Newsies' Little Sister

Chapter 15 - If I wasn't here...

A/N Sorry, WiFi has been tricksy. Ooooo There's gonna be some Drama and Hard Truths in this chapter. I promise there will be some nice stuff too :)

TW: Drama™, Jack is an asshole, the newsies are nosy, shouting

Emmeline's POV

"What have ya got against me? Huh? Why don't ya want me 'ere?" I almost instantly regretted it. Jack walked towards me from the door but stopped before he was too close. As he was quite a bit taller than me, even from a few feet away he practically towered over me. He looked down at me, menacingly. I stared right back at him, willing myself to stay strong.

"Ya really wanna know why I don't want ya 'ere?" I nodded, pleading with myself internally not to let my fear show.

"I don't want ya 'ere because I don't know if I can trust ya. I don't know if ya workin' for Snyder, or the Delanceys! I don't know anythin' 'bout ya! I don't know where ya've come from and I don't even know ya name. And to be honest, I don't care! You have put everyone I care 'bout in danger and that is something I can't forgive. If ya weren't 'ere...the Delanceys wouldn't've come to the Lodging House, Snyder wouldn't've come in, Mush's ankle wouldn't be all messed up, and ya wouldn't've put my boys in danger!"

His voice was getting slowly louder and he stepped towards me gradually, but I didn't back down. I was sick of it. I was sick of being a coward. I didn't back down as he yelled the last part in my face, spit flying everywhere. He reminded me of my father so much and I hated that. 

We stood there, toe to toe, staring each other square in the face. I was preparing myself for a fight, even though he as much taller, stronger and older than me; I'd been in enough fights to take a beating and I could handle myself well enough. I was a better fighter than I looked.

I could feel Elmer and Nick's eyes on me and Jack, and I didn't even hear Nick walk up behind me. He put his hand on my left shoulder. I didn't flinch. I was so blinded by anger and frustration. I couldn't believe it! Jack was blaming me for things I had no control over! He has absolutely no idea what I've been through and had to put up with. I just couldn't believe it...

I didn't know what to say. I thought about yelling back, but that wouldn't get me anywhere. So I just said the first thing that came into me head.

"If I wasn't here, I'd be dead." My voice stayed level and I turned and walked calmly out of the room, down the stairs and out the front door.

Elmer's POV

What just happened?

I couldn't believe what I just saw and heard. I watched Em walk out the door and turned back to Jack. I wanted to tell him how unfair that was, but I couldn't figure out a way to say it, so I just gave him a death stare; then ran out of the door before he could kick my ass to Queens...

Emmeline's POV

As soon as I got to the street, I saw a big group of boys milling around awkwardly. They all stared at me as if they heard everything that just happened. They all stared at me as if I was a monster. They all stared at me.

"What are ya all lookin' at!? Huh!? Haven't ya got papes to sell!?" I yelled at them as loud as I could and a few of the younger ones ran away from me, their faces lines with what almost looked like fear...It felt weird, having someone scared of ya...

I hated the feeling.

The rest of them turned and walked away from me. I felt abandoned...even though it was all my fault.

I felt a million emotions wash over me, like when I was on the rooftops...but these feeling made me feel sick. I had to sit down on the curb, because I thought I was going to faint.

I heard someone running down the stairs, but I didn't turn around. Or flinch when they put their hand on my shoulder. I kept staring straight ahead.

"Em...You---" He began. I stood up and took off before he could finish his sentence. 

I ran as fast as I could. Away from Elmer and the Lodging House where Jack was still there...unless he'd found another way out.

I kept running down the side of Duane Street, then turned right down Broadway. I heard Elmer shouting behind me. He was shouting after me to stop running, to just talk...but I didn't want to talk.

What Jack said, it reminded me of everything that had happened because of me and all of the shit that I've done and all the shit that's happened to me in the past few years and how I had promised myself that I would be stronger than this... But here I was...running away from it all...

My thought whirled around my head as I kept running. I could hear Elmer running after me and calling out for me to stop. But I didn't.

Elmer caught me in the park by City Hall. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.

How did he catch me? I'm a real fast runner and I dodged and ducked in and out of market stalls and through crowds...

"Ya not the only fast runner, Em..." He said soothingly. "Why'd ya run...?"

"Why'd ya think..." I managed to say, while pretending the tears streaming down my face didn't exist.

Elmer released me from his tight hug, and held onto my arms so we were face to face...but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I couldn't bare to think about if he agreed with what Jack said about me...

"Hey..." He moved his head to try and look me in the eye and I reluctantly met his eyes. I blinked a few times to clear my head and a few tears fell.

Elmer lifted his hand and wiped them away gently...just like when we first kissed on the rooftop...it felt like such a long time ago, but it was only yesterday...

"I'm sorry Elmer...for bolting..." I sniffed. "And I understand if ya don't love me anymore. I mean...I hardly deserve it after what ya heard." His eyes softened as I spoke and he smiled a little.

"I'll never stop loving ya...Ginger."

He kissed me and I kissed back. It was just like the rooftop, not that the sun was setting and not that we were on a roof...but in the sense that the whole world, all the noise and all of our problems and bad experiences melted away.

He pulled away and we smiled at each other.

"I love ya Elmer."

"I love ya too." We started laughing, neither of us quite sure why!

"C'mon, we need to find some papes to sell before they'se all gone! I know a guy in Brooklyn that can get us some."

"Let's go." We walked all the way to Brooklyn, hand in hand.

A/N Sorry the update is on Monday! Wifi had been down a bit. Anyways...Jack was a bit of an asshole in this chapter and I'm sorry if you're a hardcore Jack fan, but he's going to be a jerk for most of this btw...I hope you enjoyed reading this and I did say there was going to be some nice stuff! :)))

Dedicated to newsies_fan123 for supporting me <3