It all started one day in Manhattan, when I ate lunch at Tibby's. Its amazing how helpin one newsie can make you friends with the rest of 'em…well most of them.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Characters of Newsies…sadly, I wish I did tho…

Anyways on with the story…

Chapter 1: Join me for Lunch

My name is Lilah Elizabeth James, of the Manhattan James'. My family is very well connected and very well off. They own a chain of textile houses, though I personally know nothing about the industry itself. My family is not as they seem. We were not always the rich family that everyone knows…but more on that later. I had a mother once. She died when I was seven, now I have the step-monster. I father married some blonde bimbo from the Bronx. She's only in it for the money, but he would never admit that that was the truth.

My father tries his best to keep me out of his way. I have a large allowance. Five whole dollars a week. I'm very rarely home. I enjoy walking around the city. Trying all the local foods. But my favorite thing to do is watch the newsies.

That was my destination today. Central Park. Nice surroundings. Nice company. And the news. It was favorite thing in the world. Everyday I got the paper from the same person. Jack Kelley. A simple penny and I got all the news I needed for the day. It wasn't so much that I was buying something from a very attractive boy; it was hearing the headlines he made up.

"EXTRA EXTRA. Terrible fire. Thousands flee in panic!"

"EXTRA EXTRA. Mayor sex scandal. Read it here first"

Today was just like any other day. "So same as always, Lilah?"

"What's the headline today, Jack"

"The basics. Trolly strike causes mass panic. Couple people died. It's a terrible ting"

"Oh really now?" I handed him a penny and an extra nickel just cuz. I read the headline: TROLLY STRIKE CONTINUES. "Sounds the same to me." We shared a laugh. "So, how's the job today, Jack."

"Not too good, sweets. Not to manys out taday. Its rainin."

"Want me to but the last of your papes?"

"I couldn't let chu spend all dat money on me."

"Fine, but you get rid of them papes and come meet me for lunch, got it."

"Yeah, you got it."

I walked to Tibby's, my favorite little diner. I didn't know anyone in there. I recognized that a few of them were newsies, but they were all sitting around talkin. I sat down an ordered a sandwich. The newsies kept glancing over at me. They pulled change out of their pockets and started countin. "Any of yous got enough to buy anytin?"

"Nah, yous?"

I stood and walked over to them. "I couldn't help but overhear." I placed a dollar on the table. "That should cover it for a while"

"Lookie here. Princess here thinks wes a charity case," said a boy with a patch over his eye.

"You know wat fuggedaboudit, if you don't wanna to eat, dats fine wit me. I'm meeting a friend here for lunch anyways. I could always take it back and spend it for that."

"Feisty goili aint cha? Well mine names Racetrack, and personally I'd love to spend your money" He grabbed the dollar. "We want wat the goil has."

"Hey, I'm Mush, you wanna join us?" I grabbed my plate and sat down with them. There were four of the. Racetrack, Mush, Boots, and Kid Blink. We laughed and talked until a familiar face walked in.

"Jacky boy. This goili here just bought us lunch. Hungry?" Racetrack said holding up some money.

"Lilah? Is zat chu? Well I'll be. Yous asked me ta lunch and ya feed all my pals before me!"

"You know Jack?" Boots asked.

"Dis is da goil that throws in an extra nickel every now and den."

"Ah, so dis is her," says Racetrack. "She's a nice goil. You shoulda introduced us to her earlier."

Jack sat down and we all ate lunch together. Halfway through Racetrack decided to pull out a deck of cards. "You know howda play poker Lilah?"

"You could say dat." I was better at poker then most of my dads friends on poker night. They were in for a fun game.

They dealt the cards. "Since yous is new to da table. You can bet foirst"

"I bet two bits." We went on like that for three games. I won the first one, the second one, and Racetrack won the third.

On the fourth game, Boots folded, Blink folded, and it was Jack's turn to place the last bet. "Tree bits." We all but it the three pennies. "Call your hand."

"Two pair. tens and trees," said racetrack.

"Tree of a kind. Kings."

They both looked at me. "Sorry boys. "Trip aces."

"Either yous got da best luck in da world or yous is cheatin," said Kid Blink.

"Blink, hey, did we axeya for your opinion," said Jack. "Shes just a good player."

"So Trips, you won again." Said racetrack.

"did you just call me Trips?" I asked.

"Yeah, seems like a good nickname for ya," Jack said.

"Great. I got a newsies name." I laughed. "Well, boys. I gotta be goin home…I'll see yous tomarra"

"See ya Trips."

I left Tibby's and began to walk home. I was soon stopped by two boys. "Well well well, oscar. Do you sees dis little Richie in front of us."

"I doos Morris. I don't tink she shood be walkin alone. Do yous?"

"Nope I definitely don't think she shood be lonely."

They blocked my escape form both sides and I screamed as loud as I could for Jack.. "JACK!! JACK HELP ME!!!"

I closed my eyes and ducked into a ball. "Hey, what do you think yous is doin?" said oscar. I heard two loud thuds.

"Oh thank you jack," I said and then I opened my eyes. The boy in front of me was NOT jack.

"Sorry toots, name aint jack. But I got some business wit a friend 'a his. You where I could find 'im?"

I searched my mind but could only stare for a moment. He was gorgeous. Probably 17, he wore a grey and white plaid shirt that was slightly unbuttoned, revealing a beginning to a nice body, and brown pants held up by red suspenders. He wore a grey messenger boy's hat and held a cane. He was definitely a newsie. "Sure. I just had lunch wit 'im at Tibby's."

"You? A Richie? Is you kiddin me? Wat you think ise was born yesterday. Why don't you just go see where you gotta go."

I began walking away. "Scumbag," I muttered under my breath.

"Wad yous just say? You know just cuz yous a girl don't mean I wont soak ya."

I saw the newsies leaving Tibby's. "Hey Spot," jack said.

"Well if it isn't Jack be nimble Jack be quick. Hayadooin?"

"Pretty Good Spot. Whatcha doin here wit Trips?"

"Trips? You gave dis Richie a nickname?"

"Yea, shes a friend, Spot." Racetrack said.

I cleared my throat, indicating that they hadn't introduced me yet.. "Oh right. Trips, dis is Spot, da King a Brooklyn."

"That's him."

"Yeah, whats it to ya," Spot said.

"I just thought the King a Brooklyn would hav more manners is all."

Spot lunged at me, but he was held back by Jack, Race, and Kid Blink. "You know she really thinks who she is," he yelled to the boys holding him back.

"Your one to talk!"

"You gotta a lotta shit witchu goili."

"You asked for jack. Now you found 'im. I'll see you boys tomorrow. And hopefully I wont ever see YOU again." I walked away. I couldn't beleave the nerve of that boy. Oh im the king a Brooklyn I must be god. Well news flash buddy…your not!

Spot's POV

"you know she's gotta a lotta nerve talking to me like that."

"Is Spot feelin a little threatened?" Jack said.

"Me, threatened, come on Jacky boy yous know me betta."

"So wat do ya need"

"Race owes me money. I came ta collect it."

"Well I aint really got it rite now, Spot." Racetrack said.

"Here, use Trip's money," Jack handed the leftover money from lunch to Racetrack.

"How much she give yous?"

"A dollar."

"A dollar?!? Damn yous guys make some good friends. Maybe I oughta be a bit nicer." Of course I was jokin, but I like makin cracks.

"Spot, yous shood come by Tibby's tomorrow fa lunch."

"Never turn down a free meal. So, tomorrow den. See ya boys." I walked away and made my way back to Brooklyn. I couldn't get that goil outa my head. She was gorgeous. Tall. Long brown hair. That perfect body. Damn I wondered what she looked like wit it off. Some stupid Richie dow. Id never work out. Would it?