Found

Sushi

Before we start I just need everyone to go and read my newsie twin's (@doodledoodlee) story. It is amazing!! Anyway, onto the chapter. Byeee

"Grace!" A voice called out from behind me. I gripped the straps of my backpack tighter and turned around to be face to face with Georgia. "Are you okay?" 

Unbeknownst to me, a few tears had made their way down my cheeks. Georgia used her thumb to wipe underneath my eyes before pulling me into a hug. "Rough morning?" 

I nodded. "Yeah, I've never had such a rough morning." I laughed slightly to defuse the tension. She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the building. Georgia definitely wanted to know what happened to put me in this state, but she knew not to ask and I commended her for it. But being my only girl best friend I needed to confide in her first so I pulled her into the empty girls changing room and sat her down on the bench. "Okay, here I go." 

"This morning," I began, "I woke up to lots of shouting. I went into the living room, and Josh had pinned Ben to a wall," Georgia gasped, edging me on, "So Lizzy came over to me and told me to go get a watch. It took a while to find and in the meantime, Josh had punched Ben claiming that he had stolen the watch - but I found it and once Josh saw it he melted down." 

"Oh Grace, that is terrible," Georgia said, flinging her arms around me. "He'll be okay. We've all had moments like that."

"But - but he had a panic attack in the car, and he is really forgetful. Maybe  he's -" 

"He's stressed, Grace," Georgia reassured. I nodded in reply and we stood up to go to form. We opened the door to find Bash, Aaron, and Will sprawled on the floor. "What are you doing?" 

"Yes, boys, what are you doing?"

"We were listening in, what does it look like?" Bash said shaking his head as though it was obvious brushing the non-existent dust off of his trousers. 

"Why!" Georgia and I demanded. 

"Because we're nosy!" They all chided back stick their tounges out. 

Before either Georgia or I could do any harm to them, the bell rang signaling form time. "You got lucky this time." 

-.x.-

I was sat in the back row of the auditorium, flicking through my script and highlighting even more lines when Bash came and sat down next to me. 

"Look, I know I am the dad in the group and I am playing your dad so I think I should give you some fatherly advice." he deadpanned, not taking his eyes off our friends rehearsing 'World will know.'

"Okay..." I laughed nervously. 

"Georgia is right, he's stressed. He's juggling a lot of things at the moment. He's looking for a job, learning how to be a parent and helping Ben with what happened."

"So it's my fault."

"No no no, that is not what I am saying and you know that." He turned to look at me, grabbing my hands, then releasing them. "Don't want Will to get jealous."

This made me laugh so much I snorted. I gasped as I flung my hand over my mouth then continued to laugh, Bash laughing at me. 

"Hey quiet up there!" Mr. Morris scolded. 

Bash leaned forward and in his best Jack Kelly accent he whisper-yelled in reply, "Sorry Miss Meda!"

Mr. Morris wanted to chide him but we all knew that references always got him. He gave his signature Belly laugh before continuing to conduct the newsies in their choreography. Bash turned back to me, pointed at me and claimed, "Stress!" before standing up and going to confide in his fellow oldsies in their scene. 

Soon enough the end of rehearsal was called and Mr. Morris declared that we had an hour and a half to get some dinner. Will called to us that he needed Sushi so Georgia, Bash, Aaron and I followed on. 

We took a table in the restaurant and began to just talk about all sorts of things. You could get completely lost in our conversations, people adding in strange points here, there and everywhere. That was the beauty of our friendship - we had all led completely different lives, each of us going through all sorts of crazy situations (you'd be surprised) yet we were all brought together with a love for musical theatre. 

Our food arrived, and my plate was placed in front of me. I inspected my sushi, before laughing at it. "Look! The fish looks like it has a little pair of glasses!"

Bash smirked before reply with something probably punny, "Well you could say it's very so - FISH- icated..." 

We all snorted on our food and Bash leaned back in his seat proud of his pun. Usually, his puns were so bad they would make your ears bleed, but this one was actually half decent but it does sound like something my dad would have said. 

My stomach dropped, thinking of my Dad still made me feel sick. Sure I saw Josh and Ben as my dads, they did adopt me after all, but my Dad died... because of me.

I stood up, my seat scraping against the stone floor. "I - I'll see you guys backstage." I rushed back to school, running so fast people would be convinced something was chasing me. 

Death. Pain. 

They were following me. Everyone was suffering around me. I was a bad luck charm. 

-.x.-

I was sat in the dressing room, alone, no one was here yet. My phone lit up with a facetime notification. I picked up the phone and put on my biggest smile. Clark popped up on the screen. 

"Hey!" he smiled at me just before Julia popped into the screen. 

"How are you guys?" I asked, smiling at them even though I wanted to throw my phone across the room. 

"Cut to the chase," Julia scolded, "I know something is up." 

So for the second time that day, I explained everything. How I felt included. They tried to reason with me, but I simply groaned - I had gone through this all already, and I couldn't hear it again. Instead, I pinned the spotlight onto them and to my dismay, there had been nothing of interest to note from their side. 

I bid them farewell and began to get ready for this evenings performance, knowing deep down that this morning had changed everything. The wheel was now spinning out of control and I could do nothing to control it.