New Boy (A Javid Story)

Truth or Dare

Two nights later, the boys were all inside Medda's theater, helping her prepare for her next show. It wasn't exactly a party, but it sounded like one from the outside. Albert, Buttons, Romeo, Elmer, and Race were helping to sew with the costumes, but Race wasn't exactly helping. He just kept stabbing himself with the needle and decided to give up and help Jack, who was painting. Davey was proofreading the script one last time upon Medda's request. Finch was going through lighting cues, and even Spot was there to help, making sure they had every prop they would need. 

"Boys, are you sure you all don't mind doing this? You all work so hard for every production. You know this doesn't get you extra credit, right?" Medda asked the group for the fifth time that night. 

"We is sure, Miss Medda." Elmer smiled up at her. 

"What about you, Davey?" Medda turned to the newest of her son's friends. "Are you sure my kids didn't force you into this?" She motioned between Jack and Crutchie. 

"No, ma'am. I told them I wanted to help." He handed the woman back her script. "It's perfect, miss. Grammar, spelling, it's all good." Davey nodded. 

"Why, thank you," She smiled. "I usually have Katherine read through it, but she's out tonight. Who knows, maybe you two can work together in the future. And please, don't call me ma'am. Just Medda is fine." 

"Yes, ma-I mean, Medda." Davey nodded, a small smile on his lips. Medda nodded, walking backstage to help with the props. 

"We does this about three times a year. Miss Medda orders, like, six hundred pizzas and mozzarella sticks and french fries and it's great." Romeo explained. "Then, next week, we'll all be back here for the Christmas party." 

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." Davey nodded. "Except for one small thing."

"Which is?" Romeo crossed his arms.

"I'm Jewish. I don't celebrate Christmas." 

"Oh! Don't worry, the Christmas party ain't centered around religion very much. It's more party than Christmas." 

"Boys! The pizza is here!" Medda walked into the room with Race in tow, both of them carrying tons of food. There was a loud cheer as Race and Medda walked over to a table and spread out the pizza boxes and other containers filled with food. The boys practically flew over, grabbing plates and nearly killing each other for food. Within the first thirty seconds Spot was on the ground and Finch was under the table. Davey could have sworn he saw Crutchie whack the back of Jojo's leg with his crutch, and Sniper would later promise he didn't stab Kid Blink with a straw. 

After all the boys had gotten their food, the gathered on the stage in a huge circle where they started a game of truth or dare. 

"Racetrack! Truth or dare?" Elmer spoke up. 

"Dare." Race answered, taking a bite of his pizza. 

"Um...tell Miss. Medda something in Italian." Elmer challenged. 

"That's it? Fine. Miss Medda?" Race called the woman over. 

"Yes?" She walked over, grabbing a fry off of Jack's plate, causing her foster son to let out a yell in protest, which she ignored.

"Uno dei miei pacchetti di twizzlers è stato rubato e sono molto turbato. Inoltre, grazie per il cibo." Race said with a smile, causing Medda to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Era un coraggio." The curly haired boy explained, still in Italian. Medda nodded suspiciously, walking away. "Alright!" Race sat back down, rubbing his hands together. "Who's next?" 

"Albert!" Finch pointed to the boy sitting next to him. 

"Alright, Al, truth or dare?" Race smirked at his best friend. 

"Who do ya think I am? Dare!" Albert threw his hands in the air, nearly hitting Crutchie. "Sorry, Crutch. But dare." The redhead reaffirmed. 

"I dare you to...buy me a box of candy canes." Race decided. 

"Ugh fine. Who's next?" Albert looked around the group, searching for victims. 

"I say the new kid goes next!" Kid Blink shouted out. 

"Oooh, good point." Albert nodded. "Davey! Truth or dare?"

"Uh...truth?" Davey answered, but it was more of a question than a real answer. 

"Hm...oh! If you had to date one of us, who would it be?" Albert asked, grinning like a maniac. Davey blushed almost immediately, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I, uh, I don't know? I haven't been here long enough." 

"Ah, it's been two weeks! You gotta choose." 

Davey had no clue what he was going to say. He knew he was going to be teased no matter who he said, so he decided whoever's name came out first would be the answer. "Jack." He said, his voice barely audible. 

"What was that, Davey boy?" Albert teased. 

"Jack." Davey repeated, a little louder this time. "Who's next?" He tried to change the topic as quickly as possible. 

"That would be Romeo." Crutchie informed. 

"Right. Romeo, truth or dare?" Davey asked, turning to face the shorter boy. 

"Truth." Romeo shrugged. 

"Have you ever actually read Romeo and Juliet?" Davey asked, expecting the answer to be no. 

"Yeah." He nodded. 

"Trust me, he's read it a million times." Finch rolled his eyes.

"He can do the whole balcony scene by heart." Jojo added. 

"An' he's proud of it." Smalls finished. 

"Damn right I'm proud!" Romeo grinned. "But, soft! What light th-"

"Movin' on!" Kid Blink interrupted. 

"Aw, you're no fun." Romeo complained. "Jack, truth or dare?"

"Dare, o'course!" Jack grinned. Albert whispered something in Romeo's ear, causing a grin to spread across Romeo's face. 

"I dare you," He pointed to Jack. "To kiss Davey on the cheek." 

Davey was the first to protest. "He has a girlfriend!" 

"Ah, but this is just a kiss on the cheek. Besides, Jack doesn't back down from no dare." Spot justified. 

"Besides, you was the one who said you'd date Jack, right?" Race smirked, a candy cane he seemed to have pulled from nowhere dangling from his lips. 

"Right but-"

"But nothin'! Go on, Kelly, do it." Race finished the argument. Jack walked over to Davey, an apologetic smile on his face. 

"Sorry, Dave, but it's a dare. But be grateful it's just your cheek. If I wasn't datin' Kath, I woulda had to kiss ya for real." He kissed Davey on the cheek, and Davey felt his face heat up. He heard Jack ask Crutchie if he would prefer a truth or a dare, but it didn't really set with him that they were moving on. He just stared off into space for a bit, not paying attention to anything. 

Albert, however, was paying attention. He noticed how much Davey blushed after the kiss, or how he seemed to zone out. He narrowed his eyes, deciding that something was up there and that he would ask Davey about it at the Christmas party. 

For now, Albert had his own problems to worry about. 

(Merry ((belated)) Christmas to those of you that celebrate! Next chapter is the Christmas party, I swear. And there will be some post-party drama. Maybe involving Albert's problems? Who knows?)