When the group arrived at the distribution center, Layana and Mush walked up to the counter together, one arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist. With her on his left side it compensated for her limp some. It was hot and sticky, the sun beated down on them relentlessly, and it was early still. Mush and Layana were up at the counter and waited in line for Jack, Race and a few of the others to get their papers first. Layana looked behind the counter and saw Oscar
"Sos I heard of Morris leavin', why don't you follow Oscar?" Jack said antagonizing him. Oscar went up to the bars and grabbed them as he snarled.
"Hey! Okay Cowboy, you've got your papes now move along now." Weisel demanded as he gave Mush his usual stack he noticed Layana,
"You look new. What's your name kid?"
Mush noticed Oscar staring at Layana and nudged her to say something.
"Oh, I'se go by....Songbiod." She stuttered out after forgetting her name for a moment.
"How many?"
"Fifdy." She answered hastily, ready to get out of there. She could feel Oscar's eyes peering into her, as if he could see right through her. She took her papers, and with Mush walked off the plank. They met up with Kid Blink, and headed to their usual selling spot, the harbor.
"Okay now dere are some things you'se gotta learn 'bout sellin' papes...." Kid Blink and Mush both gave her Jack's speech that every new newsy will hear eventually. She watched them sell for a while then when she thought she had the hang of it, she sold right along with them. Layana's approach was a little different though, she would go up and personally ask them instead of hawking it out. She never seemed to be loud enough when she shouted. Her way was successful enough, she sold as many papers as them. The people seemed to take to her more easily than the aggressiveness of the guys. She was pleasant and sweet to them all. By noon though her legs began to ache at the hips, knees and ankles. When this began to set in she began getting a little testy with the would be costumers. It was then that they counted up their earnings and when they decided they had enough to eat off of they headed to Tibby's.
When they arrived Layana and Mush sat in a booth together, with Kid Blink opposite of them. They all got their food as Jack came in with David and Les Jacobs. Jack and David sat next to Blink, while Les sat with Boots and Mud at another table. Racetrack who was already at Tibby's turned around in the booth behind them to face them.
"Sos how yer fiost day?" Jack asked as he yelled his order to the cook.
"Okay I guess, sold almost all my papers. She smiled as she took a long satisfying drink from her glass, trying to quench the thirst. She even started fanning herself with one of her papers. Her muscles began to relax, the sharp pain dulled to a continuous discomfort. Jack smiled at the amateur. Then he remembered something.
"You'se guys bedda be on the look out for Oscar. I ran into him taday an he was askin' lots of questions 'bout you'se. He seemed awful antsy." Jack gestured to Layana and as he was finishing a man walked in causing everyone to respond.
"Hey Denton." Racetrack said as the tall reporter, Bryan Denton from the New York Sun went to the counter. He covered the boys in the Newsboys Union strike against Hearst and Pulitzer the year before, in 1899. It was him who gave them much need support and paid there bills when they would all eat. All the Newsies were grateful to him.