Dreams Change

Chapter 5

"Hey Mush, I'm gonna stay out here for awhile. It's a beautiful night," I told him.

"Sure thing. Want me ta let the others know?"

"If they ask." He nodded and proceeded to go inside, leaving me to the silence of the night. I let out a content sigh before lying down on the porch. (K so I don't actually know what the Newsies Lodge looks like cause I've only seen the movie once and skipped through half of it because I didn't like it ahaha, so I'm making this up) I glanced up at the beautiful starry sky, and breathed in the fresh air.

I was a Newsie and proud to be one, but I couldn't help but wonder if there was something else I was meant to do. Something that called to me. It wasn't that I dissatisfied with my life, I could never be with the amazing people I had in it, but sometimes I felt like Jack. Santa Fe was his dream, and I had yet to discover mine. All I knew was that I couldn't be a Newsie my whole life.

I was torn out of my thoughts as I heard the Lodge door creak open. I looked over to see Albert step out.

"Hey Alby," I said. He wandered over to me, copying my actions and laying down.

"Hi." It was quiet, but it wasn't awkward. It had never been like that with Albert. Ever since I had met him we were comfortable to just sit. Sometimes we used the silence to communicate with each other. It was... nice.

I thought back to my first day as a Newsie. Albert had been the one to offer to show me the ropes and seeing as I didn't have anyone else that I knew well, I followed him, soaking in all the information he gave me. Ever since that day we had been two peas in a pod. We'd never been as close as Race and I, but Race was my brother.

"Do you remember the first day I sold papes?" I questioned.

"Course. You were like my puppy," Albert said, a smile in his voice. "That was a good day."

"Yeah it was," I agreed. "That was the day I first soaked Morris. My fist hurt so bad after that." Albert gave a laugh.

"I remember that. Specs had to bandage it for ya afta. I was shocked when ya hit him."

"You were shocked? You should ave seen me!" The two of us chuckled.

"Ya remember the day Jack got Race out of the Refuge?"

"How could I forget. I couldn't stop smiling when I saw him."

"You kissed Jack, you were so happy."

"On the cheek!" I protested.

"Still kissed im," Albert grinned. I bit my tongue to hold back the statement that wanted to slip from my lips. 'You would have been equally happy had Jack gotten ya little sista outta there.' Albert hated talking about his younger sister. It had taken three years of our friendship before he had even told me he'd had a younger sister. It had been even longer before he told me what had happened. I didn't even know if Race knew.

It was a sad story. Albert had become a Newsie when he was nine to support the two of them. Ida, his sister who was eight years younger than him, stayed with Miss. Medda at the theater. She had followed him one day while he was selling and had been caught by Snider and taken to the Refuge. Albert didn't even have time to try and save her. Jack and numerous other Newsies had attempted to get her out, but the conditions were too awful and she ended up dying within three weeks of her capture. Albert still blamed himself for it, no matter what I tried to tell him. By now I had given up. It was one of the reasons he was so hard to get close to. 

"Yous thinking about her, aren't ya?" Albert whispered to me. I turned to look at him. He was gazing intently up at the sky, a contemplative look on his face. I couldn't help noticing how handsome he truly was. His sky blue eyes and ginger hair gave him an approachable look, but his strong jawline and well-built body showed the strength that he possessed behind his charismatic demeanor. I blinked, snapping myself out of my thoughts. Now was not the time to be admiring my best friend.

"Yeah," I whispered back. "Do ya miss her?"

"I've never stopped."

"Does anything ever make it betta?"

He opened his mouth with a quick reply, but closed it and settled with, "being around you guys does. Yous are mi family." I wondered about what he had first meant to say, but I didn't ask.

"We'll always be here," I said, moving closer to him and dropping my head onto his shoulder. He carefully wrapped an arm around me, holding me against him. My heart picked up speed and I felt myself flush, thankful for the darkness that covered it. What was wrong with me? Albert was my best friend and nothing more. So why was my heart determined to tell me something different?

"I hope so," I heard him whisper. I closed my eyes, drinking in the moment of just me, Albert, and the silent night streets of New York. It was over too soon though.

"We should probably be heading back inside," I said. I slid out of his hold and sat up. He jumped up before me and held out a hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. We walked back inside in silence, but it was shattered when a high-pitched shriek rippled through the air.

"What was that?" Albert asked. I broke into a fit of laughter at my brother's scream, clutching my sides. "I take it that this was your doing?" I managed to nod.

"Wish I'd been there to see it," I finally got out. The two of us ran through the Lodge, stopping when we reached Albert, Race, Henry, and Jojo's door. Jojo was leaned over, laughing at my brother who was standing in the middle of the room, soaked from head-to-toe, dripping water all over the floor. I erupted into a fit of giggles when I saw him. He spun around and glared at me.

"I'spose this is payback for yesterday," he stated through gritted teeth.

"You bet," I laughed. Even his cigar was wet. Before I could evade him, he ran up to me and pulled me into a tight hug, wetting my front half. I gave a yelp of surprise and tried to pull out of the hug, shrieking as the cold water hit my skin.

"Anthony Higgins, you let me go now!" I yelled, squirming in his arms. Eventually he released me, but the damage had been done. "Thanks a lot."

He grinned. "Anytime, kid."