~ Eighteen ~

The train whistles as we make our last stop in Oklahoma. I sit inside the train with my legs crossed in my gingham skirt and brown leather boots. My elbow rests on the small window as I sit alone. That is, until he slides in the booth next to me. His arm is around me and he kisses my cheek. I turn my head to see Jack Kelly's lovely blue eyes.

"Hey." He says softly, careful to not disturb the other passengers.

"Hi." I smile at the sunshine that dances across his face. He gasps and looks out the window. He leans toward the window to see what lies outside. "I know. Isn't it beautiful?"

"Sure is. But it ain't near as pretty as you..." He smiles boyishly at my blushing cheeks.

"Can you believe it? After all these years of dreaming and saving... Finally... We're here." He stares at the scene beyond the glass, but I stare at him.

"Santa Fe..." He sings our song and I pull him in for a passionate kiss.

The train begins to move again, and after a few hours, we arrive at the small house we bought.

"This is it!" He pulls a key from his pocket and we enter the house.

I sigh happily as I walk into the narrow foyer. Jack carries our bags inside while I spin with my arms out. I feel a hand grab onto my left, suddenly, I'm just inches away from Jack's face. He puts a ring on my finger and smiles as he kisses me.

We had left everything in Manhattan behind, we were starting over.

Knock, knock.

At that, I awake from the most wonderful dream I've had in ages. My head spins as I manage to stand up and peek through my little window. I stare across the city and to the clock tower, it says 5:26. I rub my eyes and yawn while I reminisce on the perfect dream I had.

Most people forget their dreams in a flash, but mine... Santa Fe... Jack... Me... Us. There was no way I could forget that.

Santa Fe was just how I imagined it. The clay houses, the sunshine, the cactus plants everywhere. It was beautiful. But with Jack, there was no way you could compare.

Knock, knock again, goes the door. I quickly throw all of my thoughts away and stand up to open the door.

"Alright, where are we going this ti--" I expect to see Snyder's men with scowls to their faces, but when I look up, I see a girl standing in the doorway. My eyes go wide and I suddenly feel invaded. "Kat–Katherine? What on earth are you doing here?"

"Listen, I need to speak with you. Please." She looked serious, but all that was going through my head was a few snarky comments to choose from: I'm in the middle of something here. Or, I guess I can make some time for you. But her face looked worried. This was no time for joking.

I argued with myself and finally let Katherine inside. I didn't trust her before, but now, I don't even know what to think. What else could she be keeping from us? Is she spying on all of us?

I knew how Jack would feel, betrayed, hurt, heartbroken. All I felt was anger. I was angry at Katherine, and for Jack. My face felt hot and my muscles were tense.

"What do you want?" My sigh sounds obviously annoyed.

"Hear me out. Please," she pleads. I roll my eyes and sit back on my bed with my knees against my chest.

"What is it?"

"Okay... I know you never have liked me," that's an understatement. "And I know with all of this new information, I seem even more untrustworthy to you, and you're obviously angry at me, you're probably feeling betrayed--"

"Betrayed?" Katherine tilts her pretty little head, puzzled. "You're Pulitzer's daughter, and I'm the one who's feeling betrayed?"

"Well, I kind of considered us... Friends..."

"I may be angry, yes. Angry at you for lying to all of us, angry for Jack. Jack! If anyone at all is feeling betrayed, it's Jack."

"Jack! I almost... I didn't think about..."

"No. Of course you didn't think about him."

"What is he going to say when... When...? Please, Cory. You can't tell him about this. About any of this."

"Katherine..."

"This would break his heart." She began biting her nails and breathing heavily.

"Yeah. It would."

"Cory. I am so sorry. Please let me explain."

"I don't need an explanation, Katherine. You're spying on us, that's it."

"No! It's not, Cory!" She shouted. She slowly exhaled and began to tell me the truth. "I've been trying to get away from my father since I was fourteen years old. He used to be sweet and kind. And of course, he just wanted me to be like other girls. Wear heels and silk dresses every day, go to sleep at a certain time, to play piano, and learn French." She sat down next to me. "But all I wanted to do was write. I used to read stories every day with my mother, until she passed away when I was twelve. She taught me how to write, and I never put down my pen. When my mother fell ill, she was sick for three months before the summer came, after July had passed... She was gone." Her voice whimpered and a single tear spilled from her eye. "My father had a change of heart, and not in a good way. He wasn't a sweet man anymore, he was almost... Cruel... I knew I wanted to write, and that's what my mother wanted me to do. I decided I didn't belong at the World. Instead, the Sun was a much more suiting. I took that job when I was sixteen. I haven't spoken to my father since. I. Swear."

The room was completely silent as I processed my thoughts. "Katherine, I don't know what to say." I shrugged it off carelessly.

"Say that you believe me. Please."

"Katherine, I could say I believe you, but is Jack going to believe you?"

"Of course he will! Will he?"

"I don't know..."

"Cory, I--"

"I know. You didn't mean for anyone to find out," I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "But I found out, Katherine."

"Believe me, I never wanted to hurt you, or Jack in any way possible," she began to sob. "I just wanted to write a story."

"By sleeping with your 'leading man'?"

"What??"

"If Jack is the one, you would tell him the truth, you would tell him everything. But if you can't trust him, if you think that he'll feel betrayed, then what are you still doing here?"

"Listen to me. Cory--"

"I tell Jack everything, and he does the same! I even know a few things that you don't know--"

"I AM NOT A SPY, CORY." She cuts me off and shouts with her eyes slammed shut. I sat in silence. "I'm just like you. I'm just another girl trying to get by in this city. Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because..." I begin in a higher volume. I sigh and talk normally. "Because Jack... He's my best friend, and he deserves the best. He's been through so much lately. I don't want to see him have another broken heart." I looked down and twiddled with my fingers. "If you're not the one to take him to Santa Fe, then just leave." I raised my voice a little higher.

"I have no intention to hurt Jack, do you hear me?"

"LEAVE." I looked at her, dead in the eye, fists clenched at my sides.

She opens the door to my cell, and is about to walk out when she leans on the doorframe and says, "by the way, Mr. Pulitzer says he'll give you what he promised."

"He will?"

"Daddy is a man of his word." She shrugs. "Tell me what it is, and I'll let him know."

"I want to go home. And I want to bring all of the other Manhattan Newsies with me, too." I hold my chin up.

"I'll tell him." She takes the doorknob in hand and says,"Goodbye, Miss Queen." At that, she went out.

I sit in the corner of my lumpy bed and weep. My body suddenly becomes weak when I think about Jack at home.

Please, don't hurt him.

"Please..."

📰 🎵 ❤️ 📰 🎵 ❤️ 📰 🎵 ❤️ 📰 🎵 ❤️

-hey y'all! it's been a while...

-i know i say it every time, but i am so excited for these next few chapters because everything's falling into place and i am sO HAPPY.

-qotd: what's your favorite newsies fanfic? (besides mine of course! XD)

-aotd: i really like reading more than meets the eye by differentfromthenorm and mia by disneyislifexx

-welp that's it. thanks again for reading this chapter of qony. love you all so, so much! 

hayden beth