Prologue
She was known as Lucky by the Newsies because a lot of things she tried she could do; she could fight real well, she could run fast, she could sketch alright, she cook pretty good, and had a wit that was sharper than a sword, but when people saw her do something they say she was just lucky.
Chapter 1
"Up and at 'em girls! Them papes won't sell themselves!" Kloppman yelled banging on the door. The noise jerked Lucky from a light sleep, She scowled and closed her eyes trying to drown out the noise and go back to sleep. She almost succeeded until she heard the mattress above her creak and then the thud of someone hitting the wooden floor. She groaned inwardly as she felt the weight of another body fall on top of her. Lucky slowly opened her eyes to see the smiling face of Sniper only inches from her own. "Snipes take a hike." She moaned. "No can do. See its time to wake up and youse tryin go back to sleep." Sniper replied happily and energetically, like a true morning person would. "Yeah 'cause i'm not a weirdo who's all happy and stuff in the morning!" Lucky said whacking Sniper with her pillow. "Weirdo or not youse have to get up." Sniper said grinning. "Alright! Alright! I'm up!" Lucky said pushing a fully dressed Sniper off the bed and sliding off the bed herself. She pulled her bag of clothing from under her bed as the rest of the girls started getting up and dressed."Mornin Lucky, Sniper." A dark brown haired girl whispered from a couple bunks down. "Mornin Queen." Sniper called making several girls mutter curses in her direction "You've gotta get dressed quicker or else we'se gonna be killed." Sniper grinned her blond hair falling into her hazel eyes. "Alright! Alright! Just a second! Though you know what would help? If youse stopped yellin seein as its quite early in the mornin and almost nobody is a crazy mornin person like youse!" Lucky said pulling up her brown trousers and finishing up buttoning her light blue shirt. "Pass me my vest and hat would'ja?" Lucky said. "Here you go." Sniper said handing her the stuff from the pole on other side of the bed. "Thanks, youse a doll." Lucky said finally smiling a slight grin. "I know right?! Now come on!" Sniper said. Her grin growing bigger if possible. They ran out of the room leaving behind eight or so girls still dressing. They quickly washed up, then ran downstairs and into the streets to join the chaotic mass newsboys and girls.
"Next!" Mr. Weisel yelled. Lucky stepped forward. "My usual sixty papes Weasel." She said dropping her money on the table. The guys mostly liked to mess with Weasel but Lucky preferred to mess with the Delanceys, after all you can't bite the hand that feeds you but you can bite hand's henchmen who leave themselves open to attack. "Sixty papes Oscar!" Weisel said to Oscar who was standing nearby. "Yeah and Oscar you might wanna make sure youse shoes are off, ya know so youse can count it right!" Lucky said, her voice getting louder and louder until she was almost yelling as she hit the punchline. The other newsies erupted into laughter and even old Weasel was smiling a little, though that might have just been because someone wasn't picking on him for once. Oscar slammed the newspapers down on the table, shoved them in a bag and then threw them at Lucky. She barely caught the bag, but she did and then twirled it around to slide it onto her shoulders. She pulled out newspaper and walked over to a pile of crates where Crutchie, Specs, Romeo, and Race were sitting, looking for a good headline to spin. "Any good one so far boys?" She asked settling down between Romeo and Race. "Eh, there was a robbery at some tenement in Midtown, but no was killed or injured. Youse could spin it though." Race said around a newly reclaimed cigar. "Thanks, ooh here's another one to spin a bit! Wait nevermind mixed to articles together. But that ain't matter headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes!" Lucky replied. "Hey! Look Plums is here!" Specs said pointing to Katherine who was standing with Jack and Darcy about 10 feet away. Race got up and held out his hand for Lucky, who took it and jumped up. "See youse later i'm gonna get to the races before they's start up." He said and walked off with Lucky. "Hiya Plums, Darcy." Lucky said a slight smile on her face. "Good morning, Lucky." Katherine said. Darcy nodded grinning. "Hey Cowboy where's my pape?" Lucky said to Jack. "Oh yeah here and would you remind Davey about the leader's meeting tonight? Thanks." He replied as he pushed her cap down over her eyes and handed her a paper. She pushed it up and started running toward her usual selling spot, down by a beauty parlor. The women who went there were rich and there was a barbershop just a street down so she usually got the people who would give a whole nickel for a paper. She sold for a while yelling out random headlines when the selling got a little slow and by noon she only had about ten papers left. Lucky started running towards Davey's school trying to make it while they were on lunch break. Lunch was almost over when the little red brick building came into view and even from the street Lucky could make out which student was Davey from the crowd of students. He was sitting on the grass with his back to the bushes, a apple in one hand and the other grasping for a book that a wooden sword wielding Les held just out of his reach. Lucky crouched down and creeped up to the bushes. "Psst Mouth!" She whispered. Davey turned and smiled. "You got my newspaper?" He asked. "Yeah and Jacky says there's a leader's meeting tonight, so come to the lodging house after school." She replied and passed the paper through the bushes. "Yeah of course we'll see you then. Davey said grabbing it. Lucky waved at Les then creeped off toward Jacobi's Deli.