My Ray of Sunshine

Chapter 3

Raya's POV:

It was still dark outside when I woke up. The boys were all still snoring in their beds. I yawned, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. It's childish, I know, but I'd been doing it since I was ten. I slid off my bed, brushing my hair as I pulled on a different flannel (didn't realize I had stolen Albert's old flannel). Instead of waking someone, I slipped out the door, down the hall, down the stairs, and into the common room where I planted myself on the couch. In boredom, I glanced at the clock.

4:56

I groaned, leaning against the back of the couch and closing my eyes briefly.

I slipped back into my room, landing quietly so I didn't wake my sleeping twin and parents. It was one of the nights where I would sneak out on my own under the cover of darkness.

"Where were you?" Papa asked, closing the door.

"Um..." I hadn't ever really been good at lying and my whole family knew that. "Went swimming in the bay." I internally face-palmed, knowing he'd figure it out because there wasn't a place on me that was wet.

"The truth, Raya," he hissed. I stepped back in fear, knowing what was coming, but not when. In one step, Papa was in front of me with a hold of my dress wadded in his hand. He lifted me up until I could barely breath and wasn't touching the floor. "Now!" He whisper-yelled.

"I was helping some younger kids and-" And his hand connected with my face as he dropped me at the same time. I fell to the floor with a thud and let out a small grunt.

"If I ever find you sneaking out again, your punishment will be much worse," he hissed.

"No!" I yelled, sitting upright with beads of sweat pooling on my forehead.

"Raya?" Someone asked from the dark.

"Don't move!" I growled, standing up and grabbing a flower vase.

"Sunshine, it's Albert," the ginger boy cooed, slowly approaching me.

I put the vase down and wiped my forehead, "what do you want?"

"You weren't in the room," he answered. "Everything okay?"

"I'm fine," I panted, suddenly noticing I was out of breath.

"You don't seem fine. What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Why are you being so pushy?"

"Because I wanna know."

"Well, it ain't your right to know. And you probably won't ever know because I hate you, Race, and my brother," I growled, storming down the hall to one of the three bathrooms in the building.

"Ouch," is what I thought I heard him say.

Albert's POV:

I sat up, knowing Raya wasn't in the room. I made my way downstairs, hearing her scream and quickening my pace. Once there, the moonlight reflected off of beads of sweat dotting her forehead and she looked really panicked.

"Raya?"

"Don't move!" She picked up a flower vase and prepared herself to throw it.

"Sunshine, it's Albert," I explained in a hushed tone, slowly approaching her.

"What do you want?" She growled, replacing her divot.

"You weren't in the room. Everything okay?"

"I'm fine!" She panted, out of breath and only seeming to notice just now.

"You don't seem fine. What's wrong?" I pressed.

"Nothing! Why're you being so pushy?"

"Because I wanna know-" About you.

"Well, it ain't your right to know. And you probably won't ever know because I hate you, Race, and my brother," she hissed, storming off.

"Ouch," I sighed. I hate you. Those three words were playing in my head over and over, sending me spiraling. Shaking any feelings toward her away, I scribbled a note on a paper, left it on the coffee table, and went to bed again.

Raya's POV:

Albert was gone now, probably had gone to bed. He had left a note on the coffee table:

Raya,

I'm sorry if I upset ya. I's letting it go, but if ya ever need someone ta talk to, you know where to find me. See ya later.

-Albert

I sighed, closing my eyes. It felt like I needed to cry, but nothing came out. So I laid there until I was consumed by the darkness of sleep.

(A/N: So, ummmm. I just watched Tuck Everlasting and HOLY CRAP. My brain isn't working at all. This chapter might be crappy.)

"Ray, wake up," Jack smiled, shaking me awake.

"Go away!" I hissed, shoving him away and making my way up to the room.

"The Mornin' Bell rang ten minutes ago," Jack called after me. "You's sellin' with Albert and Elmer today!"

I grumbled under my breath, brushing my hair for the second time today and leaving it down this time. I then headed to the Circulation Gate where none other than Oscar and Morris Delancey showed up. I threw my hands up in the air as Oscar spoke. "Look what the rat dragged in," he sneered, reaching for my face.

I shoved his hand away, "I see sleeping in a jail cell didn't do you any good."

"A shower didn't make you any better looking," Morris chimed in.

"And what would you know about looks?" I growled, forcing myself to push through Morris' painful words.

"More than you. It ain't like I's trying to be pretty when I know I ain't," Morris spat.

"Hey! You can't talk to her like that!" Jack hissed, shoving me behind him.

"It ain't like you did anything to help me out over the last seven years," I snapped, pushing him into Race who then fell into Albert.

"How would you know?" Jack fired back.

"You ditched me twice," I growled, kicking the gates open into both Delancey's.

"Ouch!" Oscar yelped. "Why you little-"

"Take another step and it won't go well for ya," Mush said, stepping up beside me. He was followed by Race, Crutchie, Albert, Elmer, Katie, and my brother.

"Papes for the Newsies! Line up!" Weasel yelled, placing a lit cigar into his mouth.

I slipped past the Delancey's, well, tried. Oscar grabbed my arm and whispered into my ear, "we ain't done here."