Newsies x Reader

Chapter 23

Ben's P.O.V.

"That's all." I concluded as I finished telling Josh what happened. "No way. Are you sure? You're not leaving anything out?" I thought carefully. I mean I guess I should tell him about the whole car thing but knowing Josh he's probably going to overreact or take it really calmly. Let's hope for the second. I explained to him what happened and he freaked out. "Josh calm down, she's okay now." I said to him. "Calm down? She could've been hurt!" He exclaimed. "Josh, you know she's not a kid and she's probably going to tell you the same thing. Plus it wasn't her fault. She's okay now and that's all that matters. So don't bring it up unless she does." I said while putting my hat back. 

I checked the mirror to see my usual slightly messy curls partially hidden by my hat. "Fine, fine. But on the other hand, she did hold your hand. That means she's warming up to you." Josh did say after taking a minute or two to calm down. "We don't know that she could think of me as a brother or her friend I mean she calls me her friend. It's so hard to tell how she feels. How can a girl that oblivious manage to withhold from exhibiting emotions or at least why can't I read her or anything. I can never tell." I said flopping onto the bed as Josh began finishing up. 

"Hey, you're Benjamin Tyler Cook. Thousands of girls would kill to be dating you. Heck all of them would kill to have you like them." Josh said. I sighed. "Yeah, but none of them are her." I groaned. "Who's her?" We heard muffled from the doorway. My eyes widened. I really hope it isn't who I think it is. I jumped up off the bed. I walked over and opened the door. There stood Evalina. She was dressed in some jeans that were speckled with paint and an over sized sweater. Her hair was in its usually dark waves. Her eyes were clearer since she wasn't wearing her glasses. 

I then snapped out of my trance. "Er... hey, E. What are, what are you doing... here... at this present hour..." Wow, smooth Ben. "Oh, I wanted to apologize about last night, plus it's travel day and I wanted to make sure you guys were ready." She replied showing her bags were with her and she had her backpack on her back. "Oh, er... it's fine about last night. It technically wasn't your fault." I replied. "You never answered my question though. Who is her? Not that I'm trying to pry or anything but it does spark my curiosity. You don't have to answer or anything." She said awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck, she's so adorable. 

"Oh it's a no o-" "It's Ben's crush!" Josh shouted while smirking. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "What? Benjamin Tyler Cook has a crush? Why don't I know?" She asked joking around. "I- uh- I, uhm I" "Ben it's fine. I'm just kidding. Just because we're friends, best friends?, we'll stick with friends, doesn't mean we can't keep secrets from each other. I mean you can tell me when you're ready." When she said friends I felt a pang in my heart. What is this girl doing to me?

"She's really pretty and oblivious." Josh said, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "Ahh, I'm not surprised." Evalina said smiling. "He really really likes her, and she's super sweet and talented and she's all he can talk about sometimes." By now my face was a tomato. I saw her face flicker for a moment with a slight frown but it returned to a smile. Maybe I'm just seeing things. "Josh stop." I whined. "Awww, is little Benji embarrassed that he likes someone." Josh continued to tease. I huffed. "Joshie-pooh the only one I love is you." I replied jokingly. "Yes, me... and your crush." He smirked. I sighed knowing I couldn't win. 

"Well, we should get going." Josh said grabbing his backpack and suitcase. I ran in and grabbed mine as well. "On to the state of Connecticut!" I declared. "Yay... a three and a half hour drive with a bunch of Newsies. I'm so excited." She said unenthusiastically.  "I don't even know who I'm go-""YOU CAN SIT WITH BEN!" Josh shouted smiling. He wiggled his eyebrows while looking at me. "It's fine you guys said you'd planned on sitting together I'll just sit with DMC or Chaz or Nick or Jeff H." She said shrugging. 

"Nope, no, definitely not. Did we? Did we say we'd sit together because I'm pretty sure that I said that to Sky." Josh said clearly lying through his teeth because we did say we'd sit together but he's an actor so that's the only way I know he's lying. I shook my head no to him but he continued. Evalina paused for a moment not noticing our exchange looking down for a moment thinking thoughtfully. "No, I clearly recall you guys saying it second day we got here you claimed to be 'bus buddies'." She said while doing air quotes. 

We continued walking with Josh trying to convince Evalina that's not what we had said and that he had made that agreement with Sky. I laughed at his attempts to "set us up" in his words. When we came to a crosswalk just as we were about to cross I felt a warm hand slip into mine sending sparks of electricity up my body. Immediately I knew it was Evalina. I looked down at her since I was taller than her by about a head. She kept her view at the pavement but her cheeks were tinted pink. I chuckled slightly knowing she was embarrassed that after last night she wanted to hold my hand after every crosswalk. 

It was sweet and made me smile brightly. At each crosswalk she'd grip my hand tightly and we'd walk across together. 

3rd Person P.O.V.

Everyone was slowly making their way to the tour bus loading their things up and getting ready. Everyone was deciding who to sit next to and who would be where. They all joked around and eventually began loading the bus. Just as Ben sat down motioning for Josh to sit next to him Josh sat in the seat across from him them 'nudged', more like pushed in my opinion, Evalina into the seat next to Ben. Ben gave him a look that made Josh just shrug. "I guess we're bus buddies." She replied laughing. 

There was one thing going through both of their minds 'this should be an interesting ride'. 

To be continued 

Hello, hello, hello lovely fansies/spectators/readers I hope you enjoyed this chapter this has been divided into two chapters. I'm sorry this is coming out so late but your dear author Specs has become very sick so it was hard to get a chapter out today but I did not want to disappoint or break my promise to update at least once a day on at least one story unless if i didn't have wifi or if I was dying which I sort of am. Hopefully I will get better. Wish me luck and love you all. 

~Specs