Newsies One-Shots

Chapter 125 - Jack and Medda

Adoption
Ship - Jack and Medda (mother-son)
Era - Modern
Triggers - Mentions of bullying and crying

Medda looked up as the door to her small office in the back of the theatre creaked open. It rarely creaked, only when someone opened it slowly enough.

"Jack, why aren't you in school?" she asked, stopping almost immediately when she noticed the tear tracks on his cheeks. "Oh, darling, what's wrong?"

"I hate school," he explained, tears threatening to spill. "I hate it."

Medda's face immediately softened as she stood up. "Did something happen? Do you need me to call the school?"

"No," Jack said quickly, "no, please don't. I just couldn't be there."

Medda sighed, picking up her purse. "Leave your bag in here, sweetie. Let's go for a walk, how's that sound?"

"I ain't going back to school."

"I know. I was thinking ice-cream," Medda suggested.

Jack nodded. "Just ice-cream? Nothing else?"

"Maybe some talking. That's all. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Jack agreed. Medda just smiled in return and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as she led them out of the theatre.

They didn't speak much on the way to the ice-cream parlour and it was mostly just idle chatter when they did. Jack appreciated the lack of conversation somewhat, but also he would have preferred to just get the conversation over and done with.

When they reached the parlour, Medda held the door open, Jack slipping in quickly out of the cold.

"You go find us a table, I'll get the ice-cream," Medda said, patting Jack's arm. "What do you want?"

"Just the usual, please."

"Of course."

Jack found a two-seat table near the window, not his favourite one where he could watch the world go by but it was still a good enough seat. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, opening Instagram and scrolling for a little while.

"Here you are, one mint, one vanilla in a tub and no wafer," Medda stated as she placed the ice-cream down in from of him. "Now, whatever's going on, are you or someone else in danger?" Jack just shook his head. "Okay, then do you want to talk about what's eating you or be distracted from it?"

"I think I'm being bullied," Jack just stated, taking a large scoop of ice-cream to not have to say any more.

Medda frowned and slid her tub slightly away from her so she could fold her hands together.

"Okay-" There was a beat of silence. "-do you feel comfortable telling me what's happening specifically?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Jack didn't feel in any way pressured by her to tell what was happening. But he supposed it was her special skill, Medda never made him feel pressured into talking with her. Maybe it was because he knew she actually cared.

"There's these kids who just keep picking on me for everything and one of them took my sketchbook and started looking through it and the teacher only stopped them 'cause I was nearly crying and they do it every day and I'm never left alone."