Even though Sofie helped me feel less alone through this, I still can't help but feel betrayed. Spot was there for me when I had no one, he helped me up when I got knocked down, he didn't care about what people disagreed with him being with me, and it felt like he loved me.

It's been about a month since Spot cheated on me. School's tomorrow and I'm spending the rest of my night up on the roof of the lodge, which is where I go when I'm stressed. So all of the newsies know that I'm still upset.

Jackie offered to keep me company, but I declined. I really just need to be alone right now. I know that if I needed anything, the boys would clearly help, but I just feel... alone.

I'm only using a thin blanket to protect me from the cold New York nights. The stars in the sky shine brighter than everything else, even the moon. The cold and the light skies around me gives me a constant reminder that no one else is here. I have no one here. Not even Spot. Spot did try to apologize after the whole thing, but none of the Manhattan newsies will even let him look across the Brooklyn bridge.

The worst thing of all is the fact that I still miss him. I can't turn it off no matter what I try. I need him here, holding me, kissing me, making me feel loved. But I can't let that happen. He's a horrible person.

"Knock knock," I hear a voice whisper from the ladder up to here. Looking over to who made the sound, I see Mush already hoisting himself up onto the roof.

"Hey, Mush. What'cha doing up here?" I ask him, not really in the mood to talk to someone. I take my seat back in the corner of the roof that has apart to protect me from the cold.

"I'm here to keep ya company. Plus it's freezin' out here, so you might die if you don't have anotha blanket," Mush speaks, his voice displaying such gentleness, that I can hear how much he cares about me just by how he speaks.

"I'm kinda looking for some alone time. By myself," I say, but it comes out very passive aggressive.

"Yeah, I know dat. But I really can't let you," Mush says sadly, then takes a seat right next to me. "Listen, your school's tomorrah, which is in about two hours. I can tell that youse not gonna try tah sleep. Please, just let me keep you company."

I think for a moment. He does have a very good point with everything he just said, so should I let him. After another minute of thinking, I let out a long sigh.

"Sure. Why not?" I ask. I can practically hear his excitement as he wraps his blanket around the both of us and his arms around me. I can't lie and say I don't feel any warmer or better.

I want to thank him, say something, do something to say how much him pushing the boundaries means to me. But all I do is close my eyes and let my body sink into his and rest my head on his shoulder.

As I look up to the buff boy beside me, I see him looking into my eyes. Without warning, his lips are on mine. It's very quick and I don't have any time to process what's happening. As soon as he pulls away, he looks down at a confused and scared me with a face of shame.

"Holy fuck. Ash I'm so sorry! I don't even know why I did dat! I don't even like ya like dat! I sweah! I- I'se sorry!" Mush worries. I hold my hand up, shushing him.

"Hey, it's alright. I mean, it isn't, but just... don't do that again," I tell him, and he nods. I can feel him slowly trying to move away, but I place my hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes. "I know you didn't mean it. And I know you don't have romantic attraction towards me, and I don't have any towards you. So please. Don't leave me alone."

Mush only nods, wrapping his arms back around me and keeping me warm. I can't help but let my eyes close and feel my consciousness slip away.

As I wake up, I see that Mush also fell asleep. Looking into the sky, I see that it must be around 7 AM. I get on the train to go to school in only about 30 minutes. So I nudge Mush awake, making sure that he doesn't wake up to me gone.

As he wakes up, he looks down at me and smiles.

"Heya, Sweetheart. Why's you awake?" He asks. I smile and point to the sun.

"I have to go to school. It's almost time to go," I say. He nods and helps me get up. As we get down the ladder and walk into the Lodge, everyone looks shocked that Mush made it out alive.

I walk over to my bed, pulling out one of my dresses that Medda got me for school that hides my neck from the scar, my book bag, and some books. I then go to the bathroom and get dressed as quick as possible. Jackie said that he'd walk me down to the train station in order for me to be safe.

As I leave the bathroom, I see that all the boys are looking at me. They try and act like they aren't but I can see the redness of their faces. Jackie hops down from his bunk and walks over to me, placing both hands on my shoulders.

"You looks beautiful, Y/n. Mam would be prouda ya," Jackie tells me and pulls me into a hug, which makes me smile. He then pulls away and gives me a questioning face. "You ready for school?"

"I've been ready for a year. Time for my Junior Soph year," I say, which makes him smile.

(Okay, I have no one to say this to but read this: "The several degrees of persons in the University Colledges . . . Fresh Men, Sophy Moores, Junior Soph, or Sophester. And lastly Senior Soph." The names were so weird a long time ago.)

"Alright, let's head out den. Race! Buy me my papes. I'll pay ya back about five minutes aftah the Coiculation gate opens and I ain't gonna be at the end ah da line," Jackie yells and takes my arm in his to guide me to the station.

Jackie never really let me go anywhere by myself at the beginning of the years, so I just learned to accept it.

After about 15 minutes, we reach the station. There's people standing around, waiting for the train doors to open. In just a minute after we arrive, the door opens. Jackie gives me a hug before I hop onto the train.

I take a seat down in front of a lady with a baby, and as the ticket checker walks by, I hold up my school ticket.

"Miss, could you show me your ticket?" The man asks. I hand him my ticket and he takes a good look at it before handing it back. "Well, then, I guess you'll be here for quite a while."

"Yup. Finally going back to school," I say, trying to create small talk.

"Wait, back?" He asks. I nod. I then see him recognizing me, which slightly scares me. "Hey! You're that girl who used to sit in the back corner of the train! I remember you."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds like me," I say, trying my best not to be awkward, and failing. It's very weird to be approached by someone you've never talked to.

"Well, I'd better collect everyone's tickets, have a lovely day," he says. I just nod and look down at my book bag and pull out Jane Eyre, one of my favorite books.

I continue reading as the train starts pulling out of the station and I feel my excitement growing. It feels like I only read for a second before the train pulls into the station, when it was actually ten minutes.

I pick up my bag as I feel the train pulling into the station, and once the train comes to a halt, I get off. I immediately start walking towards the direction of the school, where there's girls everywhere. I start feeling a bit nervous, as I recognize most girls, but they don't recognize me.

"Ash! You're here!" I hear a familiar voice call out from behind me. I turn around to see Kathrine and Sofie standing with each other.

"Hey, guys! Are you two friends?" I ask. Kathrine nods and pulls me into a hug.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter right now. You're here! I know I only saw you the other day, but it feels like forever!" Kathrine exaggerates, which makes me laugh.

"So, Ash, what schedule do you have for today?" Sofie asks. I think for a minute on if I got a schedule.

"I have no idea. Where do we get one?" I ask. 

"It's mailed to your house," Sofie says. Both me and Kathrine look at each other for a moment before looking back at her.

"Um, she lives in a lodging house. They don't really get mail there, because it doesn't count as a 'house'," Kathrine explains, which makes Sofie's eyes grow wide.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. I didn't know you lived there, I wouldn't have said it otherwise. Maybe they can give one to you in your homeroom? All third years are in the same homeroom, so you could maybe ask there?" Sofie asks.

"It's fine. I know you meant no offense. And yeah, I'll go do that. When's the bell going to ring?" I ask. As soon as the question leaves my mouth, I hear the loud ringing of the bell, condemning us to class. "Well I guess that answers my question. Kath, could you please show me where homeroom is?"

Kathrine nods and everyone starts entering the building. She takes the lead as I follow, making sure to hold onto my book bag as to not drop it.

As we walk into class, I see a teacher standing there and I walk up to her.

"Miss, do you know of any way that I could get a schedule?" I ask her. She looks at me while holding a cigar in one hand and attendance forms in the other.

"Didn't ya geh it mailed to ya house?" The teacher asks, her thick Scottish accent knocking me back a bit.

"Um... I don't have a house," I say, which makes her look at my dress.

"Then why ya dressed soo faceh (fancy)?" She asks. 

"I have a friend who makes clothes for shows, so she made me a dress after seeing how old mine were," I explain, she just rolls her eyes.

"Heah, I have schedules on hand. Taeke it 'nd go pick out ya seat," she says, handing me a slip of paper. I nod and mutter out a thank you as I find my way next to Kathrine. I wish Sofie was in this class but she's a year older than me. But we might have some classes together. "Oll students place remean quiet. My neme is Miss Wilkinson. I'd like it if none of ya need tah toolk to me. Thank ya."

I look back at Kathrine, who looks shocked at the bluntness of the teacher. She turns her head and looks at me, as she starts to mouth out what she's thinking, I try my best to listen.

"Jeez, she's crazy," she mouths out, and I nod my head. 

"Is she from Scotland?" I mouth. Kath just shrugs.

"Hell if I know," Kath mouths, which makes me smile. I look down at my schedule, reading where I'm going.

First class: Social readiness 2-5

Second class: Grammar 2-3

Third class: Arithmetic 1-7

Lunch and Recess 

Fourth class: Reading 1-3

Fifth class: Writing 2-4

Sixth class: Geography 2-8

That sounds plain and simple. I already know quite a bit of these subjects very well. As I finish reading, the bell rings again, sending me to Social readiness.

I stand up and walk around the building. I know that the first number means the floor, and the second is the classroom number. I find my way to the second  floor and into the fifth classroom. The teacher standing there looks just as mean as Miss Wilkinson.

She gestures for everyone to take a seat. I find one and plop down.

"Hello, girls, my name is Miss Grey, today we will be learning about how to be ready for the real world. This will teach you manners, correct ways to be physically, and how to court a husband. Now, first we shall start off with clothing," she speaks, scanning the room of everyone before her eyes land on me. "You in the lovely purple dress, what's your name?"

"My name's Ash Kelly, miss Grey," I say as polite as possible. She waves her hand for me to stand up in front of the class.

"Ash, please do tell us, how much money do your parents have as to get you such a lovely dress?" I freeze for a moment at her question. The couple people in class who remember me know that I'm an orphan and their expression is that of pity, but not the cruel kind.

"I'm actually an orphan. I just have a friend who works in a theater who also makes costumes, and she made me a dress for school," I say. Miss Grey gives me a look of disgust and looks at me again.

"An orphan? Well where do you live?" She asks.

"I live in a lodging house with my brother and our newsie family," I explain. Now it's not just Miss Grey who's grossed out, it's some of the class.

"A lodging house? Newsies? You don't deserve such a lovely dress. High quality dresses are for higher class citizens. How did you manage to even get into this school?"

"Well, I worked as a newsie for a year and my brother works as one right now. A couple extra dollars that we made doing side jobs. And also money from when I had been kidnapped, because my kidnapper had a lot of money, the proceeds went to us and we used a bit of it for school but we're saving the rest," I explain, trying to ignore all the dirty glares I'm getting from some people.

"How could you be kidnapped? What could someone possibly want with a poor person like you?" She asks. I lower the neck of my dress to show the scar I have from nearly having my throat slit, which earns a couple gasps.

"He wanted revenge on my brother for saving his little brother from living with him. The man got diagnosed with psychopathy and is currently in a mental ward, so you can imagine all the things he did to people, including his own brothers," I say. Miss Grey shakes her head.

"Just... Go sit back down. I'll pick someone else who ISN'T an orphan," she explains, sending me back to my seat. On the way, I get glares from people who I don't even know. But it doesn't bother me. I've had worse glares from being a newsie.

The rest of the school day was fine. I one-upped everyone in arithmatic, reading, grammar, and writing. All of it I can put on being a newsie. Having to deal with the strike and learning the percent increase. Reading the papers and always going to the library. And just generally being interested in the topics.

Although, I must say that reading those newspapers helped me learn brand new words, which was great in the spelling contest, which I won. And even though Miss Grey hates me, I'm still better than most people in social readiness. You have to be different in every way on the streets. You have to be poor, you have to be polite, learn, be more sophisticated, and learn to use your charisma and charm to get the money.

So even though the first two classes sucked, the others were great. I didn't struggle with Geography but it's just not my best. Overall I would say that I had a fantastic day. I really can't wait to tell Jackie about how my day went.

I think he'd be proud that I didn't get upset or scared when Miss Grey was picking on me in front of the class, which I forgive her for.

Luis' POV

I wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait until there's the right moment to strike. They thought that locking me in a cell would stop me from escaping? They were wrong. Simple lock picking skills matter in the long run. I hear the tapping of feet as the guard walks down the hallway and the stomping of my racing heart as I hold up a pipe, ready to hit him.

I calculate my attack perfectly, slamming the pipe into his face, knocking him out almost instantly. I wish I had enough time to finish the job, but I have to get out now. I snatch up the keys and his clothing and rush to the nearest bathroom, quickly switching my clothes with his and tossing him in my cell.

I feel no fear as I walk past all the guards and out of the building. The look of surprise on their faces is going to be priceless when I finally take what's mine. Spot and Leo will be begging to be let back into my family.

All I need to do is ready up. I have to make sure that no part of my plan can go wrong. No witnesses. No teammates. No Francis. All I need to do is get a house and create a game plan. Then. And only then. Will I commit the perfect crime.

I'll see her soon. But not soon enough. 

I'll see her feared expression soon.

I'll see her crying face soon.

I'll see (Y/n) soon.