Seizing The Day//A Modern Day Newsies Story//COMPLETED

It Could Crash and Burn

TW: Talk about traumatic event

Elmer POV
I groaned fitfully as I flopped onto my bed. For the last hour I had been trying to figure out a way to help Crutchie. His anxiety had been spiking all because of those stupid nightmares. He is your boyfriend! You should be able to help him. My mind chided.

"Elm?" A voice said. I looked up and saw my dad sticking his head through my door.

"Yeah?" I asked, not really in the mood to talk.

"You sounded very frustrated, care to say what is wrong?" He questioned, walking fully into my room. Great, so I am not getting out of this now. I thought ruefully.

"Nothing. I'm fine." I growled, sounding more angry than I meant to.

"Obviously you are not. Tell me, please." He pressed. I finally decided to give in with a sigh.

"It is Crutchie. He has been having these nightmares about a... particularly traumatizing moment of his life. And they are starting to make his anxiety act up. And on top of that we just learned that our principal paid off the local news just to make sure the story we wrote against him doesn't go through." I vented. My dad nodded with pursed lips.

"I don't know how to help you with your second problem, although if I think of an idea I will tell you. But I might be able to help with your first one. Is there a specific thing that Crutchie is still scared of?" He asked.

"Yeah," I grumbled, although I was started to get more intrigued. "Horses."

"Okay, why don't you try and plan something, a date maybe, that has to do with horses. But make sure that if he feels uncomfortable or scared he can easily get out of it. You should NEVER pressure someone into something they don't want to do." My dad suggested. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it. I thanked my dad before shooing him out of my room so I could work.

LittleBrother2: JACK AND SPOT

JackBeNimble: WHAT?

KingOfBrooklyn: hm?

LittleBrother2: do either of you know where Crutchie rode?

LittleBrother2: before the whole accident?

JackBeNimble: i know it had 'equestrian center' as the last part of the name

KingOfBrooklyn: it was the Quassu Equestrian Center

LittleBrother2: THANK YOU GUYSSSSS

KingOfBrooklyn: np

JackBeNimble: np but why?

LittleBrother2: no reason

I clicked off my phone and quickly looked up Quassu Equestrian Center online. I found their page and navigated to rentable horses. I looked up Everest and quickly hoped that she was still ridable.

"Yes!" I yelled when he name popped up. "Oh wow. That is much less money than I expected." I stated as I looked at the price. $30 dollars an hour?! That seems very cheap but okay. I thought with a shrug.

I ran out of my room and to where my dad was. I quickly explained to him my idea and told him I would be spending that money, just so he would know. He then forced me to let him pay for part of it.

I then texted Crutchie and set up a date, before renting the horse on that day for two hours. I sat back in my chair, happy at what I had done. He did say that his fear had slowly gone down throughout the years, so he should be able to at least see Everest. He doesn't even have to ride her if he doesn't want to. I figured.

Best case scenario: he rides her and his fears started to get better. Worst case scenario: he freaks out and has a panic attack. Okay that didn't help my nerves at all. My brain oh so helpfully supplied.

I decided to take my focus off what was already done. I grabbed my basketball and went down to a local basketball court. I met up with some sort-of friends and we played for about an hour.

Once I got back home I went in my room again and went over my plan. I think this might actually work. Oh god please let this actually work. I thought. This would either be the best date ever or crash and burn.

A/N: sup just saying idk how to help people with trauma and how to help them try to overcome it so take everything this story says with less than an atom of salt