DISCLAIMER: Newsies is owned by Disney. Not us. *sigh* All OCs are ours, though.
Chapter Six: Jealousy
Mush had been getting dragged into Lucky's schemes for as long as he could remember. Ever since the third grade when she'd forced him to help her get revenge on Dylan Mark Chadley [1] after he'd spit on her brand new shoes. So he wasn't exactly a stranger to her numerous plots.
She'd been especially plotting since Oscar had finally, after their third date, asked her to officially be his girlfriend almost a month ago.
Her plan: to get Songbird back in the dating scene. Or at least get her a good make out session.
She had tried to start by hinting at it subtly, "Faye, you haven't dated anyone since Skittery. You're going to go to the mall with Mushee and I, and we're going to find you a boyfriend!"
Mush sighed. So maybe she hadn't been... that subtle about it.
Songbird rolled her eyes, "As much as I'd love to," she said, her sarcasm palpable through the air, "I can't. Bum was going to help me study for Spanish."
Lucky returned the eye roll. "Cancel!" she said impatiently, "You need to get a boyfriend-I mean it's been like six months since your last one-and always mooning around over-"
Mush slapped his hand over Lucky's mouth, but it was too late. The damage had been done.
"What?" Songbird asked, suddenly incredibly pale. Then, suddenly angry, she snapped, "Where's Jack?"
Mush wasn't sure why she'd trusted Jack with that crucial information anyways. Cowboy hadn't lasted a day before sharing her infatuation with David, who had, after much badgering on Lucky's part, told her and Specs about it. Lucky had wasted no time in informing himself, and Blink who had been around at the time, and he'd overheard Specs mentioning it to Dutchy later at their apartment. In short, within three days, everyone except, of course Bumlets, who was one of the two subjects of the gossip, Racetrack, and Itey, who simply no one thought to tell, knew about Songbird's crush.
Lucky grinned guiltily, "He's working today... So, mall?"
Songbird pressed her lips together into a thin line, then fled over to where Bumlets had been waiting for Songbird to finish talking so they could walk back to Songbird's apartment and study.
Minutes later she returned, Bumlets in tow. "Heard you guys are finding Songbird here," he casually draped an arm around her shoulders. The action made Songbird blush, Lucky try, unsuccessfully, to hide a broad smile, and Mush groan inwardly—Bumlets really wasn't helping Songbird's crush by doing that, "a new boyfriend. Mind if I come?"
They couldn't exactly say no without sounding suspicious, and, at any rate, Mush figured that if anyone could find a guy that Songbird might like, it would probably be Bumlets.
"What about Racetrack?" Lucky piped up, "If you don't have to tutor this one," she playfully nudged Songbird with her elbow, who retaliated with a gentle swat to the back of the head, "Don't you want to hang out with your boyfriend?" She asked, nodding towards the kitchen where Racetrack was flipping a burger.
Bumlets followed her gaze, and studied Racetrack's form, a soft smile playing across his lips as he took in his boyfriend, and even took a half a step towards him, before stopping himself, and slumping his shoulders a bit, and mumbled something.
"What was that?" Mush asked curiously.
Bumlets sighed, "Medda says that if we don't stop distracting each other she'll make sure we always have different shifts and ban us from the restaurant except for during work..."
Mush almost choked. Lucky and Mush threw around a few other excuses, but in the end, they were unsuccessful, and they all wound up crammed into Mush's tiny Prius-his father's guilt-present for making it to college-and driving to the mall.
"So where's the best place for boy shopping?" Lucky asked brightly when they finally made it into the building.
Songbird shrugged, and Bumlets shook his head. Mush was one who finally suggested they head to the food court where they get the chance to see most of the boys, and be able to get lunch at the same time.
Lucky wasted no time in finding boys. "That one's cute," she whispered to Songbird excitedly, pointing to a tall, pale, blonde haired, blue eyed boy who was passing by, eyeing the girls with interest. Mush studied the boy appreciatively. He was certainly good looking, and reminded Mush of someone he knew, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Bumlets almost burst out laughing, "He looks like Blink without the eye patch... I don't think Songbird wants to be dating a guy who looks like her brother!" That explained it. Mush smiled at the thought of his boyfriend, and studied the boy again. He was taller and paler than Blink, and his face was a bit more round, but they did still look very similar.
Songbird, who had been returning the boy's flirty looks, suddenly made a face of disgust, and turned away from him. Mush could've laughed at the boy's disappointed look as he made his way towards the exit. Lucky pouted, and began scouting again.
Mush was the one to find the next candidate, "What about him?" The man was about average height, smaller than Mush, but not Bumlets. He was very tan, with dark green eyes, and dark brown curls. He stood in line for pizza not too far away from the four friends' table, and had already glanced over at Faye more than once. He wasn't, Mush thought, as attractive as Blink. Or Bumlets, for that matter, but still. The man certainly had his strong points.
Songbird seemed to study him for a moment, and the next time he glanced over, she caught his eye, and sent him a flirty smile. The man returned it without hesitation, although his eyes lingered nervously on the two boys who sat at the table. Mush realized, after wondering about it for a bit, that the man was worried that one of them was dating her. Lucky didn't seem to notice this, and she gave a triumphant grin.
When the man got his food, he headed over to them. Songbird smiled her flirty smile again as he approached. "I'm Faye," she said when he paused in front of them.
"Charlie," the man squeaked-yes squeaked-out. Mush bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. Lucky hid her giggle behind her hand. Songbird looked thunderstruck. Bumlets didn't even bother to hide it, as he let out a sharp bark of laughter. The man looked embarrassed.
Lucky looked gave him an abashed look, and nudged Songbird, who gave her a look that plainly said 'I'm not kissing a guy who sounds like that'.
Bumlets was smiling, "I think you can leave," he said, a little smugly.
The man fled, cheeks burning with humiliation.
"Awwww, I feel kind of bad," Lucky sighed.
Mush nodded, then gave Bumlets a reproving look, "That wasn't very nice..."
Bumlets shrugged, "We want Songbird to have a boyfriend who's good for her, right? As in a guy who's not the owner of an embarrassingly high voice. I was just looking out for her. Besides, it would've hurt more if Songbird was the one who'd turned him down."
Mush looked over at Songbird, who still seemed to be frozen. Lucky followed his gaze, then leaned across the table, and poked her.
Songbird didn't react.
Lucky giggled, and did it again. And again. When she went to do it for the fourth time, however, Songbird stopped her, "That's annoying," she said cordially, her tone contrasting the harsh look she was shooting at her best friend. Lucky flashed her an innocent grin and retracted her hand, looking around the food court once again.
After about half an hour of 'boy shopping', as Lucky called it, at the Food Court, they were no closer to getting Songbird a date than they had been when they started. Lucky was pouting, though Songbird seemed indifferent. "Let's try walking around!" Lucky finally decided, and jumped up, linked arms with Songbird, and dragged the smaller girl off in the general direction of the arcade.
It was a long and grueling process, and Mush had been beginning to regret ever agreeing to Lucky's idea at all, but eventually it all payed off.
Ironically it had been the moment they'd stopped looking. After hours of wandering from place to place, with Lucky every other minute or so pushing Songbird towards this boy or that one, they'd all been tired. Even Lucky had eventually slumped her shoulders and admitted defeat. "I never knew there could be so many unsatisfactory boys at the mall!" she'd pouted as they'd all began to walk back to the car, "I'm sorry Faye!" she'd whined, turning around and walking backwards so she could face Songbird. And then she'd spotted the "most adorable" pair of shoes (and Mush couldn't argue with that; although, considering they were sandals and it was due to start snowing next month, they weren't very practical) and had dragged the boys over to look at them. Songbird had been trailing behind and therefore the farthest away, which meant that she had been safe from Lucky's death grip, and she had kept walking. And then she ran into him.
No, really, she quite literally walked right into the guy. Mush wasn't positive what they were saying, but by the time he and the other two had caught up to Songbird, the boy she'd run into had already helped her up, and they were both talking.
Bumlets, of course, had wanted to go over straight away to 'check this guy out' and make sure he was up to Songbird's lofty standards. Lucky, thankfully, had other ideas. She dragged the two boys out of the mall, sending Songbird a wink as she did, and once they arrived at the car, she sent Songbird a quick text telling her to meet them at the car once she was done 'chatting up the hottie'. And, considering the fact that ten minutes later they were still waiting, Mush figured that it had probably gone pretty well.
"She's back!" Lucky said excitedly, jumping out of the car and attacking her friend, "How was it?"
Songbird was a little flushed, but Mush knew that could have easily been from the cold, as she said, "It was fine! Abbs, you're acting like I've never talked to a boy before." She lightly shoved lucky away from her, and slid into the car as she continued, "I have. Lots of them."
"I know!" Lucky pouted, as she joined Songbird in the back seat, "But this is the guy who'll help you get over-"
Songbird hastily leaned over and covered Lucky's mouth, eyeing the two boys fearfully, more Bumlets than him, Mush noted. "Shut up! Not everyone needs to know who I like!" she said, almost blushing.
Bumlets turned back to face the girls, "Wait, you like someone?" he asked, his dark eyes studying Songbird's face searchingly. "Who?"
"If I wanted you to know, I would have told you!" Songbird snapped, leaning back into the seat and folding into herself. "Mush, can we just go? I want to get home as soon as possible."
"I'm on it," Mush said.
"But wait!" Lucky said, bouncing up and down in her seat, "The guy! Did you get his name? Number? A date!"
"None of the above," Songbird said lazily.
"What?" Lucky asked, heartbroken, "B-b-b-but... but..."
Songbird rolled her eyes, "Using another guy to get over someone might work for you Abby," she said pointedly, making Lucky's face turn red, "but I don't think it would help me any... Not in this case..."
There was a beat of silence, then Lucky pouted, "I'm not using Oscar," she mumbled.
"Yeah? Then why are you..." And Mush, rather than listening to the start of yet another argument between the girls, simply caught Bumlets' eye. They shared a look of amusement, and Mush noticed how much more relaxed the older boy had become after hearing Songbird's words.
Today's shift had started to wind down for the night, and Bumlets could finally catch his breath. He had been running around all night from table to table, and he was starting to get tired.
Finally, his second-to-last table was empty and he cleared the dishes. He left them next to Snitch (Blink, Snipeshooter, and Spot had left for the night, and Snitch and Bumlets were closing) and ventured out into the restaurant and pulled up a chair at his last table.
"Hey Dutch. Specs," he said to the blond and his boyfriend, who was currently engrossed in a large book, "what can I get for you?"
Dutchy chuckled. "Isn't this a little... Improper?"
Bumlets looked at him with feigned shock. "Don't you enjoy my company? I'm hurt, Dutchy!"
"Yeah, yeah," he replied casually, grabbing a menu. He flipped through it once and sighed.
"Your usual?" Bumlets asked.
"Yup. I'll be right back. I'm going to talk to Swifty," Dutchy said as he got up and kissed Specs, who responded without looking up from his book. Bumlets was truly happy that he found Specs and that they were still going strong. Bumlets was impressed that Specs was able to keep his focus on the book with Dutchy anywhere near him. Despite the fact that he was his ex, and that he didn't have any strong, romantic feelings for him anymore, Bumlets couldn't help but notice that Dutchy was adorable. And if he thought that Dutchy was adorable, then Specs was hot. And would be fun to flirt with. I never claimed to be deep, he thought with a laugh.
He watched as Dutchy wandered into the kitchen. "Hey, Specs, how about you?"
Specs looked up. "Huh?"
Bumlets chuckled. "What can I get you? Pizza? Pasta? Bread?"
He smiled, "Oh, I don't know. What do you recommend?"
Bumlets appeared to be deep in thought. "Let me see." He slid onto the booth and reached behind Specs's shoulder to grab the menu. He opened it in front of him and kept his arm over his shoulder. Specs gave him a "What the hell are you doing?" look, which Bumlets ignored. He opened it and scanned the page, "You know, everything here is absolutely delicious." He turned his head and saw Specs blush slightly. "See anything you like?"
Specs returned his gaze. "I just might."
By the time Dutchy came out of the kitchen, the two boys at the table were acting like they were the ones on a date. Bumlets still had his arm around Specs, and Specs had put the book down on the table. They were both laughing, and neither one of them noticed when Dutchy came back to the table. His demeanor was relaxed, and a smile was on his face, but his eyes flashed with anger. "Don't you two look comfy?"
They looked up at Dutchy. Specs looked guilty, but Bumlets just shrugged. "You've got yourself quite a boyfriend, Dutch," he said with a smile to said boyfriend.
"Yes, and so do you," Dutchy reminded.
Specs mumbled under his breath, "Yeah, and evidently someone else is af-" He was cut off by Dutchy's glare.
Bumlets looked at them suspiciously and finally removed his arm from the brunet, but made no move to leave the booth. Dutchy sat down across from them as Specs reached for his hand and squeezed it. He let him take it, but he didn't squeeze back like he usually did.
Bumlets, still smiling, stood up. "I'll be right back, okay?" he said as he headed back into the kitchen. He really didn't want to come in between those two, but sometimes... Well, it was fun to flirt. He understood why Songbird did it so much.
He dropped off the orders with Swifty and got himself a soda. Medda was adamant with her soda service- they had to be served in the old-fashioned glass soda bottles. It was another thing that made Tibby's unique.
He turned back to face the two boys at the table. Dutchy wasn't looking pleased with the situation he was in, until Specs took his face in his hands and kissed his nose sweetly. Despite his efforts to stay angry at his boyfriend, Dutchy smiled and pulled Specs into a hug over the table. They were so... perfect for each other. They fit together. One was hyper and imaginative, and the other was calm and a bit of a realist. And both were horny as hell, he assumed, or extremely in love due to the fact that they were always making out in public, blissfully lost in their own little world. Actually, it was probably a little bit of both.
Bumlets sighed. He would love to be like them. Sure, he was attracted to his boyfriend, but was it love? Or lust? He didn't really know. He didn't want to delude himself into thinking that they were like Dutchy and Specs, but he hoped that he and Race could find that.
He was broken out of his thoughts by the clattering of silverware on the floor that echoed throughout the empty restaurant. Bumlets turned around, saw Dutchy and Specs spring apart, and quickly pick up the silverware. Bumlets couldn't help it, and he started to laugh. They looked at him, Specs joining with him, and Dutchy still a little uneasy.
"Oh, relax, Dutch. I was just bored. It didn't mean a thing."
As if to prove this point, Specs pulled Dutchy close to him, stood on his toes, and pressed his lips to his temple.
The two boyfriends sat down and began to whisper to each other with goofy grins on their face. "Order up!" Swifty yelled from the kitchen. Bumlets ran the dishes to the boys and headed to the changing room. It'd been an interesting day.
He cleaned up and, as he got into his car, decided to pay Race a visit.
The next day, David was working the evening shift, and Jack was at the bar with Skittery.
Around eight o'clock, Songbird came into the restaurant, which was unusual, because Tuesday was her day off.
"Jack! What the fuck?" Songbird can up from behind and grabbed Jack by his shirt collar. David had to admit that, despite her size, she was intimidating when she was mad. And to say that she was mad would be the understatement of the millennium.
Now, Jack was a pretty strong guy (he couldn't help but notice), and it was shocking to see a girl of Songbird's size push him up against the wall and hold him there. Jack, however, was completely unfazed by her anger.
"Did you rethink my offer?" he asked with a confident smirk on his face.
Even though the restaurant was packed, the other employees gathered around to hear her retaliate. Their arguments were frequent and exaggerated, and provided them with entertainment. However, this time Songbird was silent. She released Jack's shirt and took a step back. She looked at the floor, and everyone else stood there, completely shocked that the two acquaintances weren't yelling at each other.
Songbird finally looked up with rosy cheeks and watery eyes. "God damn it, Jack. You said you wouldn't say anything." She stared at him, her eyes widening with her growing tears. Jack's smile faltered slightly, and he laughed quietly, as if he expected her to stop and say, "Ha! Just kidding!"
"Songbird," he said finally, "I only told Davey!" David paled. Of course Jack would put the blame on someone else. He could handle someone verbally, and even physically attacking him, but if they brought their emotions in, he'd get away as fast as possible. No wonder he and Sarah fought so much. "If he told someone, I can't be held accountable!"
Songbird turned to him. "David?"
He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but no sound came out. She waited patiently for him to deny it, but he couldn't. "I- I might have told a couple people," he finally choked out.
Tears fell down Songbird's cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away. Then she laughed. "They don't call you the Walking Mouth for nothing, huh?" She immediately stopped crying. "That was easier than I thought."
"Oh, fuck!" Jack exclaimed.
Crap. David forgot how manipulative and cruel, she could be.
"Thank you, Jack," she said. "And you too, Davey," she spat, and walked out of the restaurant.
"Davey, who'd you tell?"
"I only told Abby and Specs, but that was because she wouldn't let it go! She knew Songbird liked someone, and it just slipped out that I knew."
"Nice going, Davey," Jack said as he walked toward the now-empty bar.
Crappity crap crap crap.
Skittery walked out from behind the bar and followed her out. This time Bumlets wasn't there, and he took the opportunity to talk to Songbird. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say, but he knew he didn't want her to continue to avoid him anymore. He found her fumbling with her keys at her car door, stony-faced and hands shaking. "Fuck!" she hissed as she dropped her keys and smacked the car door.
"Songbird? Are you okay?" he asked as he knelt to pick up the keys.
"I'm fine, Henry," she snapped, snatching the keys out of his hands and making a point to turn away from him.
"I'm sorry that happened," he offered.
"Stop it, Skittery. You have nothing to be sorry about. Now please leave me alone."
"I do. I'm sorry Jack can be such an ass to you."
"Well, he's Jack. I shouldn't have expected anything else of him, but David..."
"I guess that kind of hurt, huh?" She just stared at him for a moment, searching his face for... Something.
"Damn it, Skitts," she said, using her old nickname for him, "why are you being so friendly and understanding? I've been- I am nothing but a bitch to you. Why do you care? Shouldn't you be happy that I'm finally getting pay back?" Her voice rose slightly.
"Because I know what it's like."
She glared at him. "Oh really? You've had a crush on your best friend's boyfriend? Well, in your case, girlfriend? Who just so happens to be gay?"
"Not exactly."
She scoffed. "Talk to me when it hap-"
"But I do know what it's like to like someone who doesn't feel the same way, and when someone you trust goes and... Well, it doesn't matter now."
She looked away guiltily. "So you're here, why? Out of pity?"
"No! Faye! I'm here because you need someone to talk to!" he yelled.
"Fine," she said as she clapped her hands, "Let's talk! Because that's going to solve all of our problems!"
Skittery scoffed and shook his head. "Same old Faye. You're always so... negative! And coming from me, that actually means a lot."
"Why, thank you! I try, you know!"
"I'm glad you feel that way, because-"
"As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I really need to get home!" She dropped her keys again, and picked them up with shaky hands. "If Race heard anything, I've-" Skittery grabbed her hands.
"Let me drive you home."
"Skitts?" she whispered, "I don't think that's-"
"It's okay, Faye," he replied as he took her keys and unlocked the car door. He muttered under his breath, "She always has to be so difficult, doesn't she?" They got into the car and began their drive. A silence descended over the car; at first it was awkward, but then it lapsed into a familiar, almost comfortable one.
As they approached her apartment, she mumbled something inaudibly, and Skittery made a questioning noise. "How are you going to get home?" she asked quietly.
Oh shit. "Uh... I'll walk?"
"Skitts, come on. You can't walk! It's late." He glanced over at her and saw a flicker of concern in her face. He wasn't entirely sure what to say.
"Well, what should I do?"
"I can sleep on the couch if you want to sleep on my bed..." she said hesitantly.
"Umm... Faye, are you sure? I mean, a couple weeks ago you weren't talking to me, and now-"
She cut him off with a loud laugh. "I'm sure, Skitts. It's okay," she chuckled as they pulled into her parking space. She grabbed the keys and ran to the apartment door. Skittery followed her inside uneasily, and he jumped slightly when the door shut behind them, leaving the apartment in total darkness. "Blink's probably at Mush's, and Race'll be with his bo- Bumlets," she flicked on a light switch. Skittery sat awkwardly on the couch as Faye went into the kitchen. "Do you want some?" She held up a box of goldfish.
"Huh?" Skittery swallowed. She stared at him expectantly. "Oh. Sure. Thanks." He began to relax as she joined him on the couch and leaned against him slightly, her head on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry Skitts. I really didn't mean to freak out, you know..." He turned toward her and surprised them both by pulling her into a hug.
"I didn't mean to freak out. When you told me that you loved me. I just..." she paused, then laughed a little, "Since I'm so good at them, I think I owe you an apology. I'm sorry, Skitts."
They both relaxed and Skittery replied, "It's fine, Faye."
"No it isn't. I never gave you a reason. Hell, I never officially broke up with you. And now you're here and being so incredibly... You, for lack of a better phrase. You deserve an explanation." She closed her eyes and hugged him back. "Morris... When we were dating, he..."
Skittery listened to her tell her story, and started to piece together why she had reacted the way she did.
"...He left so quickly the next morning and... The next time I saw him, he had his arms around another girl, and then he started being an ass to my brother. I'll never forget that feeling. I honestly don't know what I saw in him..." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, when you sa-"
"And when I said it for the first time, it was right before we were going to..."
"Yeah. And you being kind of drunk didn't help much either."
He scoffed. "I was a responsible guy, wasn't I?"
She laughed. "That's what I miss, Skitts." He looked at her like she was insane, and she laughed again. "Not your drunkenness. I miss your sense of humor, and... You." He must have looked doubtful, because she added, "Really. I do miss you." She looked up at him and leaned forward slightly as he did. Their lips met in a sweet reunion, and it quickly deepen as they moved automatically, both responding to the familiarity that was missing for so long.
In a clash of lips, teeth, and tongues, they lead each other over to the bed, and Faye begin to pull his shirt off. Then, she pushed him away and sank onto the bed. "I can't do this, Skitts." He sat down next to her. "You and me," she continued, "I miss it, but... God damn it!" She hugged her knees to her chest. "Why are emotions and lo- And relationships so damn complicated?"
Skittery cupped her chin gently and whispered, "They don't have to be." He softly pressed his lips to hers in a chaste but loving kiss. She relaxed and lay down on the bed and pulled Skittery next to her. She took his hand and smiled.
AUTHORS' NOTE
S: YAY! It's done! Cliffhanger (sort of)! I'm so proud!
C: I blame the month of November for the long wait. =P
S: It was finished and posted on Ivan Dudynsky's birthday! DUTCHY! I'm really hyper...
C: Oh my goodness. That just sort of made my day... HAPPY BIRTHDAY IVAN!
S: Hmm... I know there was something I wanted to say... But I can't remember, so I'll just ask for you to please leave us a review!
C: Yes! Please do! See, we even said please, so now you have to!
S: For Ivan's birthday? Please? Oh! I remember now! [1] We just couldn't resist this reference. Also, I, at least, am not very good at coming up with names very quickly, so... We used that. If you got the reference, we'll love you forever! :D