Jack Kelly sat on the steps of the Newsboys lodge; he hung his head and let his dark hair fall in his eyes for a moment. He was in a bind, Sarah had told him she was going away to an all girls' college in Vermont and had said that they should probably not be tied to each other while she was gone. He knew it was because of the man who had helped her get into that college; he was some prep school guy, all white collar. Jack had never been so mad in his life, his chest hurt. At least now he had a reason to go to Santa Fe.

"Excuse me," said a voice as a pair of shoes came into his view.

"Yeah?" he asked looking up at a boy with a grubby face and clothes and dirty brown hair hanging in chunks around his face.

"Is this the place where you can live if you're a newsie?" he asked.

"Yeah this is the newsboys lodge," said Jack.

"Good," he said pulling his cap down a little farther.

"They're about to turn the lights out so you better hurry up if you want a room," said Jack. "Talk to Jerry say that Jack sent you and he'll give you a good rate."

"Thanks," said the boy looking grateful. "I'm Andr… Andy," he said with a smile as he rushed into the lodge.

"How many do you want?" asked Weasel impatiently.

"Um… twenty papers," said Andy.

"Twenty for the big spender," said Weasel and the man handed him the papers.

"Why only twenty?" asked the boy who he had met the night before, Jack. "Seemed pretty eager to be a newsie last night."

"I just… I don't think I could sell more than that," said Andy sheepishly.

"Well you look pretty small for a boy how old are ya?" asked Jack.

"I'm close to seventeen," he replied defensively.

"You can come with me today on one condition you tell everyone that you're sick and that's why you're so small," said Jack flashing a smile at him, the boy blushed and nodded his head.

"Split the profits?" asked Andy.

"How about forty sixty?" asked Jack.

"Sounds fair enough," said Andy.

"Ya know you talk real good for a newsie," said Jack as they walked through the gates and out onto the street.

"I grew up in a good family," said Andy self consciously.

"Well, let's get to it," said Jack with a shrug. "Extry, extry! Read all about!"

"Extra, extra!" shouted Andy and Jack raised an eyebrow at him.

The day drug on and Andy was down to three papers, papes as Jack called them. Jack kept handing him more every time he ran out but now Jack was down to his last three as well. The sick line seemed to work well everyone was buying it. Jack was flipping through one of the papers and looking at Andy.

"Extry! Extry!" he shouted suddenly. "Heiress missing, terrified parents have police searching day and night!"

"Extra! Extra!" shouted Andy as weakly as he could. "Oil spill in time square!"

"Where's it say that?" asked Jack suddenly as he handed his paper to a man and accepted the coins.

"Page five, someone knocked over a can of grease on the curb," he smiled at Jack.

"Nicely done," said Jack approvingly.

After they had both sold the last of their papers they wandered back towards the lodge slowly. They stopped to pick up hot dogs at a vender who was about to close up. Andy munched on his slowly seemingly amazed at how good it was while Jack tried not to laugh.

"Ain't you ever eaten a hot dog?" asked Jack.

"Not like this!" cried Andy happily. They kept walking along on their way and suddenly Andy ripped something down and crumpled it. Jack raised an eyebrow slowly but shook his head and laughed a little.

"You're sorta weird huh?" asked Jack.

"I guess so," said Andy shoving the rest of the hot dog into his mouth happily as they came upon the lodge. "We selling together again tomorrow?" he asked as they entered.

"Yeah I guess so, we made a pretty good team today," he smiled at him again and the other boy blushed.

"Hey Jack!" shouted Racetrack from a table where he and some other boys were playing cards. "We're playing poker want me to deal you in?"

"I don't think so," said Jack. "Tonight I gotta get somewhere," he turned and headed out of the lodge. "See you tomorrow Andy, maybe we'll get a good newsie name for ya." He headed out of the lodge then.

"You wanna play Andy?" asked Racetrack. "Any friend of Jack's is a friend of ours."

"I don't really have much to lose but the clothes on my back," said Andy with a laugh.

"You got a pretty good shirt I'd bet you some cash for it," said Mush.

"Oh no," said Andy blushing and clutching the top of his shirt. "These are the only clothes I have I can't lose them."

"You talk good for a newsie," said Skittery. "Gonna have to work on that."

Andy had waited until everyone was asleep; he had been lying in his bunk for hours waiting to hear the rhythmic breathing of all the boys. He slowly slid out of his bunk and slunk across the floor to the bathroom, he hadn't had a shower in days. He pulled the curtain for the shower section slowly and quietly and then walked to one of the mirrors. Slowly he pulled off his cap and suddenly he turned into a she.

Andrea stared at herself and turned on the tap slowly she washed the dirt off of her face and then began stripping off the layers of clothing she had to wear to keep her breasts hidden. Suddenly the curtain was pulled back and she was staring at a very sullen looking Jack Kelly who was staring at the wall looking as if he were going to cry.

"Close the curtain," she said rushing to grab her hat to try and hide herself before he noticed.

"Sorry Andy," said Jack pulling the curtain closed again before he noticed that the other boy was not a boy but a girl. "I knew it!" he half shouted.

"Shhh!" cried Andrea rushing to him and clamping her hand over his mouth. "You'll wake everyone up," she whispered urgently.

"You're the heiress," whispered Jack back after she had moved her hand. "Oh man if I turned you in I'd have enough to go to Santa Fe and get away from here finally."

"I can get you enough money if you agree not to turn me in," said Andrea.

"Why did you run away?" asked Jack suddenly curious. "Your families rich, you can have anything you want."

"Not everything," said Andy sitting down on the floor. "Not freedom and it's not like anyone actually liked me for me, everyone only liked me because my father is the richest man in all of New York." Jack sat down next to her.

"You know if any of the other boys figure out who you are they're gonna turn ya in," said Jack.

"You're not?" she asked looking at him, he flashed her one of his smiled and she blushed.

"I know what it's like to have people trying to make you go somewhere you don't wanna and be somethin' you ain't," he said. "Your secret is safe wit me."

"Thank you," she said smiling. "Can you leave now so I can bathe?" she asked standing back up.

"A course ma'm," said Jack with a bow and Andrea frowned at him. "I'll see you in the morning just 'cause you're a girl don't mean we're ain't still parteners."

"Yeah," said Andrea.

"Yeah?" said Jack raising his eyebrows and mocking her.

"Get outta here before I slug ya," said Andrea doing her best imitation of a newsie. Jack shook with laughter as he left the bathroom.