Jack led Davey into school on Monday, and walked him to his home room. Davey was still learning the school, so it was helpful there, but he really needed the emotional support. He didn't tell Jack about what happened before... but he knew he needed someone to help him through the day.
Davey, uncharacteristicly, couldn't focus on his morning classes. He hadn't done much on Sunday, except lay around with Jack on the couch and watch TV. It's just what he needed. He pretended he didn't see the sideways glances Sarah, and eventually Katherine when she came over, have the two boys while they were in each other's arms on the couch, but he did. He just ignored them. He needed a day to just chill with his best friend without anyone interrupting.
Once Davey got to lunch, he sat closer to Jack than normal. Jack grabbed the boy's hand under the table, and Davey leaned his head on his friends shoulder. He didn't even eat lunch.
About three quarters of the way into the lunch hour, Jack leaned down and whispered to him, "Do you have anything to eat? Do you want my lunch?"
"No, you eat it." I replied.
"I wasn't gonna eat it anyway." Jack explained, trying to hand Davey his sandwich. Davey just pushed it away.
"I'm ok." Davey insisted.
"Are you sure? Cuz you seem a little off." Jack tried again, keeping his voice calm.
"Jack, I said I'm fine." Davey practically yelled, jumping up from his seat and stalking out of He cafeteria and down the hall to the bathroom. He walked into one of the stalls and locked himself in, then closed the toilet lid and sat down.
A few minutes later, the door opened and someone walked in.
"Dave? You in here?" Jack called. Davey just pulled his feet up off the floor so Jack wouldn't see them and started silently crying.
"Davey, I can hear you breathing." Jack said, walking up to his stall and pushing on the door. When it didn't open, Jack knocked. "Come on. Let me in."
"No." Davey replied, trying to push his tears away.
"Seriously, Davey, let me in. Somethings going on with you and I just wanna help." Jack insisted. Davey sighed.
"Alright, fine" Jack decided. "If your not opening the door, I'm coming under."
"Jack, don't..." The boy in the stall tried, but Jack appeared under the door before he could finish. He wriggled himself under the door and stood up. Davey hated to admit it, but it made him laugh.
"Ok, now tell me what's wrong." Jack said, brushing dirt off his clothes.
"That's what happens when you crawl around on the bathroom floor at school." Davey joked, dodging the other boy's question.
"Come on. Talk to me." Jack insisted. "And don't say..."
"It's nothing." Davey cut him off.
"Don't give me that crap." Jack said, crouching down in front of the other boy on the floor and grabbing his hands. "We're not leaving this stall until you tell me what's wrong, so you'd better start talking if you don't want to be late to class."
"Just drop it, Jack." Davey whined.
"Please just tell me." Jack wispered.
Davey looked at his and Jack's intertwined fingers for a moment. Then, he took his hand out of Jack's and opened it to show him my palm. He must have known exactly what the scar was, becuase he took the taller boy's hand in his and traced the scar with his thumb.
"Cigarette?" Jack looked up at Davey and asked, and he nodded. "Who gave you this?"
"My... my dad." Davey admitted. It almost felt good to say it. He had never said it out loud before.
"Your dad?" Jack asked, confused.
"Y-yeah." Davey studdered. "After the divorce, he seemed so sad. That's why I went with him. Then he fell into this... depression." I looked up at Jack, who was giving me a reassuring smile, so I went on. "He started drinking. All the time, drinking. Then... the hitting started." He felt tears start to well up in his eyes. Jack shot him a sympathetic look, so he continued. "It was only when he was drunk... at first. Then it was all the time." Tears started falling down Davey's face, and Jack wiped them away. "I didn't lie when I said he moved. He was moving. The night before the trucks came... I took all the money I had saved up and bought a plane ticket home." Davey was practically sobbing. Jack stood up and pulled him up off the toilet seat and into a hug. Davey greatfully fell into his arms.
"It's all gonna be ok." Jack wispered into Davey's ear. "I promise you. I'm here. Your ok."
The two boys stood there in that bathroom stall until the bell signaling the end of lunch rang. Jack unlocked the stall and slung his arm over Davey's shoulder, then started leading Davey towards the door.
"Where are we going?" Davey asked.
"I'm taking you home." Jack explained quietly as he led them out the door and back towards the cafeteria to get their things.
"No, I..." Davey tried, but Jack cut him off.
"I'm not giving you an option." Jack said. "Your in no condition to do school right now. We're going home."
"We can't go to my house. My Mom'll send me back if she sees me." Davey said.
"Medda's in rehersal today. I'll take you to my place." Jack said as they walked into the cafeteria.
Davey didn't really pay attention as Jack collected their things from the cafeteria floor, and then walked them to the office and signed them out. By that point, they were holding hands. Jack led Davey to his car, then drove them both to Medda's house.
"Thank you for this." Davey smiled as they walked up to the house, hand in hand.
"No problem." Jack smiled sweetly at him. "Any time."
(A/N - I published a new Newsies story called Newsies Groupchat, and its exactly what it sounds like. It's just gonna be some lighthearted humor, so go check it out!)
