Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to take credit for owning West Side Story, I don't! This is purely fan fiction.

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[i]1945[/i]

Tony was savouring the last days of summer as he walked down 57th street with a nickel in his palm. Everyone was all up in arms about the war ending. The then ten-year old Tony actually found it quite boring. There was nothing interesting to listen to on the radio now that all the fighting was over. On the bright side, his pop would be coming home and his mother would be doing less worrying and more pampering of him. He made his way towards the corner store and bought a coke. His favourite.

Somewhere a firecracker exploded making Tony jump slightly as he stepped off the curb and across the street to the playground in central park. Downing the rest of his drink and tossing it on the ground, Tony preceded to climb the jungle gym where he could sit and think by himself. As he closed in on the optimal point, a little blond kid with crooked teeth shouted at him to get off.

"Back off Italian!" He shouted, his thick New Yorker accent bulging.

"But I was born in Jersey!" Tony yelled right back.

"You're lyin'!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!" The kid pushed Tony and he fell flat on his back in the sand below the jungle gym. He narrowed his eyes at the blond buck-toothed kid. Tony stood and brushed himself off, not wanting to retaliate. So instead, he asked the kid his name.

"What's your name?" Tony asked, and the kid looked taken aback like he was expecting Tony to throw another punch. The kid jutted out his chin and hopped down from the jungle gym.

"Riff. I can play the trumpet." He added, jutting out his chest some. Tony poorly stifled a laugh which made Riff angrier.

"Well what's you're name Italian? And what can you do?"

"Tony. I can steal a ride on the 59th line. Know what that means? I don't have to pay to go to the park."

"Show me."

Tony gritted his teeth. He had only ever done it once or twice going TO the park, not FROM it. How hard could it be? He jerked his thumb towards the trolley-car and motioned for Riff to follow. The blond kid shoved his hands in his pocket and followed reluctantly. Tony pulled himself up on the bumper of the trolley and tucked in his knees. It was a terribly uncomfortable position for a growing boy, but one needed to sacrifice comfort for a free ride on the 59th.

"Like this." Tony said. Riff followed his example and awkwardly pulled himself up beside Tony. The conductor rang the bell loudly and away they went. Everything was fine, until Riff decided to let go of the bumper and see if he could balance. Without a scream, Riff fell off the trolley, scraping his face up something awful.

Tony immediately reached out his hand for Riff but was a few inches too short. Riff picked himself up and started sprinting for the trolley. Tony stretched himself out as far as he could and managed to wrap his hand around Riff's thumb. He jerked the blond boy foreword and wa able to grab his full hand. Pulling him into a faster run, he was able to get Riff up and back where he was again.

"Thanks." Riff mumbled, biting his sleeve to hold back tears.

"What're you kids doing?" The aged conductor peered over the railing and saw the two dirty kids. That was enough for Tony and Riff and they got off at the next stop.

"That was fun." Riff smiled, wiping the small cuts on his face. Tony simply raised an eyebrow and tried to fix his overalls. This kid was crazy, but he was fun.

"Wanna do something funner?" Riff asked, juggling two rocks between his hands. Tony smiled and nodded and followed Riff...wherever he was going.

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There you have it! My first West Side Story fanfic. Please don't be too hard on me!