Blink's Girl (A Newsie Fanfiction)

Chapter 21

My heart is breaking. Blink has no idea what's going on, so I can't be upset about this. Not now. I smile and kiss his cheek and a few boys whistle. Everyone laughs. Mush can see right through my smile. He raises his eyebrows and has a concerned look in his eyes. I shake my head slightly as in 'I can't handle this'. He nods ever so slightly before speaking up.

"Hey Blink, I'm gonna borrow your goil for a lil bit. I think we'se both a lil sick of da gamblin'."

"Uhh okaaay." Blink raises an eyebrow and looks down at me. "I love you" he kisses my forehead.

"So does Jack." I mumble so nobody can hear me.

"What?"

"Nothin'"

"No, you said somethin'. Everythin' okay?"

"Y-yea I'm fine. I'll see you later." I say as I climb off his lap and walk over to Mush. We make our way upstairs. He sits on his bunk and I sit across from him, on Blink's. He doesn't wait to start talking.

"So what happened? Wit Jack I means- Blink told ev'ryone about what 'appened wit youse." He winks and chuckles slightly. I roll my eyes but can't help but blush.

"Well-"

"Welllll"

"Oh Mush!" I sob into my hands. I tell him everything that happened with Jack and sobs rack my body as I tell him I kissed Jack.

"I'm a horrible person!" I cry. Mush moves over next to me and pats my back.

"No, youse ain't. It's gonna be okay. Just- maybe- tell Blink what happened?"

"H-h-he'll hate me though-"

"No he won't. He loves ya. Don't worry about it. It'll be worse if ya don't tell 'im."

"Are- are you sua?"

"I'm sua. In case ya haven't noticed, I have experience in dis area." He smiles at me and continues to rub my back reassuringly.

Mush goes back over to his bead in case someone comes up the stairs.

"-and then I said I'd help 'im find anodda goil, and he said he don't want no odda goil." I finish, taking a deep breath.

"I saw 'im cryin' while we was in da gamblin' room. Dat's when I got all upset."

"Jack cried?" He barely whispers as I nod slowly. "It takes a lot foa 'im ta cry. Nevamind. Tell Blink what 'appened. I think it'd be betta dat way."

"Alright." I say slowly after a long pause. "Thanks Mush."

"No prob'em."

We go back downstairs to find everyone the way we left them. Except Race has a much bigger pile of winnings, and everyone else has a much smaller one. I look over to Mush and bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing at the sight. Race has a huge smile plastered to his face and everyone else looks defeated and annoyed.

Mush runs right over and sits back down. I stand, leaning against the doorframe, watching the boys, smiling lightly. My father used to tell me about them. He used to say 'they're so happy they don't realize how miserable they are.' He never said it, but I knew what he thought of them. He thought they were pathetic, and couldn't fend for themselves. I guess I believed him, because I didn't know better. But now, looking at these boys smiling and laughing, I know my father was wrong. They are happy, but they aren't miserable. They can certainly fend for themselves, and are some of the bravest men in New York. These boys are stronger than any rich man ever alive. I just- don't know who's brave enough to handle me. I'm a mess. My smile fades the more I think about it.

Lost in thought, I don't hear someone come up behind me. The person walks right into me, causing me to stumble, almost hitting the ground. He grabs my hand before I hit the floor.

"Oof!" Uh- thanks." I mumble idiotically. Blink turns around as he hears my ungrateful fall.

"Sorry Miss! I'm such a clutz. My apologies."

"It's fine- really. And Miss? I take it you aren't a newsie?" I look up at the tall boy.

"Well," he puts his hand on his neck "I used to be, but my father made me go back to school once he got his job back. Oh, by the way, the name's David. David Jacobs. And you are?"

"Abby. Abby Roosevelt." I smile and extend my hand and he slowly reaches out to shake it, wide eyed and open mouthed.

Blink gets up and walks over. He slings an arm around my shoulder.

"Is- is she really.. Ya know..?" David manages.

"Yep. But she's mine. Back off Davey!" He laughs and winks at me.

"Davey! How ya been!?" Blink spits in his hand and extends it. Davey spits in his hand and they shake. Ew. I take a small step back. All the boys in the room laugh.

"Youse all are nasty!" I laugh. Blink hugs me close, and I pull away. I kiss his cheek and back away as all the boys go to greet Davey.

After a bit, they greetings stop.

"I just came ta tell ya a few things. First- Spot Conlon looking for Abby. Said something about seeing you getting beat up and wondering if you were okay. And second- uh- Jack's outside. Crying. You may want to check on him.. Well, I should get going. I just stopped by on my way home from school."

The boys say goodbye and David leaves.

"He's nice." I say to Blink. He nods.

"I should go check on Jack. Wonder what's wron-" Mush is looking at me motioning to Blink and upstairs. I nod amd swallow.

"Hey Blink? We gotta talk. Upstairs. Like- now."

"Everythin' okay?"

"N-not really." I swallow again, fearing I might cry.

"Alright. Let's go."

"So,when we was up hea earlier, and Jack whispered in ma ear, he said to meet 'im lata. That's whea I went when ya went downstais. Jack- told me he loved me, and den, he kissed me." I start crying again, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Well- I means, did youse kiss 'im back?" I noda little.

"Do youse, like him?" I shake my head.

"Ya sua?" I nod.

"I-I-I told ya. I d-d-don't love anyone b-but youse." I'm sobbing now, and Blink sits me down on his bed. He sits next to me and hugs me tight, pulling me into his lap and kissing the top of my head.

"It's okay."

"N-no it's not Blink!" I cry.

"Shhh. It's honestly okay. It ain't your fault."

It takes a while for me to calm down, but once I do, I tell Blink the whole story. Everything that went down while I was with Jack, and everything after. I told him about talking to Mush, and what he told me.

"It's okay." He tells me, still holding me and stroking my hair.

"It really is okay."

A/N so this update is longer than usual, because I've been away and haven't updated in a few days. I just watched Newsies for the first time in a few months, and became obsessed all over again XD. So since that happened, I'm adding a bunch of characters into the story, even if they won't be important. I added Davey and I'm adding spot, so let me know who you want added. Don't forget about my cover contest!! Thanks newsiessiezedmyday for being the only one to say they'd try <3 :)