So this is an idea that has been festering in my head these past few days. You all know the cliche about newsie meets girl and they fall in love. But what would happen if they didn't? I'm actually kind of excited about this story.

The following rules are things I've noticed people seem to think really happen with "love". And if you've ever had a crush, you know they generally aren't true.

Rules of Love

1.The feelings must happen slowly

2.The feelings must be mutual

3.There will never be any conflicting feelings

4.Everyone will approve of the relationship

5.The relationship will last forever

I know the tale as well as anyone. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. And they lived happily ever after. I suppose it really does happen, somewhere, to someone. But not me.

My name is Jake. I didn't live that fairy tale. I made up my own, breaking all the "rules of love" along the way.

The Feelings Must Happen Slowly

"Jake!" I looked up at the girl standing in front of me.

"Heya, Dime. How's Itey?" She ignored my question, choosing to speak in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm so… sorry for bothering you at this late hour of 7:45 in the evening. But in case you forgot, there's another edition to sell!" She grinned widely and falsely. I swore silently to myself for forgetting the time. Dime's eyes landed on the ceiling as though praying for help. "Come on, slowpoke! 'Else there won't be any papes left for you to sell!"

I laughed as Itey's girl pulled on my arm and dragged me out the door of the lodging house. She tugged me along behind her while I shook my head at her excitement.

I had known Dime forever. Growing up in the orphanage, she had become like my sister. We'd escaped from that horrendous nightmare years before and parted ways. I'd become a newsie; she found work in a dressmaker's shop sewing flowers on ribbon day after day. Several months before, I had relocated my "sibling" with the help of Itey. Soon, the two of them were inseparable. Recently, to earn some extra money, Dime had taken to selling the evening edition. Currently, she still had a firm grip on my arm.

"Dime," I said, reclaiming the limb, "What's the rush?" Dime glanced back at me and promptly tripped over the air. Automatically, my hand shot out to steady the clumsy girl before me. It barely caused a pause in the conversation. She smiled mischievously.

"There's someone I want you to meet."

"Who?" I asked as we walked through the gates. Once more she left my question unanswered. I shrugged to myself as we bought our papes and joined the gaggle of boys and a few females at the base of the stairs. I turned to ask Dime if she was going to sell with Itey or me and realized she was no longer beside me.

A sudden silence followed by a rush of whispers captured my attentions and I forgot about Dime as my eyes followed the trail every male in the vicinity was looking toward.

Standing just inside the gates was a girl. Now I've seen many females in my life, ugly and beautiful. But This Girl was beyond anything I've seen yet. She stood tall and proud, scanning the crowd before her with sharp brown eyes. Wispy blond hair that reached her mid-back was being blown behind her in the gentle wind. She was thin, but had an air about her that showed that if you did anything she didn't like, you'd regret it quickly.

I realized that my jaw was hanging open and snapped it shut, not taking my eyes off of the beauty in front of me. It was then I noticed Dime was standing behind The Girl. She seemed to be laughing at the crowd of newsies staring at the Being next to her.

"Boys…" she said in a sing-song voice. "Meet my friend, Mary."

Mary. I tasted the name on my tongue. What a lovely name, to match such a lovely girl. Jack was the first to recover from his astonishment.

"Mary," he said, kissing her hand, "Welcome to da distribution office." She smiled at him prettily. "And who are you?" She spoke at last. Her voice sounded heavenly. Jack must have thought so as well.

"Names Jack, but you'se kin call me Cowboy. We's all gots nicknames, see? And I t'ink I've got jes da one for yous." Mary looked at him curiously.

"Boys," Jack turned to us. "I'd likes yous all to meet Angel." Loud applause approved his decision. I'm sure I was clapping harder than any other newsie there. It fit Mary perfectly. Dime brought the girl up to buy papes, and then the two of them left, hawking the headlines. Newsies one and all followed, dispersing in general directions.

I finally got my wits together and left the distribution center. Itey was standing outside the gates, waiting for me. He looked at me oddly.

"Itey…" He smirked. "Yeah?"

"I think I'm in love!"

Ohh... Jake's in love! Now, Jake-lovers, I'm really sorry, but I don't know much about this guy. So I'll be taking a lot of liberty with this. If I do something that is totally off from what you feel Jake is, let me know.

So, please review. I'm not sure how often I'll update, but it's Christmas break, so it could be pretty often to begin with.