Well, it's been a while-not too long, I guess, but it seems that way to me-but here's Crutchie's POV again. Enjoy!
Crutchie felt he had made a little progress with Oliver, but he was still worried for the young boy. The entire evening he had on the top bunk, staring out the window. Even when some of the kids asked him to come down and play, he ignored them. It was like he couldn't even hear them. Oliver had blocked himself off from the world, and Crutchie didn't like it. He had persuaded Oliver to go down for breakfast, but he sat alone, isolated from the others. He glared at anyone who went near him, and when the children were released to play outside, he'd gone back upstairs and reassumed his position on the bunk bed.
But Crutchie had a plan, something he was almost positive would help young Oliver. After breakfast, he had received a note from Davey, which had made him smile. Davey had written to rant and rave about Les' behavior, and near the bottom informed Crutchie that he would be bringing Les over to the Refuge that evening to apologize to Oliver. "Who knows?" Davey had written. "The best of friends are often formed from an argument. I mean, look at me and Jack! Les thinks that maybe the boy just needed some help, and is going to offer him a place with the newsies after his time in the Refuge is done."
And after a long day of watching Oliver sitting alone, Crutchie was sure he needed all the help he could get.
Davey came after dinner with a reluctant-looking Les, and Crutchie greeted them warmly. He led them to a special, private room used for visits and times when they needed to talk to one child alone. "I'll be right back," he said, and motioned at the chairs and a comfortable couch.
Crutchie limped up to the dormitory, and was blasted by a wave of sound. All the children were there, worked up after dinner, and not ready for bed. As usual, he had to step over games, kids, and pillows scattered on the floor. Children raced around him, bounced on beds, and shouted to each other.
Oliver was a sharp contrast to all the chaos. When Crutchie called to him, he didn't even move. He sat cross-legged on the top bunk, hugging his pillow and gazing out the window. Crutchie had to shout to break Oliver's trance. "Oliver! There's someone here who wants to see you!"
Oliver's eyes widened, then darted around. "I can't," he said, looking extremely nervous. "I don't want to see him."
Crutchie sighed and gave him a serious look. "Let's go, Oliver."
Oliver slowly climbed down, trembling, and followed close behind Crutchie through the obstacles of children and their games. He dragged his feet down the hallway, and Crutchie gently told him to hurry up.
When they reached the small room, Crutchie opened the door and stepped in first. Oliver grabbed Crutchie's shirt and peered inside. Crutchie watched his face as he saw who was in the room. It first showed surprise; then Oliver narrowed his eyes and lost his nervous demeanor. He went inside and let go of Crutchie's shirt quickly, seeming disgusted that he'd even thought to do so in the first place.
"Why's he here?" Oliver asked. Les stood up quickly, much taller than Oliver, but Davey pulled him back down and answered for him.
"Les is here to apologize," he said, giving Les a stern look. "He knows he shouldn't have gotten into a fight with you, and—"
"Have him tell it himself, then!" Oliver said fiercly. Davey opened his mouth, then closed it. Crutchie could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. Davey was still a deep thinker. He finally gave Les a little nudge, and Les looked at Oliver.
"I shouldn't have gotten in a fight with you," he said in a monotone. Davey glared at him. Les spoke again, but this time Crutchie could tell they were his words and not Davey's. "But you really don't gotta steal to live out there. I was in your place once, with my dad out of a job and—"
"My dad ain't out of a job!" Oliver burst out, "And it looks like you're still living in the dirt!"
Crutchie had to restrain himself from telling Oliver off.
Les frowned, but decided to plow on as if he hadn't heard Oliver. "What me and Davey did was find us a job. We went to the best place, I think, and started off selling papes."
"Sure it's the best for you, it's all you've got!" Oliver spat.
"So hey, listen. I think it'd be…umm…fun to have you around, selling papes with us." Les looked like it physically pained him to say those words. His opinion of Oliver was clearly growing lower by the second. "So I just wanted to say, once you're done in here if you wanna come over to The World, you'd probably like it."
"Probably not."
"They've got," Les said loudly, "a lot of nice kids. It's fun."
"I don't care to make friends."
"It's almost like they's your brothers!"
"Sure it is."
"They'se some of my best pals!"
"I doubt it."
"And," Les stood up and stepped menacingly toward Oliver. "We all stand for each other!"
"I bet they all hate you."
"Also! You can make some money! Off the papes!"
"What do I want with money?"
"So you can buy stuff to eat!" Les was almost yelling, staring intensely at Oliver. "Instead of stealing it, I mean."
"I wasn't stealing!" Oliver's glare was just as intense.
"Cause stealing's a lousy thing to do!"
"I think you're a lousy—"
"And maybe that way you wouldn't—"
"You think I care?"
"—get into fights anymore!"
For a split second the two boys stared each other down, anger passing almost visibly between them.
Then they were both rolling around on the floor, punching and biting and shouting at each other, and Davey and Crutchie had to pull them off each other. Les had a black eye, and Oliver's nose was bleeding. They breathed heavily, and Crutchie had to restrain Oliver from attacking Les again. Luckily he only needed one arm to hold the little boy tight against his chest so he couldn't move. Davey had Les by the shirt.
"Time to go, Les," Davey said, giving Crutchie an apologetic look. "Sorry. I'll meet you in the park sometime, eh Crutchie?"
Crutchie nodded and said good-bye as Davey pulled Les out the door.
As soon as Oliver and Crutchie were alone, Oliver started struggling harder to free himself. Crutchie let him go and took a handkerchief out of his pocket as Oliver sprinted to the door, found that it was locked, and turned around to stare fearfully at Crutchie.
More specifically, at his crutch.
Crutchie raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "Oliver, what's the matter? You scared to be in the same room as me?" He grew even more perplexed as Oliver slid to the floor and covered his head when Crutchie stepped towards him. "Hey, hey," Crutchie said gently, frowning. He moved Oliver's arms away from his head and handed him the handkerchief. "For your nose," he explained. Oliver took it quickly, but still looked warily at Crutchie as he wiped the blood away.
"You shouldn't be getting into fights," Crutchie said quietly. "That's what got you in trouble in the first place. And those were some pretty nasty things you said to Les. He's a good kid, and he was just trying to help you out."
"I don't want his help," Oliver said in a hoarse voice. "Or yours," he added.
Crutchie helped him to his feet and opened the door. "Back to the—" but Oliver was already gone, running as fast as he could back to the dormitory. Crutchie shook his head.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Violet standing beside him. His heart fluttered. She gave him a sympathetic smile. "Tough going?" she asked.
Crutchie sighed and shook his head again. "You don't know the worst of it."
"It's going to be fine," Violet said tenderly. "He'll come around. They always do."
"They always do," Crutchie repeated.
Aw, that ending was pretty sweet. I just had to put in a cute little moment to make up for the terrible meeting with Les and Oliver. I hate to write Crutchie so confused and worried.
So I have this big climax idea, but there needs to be some time in between then and now where you get to know both Oliver and Violet a little better-not necessarily at the same time, obviously. So I would really, really appreciate some prompts as to other things that happen to them. I'm really liking this story, and I'm hoping you are too!
Reviews make my day!
-Sis21K