Soulmates || A Newsies Alternate Universe

Chapter 7 - Race

Warning: Abuse, and Minor Bullying
Third Person POV

Race had been having a rough day. His injuries from his father's anger from last night were hurting a lot.

A lot more than he cared to admit, even just to himself.

He couldn't lean against stuff, or even really use his arms a lot, and it was horrible. It hurt pretty bad too, and Race kept feeling bad for his soulmate.

His poor soulmate had to deal with this, and Race felt bad, like he was a curse.

That's what his father had always told him.

Race had managed to play it off with the Newsies, and act like nothing was wrong, because he didn't want them to worry.

The worst part of the day started when he was in Social Studies.

Oscar and Morris decided to pick on Race. They tripped him while he was walking to his seat, and he got yelled at by his teacher.

He had quickly gotten up, and rushed to his seat, all while Oscar and Morris were snickering at him.

Specs, who was in his class, and who was the person he sat next to in the class, looked at him, feeling bad for him. It did look like Race was having a rough day to him.

Oscar and Morris continued to kick and pinch him throughout the class, and he was fine until they did something else. Something worse, at least for Race it was worse.

Oscar, who sat in front of Race, pushed Race's back against his seat, and Morris pulled him back. His injured back collided with the back of the chair.

The pain from Race's injuries from the night before got worse, to the point where he couldn't handle it.

He grabbed his stuff, and raced (haha, Raced) out of the room, ignoring the snickering from Oscar and Morris.

His teacher didn't do anything, except maybe roll his eyes, as he probably didn't care. He doesn't care about the Newsies at all. He hates them.

Race ran to the abandoned bathroom, he needed to do something to help his cuts, even if he didn't know what he needed to do to help them.

He opens the door, tears streaming down his face, and using all of his effort, despite the pain, to open the door. He felt weak, hurt, hopeless.

He walks into the bathroom, and sees Spot, Albert, and Jack sitting on the floor, looking shocked, and Spot's back all bandaged.

Race dropped his stuff. I can't let them know. They would hate me, think I'm weak and a curse, like my father tells him.

Race raced out of the bathroom, ignoring the calls from Jack, Spot, and Albert to come back.

Race was pretty fast, but Albert, Spot, and Jack were faster than he was, stronger too, but only because of the pain Race was in.

Any other time he would race them, and he would win.

The three boys caught up to Race, and grabbed him. They led the crying boy back into the bathroom, and sat him down.

"G-Guys, just l-let m-me leave" Race pleads. Spot, Albert, and Jack shake their heads.

"Racer, we just want to help. Please tell us what's going on and why you came in here crying" Jack pleads with Race, who, this time, shakes his head.

Spot looks at Race, scanning the boy for injuries.

Then, he sees something. Barely over the top of his shirt, a burn mark, like the one on Spot's skin in the same place.

"Take off your shirt, Race" Spot instructs the boy, getting concerned.

Race shakes his head. "No. It's none of your concern or business."

Jack and Albert, who hadn't seen the burn mark, share a look with each other. He was definitely hiding something; he wouldn't get this defensive over nothing.

"Race, take it off, or I will" Spot threatens. Race stubbornly shakes his head no.

"Try me" Race dares Spot, glaring at him.

Gosh, this kid is so stubborn. Spot thinks to himself.

"Jack, Albert, if you will help me" Spot asks, and Albert and Jack nod. They only wanted to help their friend, if they didn't, they wouldn't be doing this.

"Three against one isn't fair" Race exclaims, trying to get out of Albert and Jack's grip.

Spot takes off Race's shirt, despite Race's best efforts to not let him, but with the pain he's in, he can't do much.

Spot, Albert, and Jack's eyes widen, and they gasp when they see Race's back.

There were so many cuts, bruises, and burn marks all over his back, they look like the ones on Spot's, only, untreated.

"Those look like Spot's injuries" Albert points out, and Race's eyes widen.

"Leave me a-alone" Race snaps, crying more.

"Anthony, we're trying to help" Jack assures the younger boy, as he wraps his arms around Race, half hugging him to try to comfort him, and half hugging him to hold him still while Albert and Spot treat the cuts

"Race is my soulmate" Spot mutters, not believing it to be true.

Race starts to cry more, worried that Spot hates him. Jack notices this, and runs his hand through Race's curls to calm him down.

"We need to clean and treat those injuries" Albert decides. Spot nods, grabbing the bandages.

Jack continues to hold Race, while running his fingers through Race's hair in an effort to comfort/calm him.

Spot and Albert clean Race's cuts, put cream on his burns, and bandage Race's back and arms, which are in worse shape than Spot's back and arms were.

By the time the two boys were done, Race was unconscious.

He passed out from pain, and the fact that he had been hyperventilating, and not getting enough air. Basically he had been crying so much that he couldn't really breathe.

It was probably for the better that he was unconscious, since then he would be at peace for a little bit.

Jack decides to call Medda, since he knows she can help, and she'll let Race stay there for a while, maybe even live there.

On the call, Medda agrees, and calls the four boys out of school for the rest of the day, so that the teachers would know they weren't skipping school.

Spot, Jack, and Albert take Race to Jack's house.

There, Miss Medda helps them treat Race's injuries better than three high-school students could.

Realizing that Crutchie and the rest of the Newsies won't know where Jack, Spot, Albert, and Race are, and that they'll probably start worrying, Jack decides to texts them.

Jack to The Newsies Group-Chat
12:36 PM, Friday

Jack: Hey guys, just so you know, Race, Albert, Spot, and I won't be at school for the rest of the day. Come to Crutchie and I's house after school, and we'll explain why.

After Jack had sent the text, he, Spot, and Albert decided to wait until Race wakes up, or till the other Newsies get to the house, whichever one comes first.

They were worried about Race. Why did Race keep this from them? What happened to Race so that he got new bruises, burn marks, and cuts every night?

Spot couldn't help but feel like it was his fault. It was his fault that Race was hurting, even if it wasn't. Spot knew Race had to have been hurting more than Spot was, and it worried him.

It worried all three of them.

1250 Words