Chapter 4

"Well," Jack said to them as they walked the New York streets, "da foist thing ya gotta loin 'bout sellin' is dat 'eadlines don't sell papes, new-"

"Newsies sell papes," both Lucy and Riley finished for him. He looked to them strangely.

"Yeah," he responded slowly. "How did'cha…"

"Um, just a lucky guess," Riley covered.

"We could kinda tell where you were going with it," Lucy followed.

"Oh so now I'm predictable," Jack said back to Lucy.

"I'm sorry, but do you just like to pick fights with me? Cause you're pretty good at it."

"I ain't pickin' a fight, I'm just-"

"So, newsies sell papes?" Riley broke in, bringing them back to the subject.

"Right, right. Da papes don't sell da stories, we do. So in some cases when a 'eadline ain't too good we gotta do somethin' called improvin' da truth where we…fix da 'eadline up a bit. Take dis one for example." He showed them the newspaper. The headline was "Puddles in Potholes Causing Trouble for Carriages." "Boring right? But then I says," he then yelled out, "'orrible flooding causes carriages to wash away! Tons'a damage! Will it evah stop?" And groups of people came up to him to pay for a paper. When they were gone, he turned back to the girls. "See? Easy as pie." He tossed on of the coins in the air and caught it in his hand. "Think you could do it?"

They looked to each other. "Maybe," they answered.

"C'mon. If ya gonna be newsies, ya gotta loin one way or de oudda." He split up his remaining papers and gave one stack to Lucy and the other to Riley. "Now, go see what'cha can do." They looked him with looks that read 'are you serious?'. "Go on,' he shooed them. Slowly, they shuffled away.

Riley got into it quicker. She was hawking the headline just like Jack did and was going up to people and getting them to buy papers. Lucy, however, was letting her shyness get to her. She could barely bring her voice above normal talking level without blushing and she could not bring herself to actually go up to individual people.

When they returned to Jack, Riley had sold all of her papers whereas Lucy had only sold a few.

"Wow Geek. I'm very impressed," Jack complimented her.

She started playing with her hair and said back a little nervously, "Thanks."

"But Pink 'ere…"

"I know, I know. I suck," she told him.

"Ya don't suck," Jack stated. "Ya just too shy. Ya gotta build your confidence." He put his hand on her shoulder and seeing this, Riley's stomach flip flopped. She didn't want to worry, but she couldn't help but suspect that Jack was taking a liking to her friend more than to her. "It should be like when you'se is givin' me shit. Ya ain't shy den."

"Or like when you're on stage," Riley put it.

"You perform?"

"Yeah, we both do," Lucy told him.

"So den sellin' papes should be easy! Just act like you'se a newsie. Now get back out dere at get ta sellin' dose papes."

"Now?"

"Yes now. Get!" He pushed her forward and she gave him a quick glare before she slowly made her way back into the crowd.

Riley and Jack stood by watching her attempt to become more of a newsie. She was doing better. They saw her take a breath and then go up to people with a whole new attitude, and yelling out the "improved" headlines.

"Why is she so shy?" Jack asked Riley.

She was caught off guard with him talking to her and she asked, "What was that?"
"Lucy. Why's she so shy if you guys act?"
"I don't know. She's just very in her shell until she gets comfortable."

"But not you." He smiled down at her. "You just gets right out dere and don't care what people think. I likes dat."

Riley could feel herself turning red. "Really? It's always something I feel I have to tone down."

"Nah nah. It's a good trait ta 'ave. You'se gonna get along real well wid us. Me 'specially." He put his arm around her.

"Um…th-thanks," she stuttered out, trying not to die at having him physically touching her. She could feel him looking at her, but she couldn't dare herself to look back at him. She was also confused though because this was the most attention he had paid to her all day and she wondered why.

Is it because Lucy isn't here? she thought. But she tried to push that thought away and just enjoy the contact.

After about 10 more minutes, Lucy made her way back to the two and Jack was happy to see that she had no more papers.

"Did ya sells 'em or did ya just throw dem away somewheres?" he jokingly asked her.

She shoved his shoulder back. "I sold them. All of them. I actually talked to people above my normal talking voice. I feel accomplished."

"Well dis was a good start for today. Now ya just gots ta loin 'ow ta sell sometimes 50 in one day all on ya own 'stead a just 15."

"Piece of cake," Lucy replied cockily.

"Okay Miss Cocky. Think ya gots what it takes now? Just wait til tomorrow when your on ya own widout my pointers. Dat goes for da both of ya. Tomorrow will prove if ya truly newsies."

"Are we really going to be all by ourselves?" Riley asked.

"I'll be dere next ta ya, but I won't be helpin' ya wid 'eadlines. Dat's gonna be up ta you both."

I know that these last few chapters have all been very short, but I promise that once I get to the strike the chaps will be longer. But still, please review! They really motivate me to keep going.