Chapter 3

Day 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. :(

The bell clanged loudly, ringing in ears and in the depths of dreams.

"Everyone get up! It's a brand new day to get some coins. Up! Everyone get up!" Dawn and Lieutenant walked around shaking the boys to some level of awake. Kloppman just watched with amusement.

"Ok! Next time we come in here you boys had better be awake and at least half way ready!" Lieutenant shouted. The door shut behind them.

"Here Adelaide. It's not much but it's not like you can sell papes with that on." Dawn smiled, as she handed Adelaide some old clothes of the boy's.

"Thanks." Adelaide hurriedly dressed, finding that they were too big. Star giggled a bit.

"Don't worry, we can always do some sewing when we have time." Lieutenant reassured.

"It's alright. It's really comfortable." Adelaide smiled.

"Those boys had better be up." Ember muttered.

"Give them more time. I don't think they'd appreciate it if we walked in on them only half dressed." Dawn giggled.

"I say, 'walk in on them!' At least then they'll move quicker." Ember grinned.

"Now that's just sick." Dawn raised an eyebrow, "Unless you want to see them naked?"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind." Ember murmured so that Star couldn't hear. The girls laughed.

"What're you whispering about?" Star demanded hands on hips.

"We'll talk about it when you're older." Lieutenant smiled kindly. Star pouted.

The girl's walked outside, informing Adelaide on the strike. She was amazed at what someone could do with a touch of determination. The boys walked out, tucking in their shirts, and hooking their suspenders.

"It's about time!" Ember called hands on hips.

"Isn't Mother supposed to do that?" Mush responded, adjusting his straps.

"Whatever. Let's get some grub." Jack led the way to the nuns. They passed out bread and water. Adelaide accepted gratefully.

"I must warn you, we don't get a whole lot of food in our line of business." Dawn explained.

"I'll live." Adelaide smiled. The group swarmed into a long line heading toward a grumpy looking old man. She heard some of the boys call him "Weasel."

"Ok, this is our job. We buy papes and sell them to the people on the streets. Now, you want to sell them all by the end of they day, so you kind of need to sell them quick. Now, in order to do that, you need to sort of… extend the truth." Ember explained.

"Extend the truth?"

"Yeah. Like… let's say that a headline reads 'River raises five inches, taking inches of sand.' You could say something like 'River going to swallow all of New York' or something like that."

"But isn't that… a bad thing?"

"Not really, we're just doing what we can to survive, just like everyone else. Besides, we're not completely lying, we're extending the truth." Ember grinned.

David turned to Adelaide, "Here, you can split with me. It won't be a lot, but it'll get you started." David dropped some coins into her hand.

"Oh… thank you!" Adelaide smiled.

David blushed, "My pleasure." And with a tip of his cap he floated back to the crowd.

"Yep, definitely noble." Ember shook her head.

"What?" Adelaide puzzled.

"Most of the richer class can do things like that. You know, make a guy blush at a whim." Dawn explained, striking a dramatic pose.

"Oh…I'm sorry. Should I not do that?"

"Don't worry about it. It's not completely in your control anyway. Besides, you can use that to your benefit." Dawn winked.

"You don't have to." Tenant added.

"Since I can clearly see that you ladies aren't going to be getting any work done, so how'se about Princess here comes and sells with me. I'll show you the ropes." Blink grinned. The other girls looked at each other.

"And probably something else." Ember rolled her eyes. The others forced their laughter back, only a snicker escaping.

"What? You don't trust me?" Blink placed his hand over his heart, "That hoits… hoits me real bad." He put on a puppy-dog-face, eyes wide, pouting lip.

"I trust you as much as I would trust a rat to guard my cheese." Dawn laughed.

Blink slouched his shoulders, "Well… I can see I'm not wanted here." He began walking away, slowly shuffling through his papers.

"Oh, Blink, c'mon! We're just kidding." Ten thought about it, "Mostly."

"What do ya say, Adelaide?" Blink put on his most dazzling smile.

"You just want to hit on her don't you?" Ember shook her head.

"Now, now! I just feel that it would help her if she worked with a man who has been around longer… besides, it would be an honor to work with such a beauty as this lovely lady." Blink swiped off his cap, and bowed to kiss her hand.

Adelaide giggled, "Are all the men this…uh… charming?"

Taking her pause for words choice, he replied sadly,"A simple 'no' will suffice."

"Oh my God! He said a big word!" Ember gasped.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I know a lot of them." Blink smirked.

"Yeah? Like what?" Dawn challenged, leading them to the streets.

"Like… osculation."

The girls snorted, trying to hold in their laughter.

"D-doesn't that mean… like 'kiss'?" Adelaide blushed.

Blink cocked his head, "Is that what it means?"

"Oy! You done chatting or should we not even bother?" Jack shouted.

"Look, you should come sell with me." Blink wiggled his eyebrows, a flashing smile on his face.

"Uh… no thank you, not today." Adelaide smiled. Blink shrugged and smiled, rejoining a group of guys, laughing at one another.

"You certainly are attracting them. That could be quite useful." Dawn nodded, as they traveled to a large group of people.

"Now be loud, and find a way to get them to you and not others." Lieutenant advised. "And with your clothes on."

"ONE TIME! AND I WAS 5!!!" Ember screeched.

"Yeah, now it's just for the bedroom." Dawn snickered.

"No, I'm sorry, that's your job." Ember grinned.

"Oh whatever!" Dawn snapped, with a smile.

They began their work, shouting headlines, making pitiful faces and stories to match. Adelaide observed them for a minute planning her own story. She scanned the paper and read the title; "Priest faints during a prayer, is recovering." She grinned and held up a paper.

"Priest has heart attack in middle of serum! Currently hospitalized until further notice!" She yelled waving the paper around. Adelaide moved into the crowd seeing what sort of sob story people would buy.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Adelaide twirled to see a boy perhaps a year older than her, "Could I have a paper?"

"Of course - if you have the money for it that is." Adelaide added on quickly.

The boy laughed, "Yeah, yeah I do." They made the trade smiling.

"Thank you very much." Adelaide grinned shyly.

"You'se welcome." The boy tipped his hat to cover his blush.

Adelaide turned, and giggled.

"Oh honey! What happened to your ear?" A woman, clearly a mother, asked concerned. Fumbling a bit, she put on a tragic face.

"I was cornered by these men… and I wouldn't give them money, cause I didn't have any… this was their…" Her eyes watered up, but the tears wouldn't fall.

The mother sighed sympathetically, "I would like to buy one." Another satisfied customer.

"This isn't so bad." She smiled to herself.

"Could I get two papes?" A man perhaps in his twenties asked.

"Of course." She gave him the papes, counting the money in her hands.

"Uh, sir? This isn't enough. You owe me another three cents." Adelaide looked in his face.

"Is this some cheap trick to get my money?" He snarled.

"No, I just want to be paid honestly." Adelaide replied honestly.

"You're not getting any more." The man snapped.

"How about you give me back a paper, and I give you back some money?" Adelaide began counting.

"I paid for two papes and I'm going to get two papes!" He shouted.

"You didn't pay for two, you paid for practically… 1 3/4." Adelaide found her blood heating up, rushing back and forth in her blue veins.

"Excuse me." Jack Kelly swooped in with a warm smile, "Is something the matter?"

"Yes! This… whore is trying to cheat me of my money!" The man spat.

"Sir, I understand that you're upset, but there is no need to be like that. Now Adelaide, is that true?" Jack asked, his voice like honey.

"No! Look," She held out the money, "He ordered two papers and he didn't fully pay for them both." Adelaide hissed. With Jack to his back, the man bolted a devil's grin on his face.

"Oh-" Adelaide took a step, only to have Jack stop her.

"It's ok Adelaide."

"Jack, he's getting away!" Adelaide looked at him incredulously.

"Like I said," Jack held out his left hand, a pile of coins resting in his palm, "it's ok."

Adelaide couldn't help herself; she stared at his hand like a cow that didn't realize that there was food in her face.

"H-how?" Adelaide stuttered.

Jack grinned maliciously, "Magic." He dropped a few coins into her hand, "For you m' lady. And the rest is for me." He looked down at Adelaide, "Well, I was the one who happened to find it on the ground!" He walked off, whistling a tune, his papers back on his shoulder.

A/N: I'm sorry! It took me FOREVER to get that done. Don't ask me why, cause I wouldn't be able to explain (considering I have no idea myself). Please read and REVIEW!!!