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

A Bribe?!

TW: Talk about therapy, alluding to mental health problems (mostly PTSD)

Crutchie POV
I sat down at our table, joining the rest of our gang. We were all very excited but also very worried today, because yesterday Katherine had texted saying she had news.

"Okay. Now that everyone is here, spill." Romeo said, turning to Katherine.

"Okay, so I got a reply back from the news casters. And it wasn't a good one. They said they wouldn't run it." What?! I immediately thought, sadness threatening to envelop me. T-they can't just say no! I felt a small squeeze of my hand and looked down. Elmer was grasping it under the table, and we were both using it for comfort.

"Did, did they say why?" Jack asked after clearing his throat.

"They didn't. But, because ya boi takes hacking classes, I was able to slip into their emails. So after we had contacted them, they got an email from someone. Someone with the disgusting name of Joseph Pulitzer." Katherine stated with disdain. The rest of the gang shared glances, slightly confused. Why would Pulitzer be emailing them? I thought.

"Why?" Race asked, voicing my own thoughts. "Like why was he emailing them?"

"I read through some of the emails, and apparently he paid them off. He literally paid, like, a thousand dollars. They took the deal and didn't run our story. They also maybe deleted slash threw everything away so I really hope you all made copies." Katherine explained. Everyone nodded at her last statement.

"Well, for once our collective paranoia came in clutch." I commented, eliciting a few laughs. They were quickly silenced as the reality of the situation set in.

"What do we do now?" Elmer asked, quietly, but loud enough to get the attention of the table.

"We can't really do anything now. We tried our best option." Specs said with a sigh.

"So we are just going to give up? Like that?" Albert snapped.

"Albert, what else can we do!?" Finch asked.

"Maybe keep thinking of ideas for more then a second!" Spot retorted.

"Guys! Stop!" Sarah yelled, effectively silencing the growing argument. "I get we are all stressed and annoyed. But we can't go at each other's throats just like that."

"Yeah. Let's take a few days and try to figure out another plan." Davey agreed. Everyone agreed, although you could tell some people were very reluctant.

We were then saved by the bell, causing our group to split up again. No! Why is my anxiety still acting up?! I thought as I got the same pang of fear like before. I shoved it away and followed Davey, Elmer, and Jack.

The mood was quite somber. Each of us were having an internal argument, or at least I was. I didn't know if I should try to stay optimistic or if I should come to terms with the reality that we probably wouldn't find any other way.

"Crutchie? Are you okay?" Jack asked, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh yeah." I answered.

"I meant about your anxiety. I noticed it was sort-of... playing up recently." Jack said, searching for the right words.

"I have been having the nightmares again." I confessed, letting the walls I built up drop for a little.

"Crutchie that isn't good!"

"Yeah, I figured that out."

"Seriously. You might need to talk to someone. A professional." Jack suggested. I cringed at what he was implying.

"No. I don't want to be even more of a burden than I already am to my foster family." I practically spat.

"Crutch they signed up for stuff like this by fostering you!" Jack argued.

"But they already spend so much just keeping me there, I don't want to add more onto that." I said stubbornly. Before Jack could say anything else I sped into the classroom. I knew he wouldn't pressed the subject in here, because he knew I didn't want other people knowing about it.

"You might need to talk to someone. A professional." His words kept repeating in my mind. I couldn't help but feel that he was right. But at the same time I didn't want to put that burden on my foster family. And I didn't wan to seem even weaker to the gang.

I held my face in my hands for a moment. Why does everything like to come crashing down all at once?

A/N: BTW I THINK THAT ANYONE WHO GOES TO THERAPY IS NOT WEAK IN THE SLIGHTEST. Honestly they are much braver than a lot of others because they are able to acknowledge they have a problem that need fixing. So I am sorry about that comment, but I felt it would be something this Crutchie would think.