~ Fourteen ~

"What's going on?" Davey sat down on the steps of his family's apartment building.

"I need to tell you a few things." I sighed and braced myself. "Remember the other day, when you were opening up to me, about your idea of our future?" He nods. "And at your dad's birthday dinner, when your family was telling me all these stories about you, and your childhood?"

"Yeah...?" Davey was obviously confused.

"Well, I think it's time that I tell you about me, and my childhood."

"Oh, okay." He sat up.

"But, just keep in mind, they're a little bit depressing. I've never told anyone these stories."

"Fire away."

~*~

I sat in the corner of the room with a piece of bread that I stole from the tray I served to the boss. I was stuck sharing a bunkbed with an ten year old boy named Francis. A dreamer, couldn't keep his head out of the clouds. Little did I know that he was going to be my best friend.

After my dad started drinking, Jared and I left our house in Queens, and ran far away to the streets of Manhattan. We slept in the alleyways of buildings, never even heard of Newsies. We had no way of earning money. And when Jared tried to take some food from the market, he was taken to the refuge, leaving me to fend for myself. I was barely ten years old. So I decided to get myself captured too.

We had to stick together.

"Hey," my annoying roommate was being annoying again. "Hey. Hey. HEY!"

"What?!" I finally answered him.

"You'se gots a name?"

"Huh?" 

"What's you'se name?"

"I don't understand..."

"What the boy means to say is, what is your name?" Another guy translated his thick New York accent for me.

"C-Corinne."

"Dat's too hard tah remember. You'se gunna need anudda name."

"Oh, uh--"

"How 'bout Cory? I like it bettah dan whatevah you had before. The oddah thing was too girly."

"Uhm. O-okay."  I shrugged my shoulders. "What is your name?"

"Jack," he said proudly.

"Nuh-uh! It is not!" Someone called out. "His name ain't Jack!"

"SHHHH!!!" The small orphan shushed his friend.

"Well, if Jack isn't your name, then what is it?" I inquired politely.

"Francis!" Another little boy laughed at him.

"I've told all you my name ain't Francis anymore! Da name's Jack!" He stomped his foot.

"I think Francis is a good name." I reassured him.

"Huh?" The boy tilted his head like a little puppy.

"I like the name Francis."

"Y-you do?"

"Yeah?" I was unsure. I just wanted a friend.

"What's a sweet little girl like you doin' in the refuge?" A boy asked me.

"Well, my, my brother is here. And we're living in an alleyway. And I couldn't stay out there by myself. So I got myself captured, and here I am." I replied.

"Who's yur bruddah?" Jack asked me.

"J-Jared. Jared Queen."

"It ain't ringin' a bell. Ya seen 'im yet?" I shook my head.

"Is you gonna want tha top bunk or ya wanna sleep on da bottom?"

"Oh, well, I--"

"Nevahmind I'll take the bottom. You can has da top."

For the longest time, I slept on that top bunk. Jared and I were let out of the refuge way before Jack was. I'd almost forgotten who he was until he came into the Manhattan Newsies lodging house. Well, came back, I guess you would say. He had been a newsboy ever since he was seven years old.

~*~

All I could see is a small figure being smashed into wooden crates.

All I could hear is the sound of brass knuckles on the face of a little boy.

All I could feel is strong arms holding me back.

All I could smell is the blood of my best friend.

I struggled to break free from the grasp of Morris Delancey as the thirteen-year-old Jack Kelly was getting beat up by his brother, Oscar. My screams echoed in the alleyway, and the food I had finally saved the money to buy, sat on the damp street.

The Delancey brothers have always been cruel to us. Of course the day when Jack had cheated them out was the same day that Oscar Delancey found some brass knuckles in Old Wiesel's office to play with.

They almost beat Jack to death, but Jared had come to the rescue.

Jared was always the hero. He thought he was extraordinary. Like he had powers, or something. He always had to swoop in and save everyone.

Everyone but him. In his state, he wasn't able to be saved.

~*~

"Cory, why are you being so stubborn?" Jared complained.

"I'm not being stubborn, Jared, I just... don't think we should go."

"Cory... Please?" Jack begged me.

"We're only fourteen, Jack! Jared should never have brought it up in the first place."

"You're such a buzzkill." Jack pouted.

"C'mon! You'd love Medda," Jared pulled a bottle from the cabinet and sat down on the counter.

"Jared, remember what we said about the drinki--" He was being the annoying older brother and took a sip while giving me a look saying, Whatchya gonna do about it?

"Cory, you worry too much," he laughed.

"I do not! I just--" Both of the boys gave me a raised eyebrow. "Okay, so what if I worry? I can't be a Mama Bear instead of a little sister for once?"

"Once? Once?" Jack laughed.

"Just come with me, Cory." Jared said, he was starting to get impatient with me.

"You two can go. But I'm staying." I crossed my arms.

"Sounds good to me!" Jack exclaimed.

"No, I don't want you to come if Corinne doesn't." Jared stopped the jumping newsboy.

"'Corinne'? You never call me 'Corinne' unless it's something serious."

"That's because I'm being serious about this."

"It's just a stupid club, why do you want me to go there so badly?"

"I just think you would really like Ange-Med... Medda. I just want to introduce you to her."

"Please." Jack begged me.

Jack convinced me to go with Jared to Medda's club. That was probably one of the worst decisions I've made in my entire life. Sure, sitting on the fire escape with Jack at one in the morning was perfect, but when Race came to tell us what Jared had done...

I could never forget the look on Jared's face when I came down the stairs. I looked as pale as a ghost, but Jared... All I could read from his eyes were,

"I'm so sorry..."

~*~

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Davey asked me after I told him all of these stories.

"Because, I feel like I don't open up to you at all," I shrugged my shoulders. I hugged him as we sat on the steps to his apartment.

I've been trying to spend more time with Davey than I do thinking about Jack. Ever since that night we had dinner at Medda's club, I can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I can't be with my best friend. I was doing so well until the other night. Ugh! Medda's been such a blessing and such a curse in my life since I was fourteen years old.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow night?"

Crap. Sarah's birthday dinner.

"Are you kidding?! I've been a nervous wreck!" I lie behind my teeth. I've been so wrapped up in my head-cloud, I completely forgot.

"You don't have anything to worry about. I told Sarah that you would be there, and she actually seemed kind of happy. She smiled and everything."

"Yeah, right." I mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. I--"

"Cory!" I hear a voice call out.

"Blink..." I quickly stand up to meet the jumping newsboy across the street. "What? What's going on?"

"It's another ambush. You gotta hurry."

I didn't hesitate to race down the street as fast as I could run. I was just hoping they wouldn't get Jack this time.

📰  ❤️  🎵 📰  ❤️  🎵 📰  ❤️  🎵 📰  ❤️  🎵

-Hiya, just another fill-in chapter here. UGH. I need to get better at this.

-But not to fret! Remember when I was saying "I know what I want to happen, but I don't want it to happen yet," and crap like that? WELL IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING! I CANNOT WAIT. XD XD

-This chapter was really bad, but Cory finally started talking to me again, and all she had to tell me this time was about her childhood, as a Newsie, and as the only girl. So, don't blame me. This is all on Cory!

-QOTD: Which Broadway show, or shows, (currently running) would you like to see? Also, how was your Halloween? What did you dress up as?

-AOTD: Hamilton, definitely! I've been OBSESSED. (Honorable mentions: Beautiful and Finding Neverland.) A few of my friends and I dressed up as the characters from the Scooby-Doo gang, I was Velma!

-Well, that's all I have for y'all today. Thanks for reading. I love you so, so much!

Stay Musical. Hayden Beth 💜🎶