The Disgraced Newsie( Tommy Boy Alternate)

CHAPTER III

TOMMY BOY'S POV

Once I came back to the lodging house, after I ate dinner, the only thing that I wanted to do was sleep in my bed. Once I reached the door to my bedroom, I walked in, but Mike immediately and harshly threw me out.

"You can't sleep here tonight. Or ever."

"What?! But this is my bedroom as much as anyone else's!"

"Not anymore, so get lost!"

"But where am I supposed to sleep?"

"That is not my problem. Now, beat it! Before I make you beat it!". He closed the door in my face, and I just stood there, shocked and hurt. Specs came out of the room with a sympathetic and sad look, then handed me all my stuff.

"Sorry, Tommy. I tried to convince them otherwise, but they wouldn't listen to me."

"It's fine. I expected that would even happen anyways. I will just find somewhere else to sleep. Thank you for getting my stuff.". I walked away from the door and stood in the hallway, wondering what I would do now. I didn't want to bother Jack and have him let me sleep on top of the penthouse, even though I knew that he would let me do that anyways, but maybe one of the others might let me sleep in one of their bedrooms for the night.

I walked toward the bedroom next door to my former bedroom, knocked on the door, and Race opened it.

"Tommy? What do you need?"

"Hi, Race. I was just kicked out of my former bedroom, so can I sleep here? Just for tonight?"

"No, he cannot! We don't want him in here!" Barney Peanuts stated as he came next to Race. He closed the door in my face, but I saw a look of sympathy on Race before he closed the door. There were plenty of other rooms in this lodging house, so I was more than sure that someone would let me stay in their room for the night. Not all of them would just cast me away, right?

Unfortunately, no one wanted to let me stay in their bedrooms. Not even for one night. I didn't think everyone would hate me that much, not even to let me stay in their bedrooms, but I was mistaken. There was one bedroom that I hadn't tried, but I doubt that I would ever be allowed in there. No, it wasn't Jack's penthouse; it was the bedroom that Finch stayed in. I didn't want to face him, but I was desperate for someplace to sleep.

I hesitantly knocked on the door, and Finch opened it; he looked at me harshly. I looked down toward the ground to avoid his gaze.

"What do you want?"

"I was kicked out of my bedroom."

"And how is that my problem?"

"It is not, but- -"

"If you think you can stay here, then you are wrong! Just get out of my sight!". Before I could even say another word, he slammed the door in my face. I knew that was a stupid idea from the very beginning. If my newsies brother rejected me, my actual brother would also leave me. Regardless, there is no way that I am sleeping in the middle of the hallway. The others could trample me or find it the perfect opportunity to beat me up, so it might be better and safer for me to sleep in the living room on this floor.

JACK KELLY'S POV

I said goodnight to all the other boys, then walked past the living room and headed toward the penthouse's entrance, but as I walked by the living room, I noticed someone in one of the chairs. I went in there to tell them to head back into their bedroom until I saw that it was Tommy Boy sleeping in the chair. I was confused about why he was sleeping here in the first place and was about to wake him up to confront him until I noticed his stuff on the floor next to him. He either must have been kicked out of his bedroom or left himself. It was probably the first option, but regardless, I wasn't going to let any of my boys sleep anywhere other than in their rooms or the penthouse. I carefully tried to pick up Tommy, but he immediately woke up, flinched harshly, and backed away from me, but he calmed down once he realized it was me.

"Oh, Jack. It is just you."

"What are you doing in here? You should be in bed."

"Well... I just decided to sleep here for the night. Don't worry about me. I will be fine.". He smiled at me, but I could tell he was trying to make me leave him alone, but nice try, Kid.

"Don't lie to me. Tell me the truth," I stated sternly. He dropped his smile, then looked down toward the floor.

"Ok, fine. I was kicked out of my bedroom, and no one else wanted to let me sleep in theirs for the night, and I didn't want to sleep in the hallway, so I decided to sleep in the living room."

"And why didn't you come to me? I would have been more than happy to have you sleep with Crutchie and me in the penthouse."

"I didn't want to bother you. Besides, I will be fine, so like I always say, don't worry about me."

"And like I always say, it is my job to worry about you. Now, come on, and let's go to the penthouse."

"Jack, I am fine."

"Yeah, sure you are. Come on."

"No," he mumbled quietly, but I still heard him.

"Excuse me?"

"I said 'no.'"

"Alright.". I picked up Tommy and carried him just like a baby. He tried squirming out of my grip, but I wasn't going to let him get away from him that easily.

"Put me down! I don't need your help!" He shouted as he kept trying to make me let go of him, but I still held onto him.

"Not a chance, Kid. There is no way that I am letting you sleep in the living room by yourself when you are fully aware that you are more than welcome to sleep with me at any time.". Eventually, he stopped fighting me because he knew he wouldn't get out of this. I carried him on top of the penthouse; then, I placed him on the ground as quietly as possible because Crutchie was already asleep. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" I whispered to him. At first, he pouted at me and wouldn't make eye contact, but then he looked up.

"Thank you." He whispered back at me. He showed me a slight smile, but I could tell he looked a little heartbroken and distressed.

"Of course. Now, just get some sleep.". I lay down in the makeshift blankets, then started to fall asleep. After a while, I felt something on my stomach; then I opened my eyes to find out that Tommy Boy was lying down on my chest. This was the first time Tommy had ever been on the rooftop, so, unlike Crutchie and me, he wasn't used to sleeping on top of the metal rooftop. Instead of pushing him off me, I grabbed one of the blankets and placed it over him and me.

Sometimes, I wonder what would have happened to me if I hadn't explained why I betrayed them at the rally to the boys. Seeing how I am the leader and all of the boys trusted me the most, the boys most likely would have treated me much worse than how they are treating Tommy right now. It wasn't fair for the poor kid to be treated like that; it wasn't right for him to be treated like that. I don't know what was going through his head when he decided to become a scab, but I knew he would never intentionally do something like that. But regardless, it didn't matter the reason for his betrayal. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that; no one deserves to be treated like that, especially the younger newsies.

This was going too far, and I will talk seriously with the boys. I want to ensure that all of them leave Tommy alone once and for all.