Daughter of the Refuge

Chapter Five

"Uh, everyone. Except for maybe Romeo. He had other things ta worry 'bout." Buttons winced at his words, folding under Tommy Boy's glare. "Sorry, dat ain't what Is meant."

"Jojo!" It was a soft cry, but delivered more pain than Jojo could handle.

He let out a sob. 

"I'm sorry. Go, the others need yous more than me."

"Jojo, I ain't leaving ya," Tommy Boy stated. 

"Me eitha," Buttons said.

"Guys, please. I'm fine. I just need a minute."

"Jojo, I wished ya'd stop lying ta us all," Tommy Boy sighed. 

"It ain't a lie, Tommy. Is swear."

"It's okay not to be okay," Buttons said, dropping his gaze to his hands. 

"S'cuse me!" A girl called out, approaching the three of them. "I'm sorry, da any of yous know a Jack Kelly?"

"We're kinda in the middle of something 'ere," Tommy Boy snapped, meeting the girl's determined stare. He rose from his spot beside Jojo to meet the girl. Buttons almost laughed as he watched the two. The couple of inches that the girl lacked in height were surely made up in the way she carried herself. She held herself defiantly, ready to stand against any opposition. 

"It's a simple question. Yes, or no." Tommy Boy's glare hardened. While Buttons was surprised to see his friend acting with such harshness, he could understand the boy's rough attitude covering his worry for Jojo. Tommy Boy put such a responsibility on himself when it came to his best friend. He became protective, and very cruel to anyone who so much as looked at Jojo wrong.

"Yes." 

"Perfect. Is it too much to ask for directions?"

"I thought-" Buttons jumped in before Tommy Boy could say anything stupid. 

"Head to Newsies Square. Go straight and turn left down three streets. That'll get ya to the Lodging House. Now probably isn't a good time, though. There was kinda a situation. Tomorra might be better," he finished. 

"Thanks," the girl said smiling at Buttons. "I'll drop by around three, if ya don't mind tellin' him."

"We do-"

"Don't. See ya then." The girl spun around and began walking the other direction, sending Tommy Boy a cocky smile before doing so. 

"Didja have ta-" The boy stopped before muttering a curse under his breath. 

"What?" Buttons asked, worry filling his voice.

"Jojo's gone."

He slipped through the door, no noise but a whispered creak filling the silence of the early morning. 

Making his way to his bedroom, he opened the door to find Race sitting at the window watching the sky as the sun began to mix the dark blues of the night with hues of pinks, reds, and oranges, painting a picture so beautiful that it stole your breath. 

"Wes weren't expecting ya till dis evenin'." 

"Thought I owed it ta Romeo. No one else got hurt did they?"

"Nothing worse than a few scrapes." The blond turned, glancing at Jojo. 

"I'spose ya don't want me asking if yous alright."

"If I can ask is yous alright that Caz is missing." Race let out a bitter laugh. 

"I guess both of us are doing pretty bad then." Jojo sat himself on the edge of his bed.