My Ray of Sunshine

Chapter 2

"Ray, you good?" Jack asked, eyes concerned.

"Huh?" I asked, briefly looking down at my small frame. I was not fully flat, or super curvy, but I wasn't a refrigerator.

"You okay?" My twin repeated.

"Holy crap! Jack, you got a sista?" A brunet boy gaped as the realization hit, interrupting.

"Yeah. Twins, actually," Jack answered.

"Ooohhhhh, I see it!" A Newsboy with glasses yelped, eyes flicking between my brother and I.

"Took ya long enough," I scoffed, suddenly getting a wiff of myself. I gagged, "Jack, you got a shower?"

"Uhh, yeah," he sighed, showing me inside to the bathroom. "I'll bring some of Race's old clothes in."

"Ugh! I don't understand," I hissed, pulling my dark purple vest thingy off and throwing it at my brother.

"Woah! Calm down," Jack yelped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Just go get the clothes," I sighed, closing the door in his face. I kinda felt bad for pushing him away from me, but he left me in the Refuge twice.

After I had taken a shower, I slipped into the clothes Jack had left for me and pulled my dark brown hair into a low ponytail. I exited the bathroom, bumping into the ginger boy. I groaned, "what?"

"Albert," he smiled, spitting in his hand and holding it out for me to shake.

"Raya," I growled, shoving past him.

Race was next. "You look good in my clothes," he grinned cockily.

I grabbed the collar of Race's shirt and shoved him into a wall. "Don't say that again."

"Jeez, Princess. Ya don't need to get so upset; I was kidding," he laughed.

I sighed, releasing his shirt and heading outside. "Ray!" Jack yelled, jogging toward me. I folded my arms, putting all my weight on my left foot. "You wanna stay with Albert and Race?"

I scoffed, "do I have ta?"

"It's the only available room I got," he admitted.

"Fine," I sighed. "Where is it?"

"Follow me," he smiled. I followed silently behind him, hating that I'd be sharing a room with the two boys who'd escaped without me. WHILE I WAS UNCONSCIOUS NO LESS. I sighed, placing myself in a chair at a splintering, wooden desk. "I'll let ya get settled. Mornin' Bell is as seven, Circulation Bell rings at seven-thirty."

"Got it," I sighed.

"If ya need anything, I'll be downstairs with the others."

"Noted." I hadn't noticed the missing wall until just now. Albert, Race, a black-haired boy, a blonde girl, and the brunet boy from earlier entered through the other door.

"Well, if it ain't the Princess," Race grinned, bounding over.

"You know my name, so use it," I growled, beginning to stand.

"Eh, cool off. He's harmless," the blonde girl smiled, approaching with the two boys I didn't know the names of.

"I'm Katie, this here is Elmer and Mush," she gestured to the black-haired boy first then the brunet.

"Raya," I sighed, mentally glaring at Albert and Race.

Albert was fiddling with something, though I couldn't see what it was. "It's nice to meet ya," Katie smiled.

"You too," I said, returning the gesture. "Um, it's kinda late. I'm gonna go to bed."

"Okay, you can have the bunk on top of Albert's bed," Elmer smiled warmly, dark eyes shining. I nodded, climbing into the bed and pulling the blanket over my head. I heard everyone shuffling out, or at least I thought they had all left.

"Raya?" A voice asked. I ignored whoever it was. "Look, I's sorry for whatever happened over the past seven years to make ya so mad at us."

I sighed, sitting up, "I'm not mad at everyone, just a few people."

"Who?" The boy asked, I realized that it was Albert.

Taking a breath, I answered, "you, Race, and Jack."

"Why?"

"You guys coulda taken me with you seven years ago, but you left me unconscious in the Refuge. Then, when Jack got caught three years ago, he didn't bother to take me with him while he escaped. You have no idea what they do to people like me," I shuddered, rubbing my arm with my thumb.

"I'm sorry," Albert whispered. "Goodnight, Sunshine."

"Sunshine?" I questioned, the name rolling off my tongue. Sunshine, I repeated silently.

"No threats?" He asked, a bit of a smile in his voice.

"I gotta think," I smiled, though he couldn't see it as it was dark in the room.

"Sleep on it," Albert decided, exiting his room.

Albert's POV:

I left the room I now shared with Jack's twin sister. Race was totally hitting on her. I couldn't blame him, she's beautiful.

"You guys coulda taken me with you seven years ago, but you left me unconscious in the Refuge. Then, when Jack got caught three years ago, he didn't bother to take me with him while he escaped. You have no idea what they do to people like me," Raya murmured.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, unable to think of anything else to say. "Goodnight, Sunshine."

"Sunshine?" She asked. Oops-

"No threats?" I joked, covering up my accidental nickname for her.

"I gotta think," she said.

"Sleep on it," I told her, smiling as I left the room.

I met up with the others downstairs. "What do y'all think of Ray?" Jack asked, grinning proudly.

"She's kinda mean," Les piped up.

"She's just tired and stressed," I sighed, planting myself on the couch.

"She's fine," Jack said. You haven't seen her in three years and none of us know what they put her through.

"She's super pretty," Race and Davey smiled.

"She takes afta me," Jack grinned, puffing out his chest.

"Or you take afta her," Mush laughed, playfully shoving the Newsie leader.

"Nah, she got her looks from me," Jack countered.

"Whatever," Race laughed. "Can I have 'er?"

"We'll see," Jack sighed, running a hand through his brown hair. "Someone help me take Elmer up to his room." I volunteered, throwing one of the black-haired boy's arms over my shoulder and assisting Jack in taking Elmer to our room. As soon as we got there, I heard the soft breathing of Raya. I smiled to myself, but quickly shook any thoughts about her out of my head and dropped Elmer on his bed before turning in, myself.