Hello All! So this is the beginning of my new multi-chapter about which puts the boys in modern day college. It should be a little lighter of a read that "Alone" (which you should check out btw) but it's not like it would take much to be lighter than that. Anyway here is chapter 1, I apologize in advance if I am slow to update, second semester has been quite busy so far! But I hope you enjoy! As always I do not own Newsies as I am a poor college student.

"Sir, we will be in Syracuse in ten minutes."

Crutchie blinked and yawned, "Thanks!"

The conductor continued down the aisle as Crutchie began to gather his things. His phone was nearly dead, not that that was a surprise, the ancient flip phone died almost as soon as it was opened. He unplugged his headphones from his bulky laptop and put both into his backpack, wriggling the zipper past the point where it got stuck in the fraying fabric every day.

Syracuse.

It was really happening. He had dreamed his whole life about being able to make it on his own, about finding a way to live without being dependent on someone else to take care of him. All of those dreams started with college. If he could get a good education, he could become whoever he wanted to be. No more foster homes, no more court dates, no more crummy hospital waiting rooms. He could learn whatever he wanted to learn and actually become his own person. It had always been a dream but he never thought it could happen. He worked his butt off in school but even with the best grades he didn't have enough money to pay for school and nobody wanted to hire a foster kid with one leg. Then his Junior year he got a guidance counselor who showed him ways to access federal funds so that he could actually go to college and he applied and he got them! He actually got the money he needed to go to college and for the first time in his life, he knew he could do something to make his life better.

Now arriving in Syracuse, New York. If this is your final destination please proceed an exit where an attendant is standing. Your luggage will be available at baggage claim 2. Thank you for choosing Amtrak, we hope you ride again soon.

Crutchie picked up his crutch, slung his backpack over his back, and hobbled his way towards the exit of the train. He looked out the door, took a deep breath, and hopped down the stairs to his new life. It all began today.

Jack tossed his bag and his bike in the back of his friends pickup. It was a later than he wanted to leave for Syracuse but he had to finish his last shift cleaning up at the diner after Sunday lunch. He needed all the money he could get, his foster parents certainly weren't going to help and his grades were good, but not good enough for a full ride. He took out all the loans and grants he could get but he still would need to work at least twenty hours a week to have enough to live on. He opened the door and got into the passenger seat.

"You all ready to go?" Caleb asked, starting the truck.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Ready to go get that big fancy art degree so that you never have to worry about making money in your life?" Caleb teased as he pulled out of the driveway.

"If you weren't my only ride I would punch you."

Crutchie held the key in his hand, staring at the door. He knew it was just a dorm room. It was going to be small, he would get tired of it, there's times he'd probably hate it. But it was his. He finally had a roof over his head that he didn't have to fear would leave as soon as the person who owned it got sick of him. This was his first real home. He stuck the key in the lock and opened the door.

They were right. Dorm rooms are small. Not that he had all that much to put in it anyway. He hopped over to the bed and sank into the mattress. He had heard a kid down the hall complaining about how lumpy and uncomfortable it was but it was like heaven to Crutchie. He had never slept on anything so soft, he almost fell asleep right there.

"Peter?" Crutchie looked up to see a guy around his age looking between his face and a clipboard he held in his hand.

"Yup, everybody calls me Crutchie though!"

"All right, well it's nice to meet you Crutchie. I'm Davey and I'm the RA for your floor this year. Basically I'm here if you guys ever need anything, have something to talk about, anything like that but we will talk about that more at our floor meeting tomorrow at 8! I've got to keep going around and meeting everyone but just holler if you need anything!"

Crutchie pulled himself up and started unpacking the big bag which held everything he owned. It didn't take long to get his clothes into the drawers…well actually everything fit in one but he spread them out so it looked like they took up more space. He hoped his roommate wouldn't notice.

Take a right onto University Ave and your destination will be on your left.

"Well," Caleb put the car into park, "this is the last stop college boy."

Jack was frozen staring at the huge dorm in front of him. He watched as parents began to hug their future scholars goodbye as they left from helping them move in.

"I don't belong here…"

"Of course you don't Jack, do any of those other guys look stupid enough to be art majors? Well maybe that guy with the fedora but…"

"I'm serious Caleb! Look at everyone else here. They all have parents here, they all have two hundred suitcases to bring in right next to their fridge and flat screen…I barely even have a bag. My roommate is going to think I'm a charity case."

Caleb put his arm on his best friend's shoulder, "Jack, there are 20,000 kids at this school. Some of them are gonna be really rich and some aren't. Some are gonna be just like you, some might even have it worse than you! But you are never gonna meet any of those people unless you get your butt out of my truck and into your dorm room!" Caleb playfully pushed him out the door and threw his backpack after him, "Now go find artsy people to be friends with!"

Jack couldn't help but laugh as he grabbed his bag and headed towards the entrance of his new dorm. Maybe Caleb was right. This was a new place with new people. Maybe it would finally feel like home.

He checked in and grabbed his key from the front desk. It was 11:30 so almost everyone's parents were gone by now because most normal people moved in before midnight, but most normal people didn't have a job to do right up until they left for college. As he walked down the hall he saw new roommates awkwardly talking in every room. There was no way this first meeting wouldn't be weird, but he was still excited for it. He had never really had anyone like a brother before and maybe, just maybe this could be his chance.

212. This is it. The door was shut which surprised him, but maybe his roommate was just out. He unlocked the door to a loud snore from his roommate inside.

Oh god, this was going to suck.