Soulmates || A Newsies Alternate Universe

Chapter 18 - Mush

Warning: Self Harming.
Third Person POV

Nick Meyers, or Mush, was a relatively happy boy, or so the others thought.

Mush had lived with his grandparents for most of his life. He doesn't remember his parents, and he doesn't want to.

He was told his parents didn't want him since he is supposedly a "mistake". His parents gave him to his grandparents.

His grandparents always assured him that he wasn't a mistake, but sometimes, especially when Oscar and Morris say he is, he believes it.

His grandfather died years ago. It was a stormy night when the incident happened, and he was driving.

Another driver, who was drunk, was driving and swerved into Mush's grandfather, killing him on impact.

Mush and his grandmother were devastated. They had had a rough time for a few years after that, and Mush was diagnosed with depression.

He had a rough few years after that, but got better when he met the Newsies.

Then, last year, his grandmother died as well. She had been walking home from the Grocery store, when she walked in on a fight. She had gotten caught in the fight, and was killed.

Mush was devastated. She was all he had left. Mush had started self-harming, trying to take away the pain.

Now, he was living in their house, and it could be taken away from him any day.

Some nights, Mush felt like everything hurt, and he wanted nothing more than to escape his own mind, so that he could ease the pain.

Other nights, he just felt empty. Numb. Like nothing mattered. He didn't feel anything.

The only thing that was keeping him alive, was his friend/crush, Blink. Blink had been his best friend since he had joined the Newsie's group.

Blink made him really happy, but he knew there was a small possibility of Blink actually being his soulmate, and Blink wasn't even gay.

Mush always acted happy around his friends, when he mostly wasn't. Blink was the only one who actually made him genuinely smile.

"Hey Mush!" Blink greets, as Mush walks off the bus and into the school building.

"Hey Blink!" Mush greets, trying to sound cheery and happy.

"You okay?" Blink asks him. Mush nods, fake smiling.

Blink always asked him this, but Mush played it off so that Blink doesn't worry, and it always worked, or so Mush thinks.

Blink always noticed that Mush was sad, but Mush always played it off like it was nothing.

Blink decided that if Mush didn't tell him soon, Blink was gonna confront him, and remind him that he's there for Mush.

"You excited for today?" Blink asks, as they walk to their lockers.

"Yeah" Mush responds. Today, all of the boys, plus Katherine and Sarah, were gonna hang out.

They had had a sleepover a few days ago, which ended with Spot and Race making up, and everyone being happy again, even if Race was still nervous about his father.

"Where are we hanging out?" Mush asks.

"Davey's house. His parents said we could use the basement" Blink answers, explaining. Mush nods.

Later, in the basement

"Thanks for letting us use the basement Davey" Specs thanks. Davey nods.

"What are we gonna do?" Albert asks, sitting down next to Elmer.

"Let's play Paranoia" Race suggests. The boys all nod in agreement.

"I'll go first" Finch suggests. He leans over, and whispers something in Crutchie's ear.

"You." Crutchie answers, and Finch smiles. They flip a coin and it lands on tails. "I'll ask Jack next."

Crutchie leans over and whispers something in Jack's ear. Jack laughs.

"Race, Albert, or JoJo" Jack answers. Crutchie laughs.

"Why do I have a feeling this is a bad question?" Race asks, and Albert shrugs.

Jack flips a coin and it lands on heads.

"The question was who is the most likely to jump off of the Brooklyn Bridge if dared to" Jack informs everyone. Race rolls his eyes, and Albert laughs. JoJo just shrugs.

"Probably right" JoJo states, causing the group to laugh.

After the game

They had finished Paranoia and were now playing Truth or Dare.

When it was Mush's turn, he picked Truth.

"What is your home life like?" Blink asks. Mush almost spits out the water he's drinking.

"Can I p-pass?" Mush whispers, looking around at his brothers/sisters, who now look concerned.

"Come on Mush. You don't have to be scared to tell us" Elmer assures Mush, who was internally panicking.

"My parents n-never wanted m-me. They said I-I'm a mistake, and l-left me with m-my grandparents. T-They both d-died" Mush explains, a few tears slipping from his eyes.

The boys all look at him with pity. Blink hugs his best friend, who leans into the hug.

They continue playing, and eventually, Mush calms down and joins the game again.

When they finish the game, they check the time. 7:53. Since it was getting pretty late, the group decided to depart for the night, and so they all went home.

Mush was laying in his bed, crying. He needed someone to help him, but he didn't know who he should ask.

He didn't want to burden anyone, but he really needed someone to help him. He was missing his grandparents.

He looks from his bleeding arms to his phone, and realizes who would help him. Blink.

Shaking, he picked up the phone, and went to Blink's contact on it. He debated not pressing call so that he didn't trouble Blink.

He eventually decided to call Blink, so he pressed dial.

"Hello?" Blink asks, through the phone.

"B-Blink. I need y-you" Mush whispers into the phone.

"Where? I'm coming" Blink tells him through the phone. Blink could hear that Mush has been/is crying, and he knew that his best friend needed him.

"My h-house. I'll t-text y-you the a-address" Mush responds.

"I'll be there in less than five minutes" Blink assures Mush. Mush thanks him, before hanging up.

He falls back on his bed, tears still streaming down his face. He hugs the blanket that his grandmother made him before she passed away, and waits for Blink to get there.

1040 Words