into his own.
"Elizabeth.."
He never called me that unless he was serious, which made me instantly pay attention.
"I love you."
My heart felt as if it'd jumped into my throat. I was speechless.
"Liz?" he said, looking for some kind of reassurance.
I simply put my hand onto his cheek and kissed him. When I pulled away, there were tears in my eyes.
"Liz! Why are you crying? What's wrong?" His voice was full of concern and worry.
"Nothing." I said, shaking my head and laughing.
"I'm just happy. That's all." I kissed him again, this time putting all my feelings into it to show him I felt the same. But I instantly felt fear. I couldn't tell him I loved him. What if everything happens the way things had happened with my father and mother. I'd loved my mom so much, and then I lost her. Same with my father, only I'd lost him to something else while he still lived. How can I trust myself to feel these emotions that have let me down so badly in the past.
"This is normally the part where you say something back." Jack's voice was shaky and nervous.
"I.." I began. "I.." I tried again.
Jack's hopeful look turned to one of sadness and defeat.
"I'm sorry." I whispered as he rested his forehead against mine. "But I don't love you." As I said these last words, tears began to pool into my eyes. But I pushed them back long enough for Jack to give me a hurt look.
"You need to let the past go Liz," he whispered and walked away.
I collapsed onto the ground, tears now fully coming from my eyes. "It's better this way," I told myself. "This way no one will get hurt in the long run. This is upfront and he now knows he can't be with someone who doesn't love him back." At the thought that I could've just lost Jack, I pulled my knees tight against my chest, crying harder than I'd ever cried before into them. Twenty minutes passed before my mind began to race. "What have I done? What if he leaves? What if he doesn't talk to me again? What if I hurt him too badly? I have to tell him the truth!" I suddenly sprang up, tears still streaming down my face, and ran for the house. "Jack! Where are you! Jack!" I yelled, running through every room in the house until I came to Michael's room, the door open, and him sitting on his bed.
"He's gone," he said.
"Where?"
"The train station. Nick gave him a ride. He told me to tell you goodbye. What happened out there?"
"I've got to run to the station! I can make it in forty five minutes." I began to run out of the room when Michael yelled after me.
"His train leaves in five minutes. You can't get there in time."
I stopped in his doorway, staring at the floor. He was right. I couldn't get there in time. And even if I did, and he didn't return with me, I'd have to ride back alone with Nicholas. Chills ran up and down my spine at the thought of him.
"Liz? What happened?"
"He told me he loved me," I replied softly. "And I couldn't say it back, no matter how badly I wanted to."
"Oh Liz. Don't worry. Just let him blow off some steam. He got rejected at the things of the heart. Naturally he can't look you in the face for two more days. It'll be ok." Michael took me into his embrace and calmed me, for he knew I was about to cry. He pulled me to sit in his lap like he used to when I was little and I'd be upset. And I fell asleep in my brother's arms.
THE NEXT DAY
The sun shined into the room, awaking me from my troubled sleep. I'd waken off and on all night, thinking about how Jack was feeling and how stupid I'd been. I then noticed that I was no longer in the arms of my brother. I stood from the bed and made my way downstairs, smelling the scent of bacon and eggs.
"Good morning!" my brother said cheerfully as I made my way into the kitchen. He had pots and pans out all over the place, with something cooking in each one. "I thought I'd try to make you the most unimaginable breakfast you've ever had since you had such a rough night last night and since I won't be able to tomorrow since we're leaving. Sit down. It's almost ready."
I smiled and looked out the window. "Where'd Nicholas go?" my tone was cold at the mention of his name, but I felt as if I should know.
"Oh he went to town. Something about some girl he wanted to see."
"Make that bang," I muttered.
"What's that?" My brother looked innocently at me.
How could he not know what happened? Even Jack picked up on it. He wouldn't say anything specific to me, but I know he knew. He would get very possessive whenever Nicholas would come around, and he always had his eyes on me if his arm wasn't around me. How could my brother be so blind?
"So I think Nick's taken quite a liking to you. He's mentioned how beautiful you are on more than one occasion. I think he's got a crush."
"Let's not talk about Nick. I'm with Jack. And I'm going to fix things as soon…"
SLAM
My brother and I both jumped as we felt the whole house shake.
"Liz. Go upstairs. Now."
I quickly stood, realizing what was happening and seeing how tense and worried my brother had suddenly become. I ran for the back entrance stairs that the help took to get inside. As I made my way up to my room, I heard the house become deathly silent. Then all at once, it seemed as if the house was going to explode. I heard clanging and shattering. I could hear the pans flying everywhere and my brother's voice yelling, "You won't hurt her! You'll have to kill me first!"
I then heard a massive shatter followed by a loud thud. This indicated that our emergency plan needed to be activated immediately.
I ran into my room, grabbed my already packed suitcase and started to make my way to my brother's room to get his things as well. But before I got to my door, a firm hand grabbed me around my mouth and waist and pulled me into the closet, closing the door.
"We're gonna get wild for old time's sake." I heard a husky voice say against my neck.
I immediately knew who it was. "Nicholas, get off of me or we'll both be killed." I said firmly attempting to push him away and climb out of my closet.
But he placed his hand on my chest and slammed me back to the ground. "I don't think so," he said.
I then realized it was fight time. I began to kick and scream and claw at him, fighting with every ounce of energy to release myself from him. But he had me pinned in a six by six, dark, full closet, which didn't give me much room. He pinned me into the corner, ripping at my clothes. When he got close I bit him hard on the shoulder.
"You…!" before he could finish the door was ripped open, revealing a very drunken father standing before us.
"You little whore. I should've known you'd be doing these things at your age!"
He yanked the two of us out of the closet, hurling me into the door, but not releasing Nicholas.
"Get the Hell out of my house." And with that Nicholas was gone. "And as for you," he said as he stumbled over to me.
"Michael!" I yelled before curling up and doing everything in my power to protect myself. "Where's Jack?"
Not sure how great this chapter was but I hope you enjoyed it enough to continue reading the story. I'll try to update soon. Til then, thanks for reading and please review!