Live While We're Young

Parting Ways

"I just don't see what the issue is Kath!" Jack exasperated, setting down his sheet music so he could properly look at her. "I mean, yous making a whole issue right before we're about to preform!" he snapped.

Katherine huffed, pacing around their green room as she spoke, "Thats your problem, Jack! You never know whats wrong because you refuse to listen to anything I say. You're always in your own world, you don't care about anyone besides you and your dreams!"

Jack groaned, running his fingers through his hair,"Jesus Christ, why do we have to do this now?"

Katherine stared at her boyfriend in absolute disbelief, shaking her head and mumbling something to herself underneath her breath.

Noticing this, Jack furrowed his eyebrows, "What?!" he asked incredulously.

Katherine sighed, taking her guitar strap and pulling it over her head, setting the instrument aside for the time being. "When else are we going to talk about it? Don't lie to me, Jack. You barely spend any time with me and whenever I want to talk during rehearsals you're too busy doing anything else."

Jack stammered, opening his mouth to reply when he heard the click of a door opening behind them. His head snapped towards the noise, seeing a very uncomfortable looking Race and Albert.

"Sorry to ...interrupt," Race chuckled,"Are we still good to go on in an hour?"

Jack looked to Katherine, his eyes wide and face worn with both concern and frustration. "I don't know Racer, I'll talk to you in a few minutes okay?"

The Newsies of Manhattan were a recently formed band, mostly preforming in small gigs throughout New York City for the time being.
It all had started months ago in Race's apartment, messing around with their intruments for fun when his roomate at the time had suggested they form an actual band. So, Race invited Albert and Specs and Jack invited Katherine, this cute girl he'd met a few weeks prior who he happened to know could play guitar. They convinced Crutchie to help as their manager and soon they were rehearsing daily with preformances as often as they could find, which was usually just once a week but still they were greatfull.

They had a small but dedicated fanbase attached to them, and usually the atmosphere between the group was rather playfull and positive. This night, however, was neither playful or positive for any of them.

"Jack, I just don't know if I can do this anymore," Katherine sighed deeply once Race and Albert had left the room.

Suddenly, Jack's voice dissolved from a voice of anger to one of hurt. His tone was less sharp, more quiet. "The band or- well, or us?" He asked, though the both of them knew the answer to that before he even thought to ask the question.

Katherine's gaze fell to the floor, and for once she didn't look like her confident self, "I meant our relationship but honestly, I don't know if I can even work with you."

Jack knew Katherine wouldn't want to stay with the band for their whole career, he wasn't that delusional. She wanted to be a reporter after all, not a musician. Not to mention, Katherine was very keen on stability and had a concrete plan for her future. She absolutely hated spur of the moment decisions and tended to overanalyze and over schedule everything. Which, frankly, was the complete opposite of Jack in every way, but it also wasn't how their band worked. The band itself was an impulsive thought that somehow spiralled into preformances all over the city.

Still, he hadn't expected her to drop them so soon, nor had he expected her to drop him.

"Katherine-" Jack tried, taking a hesitant step towards her but stopping short when she just backed up in response.