Time Truly Divides || Newsies Time Travel AU

Chapter 5

Time went on and Jack did everything he could to keep to himself and not make Snyder angry. The second was a lot harder.

Race and Albert spoke to him every day as they walked to school. They also always asked if he wanted to eat lunch with them  and their friends.

Keeping to himself was becoming harder and harder daily.

"Where do you live, Jack?" Albert asked one day as they were walking home from school.

"Couple blocks away," Jack offered. He wasn't sure of what the address was. His only knowledge was where it was in relation to the school and a few other places.

"Cool," Race hummed, "me and Al live down there. He's my neighbour."

"That's cool."

Race grinned. "Yeah. Our parents hate it."

Albert smacked Race's arm playfully. "They don't hate it. Racer's mother hates it when he disappears into my house without telling her."

Jack chuckled and Race and Albert squabbled. "Hey, is it okay if I eat lunch with you two today?" he asked after a few moments of quiet. "I ain't that smart and teachers are telling me that if I get friends I'll be smarter. Wanna prove 'em wrong."

Albert barked out a laugh, for a moment Jack didn't know if it was okay go laugh at it. When Race became overcome by an intense giggle fit, Jack couldn't hold his laughter in anymore and joined Race. In no time, he was doubled over with his hand wrapped tightly around his torso to support it. Race clapped Jack on the back as they laughed.

Jack froze. It was all too familiar a feeling.

A hand on the back taking advantage of a moment of weakness and shoving him to the ground. Kicking him, punching him, stomping on him until he couldn't breathe. Taking any and all earnings from his bag. Leaving him on the cold, hard stone ground to be found by one of the other Newsies who found it strange that he hadn't returned from selling.

"Jack?" Race said slowly. "Jack, are you okay?"

Jack shook his head and panted, his breath having left him in his panic. 

"Okay. Um, okay."

Race was panicking. Usually, he was the person who was panicked and needed help. He wasn't well versed in what to do when someone else he didn't know how to help was panicking.

It wasn't turning out to be a very good morning.

Albert gently placed a hand on Race's shoulder and moved him out of his way so he could kneel down in front of Jack, who'd sunk to the ground.

"Jack, can you hear me?" Jack nodded jerkily. "Okay. Good. Can I touch you?"

"No," Jack mumbled.

"That's fine. I just need you to breathe."

Jack nodded stiffly and took a strangled breath.

"Good job, Jack, you're doing great," Albert reassured him. "Breathe in for five, okay."

For a while, Albert helped Jack until his breathing had calmed down and he could string a somewhat coherent sentence together.

"I'm sorry," Jack mumbled. "I'm so sorry. I was being stupid."

"It's fine, Jack. You weren't being stupid. It happens to both of us."

Race nodded in agreement with Albert's statement. "It happens to me a lot."

"Do you have anxiety?" Albert asked. "That can cause panic attacks sometimes."

Jack shrugged and offered, "I dunno what that is."