Author's Note: Hey all! This is my first time to ever write or post a story here, so I hope you all like it, and don't forget to review, if it needs improving, then please let me know in a nice way, so I can make it better. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I really don't know why I have to put this up here since everyone knows the routine, so I'm not. If there is someone here who doesn't know the disclaimer, I own all the newsies(well, I do in my dreams ;) hehe:)

One last note: I'm going to have the newsies talk in regular English, instead of newsie talk, and that's the way I'll probably write more of my stories. Ok I'm done.

This chapter is just gonna give a little background information on the main character.

Prologue:

Joyce Phillips is an only child.

Age: 16

She's about 5'6, blue eyes and brown hair that comes to the middle of her back(think of Sarah's hair, only it's a little shorter) and she's 110 pounds.

She's shy when she meets new people, especially a big crowd, but opens up more once she gets to know them.

Arnold Phillips works in a mill and only wants the best for his family. They just barely have enough money to get by, but they don't let that get them down. As long as they have each other, then that's all that matters.

Her mother Anne Phillips, is a housewife like most mothers are of that time and always puts her daughter and husband need's before herself.

Arnold Phillips was an only child but his wife has one older sister that lives in Manhattan, New York, Esther Jacobs.

There're very close but haven't seen each other since Joyce was born, but write often, letting each other know what's going on with their families.

Chapter 1: The News

Joyce just came home from Miss Smith's house. She was an elderly lady who couldn't do as much as she use to, so Joy, as she was called by everyone who knew her, would go over there a couple of hours everyday and help out. She would do small things for Miss Smith, such as buy her a newspaper, or do the dishes. Mainly, she was her companion. Ever since Patricia Smith's husband had died a year earlier, she had been very lonely. Just seeing Joy, put a big smile on her face.

Joy didn't get paid for the job, but she didn't want to. Patricia had offered her several times, and even put money in Joy's jacket one time, but Joy just wouldn't hear of it. She liked helping Patricia, she was almost like a grandma to Joy.

Before Joy had even entered the kitchen their neighbor Jackie Collins pulled her quickly out of the house.

"Mrs. Collins what's wrong?" Joy asked worriedly.

"Oh honey," she quickly pulled Joy into a hug.

By this time Joy was really worried. Mrs. Collins held my hands as she told me that my father had come home ill, with a very high fever, and as my mother was tending to him, she fainted and had come down with the same thing.

Tears were rolling down my face as Mrs. Collins held me and tried to calm me down. When I finally stopped crying, she told me that I was to leave on the 6 pm train that evening, to Manhattan New York to stay with my relatives which I had never met.

Of course I had a positive outlook telling her that I wouldn't be gone long and everything would turn out alright, but inside I was an emotional wreck. I was terrified of leaving my small home in Abilene, Texas(note; I know that Abilene is a city but for the story it's gonna be a small town)

Author's Note: Ok I know right now it's not very interesting, but just give it a chance. I wanted to give a little background information first, before she's with the newsies. The next part she'll be meeting her relatives and then she'll meet the newsies. Just stick with it, and it'll get more exciting:) and don't forget to review!! Thanks!