a change of heart | e.k

Chapter Twenty

Warning! Heavy, heavy topics are brought up. Such as death. You're not gonna like how this ends. Mentions of blood, knives, cuts, the whole shebang. Read only if you're in a good headspace. Also, save the song at the top for after you've finished the chapter, and thank me later.

Lane drummed her fingers against the table, having not moved even after Jojo left. He'd told her some about Teresa — Laces — and in turn, she'd told him about Oscar and Morris.

Oscar, Morris and her.

She tied her fingers together on top of the table. The two would be expecting her help. She'd promised it, after all. It was her duty to keep that promise now. She didn't even need a reward from them. All she asked was that they left her and the newsies alone.

As of then, they were. But it had nothing to do with what they wanted or didn't want.

Frisks had practically taken Oscar captive, unsurprisingly. Honestly, what had he expected? It was Frisks. Despite the fact that they'd been idiots, Lane knew she now had the moral obligation to go and be a good sister. To get them out of this mess they'd dug themselves into.

Problem was, she wasn't exactly eager to meet with Frisks face to face again.

Last they'd met, Frisks had been threatening to stick a blade in both Finch and Lane. Well, if Lane failed to do just that to Finch, Frisks would. Yet there they were, Finch very much alive.

She couldn't be so sure about herself in the next hour.

"I can tell when yer stressed."

She gazed over her shoulder, placing her chin on her shoulder tiredly. "M'always stressed."

Finch moved from where he was leaning against the wall, approaching her. Apparently, he'd returned from his little outing with Specs. "It kills me ta see you so worn down lookin'."

She chuckled humorlessly. "Den Ise scared 'a what'll happen when Frisks kills me."

He tensed. "What?"

She sighed. "My bruddahs, rememb-ah? She's got 'em both trapped. I've put it off long enough."

Finch shifted uneasily, rubbing his injured shoulder. "Lane... Frisks-"

"I know, I know. She's dangerous." She found she hardly had the energy to meet his gaze, having not slept well the night before. Or even the night before that. Frankly, she couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten a good night's rest. "She mighta been yer sist-ah, Finch, but she's my problem. Plus, she's been like an estranged sist-ah ta me ev-ah since we met each other." Lane leaned her head against her fists, struggling to stay awake. "I jus wish... I didn't have ta do dis right now."

"Do what?" Finch questioned, his voice laced with caution.

She lifted her head. "Try ta convince Frisks ta side wit us."

He looked appalled. "Dat's crazy."

Lane sighed and pulled herself from the chair, sulking over to the entryway and slipping on her coat. Crazy always had been her thing, hadn't it?

"Lane!"

"You can come if you want," she said, lifting her hair out from the coat, not having the energy to fight with him.

He clenched his jaw, before storming over to the doorway and shrugging on his coat. She could tell he was annoyed with one look at him, but even more, she could tell he was concerned. "I almost wish you hadn't told me."

"Same he-ah," she said, opening the door and stepping out. But of course it wasn't true. She'd despised the way things were when she and Finch told each other nothing. All it had led to was fights upon fights. With Finch by her side, a certain strength was instilled in her stomach that kept her from collapsing and urged her onward.