Time Truly Divides || Newsies Time Travel AU

Chapter 14

Crutchie was sitting in English class when he was called to the office. He wasn't nervous about it or anything, but the taunts from the boy who sat beside him didn't help him much to not feel so terrified.

"Toni, what are you doing here?" he asked as he opened the door to the office and saw Race sitting in a chair.

"I don't know. I overheard them say something about calling our social workers."

"Crap," Crutchie mumbled, dropping into a chair beside Race.

"Yeah, crap."

The brothers sat in silence for a while, neither wanting to be the one to remind anyone that they were there.

"Antonio and Charlie? Do you two know what's going on?"

Crutchie and Race shared a look before shaking their heads.

"Okay. Jack was hurt by some other students today and is in hospital right now and your mother is with her," the receptionist explained. "As she will be there for a while while Jack recovers, we have called your social workers to see what they think is best to do."

"That's ridiculous. Does Medda know?" Crutchie asked. "Did she agree to that?"

"Miss Larkin said that she would collect you both at the end of the school day but Mr. Weisel, being the guidance counsellor, thought it would be better if we were to contact your social workers to see what they thought would be best for you.

"Antonio's social worker is on her way and should get here in around five minutes." Crutchie glanced at Race who just shrugged. At least they knew Race's social worker did what was best for Race. "Unfortunately, Charlie, your social worker hasn't answered our calls but we left him a message so I'm sure we'll hear from him in no time."

Crutchie wasn't stupid, they wouldn't be hearing from his social worker for a while, he nodded anyway.

"Is Jack okay?" Race asked. "What happened to him?"

"Jack was hurt but your foster mother is with him and he's in good hands at the hospital."

"Who hurt him?" Crutchie asked. "He's a nice person, nobody dislikes him and if they did it wouldn't be enough to hurt him. Was it an accident?"

The receptionist's face scrunched up. "Nobody hurt him, Charlie."

Crutchie shook his head. "You said other students hurt him. Who?"

Race glanced at Crutchie, a strange feeling building up at the sight of Crutchie gripping his crutch and looking ready to kill someone.

"We don't know who it was," the receptionist admitted. "But once we know Jack is okay we will give any video footage we have to the police and I'm sure they will handle it."

"Why are the police getting involved? Jack hasn't done anything wrong."

"Jack was hurt quite badly and they are going to see if him and Miss Larkin want to press charges once he has woken up. That's why. Jack hasn't done anything wrong."

Crutchie nodded and turned to Race, blocking out the receptionist. "You doing okay?" He placed a hand gently on Race's thigh.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Race answered slowly, like he didn't know how he was feeling.

There was a quiet knocking on the door and Race sighed, taking Crutchie's hand a holding onto it.

"Hi, Antonio, how are you doing?"

Race looked up at his social worker and scowled. "I'm fine, Leila, but I won't let you send me anywhere but home."

"I know. I'm going to let you go back to class and I'll get in contact with Medda. If she said she would pick you both up, I trust that she will."