"Sorry," The boy said as he stood up from on top of Lizzy and Jane. "I'se didn't me ta…" The boy never got to finish what he was saying because another boy tore around the corner and sent the two girls and the other boy flying to the ground. Newspapers yet again flew everywhere.
"That's it!" Lizzy shouted as she stood up. "I'm tired of being knocked down. The next person who does it is gonna regret it!" Jane stood up grinning as the boys collected their scattered papers.
"Oh really?" Jane asked her eyebrows slightly arched. She then gave Lizzy a wild grin and tackled her to the ground. They stood up laughing.
"We'se really sorry about dat," The first boy said again. Lizzy and Jane took their first real good look at the two boys. Jane gasped and stumbled backwards a little bit, but the two boys didn't seem to notice. "I'se Mush by da way."
"Yeah and I'se Kid Blink, really sorry about dat, can we'se take you'se two out ta lunch or somethin'?" The other boy said, his eye sparkling. Yes, eye, Lizzy noticed that a leather eye patch covered his other eye.
"Uhh…ummm…"Jane was attempting to sputter out some form of the word 'yes'. Lizzy grinned.
"Well it's the least you two can do," She said as she elbowed Jane in the side. "I'm mean are papers are ruined now and you did know us down…twice."
"Alright, just follow us," Mush said smiling. The two boys began walking down the street with Lizzy and Jane trailing behind them.
"What's the matter with you?" Lizzy asked sharply in a hushed voice.
"It's…They're…newsies!" Jane exclaimed in a whisper. Lizzy rolled her eyes.
"Well no kidding, they are selling papers."
"No, but they're Mush and Kid Blink."
"Yes that's what they told us," Lizzy said as she watched the two joking around. Jane grinned.
"I'm never gonna get through to you am I?"
"Have you ever before?"
"We'se here!" Mush shouted making the two girls jump. They were standing in front of a little joint called Tibby's. Jane emitted a tiny squeak and followed Mush and Blink in.
When Lizzy walked into the place she found it crawling with other boys dressed like Mush and Blink. She figured they were all newsies and began to feel like she belonged here. It seemed like all the boys were having fun; playing cards, joking around, and just hanging out. Jane finally got herself under control and pulled the awe stricken Lizzy behind her to a table where their two new friends had just sat down.
"Goils, dis is Jack and Racetrack, dere some of our friends," Mush said as he introduced the other two boys who were sitting at the table.
"Hi," Jane said smiling as she spit-shook with Jack. "I'm Jane and this is Lizzy."
"Hello," Lizzy said smiling. She sat down next to the short fellow introduced as Racetrack and Jane sat down next to Mush.
"So are you'se two newsies?" Racetrack asked as he pulled a cigar out of his pocket and placed it into his mouth.
"Sort-a," Lizzy said as she wrinkled her nose. "Don't you know that's bad for you, it'll stunt your growth."
"So dat's what it is Race!" Kid Blink exclaimed. "No wonder you'se shorter den us, you'se smoke does things." Racetrack sent a death glare towards Kid Blink who just smiled.
"We wanna be newsies but we got cut short today," Jane answered. Lizzy noticed that her friend fit in very well here. It seemed like she had always lived in Manhattan in 1900. Well she should, Lizzy thought, she watches that Newsies movie enough.
Lizzy sat back and watched the other newsboys. They all seemed to be like great friends, more like brothers. They were all great looking too, which appealed to Lizzy. One out of them all stood out at her though. She practically melted when she saw him smile and realized that his knee-melting feature never left his face.
"I'm gonna go and mingle," Lizzy said to Jane who looked up at her friend worried.
"Alright," Jane said slowly. "But don't do anything stupid." Lizzy snorted.
"Like I ever do." She made her way across the room to where the boy was sitting. He was sitting in a group of a few other boys his age.
"Hi," Lizzy said as she came up to the table. The boys looked up at her surprised. "My name's Lizzy, mind if I sit here?" Lizzy asked pointing at a chair that one of the boys was using as a footrest. The boy took his feet off the seat and Lizzy sat down.
"So you'se must be new huh?" The boy who had moved his feet asked. Lizzy nodded grinning. She was trying her hardest to be friendly; she had found that doing so made more friends then pushing them in the mud…of course that was in first grade. "I'se Skittery by da way."
"Yeah and I'se Itey," another boy said. "This is Specs, Snoddy, Pie Eater, and Swifty."
So that's his name, Swifty, Lizzy thought smiling. "Nice to met you all. Yeah I'm new. My friend Jane and I kind-a had a run in with Mush and Kid Blink." Itey laughed.
"That'll happen," He said. Lizzy, Skittery, Itey, Specs and Pie Eater began to talk and get to know each other better. Lizzy had decided after about half an hour of sitting at the table that Swifty and Snoddy we're the shyer one's of the group.
"So how does this whole newsie thing work?" Lizzy asked after awhile. "Jane and I were going to try it and I think she knows what to do but I have no clue."
"Well you'se sell da papes, dat's about it," Itey said as he munched on a roll he had ordered.
"Dat's not it, dere more you bonehead!" Skittery said as he smacked Itey on the back of the head.
"Yeah you'se really need a sellin' partner," Specs said as Itey and Skittery began to duke it out with forks, the whole thing was rather interesting.
"What about Jane?" Lizzy asked as she looked over her should at her best friend. Jane looked up and waved to Lizzy happily. Lizzy sent her a huge grin and a thumbs up sign and turned back to her new friends.
"Well you'se need someone ta show you how things woik in Manhattan, everywhere is different," Pie Eater explained. Lizzy shrugged.
"Ok so who should I learn from?" She asked.
"Well da best is Jack, he knows everythin' dere is ta know," Skittery said as he poked Itey in the side with his fork. The others, save Itey who was trying to ward Skittery off, nodded.
"But I don't know Jack very well…how about one of you?" Lizzy asked. "How about you?" She pointed to Swifty who still hadn't said anything, Snoddy had spoken a few times but still wasn't as outgoing as his friends.
"Uhhh….ummm…."Swifty stuttered out. Specs leaned over to his friend and said in a low tone.
"Go wid it Swifty, it ain't everyday some pretty goil wants you'se ta show her da ropes." Swifty looked from Specs to Lizzy and back to Specs again.
"Uh…" Swifty still didn't say anything more than that until Pie Eater elbowed him in the side. "Sure," He finally said.
"Great," Lizzy flashed him a smile that mirrored on his face. "When can we start?"
((AN:// Thank you too Mondie who was my very first reviewer! *sends Mush and Mondie cookies and milk* anywho, please review! I promise it will get better and a plot will show up! Thanks!))