Betrayal | A Newsies Story

Chapter 6

Races POV

He felt sick. Yeah right! There's no way. He must've known something. Hell! he tried to keep me from going! Does that mean he knew something? Wait, he tried to keep me from going- does he actually care? There's no way! And he kissed me. D-does he like me? No! There's no way. Maybe he thought I was someone else! Yeah. That's all.

I walk over to the window. The sky is a mixture of purples, pinks, and blues. I see something fall from... the roof? I head a loud thud along with it. I quickly walk outside. It's hard to see anything, since the sun isn't completely up yet. The sunrise is really beautiful. Stop getting distracted Racetrack. I look around. I see a... body? I walk towards it. I stop a few feet away from it. No. No. No. No. No.

"A-Albert?" I whisper. He doesn't reply, or move. Shit. No. Tears start running down my cheeks. I quickly but gently pick him up. I bring him inside. I lay him on an empty bunk in the corner.

"Race?" Specs asks from behind me. I turn my head around. He rubs his eyes and puts his glasses on. His jaw drops slightly. He sighs.

"I'll get the bandages, take him upstairs into the spare bedroom." Specs says. I nod and pick Albert up. He's surprisingly light. His breath starts slowing down as I run up the stairs. I lay him on the bed.

Specs walks in. "He's going to need CPR." Specs says. I nod. Specs walks over to him and does the CPR stuff.

(Idk anything about CPR, so that's all your getting. No it wasn't mouth to mouth.)

It's been three days and Albert still hasn't woken up. I should have just told him how I felt... no. Feel. Why didn't I just tell him. I guess I was just to scared.

"Race?" I hear someone say. I turn around. Spot is standing in the doorway. He looks from me to the bed. "What happened to him?" He asks.

"I-I don't know." I say sobbing into my hands. Spot walks over to Albert and checks his pockets.

"What are you doing?" I ask him. He ignores me and keeps checking his pockets. He pulls out a paper from one pocket. He reads it and hands it to me. Tears start rolling down his cheeks. I fold it put it in my pocket. I'll read it later.

Specs walks in with a tall man, wearing a white coat. "Race, this is Doctor Dillamond, he's going to make sure Albert still aliv- okay. Since he hasn't woken up." He says. I nod.

"So everyone except for me has to leave..." Specs adds. I sigh. I knew it was coming. Me and Spot walk and go into the bunk room.

"Hey Race! You wanna join me and buttons on poker?" Elmer asks. I shake my head.

"Nah, maybe next time though." I say.

"That's the first time I've ever heard and seen Race say 'No' to pocker." Jack says from his bunk, where he's sitting next to Davey. Every single Manhattan newsie ships it. It's not like their subtle about liking each other. What's funny is that they don't even know the other likes them. They're either stupid or oblivious. I'm going with stupid.

I climb up to my bunk. I remember all the memories I've had with Albert. When he got stuck in a tree and I tried to save him but got stuck as well, when we played hide and seek throughout Manhattan and I accidentally went to Brooklyn and started watching the Horses, when I fell off my bunk in the middle of the night and he somehow fell on top of me. All good times. And we might never get to have another one together.

"Hey Race, I'm heading back to Brooklyn 'right, I'll be back in the morning. Bye!" He says. "Oh, and read the letter." He says sternly. He leaves the room. I pull out the paper and read it.

"That son of a gun!" I shout gaining the attention of the rest of the Newsies. They all look at me. "Go back to what you'se was doin'!" I say. They listen and go back to whatever they were doing.

This son of a gun started working for Pulitzer!? I haven't even read the second half yet! This is bullshit! He betrayed us. Betrayed me. There goes my hope for him liking me.

I keep reading. He wrote... a section specifically to me? What.

I continue reading. He admits to lying. At least he admitted to it. I'd be in the refuge? Why? This doesn't make any since. He better wake up. I need answers. Oh yeah sure, he's sorry. I roll my eyes. He loves me? No! It's just some sick prank! Just like when he kissed me. He doesn't actually like me. There's no way. Maybe he accidentally signed it to me. Yeah, that's all. I mean, it's pretty obvious he likes Spot. When they hang out in Brooklyn, which they haven't for a while, he's all over Spot. What am I thinking?!

"You alright Race?" Jack asks. I nod, I quickly fold up the paper and hide it in my pocket.

I lay down. This is too much. I close my eyes and drift into a peaceful sleep, at least for now.