The Disgraced Newsie( Rewritten)

Chapter 15: Crutchie's POV/ Jack Kelly's POV

Tomorrow came around, but that didn't mean that it would be a great day. JoJo slept with me on the rooftop, but it wasn't like we have gotten that much sleep. I know that JoJo was worried that Jack would refuse to see us, but he didn't have anything to worry about. I know that Jack would forgive him since he was one of the youngest boys of the group and he never beaten up or insulted Jack. All he did was never defend him, which none of us ever did, so Jack doesn't have anything to hold against him.

Me, on the other hand, I hurt him in more ways than any of the boys ever did. Who am I kidding? I betrayed him. How could I just stand there and let Race beat him with my own crutch? How could I even hand it to him in the first place? If Jack never forgave anyone, then it would be me.

JoJo and I walked downstairs into Newsies Square and collected our newspapers, and we were about to head out to our spots until Davey came toward us and whispered.

"Hey, guys. I need to talk to you two after you get back from selling your newspapers. It is about Jack"

"Ok, maybe we could meet up at the alleyway near Newsies Square?". I hope that it would be news that he decided to see us.

"Sure, that can work. I will meet you there". After that, he left to sell his newspapers and JoJo and I went our separate ways to sell ours.

As soon as I came back from selling, I went into the alleyway near Newsies Square where Davey and JoJo were already there. Davey looked to make sure that no-one followed us, then turned back toward JoJo and me.

"Ok, Jack agreed to see the both of you"

"He did?!", JoJo asked excitedly.

"Yeah, but he said this will be the only that you will be able to see him, so if you have anything to say to him, then just say it because you won't be getting anymore chances after tonight". Only one chance? Probably should have expected that, but I guess that one chance is better than nothing. At least he is giving a chance to tell him how sorry we are.

I just hope that I don't mess the one chance that I have to make up with Jack and we could be friends again. Maybe even brothers.

Jack Kelly's POV

I knew that I couldn't avoid this forever. I should have left New York when I had the chance. The longer I stay in New York, the more boys will find out about me, and I don't want that to happen. Maybe I should the reconsider running away to Santa Fe.

I heard someone walking through the front door and I knew that Davey came back with Crutchie and JoJo. Well, I guess that it is time to face my problems instead of running away from them.

I walked out of the bedroom and into the living room where JoJo ran up to me and tried to hug me, but I backed away from him.

"Not now, JoJo. I think we need to talk before we have anymore physical contact". He looked disappointed that he couldn't hug me, but he nodded and backed away from me. I could probably forgive the kid since, compared to the others, he never did that bad to me and I can't stay too mad at the youngest members of the group, but that doesn't mean that I don't have a right to chew them out about how their treatment of me really hurt me a lot. "So, you two wanted to talk? Then, let's talk in the bedroom". I led them into the bedroom, then I closed the door. "Ok, what do you want?". JoJo started to cry and broke down onto the floor. I have never seen JoJo act like this before. He is known as the 'kid who never stops smiling' for a reason.

I can't take it. I hate it when the boys cry, especially the youngest ones. I went down onto the floor and picked him up into my arms. He hugged me as he cried into my chest.

"I'm sorry, Jack"

"It's okay, JoJo, it's okay. I forgive you"

"But... we- - I treated you like dirt on the bottom of my shoe"

"Yeah, but everyone did that. And you weren't the worst person who treated me like dirt. A lot of the other boys treated me way worse than you"

"I still should have said something. Maybe then you still would have been at the Lodging House. Maybe you wouldn't hate us"

"Hey, don't say that! I didn't leave because I hated you boys. I could never hate any of you. I left because I thought that everyone was better off without me being there. I thought that everyone hated me and I couldn't take it anymore, so I just left"

"I don't hate you. I never hated you"

"Yeah, I can see that. But, JoJo, just because I forgive you doesn't mean that I will forget how you boys treated me. It really hurt me how all of you treated me"

"I know. Race told us what happened when you punched him. I didn't think that they would go that far". Race told them? Why? It doesn't matter. I'm sure that the boys think that I deserved it and it didn't excuse me for punching Race. Actually, they are right on that point, I want to hurt any of the boys, even if they deserved it. I never should've punched Race, but the anger got the best of me.

"Well, it did, and I don't even know if I can forgive Race for that, but I will apologize for punching him"

"Why? He deserved it!"

"Don't you dare say that! He didn't deserve it! My anger got the best of him, but doesn't excuse me from hurting him. I always feared of hurting any of you, and I never wanted to teach any of you hurt your own family, so he didn't deserve it"

"... Ok"

"Ok, glad we got that settled"

"So, are we friends again?"

"JoJo, you are always going to be my brother, no matter what you do". He hugged me tighter, then he let go of me and stood up from the floor. "Ok, now that is settled. Do you mind if I talk with Crutchie alone?"

"Ok". JoJo went out the bedroom door, then I was left alone with Crutchie. Well, now it is really time to vent out my frustrations.