Author's Note:

This first chapter moves very fast…so sorry about that! But the rest will actually be decent, I promise.  Thanks!

Chapter One (Kiera aka Slingshot's POV)

"But mother, please!" I said, tears forming in my eyes. I was breathing deeply, feeling like I might faint.

"That's enough, Kiera! Oscar Delancey is a wonderful young boy. He is very wealthy, and he wants kids, just like you do. You have everything in common, dearie." She inhaled. "I don't want to hear another word about this. Oscar will be arriving in one hour with his father, where we will discuss the wedding details. Go ready yourself." She walked away and then turned around, "and use that bust-adjusting bra, no men like a flat woman!"

How could she? Oscar Delancey was a horrible person.

A stupid, good-for-nothing asshole.

"That's it," I said to myself. I had everything I needed to run away. A toothbrush, toothpaste, pants, a shirt, jacket, socks and dirty old shoes. I walked over to my closet and retrieved the newsie hat that had once belonged to my grandpa, Peter. I grabbed my long hair, twisted it up into a bun and pinned it up. I picked up my bag and slid my newsie hat on. "Goodbye, Mother," I said, and ran down the balcony and into the streets. I looked up at my mother's fancy apartment, and turned around. That was in the past now. I ran and ran, knocking over a little boy selling papes, and tossed him two quarters for his trouble. Surprising, though. Two quarters? Since when is that a lot of money? Oh. "Not a rich girl anymore, Kiera," I said to myself. "Sling, shooter, pumpkin, rain, spring, key, slingshot!" I said. Slingshot. Well, that's all I need to live on the streets. A name. But the problem is, I'm scared of slingshots....

I looked behind me as I felt something hit my back. A boy, a quite handsome boy, was aiming a slingshot at me. Must be from Brooklyn, most of us Brooklyn kids know how to work a slingshot quite well. Except me, I've been scared of them since my cousin accidentally shot me with one and gave me a black eye.

"What?" I asked him, "If ya don't mind I'se got to go find Spot Colon."

"Well look no further, my dear," he said, "I am the King. The King of Brooklyn. The Famous Spot Colon But wait, I'se believe you knocked over little Hops, just a few minutes ago," he said, pointing to the small boy I had tripped a moment before.

"Sorry!" I said, feeling horrible. I reached in my bag and flipped another two quarters off my thumb and into the boys hands. I smiled as his face lit up, and turned back to Spot Colon, who looked stunned himself.

He started to say something, but then he laughed, "Did you know the Bulls is after you'se?" he asked.

"No they're not..." I said, laughing. I pulled my hat on tighter, but a gust of wind knocked it off, and my hair was exposed as it fell out of its place. Most of the newsies were staring at me with holy-shit-hes-not-a-boy-hes-actually-a-goil faces, but as I looked at Spot's face it simply seemed like he was happy about it.

Spot walked up to me and turned me around. Indeed, there were four Police Officers running full speed towards me,blowing their whistles and knocking down a little boy sellin' bread... But how did they know I ran away? Someone must've seen me...but before I knew it I was holding Spot Colon's hand, and running into a smelly, dirty, Boys Lodging House. I followed Spot over to a not-so-comfy looking bed and sat down next to him on it. I smiled at him, and it seemed, as if for a mere second, his cold, gray eyes softened.

He tipped his head towards me as he made eye contact with another boy, who nodded and retrieved four blankets for me, but they all had tiny holes in them. Oh well, that's what this new life gets me. But I'd much rather this than pure silk plankets to sleep under, with Oscar Delancey someday. "You can sleep here. And know this, I don't do this. At all. I don't take in goil newsies from the street. Evah. But you seem okay, and my newsies seem to like you. So stay here. But foist you need a name...."

"Slingshot." I said fast, and watched Spot carefully to see if it was okay. He simply smiled and nodded. He walked out the door and left me sitting on my bed, with every Brooklyn Newsboy staring straight at me. One of them took of his hat and was waving it around in front of his face to keep cool, but the others just stared.

"Fellas!" Spot called, "first one done with sellin' gets to show her how to sell papes tomorrow!" Spot smiled as the newsboys poured out into the streets, begging even their friends to buy their papes. He smiled at me again and laughed. "Stay hea' till we get back. A pretty goil like you shouldn't go wanderin' these streets alone. Especially if those Bulls haven't given up yet. We'll be back soon."

I nodded, and watched Spot slip out the door. I quickly changed into my new clothes, and slipped my hat back on. I carefully snuck outside and rolled around in dirt. Then I ran back inside and checked myself out in the mirror.

I smiled. "Perfect."