A lot of people are lucky enough to have my girls. Davey has Sketch; Mike has Butter Fingas and Twig has Smalls. So, you're probably thinking if I have a guy. No. I'm just ha girl in NY making my livin as a newsie. Plus, I can't decide what guy I like. Oscar is so hot, but he is a bad boy. Albert is really funny when it comes to selling papes. Specs of course is as smart as can be, kinda like Albert. Anyways some people say life too short to take it slow. Maybe Elmer could sell a papes in that life time, I don't know. It's not always like I want a boyfriend. I'm strong enough I always told myself, I never want to need anybody else. But I already broke that promise. I'm in love with either Ike of Oscar. I love Ike but Oscar can be really charming sometimes. But what am I a friend to Sketch if I'm engaged to Oscar if he got Sketch in an alleyway? Even as a newsie, life is as hard as it seems... Wake up; sell papes, sleep, and repeat. I never see Oscar anymore, but I always see him in my mind. My mind is always filled with tricks and gimmicks to sell papes. My favorite is Sketch's tuberculosis trick. Specs is always so sweet, but its 1899 and it's kinda the norm, him being a male and I bein a lady if you know what I mean. Albert is so funny when it comes to selling papes. He's always cracking a joke and he knows I'd like someone with humor. I might really like him. I want to be one-hundred percent sure I love him or Oscar might creep into my mind and heart. I do like Oscar, such a sweetie, but I have to have my friends back sometimes; Sketch, Smalls and Butter Fingas are scared I'll have their same fate. But I know I won't, I can feel it, for now. I make my way back from the Harbor, my favorite place to think. Because Ike was there, he listens to all of my problems and he tries to help. I like him as a friend, and I don't want to lose him if he ever becomes my boyfriend. Well, he is but I barely see him. He doesn't really come by the Lodging house for fear of the Delanceys. I understand though. How could I be so stupid to think I like Oscar? He never leaves my thoughts; so I guess he has a reason to be there. I head back to the Lodging house. I never ate dinner so my friends came up and asked me about my day.
"Well, I made five dollars at the harbor and talked to Ike, I think he was flirting with me, because he's my boyfriend. I also had dinner at the Harbor, thanks to Ike."
This made them take a step back.
"You talked to Ike? Rumor has it he was dead." whispered Butta Fingas.
"Yea", I said. Why would people think he's dead?"
"He got caught up with the Delanceys. They drowned him in the Harbor last week." replied Smalls.
"I don't understand this; I don't want to talk about it until tomorrow." I say wearily.
I went to bed, thinking about our small conversation. I finally fall asleep to the Rhythmic beating of the rain on the roof. Sketch would know about anything at the Harbor. She came with me a few times. She was the first to say Ike and I would be an item. When I wake up, I am not in my bed. "This isn't the lodging house" I think. "Where am I?"