Silent Tears

Chapter 8: One Truth And Two Lies

I woke up with Finch's strong arm around my waist and his face in the crook of my neck. "Finch we's gotta get up." I shook Finch a little trying to get him up. But he instead buried his face more into my neck. A little groan came from his throat. I tried to stand up, but I can't. Finch's arm is still around my waist and he won't let go. "Finchy, I'se have ta use da bathroom." After a few groans he let go so I could use the bathroom. 

How much longer can I keep this up? Why hasn't Finch asked any questions yet? As I walk out of the stall I head towards the sink. I look up into the mirror and I froze. My hair. It's black. How da actual hell? It wasn't like this before. Race then walked into the bathroom. "Race, wha da shit happened to me hair?!" "When Spot found ya you'se head was bleedin, so we'se had ta wash it, which caused all da dye ta come out." Great. Just great. Nobody can see my hair like this. It would raise questions and suspicions and that's the last thing I need right now. "So you'se not gonna ask me bout why me hair is dyed?" "Look Al, I'se learned over the last week dat you'se have a lotta secrets. I'se don't like dat you'se is keepin things from me, but I'se undastand dat der's things dat you'se just ain't ready ta share with me yet, and dat's okay wit me." A smile started to spread on my face as I walked over to Race and hugged him. We didn't say anything, nothing needed to be said. 

"Did Finch say anythin bout me hair?" "I'se don't know if he saw it or not. Why's dont ya get a quick showa an when ya get out I'll hand ya, you'se hat." I nodded and headed to the shower. "Soooo, Racer, how's come Spot was ere?" I can't see Race's face right now, but I know that it's bright red. He's never admitted it me but, he has a ginormous crush on Spot."Well he. uh. he was visitin me." "Oh, and why's da?" I questioned with a huge smirk on my face. I stepped out of the shower with a towel around my waist. "None of ya damn business Dasilva." "Oh come on Racer! I'm your best friend!" I wined while changing into my clothes. "Okay, If I'se tell ya, you'se have ta tell me why you'se dyed ya hair." Ugh. Seriously Race. Why did you have to say that? But I don't have to tell him everything. "Fine. I'se dyed me hair so me step fatha wouldn't find me. You'se turn." 
"Oh yea Al, that was real detailed." Race said this while rolling his eyes. "We'se might be tagetha." "What?! Why didn't you'se tell me sooner?!!" "Well as I'se said before, we'se might be tagetha, I'se still tryin ta figure out were we'se stand." I nodded my head understandingly.  I took my hat from Race and walked over to the mirror. I put my hat on trying to make every little peice of my hair fit in it. Race came over and started putting strands of hair into my hat as well. We finally got all the hair inside the hat. "So what are you'se gonna do bout ya hair?" "Imma go out an buy some red hair dye again." "I'se just gonna be completely honest with ya Al, I'se think ya should tell Finch. I'se know dat der's stuff dat you'se haven't even told me, but I'se really think ya should tell him." I knew he was right. Finch doesn't deserve to be lied to, but what if he won't care about me? What if he'll hate me? What if he'll kick me out of the lodging house? So many things can go wrong, but I know Race is right. I need to tell Finch the truth.

The boys started coming into the bathroom, thankfully I was done in it. On with another day. on with another day of carrying the banner.

[Race:]
Hey!
That's my cigar!

[Albert:]
You'll steal another!

[Specs:]
Hey, look! it's bath time at the zoo

[Henry:]
I thought that I'd surprise my mother

[Albert:]
If you can find her

[Newsies:]
Who asked you?!

[Race:]
From bottle alley to the harbor
There's easy pickings guaranteed

[Finch:]
Try any banker, bum, or barber
They almost all knows how to read

[Jack:]
It's a crooked game we're playin'
One we'll never lose
Long as suckers don't mind payin'
Just to get bad news

[Newsies:]
Ain't it a fine life!
Carrying the banner through it all
A mighty fine life!
Carrying the banner tough and tall
When the bell rings
We goes where we wishes
We's as free as fishes
Sure beats washing dishes
What a fine life
Carrying the banner home-free all!

[Finch:]
Hey, crutchie, what's your leg say, gonna rain?

[Crutchie:]
Uh, no rain...
Ho-ho, partly cloudy clear by evenin'

[Race:]
Ha! and the limp sells fifty papes a week, all by itself!

[Crutchie:]
I don't need the limp to sell papes
I got personality
It takes a smile that spreads like butter
The kind that turns a lady's head

[Race:]
It takes an orphan with a stutter

[Finch:]
Who's also blind

[Albert:]
And mute

[Elmer:]
And dead!

[Crutchie, Buttons, Jo-Jo:]
Summer stinks and winters freezing
When you works outdoors

[Jack, Tommy Boy, Crutchie, Buttons, Jo-Jo:]
Start out sweatin
End up sneezin'
In between it pours!

[Newsies:]
Still it's a fine life
Carrying the banner with me chums
A bunch of big shots
Tossin' out a freebie to the bums

[Finch:]
Hey! what's the hold up?
Waiting makes me antsy
I likes livin' chancey

[Newsies:]
Harlem to delancey
What a fine life!
Carrying the banner through the...

[Nuns:]
Blessed children
Though you wander lost and depraved
Jesus loves you
You shall be saved

[Race:]
Curdled

[Elmer:]
Just give me half a cup

[Nuns:]
Blessed children

[Race:]
Coffee

[Henry:]
Somethin' to wake me up

[Race:]
Concrete donuts

[Romeo:]
I gotta find an angle

[Race:]
Sprinkled with mold

[Tommy boy:]
It's gettin bad out there

[Race:]
Homemade

[Mush:]
Papers is all I got

[Nuns:]
Jesus loves you

[Specs:]
It's 88 degrees

[Race:]
Biscuits

[Jo-Jo:]
Jack says to change my spot

[Sniper:]
Wish I could catch a breeze

[Race:]
Just two

[Finch:]
Maybe it's worth a shot

[Buttons:]
All I can catch is fleas

[Race:]
Years old

[Jack:]
If I hate the headline
I'll make up a headline

[Jack and Crutchie:]
And I'll say anything I have'ta

[Jack, Crutchie, Race and Romeo:]
'Cause at two for a penny if I take too many
Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta'!

[Newsies group 1:]
Got a feelin' bout the headline!
I smells me a headline!

[Newsies group 2:]
I do too, so it must be true

[Newsies group 1:]
Papes are gonna sell like we was givin' them away!
Betcha dinner it's a doozy

[Newsies group 2:]
What a switch! soon we'll all be rich

[Newsies group 1:]
'Bout a pistol-packin' floozy
Who knows how to make a newsie's day!

[Newsies group 2:]
Don't know any better way to make a newsie's day

[Newsies:]
You wanna move the next edition
Give us an earthquake or a war!

[Elmer:]
How 'bout a crooked politician?

[Newsies:]
Yeah, nitwit, that ain't news no more!
Uptown to grand central station
Down to city hall
We improves our circulation
Walking 'til we fall

[Newsies group 1:]
But we'll be out there

[Newsies group 2:]
Got a feelin' 'bout the headline

[Newsies group 1:]
Carrying the banner man to man!

[Newsies group 2:]
I smells me a headline
Papes are gonna sell like we was givin' them away

[Newsies group 1:]
We're always out there

[Newsies group 2:]
Betcha dinner it's a doozy

[Newsies group 1:]
Soakin' every sucker that we can!

[Newsies group 2:]
'Bout a pistol-packin' floozy
Don't know any better way to make a newsie's day!

[Newsies group 1:]
See the headline:

[Newsies group 2:]
I was stakin' out the circus

[Newsies group 1:]
Newsies on a mission!

[Newsies group 2:]
And then someone said that coney's really hot

[Newsies group 1:]
Kill the competition

[Newsies group 2:]
But when I got there

[Newsies group 1:]
Sell the next edition!

[Newsies group 2:]
There was spot with all his cronies

[Newsies group 1:]
We'll be out there

[Newsies group 2:]
Heck, I'm gonna take what little dough I got and play with the ponies!

[Newsies group 1:]
Carrying the banner!
See us out there

[Newsies group 2:]
We at least deserves a headline for the hours that they work us

[Newsies group 1:]
Carrying the banner!
Always out there

[Newsies group 2:]
Jeez, I bet if I just stayed a little longer at the circus...

[Newsies group 1:]
Carrying the banner!

[Newsies:]
We'll all be out there
Carrying the banner man to man!
We're always out there
Soakin' every sucker that we can!
Here's the headline:
Newsies on a mission!
Kill the competition!
Sell the next edition!
We'll be out there
Carrying the banner!
See us out there
Carrying the banner!
Always out there
Carrying the banner!
Ah, ah, ah, go!

JoJo and I went to our usual spot and sold all of our papes. "You'se comin Al?" "Uh yea, I'se will be der in a sec." I said as I stepped into a barber shop. I picked up a jar of red hair dye and paid for it. I stuffed it into my newspaper bag and started heading towards where JoJo was sitting on a bench. "You'se ready now?" "Yep, lets head home." I stated as I threw my arm around JoJo's shoulders.

 We are very close to the lodging house. I can see Race and Elmer playing around, Davey reading a book, Jack looking over Davey's shoulder pretending to read but really just looking at Davey, Romeo trying to impress Specs, Specs rolling his eyes constantly at Romeo's bad pick up lines, Les playing with a cardboard sword with Tumbler, and Lucky, Tommy Boy on top of Henry's lap while playing with his hair, Henry giving soft little kisses to Tommy Boy everywhere, Mush leaning against a tree making a flower crown, Blink's head laying on Mush's shoulder,and Buttons sewing up another one of race's jackets that he's torn.

 All of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in my back. I fell to the ground in agony. "Albert!!!" I heard the voice. I recognized the voice. But I couldn't quite make out the voice. Little black dots started appearing. I'm not sure what happened, but I feel warm blood flowing down my back. "Stay with me Albert! Please Al! I felt someone pick me up, but the black dots got bigger, the pain hurt more, the blood flowing just kept coming. 

I wake up to a black room again. Oh no, this can't be good. I am dead? I am I going to hell?! I felt a sharp pain go into my back. Nope, nope, definitely not dead. The room got lighter. Myabe I just wasn't seeing well. I look around and see Finch, Jack, David, Specs, Blink, Elmer, Race, Mush, JoJo, and Henry. 

"Oh thank god you'se awake Al. I'se was so worried!" Elmer said running up to my bed side. "We'se real glad dat you'se okay Albert." jack said with a slight smile. "What..what even happened?" " A random man came up to ya an stabbed ya deep inta ya back." Race said as calmly as he could. James. It had to of been. I wonder if just a tiny strand of hair fell out. If so, he would have recognized me. He's smart that way.

"Do you'se by any chance know who mighta done it Al?" Specs asked. " I..uh..no I'se don't." " "Just stop Albert. Just stop. I'se sick of ya lying. It's like playing two truths and a lie, except its one truth and two lies." Finch said sternly. "I'se done with you'se lies, so eitha ya tell us, or even just me, or whateva we have is gone." I can't have Finch leave my life forever. I have to tell him.

"Can everyone except Finch leave da room?" They all nodded and walked out of the room. Finch came over and sat on the bed. "You'se can tell me Albie, I'se care, I'se promise ya I do."

"Okay, I'se will tell ya everything. It all started wit.....