~ Twelve ~

I sat with Jack on the rooftop once more. The wind of Manhattan almost knocked me off of my feet. The clouds were thin and so was the air. I looked up at the pale gray sky as Jack and I grumbled about our fate.

He was still somewhat sad about Crutchie. It's been almost two weeks since he was captured, and we still haven't heard any answers from other Newsie communities.

"I don't know what we'se gunna do," he started. "When they got Crutchie a few weeks back, I was devastated. And now that the last ambush happened-"

"They got Mush, Boots, and Buttons, too." I looked down at the floor. I felt just as gloomy as Jack. "Who knows when Snyder'll come back?"

"Cory. I don't know what I'm s'pposed to do. We need dem odah Newsies now, more than evah. And if they don't step up tah help, we'se ain't ever gunna get our rights. We ain't even able to fight!" Jack complained, his face was buried in his hands, with his elbows straight up on the table we sat at.

"They won't come 'less Spot agrees to fight with us, you know that."

"And that's what stresses me. Spot Conlon, outta all people should know when tah step up. If a Newsie asks fur your help, you'se gotta help. No matter what city you sell your papes in."

I haven't heard Jack talk like this since we even got ourselves into this mess.

"I wish we could just stop this all right now." I let myself off of the wall that I sat on and took a seat with Jack at the table.

"Huh?"

"I wish we didn't have to fight every day. I wish we didn't have to figure out how we'se gonna rescue our friend. Or-or think about whether we're going to eat today or on Friday," my hands moved as I spoke every word. "I wish we could get away from Manhattan." I took Jack's arm.

"Yeah... Me too..." He mumbled. "But ya know, after this is all over, I'll be outta here."

"I know, Jack." I nodded.

"I'll be gone soon as I get 'nough dollars." He closed his eyes and threw his chin back. "I'll be free like da wind. Like I'm gonna live forevah."

"That's a feelin' time can never take away." I looked down, reminding myself of how I was never in his plan in Santa Fe.

"It'll be clean, and green, and pretty." He smiled. "Y'know that whole city is made outta clay." I finally saw the smile that made me feel like I was home.

My home.

With my mom. My dad.

My brother.

I find that he was always happiest when talking about that little town out west. And I find that I am always happiest when I see him smile.

I realize that I'm with Davey, and he has Katherine, but I can't help but feel like we should be together. I mean, all the other Newsies see it, why can't he?

I stare at my feet as he talks more about Santa Fe. I keep telling myself that I am not in his plans, but all the while, I wish that I could sit next to him on the train to New Mexico.

Before I knew it, Katherine was sitting next to Jack and I was still sitting alone.

I've been avoiding Davey ever since that day when he said stuff about his plans for us, and how he loved me. He and I have been together for almost a month, and he's already talking about how Sarah needs to get used to me, because when we get married I'll be around all the time, yada-yada-yada.

But the thing that caught my attention was... He never said, "if we get married". No. He said, "when we get married".

I don't need to be thinking about that kind of stuff. I'm seventeen, I don't want to be tied down by the time I'm a legal adult. Sure, a normal girl my age should be looking for "suitors", but I'm not a normal girl. I'm a Newsie. And besides...

My heart has always longed to be with my sweet Cowboy.

~*~

I walk out of the showers with a large towel wrapped around me. I play with my wavy brown hair as I stroll across the foyer to my closet. I spot Davey sitting at a table and reading a book, almost like he was waiting for me. He looks up, and as soon as he does, I dart to the closet door. I beat him to it and I lay on my bed when I make it inside. I hear Davey as he knocks on my door and pleads pathetically for me to open it.

"Listen, Cory. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just think about that kind of stuff, you know? While I'm sitting alone, and my mind just drifts off. I like to think about where we would live, maybe somewhere in the South? Or we could have a nice apartment, here, in Manhattan." I stood up and put my ear to the door to listen to what he said. "If we had a boy, his name would be... Thomas. And if we had a girl, her name would be..."

"Emily." I whispered. I had always known what my little girl's name was going to be. My mother's name.

"See? You think about it too!" He laughed. "Look, I know that we're only seventeen, and we're not ready to get married and move in together, or anything, this can move as slowly, or as quickly as you want it to. I know that whenever you're ready, I'm ready. I will wait however long I have to. A year, two years even! I'm a patient man. And while we're waiting, we can plan how we want to live our life together. If we decide that we really want to get married." He confronted me. "And the real truth is, Corinne Queen, I love you, and I don't want you to be scared of anything."

I turned the doorknob and he stood up from his crouch. He came in for a hug, but I came in for a kiss. The boys filled the air with yelling and applause when we embraced. I was hoping that Katherine and Jack would be there to witness that, but I'm not even sure what had happened after I decided to open my door. What I had just committed to. And I'm not so sure I really wanted to do that. All I know is that Davey was there, and I was happy.

That's something I haven't felt in a long time.

📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵

-Me again! How are you? I'm really tired.

-This is sort of just a fill in chapter. Because I know what I want to happen, but I don't want it to happen just yet. So there are probably going to be a lot of these.

-QOTD: If you could play any gender-bend role, who would you want to play?

-AOTD: Probably the Man in the Chair from Drowsy Chaperone. Because I AM the Man in the Chair.  He would be so much fun to play. ☺️

-That's it. I'm not that good at Author's Notes, but I love you all so, so much!

Stay Musical. Hayden Beth ❤️🎶