Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Sita, who is my enabler. Apparently, she wants me to get dropped from all my classes this fall because I didn't do any of my summer work.

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I open my mouth to reply, then freeze.

"Hello?"

One second, please. Kevin's a bit preoccupied at the moment- his conscience has decided to kick his ass.

"Hello?" the person on the other line repeats. One second, buddy, I'm too busy hoping I don't go to hell. Because, seriously, that would not be fun.

My mother was right- I am a selfish little ass. I hate it when she's right.

"Listen, if this is some sort of joke-"

And then the phone goes dead in my hand. I turn around, and see that Kristen has unplugged the phone. Her blue eyes bore into mine as I stand there, gawking, and she slowly shakes her head.

What the hell?

"Krissy, what the-" I'm cut off as the door swings open and Mr. and Mrs. Bridges come in.

"Kevin, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Bridges asks, surprised to see me standing in the middle of the kitchen.

I force a smile across my face and reach for one of the grocery bags she's holding. "Just needed to use your phone, Mrs. B, and Krissy was nice enough to let me in. Here, let me help you with that."

She smiles and passes me a bag, and I take it to the counter and start helping her put stuff away.

"Who did you need to call?" she asks, curious.

Shit. "Uhm… Isaac. I left my history book at school, and needed to call to see if I could use his. Homework, you know. The bane of my existence. I couldn't use our phone because Dad was talking to some buyers about something."

Mrs. Bridges nods politely, then her husband speaks. "Do you need a ride to the Guarrani's, Kev?"

I shake my head. "I have a car. Anyway, couldn't reach 'em."

"Well, why don't you try again? I need to talk to Mr. Guarrani, anyway."

Double shit. As all three sets of eyes turn to me, I meekly obey Mr. Bridges, pick up the phone, and dial the Guarrani's number.

It rings three times, and then a breathless voice answers. "Hello?"

"Isaac? It's Kevin."

"Yeah. What?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow your history book. I forgot mine at-"

"Listen, Kev, I can't talk right now, alright?"

And with that he hangs up. Weird.

Confused, I turn back to the Bridges. "Uh, they were busy with something. Isaac hung up on me."

I see Mr. Bridges shake his head- everyone thinks Isaac Guarrani has no manners, which isn't surprising because of the fact that he, uh, doesn't.

"Well, then, do you need a ride home?"

I blink, shooting a quick look at Krissy. I'd like to ask her why the hell she hung the phone up, but God knows I wouldn't get an answer.

"Nah." I shake my head. "I've got the Chevy."

-----

Driving always makes me think. I don't know why. So instead of going straight home, I drive around for a bit.

I spend most of an hour bemoaning my existence, but I also force myself to bemoan the fact that I'm a horrible son and was about to throw my parents to the wolves. After all, what's the use of bemoaning if you don't throw in a little variety?

So, by the time I arrive home I've come to the conclusion that I am the scum of the universe. And, as I walk through the door and see the look on my mothers face, I see that she probably shares the same thought.

"Where were you?"

"I went to the Bridges's. I called Radiation Control."

My mother's face pales, so I go on. "I hung up, though. I didn't see the point in going on with that. I'm sorry."

I go up to my room before she can respond.

-----

Before school the next morning, I went down to the basement with breakfast for the muties.

I have returned to my mother's service, for I am shamed.

And when I'm down there, one thing sticks out like a sore thumb.

Snoddy's not there.

"Race, where'd Snoddy go?" I asked as I handed him a glass.

Race shrugs, face pale. "He left after you did, and then he never came back."

What? Where could that idiot have gone off to? And hell, do I feel worse. Here's to hoping I didn't scare him away or something.

I quickly finish handing out breakfast, then run upstairs.

"Mom, where'd Dean go?"

Mom continues with whatever it is she's doing. "He left, Kevin."

"Left for where?"

"He was well enough to leave, so he moved on."

Oh. Great. Now I'm stuck with this guilt for the rest of my life.

My mom looks at the clock. "You're going to be late for school."

Oh, yes. Like that is going to break my heart. If I'm late, I just don't know what I'll do with myself.

Cry, probably.

Begrudgingly, I grab my backpack and wander out to where the bus is waiting.

-----

I walk into the school and turn down the hallway, blinking as the light reflecting off the whitewashed walls burn through my retinas, and head for my locker. Even from this far down the hall I can see Kayleigh Connors (the girl who has the locker next to mine) flirting with some guy, who's standing with his back to me.

Of course, that's not a surprise. Kayleigh flirts with everyone.

But does she always have to do it in front of my locker?

I shake my head as I walk up. "Kayleigh, must you always stand in front of my-"

I stop as the boy turns around, and I come face-to-face with Snoddy.

-----

I would like to stop and give a resounding 'What the fuck?' to the universe.

Because, seriously, things are getting insane.

Kayleigh smiles at me. "Oh, Kevin, have you met Dean? No, of course no, he's new: when could you have met him? Unless you met him before, after all he is Isaac's cousin-"

Uh, no. He's not. He's a kid who lived in the city until the plant leaked, he got radiation sickness, his family died and he took up residence in my basement.

Snoddy sticks out his hand, apparently for a handshake. "Nice to meet you." he says, though he doesn't really sound like he means it.

I shake his hand, seriously wondering why. I mean, I already know the guy. In fact, that bruise he's got on his cheekbone? Yup. From me.

Insert guilty twinge here.

"Well," Kayleigh chirped. "I hate to cut the small talk, but first period starts in-" she stopped to check her watch "-a minute and forty-two… forty one… forty-"

"Kayleigh!" I snap.

She grins meekly. "Well, you get the point. Dean, do you want me to show you where your English class is?"

Snoddy shrugs, then nods. "Sure. Why not?" he answers, and follows her, only pausing to glare at me.

Oh, great. Not only do the muties run my home life, but now they seek to take over the entirety of my existence.

With that thought I started towards my Chemistry class. Isaac was my lab partner, and maybe then I'd get some fucking answers!

All this crap is going to give me an ulcer or something, I swear.

------

I sit in my chair as the bell rang, and pulled out my notebook, laying it open on the table in front of me. The teacher, Miss Burt, quickly scans the room to see if anyone's missing, marks a couple of kids down, and then turns to begin her lecture.

And with that, I scribble What the fuck? on my notebook and shove it in Isaac's direction. And he promptly shoves it back.

I grit my teeth, watching as Miss Burt turns her back to us again, and shove the notebook at Isaac again, elbowing him in the side.

Issac turns, glares at me, and shoves it back.

I glare back, and shove it at him again, hard, and kick his shin.

"Ow!" Miss Burt turns and gives Isaac a 'Look', and he smiles apologetically until she turns back around and continues lecturing about hydrogen or helium or zinc or something else atomy.

"What are you, a girl?" he hisses, snatching the notebook from me, and begins to write in it.

Why is it that everyone always calls me a girl? I'm not effeminate, am I?

Oh, well, I'll save that little journey into 'knowing myself' for another day.

Right now, I'm busy waiting (impatiently, I might add) for Isaac to finish writing. And soon he does, and I grab the notebook and read it quickly.

And I decide that I really hate him:

There once was a boy named Kevin

Who acted like he was eleven

But he wasn't really a boy-

A dolly was his favorite toy

And he's also FUCKING ANNOYING!

Pfft. Jackass. Annoying doesn't even rhyme with Kevin. And since when did I become the world's bitch?

There was a P.S. written at the bottom, though, that made me feel (slightly) better.

I'll talk with you at lunch, you incredible moron.

My friends are the nicest, aren't they?

-----

Later that afternoon, I sit at the lunch table and wait for Isaac to join me.

"Annoying doesn't rhyme with Kevin." I inform Isaac as he sits down.

He shrugs. "Yeah, but it's true."

"So. Seriously, dude. What's up with this-"

"Wait a sec." Isaac cut me off and waved to someone behind me. "Hey, cuz! Over here!"

Wha- aw, man. I glowered down at my plate (whatever it was that the lunch ladies were trying to poison me with today) as Snoddy, Kayleigh and her friend Michelle Beaufont came over and sat down.

I blink at Kayleigh. "Have you been stalking him all day?" I ask, jerking my thumb at Snoddy.

"Yes."

Poor guy. When I turn back to Isaac, though, I see a triumphant look on his face and I realize- he had seen Kayleigh and Michelle with Snoddy, and knew if they were here he wouldn't be able to answer any of my questions.

I glare at him. "Jerk. You said-"

"I know." He responds, gloating.

"And then you-"

"I knew."

"But you promised-"

"So?"

"You liar." I glare, and he just laughs.

------

I made a promise to myself that I would go to Isaac's right after school- I figured he could explain everything to me then.

Of course, all my planning soon goes astray when Katie sits down next to me on the bus. It's difficult to plan when you're busy looking for sharp objects to jam into your skull so you can stop the pain.

"Who's Isaac's cousin?"

I roll my eyes. "Dean."

"Well, it's strange. You know, I heard-"

"Katie."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

She pouts at me, "I'm just saying, it's fishy."

"Katie?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you speak?"

She blinks, but I just turn and look out the window as the bus bounces down the dirt road towards my farm, and wonder what big surprise is waiting for me next.

-----

Gah, alright. This is the last of the 'calm' chapters (I think)- be prepared for craziness ahead. cackle

That ending bit it, but I needed to leave off there because Things Are Getting Interesting. But you don't know that, yet.