New Boy (A Javid Story)

Protest

The Tuesday they got back from break, all the boys, Katherine, Sarah, and all the other people they had gathered for the protest stood outside the school, holding their signs and almost forming a wall. When people saw what was happening, they joined in. Others yelled at the protesters, and some people pretended like nothing was happening. A few people pushed past the protesters, and a few started making calls. Jack and Davey were at the head of it all, Jack barking the instructions that Davey gave him. The extra signs the boys had made were passed out as people joined. The more people joined, the more confident Jack became. 

"We could win this." Jack whispered to Davey, who just smiled and nodded. Elmer jumped out of his dad's minivan followed by 8 other kids. 

"Jack, Dave!" He called out. "Look, I got my siblings to join! Well, most of them. Emmett is only two, so my dad wouldn't let him, but that's okay."Elmer smiled. 

"The more the merrier." Jack nodded, handing the older siblings signs and giving the younger ones high fives. 

"Why didn't we ask Les to join?" Sarah asked Davey. 

"Mom would never let him." Davey shook his head. 

"Mom doesn't have to know." Sarah insisted. 

"No, Sar. It's not a good idea." Davey walked away before his sister could argue. As the bell rang to start school, the crowd either pushed past the protesters or joined them. Crutchie looked nervously up at Jack. 

"We're gonna do this?" He asked, biting his lip.

"Yeah." Jack nodded, a small smile on his face. "We are." 

Finch looked nervously over his shoulder at the kids going into school, then back at Davey. "Dave, are we sure this is the right thing to do?" 

"Of course it is." Davey nodded. "Pulitzer is just looking to get rid of us." 

"But still. We could get suspended." Finch argued. 

"That's what we're..." Davey shook his head. "Jack, talk to him." He pushed his boyfriend to the front. 

"Listen, guys." Jack started talking to the group. "We're doin' this cause Pulitzer is unfair. It ain't right that he's kickin' people out and treatin' people like this. Hell, even his own daughter is here!" Jack motioned to Katherine, who waved. "If we can just...just...Dave, I ain't good at words. You try." Jack tried to trade places with Davey. 

"Jack, I just told you to." Davey protested. 

"Still. You is better at words than I is. You do it." Jack gave Davey a thumbs up, and Davey nodded. 

"Listen, I know I'm the new kid here. But I have as much spirit and pride in this school as any of you. Schools aren't always fair. Life isn't always fair. But when something isn't fair, that's when you take a stand. And that's what we're doing here. We are taking a stand for what is right. Carpe diem, right? Seize the day? That's just what we're doing. Seizing the day and making it our own. We are going to show them what's right and that they can't just push us around. After all, we are the student body. And what is a school without students? We decide what we want in this school, because we are this school. Us, the students, we make up this school. Pulitzer wouldn't have a job without us. So, let's show him how much he needs us!" Davey put a fist in the air and, slowly, everyone copied him. "Seize the day!" He yelled. 

"Seize the day!" The group yelled back at him, and everyone erupted into cheers. Jack walked up to Davey and took his hand. 

"Nice speech there, Dave." He smiled proudly.

"Thanks." Davey nodded, looking at the ground. "I hope this works out."

"It will." Jack nodded, leaning his head on Davey's shoulder. Fifteen minutes into the protest, Sarah came running up to Davey. 

"Hey." She smiled.

"Hey. What'd you think of my speech?" He asked nervously. 

"I wasn't here for it." Sarah admitted, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "I was too busy getting..." She motioned to her left, and Les made his way out of the crowd. 

"Hey Davey!" Les chirped. 

"Les!?" Davey's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Sar, I said not to get him." 

"Yeah, well, I'm older. I decided we needed him." Sarah stated. 

"What about mom?" Davey asked. 

"I'm paying him to keep quiet." Sarah shrugged. 

"The school will call her if he's not there." Davey pointed out. 

"Not if we cause so much of a commotion over here that they forget to." Sarah smirked. 

"Oh no." Davey shook his head. "This will not end well." 

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Les insisted. 

"Just, don't get into any trouble." Davey ran his fingers through his hair. 

"No trouble, got it!" Les nodded, running off and jumping onto Race's shoulders. Davey sighed, exasperated. 

"Hey," Sarah put a hand on her brother's shoulder. "It's going to be alright." 

"I was going to be in enough trouble for this, now I have to worry about Les too?" Davey shook his head. "I can't." 

"I'm sorry, I didn't think having Les here would stress you out this much." Sarah admitted. "If I had known, I would never have brought him here." 

"I know." Davey nodded. "I know." 

"Dave!" Jack bounced over. "Sorry to interrupt, but Dave. C'mere." He grabbed his boyfriend's hand, pulling him over to the other end of the 'wall.' He pointed at Romeo and Elmer with a smile on his face. "Look." He whispered

 Davey's eyes fell on the two boys holding hands. He felt a smile spread across his lips, and he squeezed Jack's hand. 

"They finally got together, huh?" He asked, a proud tone to his voice. 

"I guess they did." Jack nodded. The two continued to walk up and down the line, joining in chants and holding up their signs. At one point, Jack made his way over to Katherine. "You doin' alright?" He checked. 

"Yeah," She nodded. "It's just weird." 

"Cause all this is against your dad?" Jack asked. 

"No, cause it's mildly cold out." Katherine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, cause it's against my dad. I still love him, but..." She shook her head. "He needs to be put in his place." 

"It'll all work out." Jack promised, and Katherine nodded. 

"I hope so."  She responded, linking arms with Jojo as they went off to rally some more people. Jack looked proudly up and down the line at the people who were protesting. He was positive it would all work out. It had to.