Together Again ~ A Javid Love Story

Chapter 1 | So We Meet Again

Hii!! I for one am excited to write this story. Let's just see where it goes :)

Enjoy! :)

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David has a lot of mixed feelings walking through the streets of New York with his brother Les, knowing that he's on his way to the circulation center for the World to buy newspapers. Buying papers to sell papers.

Of course, there are a lot of things that have led to this happening. First, their father injured his arm. The factory he worked at had no use for him, so they fired him. Simple as that. He had no union to protect him. And now that their father can't work, they have to work. 

David is handling this as best as he can. On one hand, David wants to work. He wants to be able to support his family. But on the other hand, what the factory did to his father scares him. How easily they fired him. How much stress it's putting on the whole family now that his father can't work. As long as he reminds himself that this is all only temporary, David is pretty sure he can get by.

So far, today is just like any other summer day, sun shining overhead, warm climate. Typical for mid July.

This is weather in which David and Les will sell newspapers.

This is going to be a long summer, David thinks. At least it won't last forever.

The sooner his father's arm heals, the sooner he gets his job back--and everthing will go back to normal.

Les yawns beside him, tired at the early waking, but somehow still has a small spring in his step anyways. David smiles. Les is making the most of the situation. He even told David last night that he's excited to have a job. David gets it: the feeling of being grown up, supporting the family. True, there's gravity to the situation, but at least Les is working with what he has. Maybe David should take a page out of Les's book and try to be optimistic as well.

David hears something in the distance. It sounds like ... singing? No, it can't be singing. It's shouting. And by the sound of it, whoever is shouting is getting closer.

David tightens his grip on Les's shoulder and brings him to his side when a flood of newsboys come running by. It's hard to comprehend what's happening, because there's a lot of shouting, running, and a blur of kids chasing other kids-

Suddenly one of them comes literally crashing into them.

"Oof!-" is the sound David makes on impact. He staggers back a little, Les thrown away from him. There's as wince from the other guy as well.

"What do you think you're doing?" David demands, still stunned. Then his vision clears and he finally sees who knocked into them. 

Someone he never thought he would see again.

A guy his age, with a face and red bandana David would never forget.

David takes a step back, eyes wide in horror.

Jack Kelly.

His first love.

The boy who broke his heart.

By Jack's expression, he recognizes David too. He lifts his hand up, looking like he's about to caress David's face like he used to, but then thinks better of it, curls his fingers into his palm, and lets his hand go back to his side. He opens his mouth to say something, anything, but then he looks around and remembers just what he was doing.

"I'm runnin'!" Jack shouts with a grin--that goofy smile that used to make David smile with him.

At first, the response doesn't compute to David's brain until Jack takes off and two thugs chase after him, barreling into David as well.

This is not how he wanted to spend this morning.

Luckily, all the other newsboys chase after the three, leaving David and Les behind. The siblings watch the spectacle of so many boys running through the street.

Les watches them go, eyes wide with awe.

David watches them go, his thoughts in a whirl. His heart is beating fast.

He clenches his fists and bites his lip, trying to keep down the feelings that are threatening to come back up to the surface. He's done a good job of that ... so far.

It's been two years.

Two years since Jack and David met, fell in love, and split apart. 

This is David's first time seeing Jack in two years.

And his heart is fluttering, just like it did two years ago, as if there was nothing wrong with them at all. 

The thing is ... David never told anyone about Jack. How could he possibly have told his family about him? About the boy he fell in love with? David's a good kid. Falling in love with other boys is not something a good kid does. So he had blocked Jack from his memory. And he was doing such a good job.

It's all falling apart now.

I'm going to handle this the best way I can, David decides right then and there. Les is going no where near Jack. I'm going no where near Jack. And so, we'll never have to deal with him or see him again.

It's all David can do, so the past won't catch up with him.

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Wow.

A little short, I know.

Still, what do you all think of it?

I've been playing with this idea for a little bit now, and I'm excited to write it.

The funny thing is, I started the first drafts for this story exactly a year after I published my first Newsies story here.

So. The story is set up. So now let's ask the question: What exactly would the story of the newsies' strike look like if Jack and David had previously known each other?

Keep in mind that I've never been in a relationship before, so I've never had a break-up before, so I'm trying my best to write this with the knowledge I have about relationships--none of which is first-hand experience haha.

Also, it's going to be awhile before finally establishing just what happened between the two of them, but trust me, we'll get there.

I tried drawing on some historical aspects: kids who sold newspapers were either supporting their families or themselves, and they wanted to work because they wanted to feel grown up. And how David wouldn't have told anyone about Jack because ... well ... yeah, boys aren't supposed to like boys.

I think I've said everything.

I for one, am excited for this. Hope you all are too! :)

Please, no homophobia, profanities, hate etc in the comment section at all times.

Best,

~Your Beloved Author (who is really excited to write this story)