Chapter 1

In summer time I would always love playing out side on the streets of Manhattan, in Central Park and with the newsies. I met two that I liked the most, their names were Antonio and Dominic. We would always call Antonio "Racetrack" because he would always be gambling. Racetrack was 14, and Dominic was 13. I never was out side very long because my mother would always see me playing around and would say running out the front door "Get away from those street urchins Cassandra! Their Filthy little things and don't deserve to be near you." She would say dragging me into the house and shutting the door. "Your eleven years old you better start acting like a young lady and not a little girl!" She would say sternly. And all I could muster up was "Yes mama." She would always scare me, but the next day I would do it again and then the same routine would play over everyday. "Heya Racetrack!" I would say forgetting all my grammar lessons and everything I was taught, because I was around them so much I started talking like them. "Heya Cassandra, how are ya dis mornin?" he said walking towards me. "I'se alright. Where's Dominic? He's always da foist one heah." I said looking around. "He went to go get sometin'." He said. "What he gettin'?" I asked. "Oh uh… I'se don't know." He said even though he knew just what he was getting. "Ok. So he said he'd be heah den right?" I asked. "Yeah, in- fact he said ta go to Central Park and wait dere." Racetrack said walking. "Ok." I said as I followed. We could see Central Park everyone was there all the people walking their dogs, and Newsies selling papers to them.

"Heya guys!" Dominic said as he jumped from the stone wall he was sitting on. "Did'ya get it?" Racetrack whispered to Dominic. "Yeah, did ya tell her?" he whispered back. "No youse told me not'a." Racetrack replied a little louder. "Good job Race." Dominic said as Racetrack left. "Where's Race go'in?" I asked confused at this whole thing. "He jist remembahed dat he had a Poker game ta be playin'. So I'se guess its jist you and me taday Cass." He said tucking something into his pocket. "So wat do we do taday?" I asked. "Whatever you want to do, It's your boithday right?" he said with a smile. "Yeah, but we can do whatever I don't care." I said.

"Ok!" he said grabbing my hand and started running. "Where are we go'in…?" I said gasping for air. "You'll see!" he replied as we took a sharp turn. It seemed like we were running forever and then we stopped at this trashed up section of the park. "Close yer eyes." He said. "And don't peek!" he said trying to make sure I wasn't looking. He grabbed my shoulders from behind me, and started guiding me down some steps. "Ok don't open your eyes yet." He said letting go. He walked away, and said, "Ok now open your eyes." I opened me eyes and saw a huge oak tree with grass all around it. "Where are we?" I asked confused "In Central Park." He said sitting down. "It's the only part were no one comes around and messes everythin' up." He said looking around. "Oh." I said Sitting down so I could catch my breath. "Me an' Race got dis for ya, it ain't dat great or nottin but we'd thought you'd like it." He said handing me a small box. I opened the box to find a gray and black very worn in newsboy cap. Happy Boithday Cass." He said with a smile. "Thank you." I said trying the way too big for me cap on. "Well we better get goin' youse knows how yer muddah gets when youse out-side." He said standing up. "Uh…ok…" I said pushing the hat up from over my eyes so I could see.