My Shooting Star

Chapter 5- Friends

(Mush POV)

I'm walking back from a good day of selling papes, a bit later than the rest of the fellahs, but I still sold all my papes. As I'm walking back I hear a scream. 'Weird, I bettah go check it out.' I sneakily walk over to the alleyway where I heard the noise. My heart drops as I see y/n curled up on the ground with the Delancey brothers over her. I panic and run towards Morris and spin him around and soak him right in the face. He stumbles backwards as I turn to Oscar, fuming. 'What kinda greaseball beats on a goil?' I think as I see red. I find a nearby stick as I beat Oscar to the ground. Now that they are outta the way I turn to the small goil laying in a corner. I gently cradle her in my arms. 'Poor goil is knocked out.' I run as fast as I can to the fellahs, trying not to hurt her. 'surely Davey can fix her up' I start to panic as I look at her face properly. Her glowing face was now bruised and bloody. She still looked beautiful in my eyes.

As I burst into the lodging house the calm atmosphere instantly turned into a panicked worry. "WHAT HAPPENED TO Y/N" they all swarm around me as I scream

"BACK AWAY FROM HER SHES HURT" I say as I rush to my bed and carefully lay her down. I quickly take off my bandage wrap from around my arm and put it on hers.

The boys start to sneak in and slowly peek at her. I hold her hand as Davey gets the first aid kit.

"She's not too bad off, but she has a bit of healing to do." Davey says as he starts to mend her injuries.

"WHO DID THIS TO HER" Jack storms in with Race, Albert and Jojo.

"The Delanceys, I found them in the alley" I say with worry.

"CMON BOYS LETS STOMP EM" Jack shouts as the four of them run out the door into the night.

A little bit after they all left, she starts to stir. Her eyes flutter open as she looks at me with her gorgeous E/C eyes.

"Hey mush...", her voice croaks.

I get butterflies in my stomach, I can't believe she remembered my name.

"Hey." I reply "that was a pretty bad Beatin' they gave you. Whaddya do to get that?"

"Oh nothing important.." she tries to act like nothing is wrong but immediately starts coughing.

"Hey, where are the other fellahs?" She asks after she recovers.

"Oh they went to go get some payback on those weasels." 

She starts to protest, but sits back down when she realizes she's too weak. "I'm sure they will give them what they deserve." She replies with a confident nod.

"You're right about dat." I say.

"So... It's just us then?" She asks awkwardly.

"I guess so." My heart starts to beat. I didn't think we were alone.

"Hey... thanks for being such a good friend." She says getting more comfortable.

I didn't know one word could hit me like a wall of bricks. Friend. I mean, I can't blame her, we have only known each other for a couple months now.

I hand her a glass of water. "Yeah .. Well get better, i'll leave you to rest" I turn out the door before she could say anything. I feel so stupid. How could I think we had something. 

They all get back, obviously looking like they had fought a difficult fight. "We showed them who's boss around these parts o' town and how it's not nice to hit a girl." Jack told me, stretching his neck.

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you guys." I turn and see y/n had gotten out of bed and was grabbing the doorframe for support.

"Anything for our y/n." Crutchie says as he flashes a toothy grin.

"Now let's get you back to bed" Jack helps her up the stairs and to security.

"Now, do my eyes deceive me or are you blushing Mushy?" Race lightly punches my shoulder and mocks me. The boys all laugh and start mocking me.

"Hey fellahs keep it down! It ain't anything anyway." I turn even redder and try to get away.

"Ohhhh so it's true! You gotta thing for n/n"

"Fine, but you can't say anything because I know she doesn't like me back." I flop onto the couch as I say this.

"Eh you don't know that fo' sure! I bet she likes one of us newsies." Romeo says with a smirk "who D'ya think it is?"

"It's me"
"Obviously me"
"I'm the clear choice here"
"All the ladies love me"

I watch them in disbelief as they fight over who y/n has a crush on. I know it's not me so I don't participate in the activity.

"Well why don't we just go and ask her? Easy enough." Elmer says grinning.

"No, no, no, we can't just bombard her with questions. She's had a long day and so have we..." Race says as everyone grunts with disappointmen

"Here I got this, she lovessss me." Race smirks, taking his cigar out of his mouth and twirling it in his hands.

He struts into the room and shuts the door. I sit there, my palms sweating and vision a little dizzy. What if she likes someone random? Like Buttons or Fred?