A/N: If your character wasn't mentioned yet, they will be. Enjoy. :
"You know, you'se lucky Spot saw ya in da water." she looked at the boy with unreadable eyes. He scanned her with his, taking in her trembling hands and frightened composure as her brown hair started to slowly dry, resting at her shoulders. She was rather pale, with freckles scattered across her nose and underneath her blue eyes.
"Yeah." she replied meekly after a moment. Spades shifted uneasily, watching her pull the blanket he had provided her with closer and tighter around her.
"Why were you'se in dere in da first place if you'se don't know how to swim?" she made a face in response, scowling.
"I do- I don't know." she covered up quickly. Before Spades could question her further, the door came open, revealing the boy who had pulled her out of the water. She immediately looked away from his intense eyes. He focused his attention on Spades.
"Uh, Spades, come 'ere a second. I need ta talk to ya." the boy quickly stood from the chair near Spot's bed where the girl was huddled and made his way out the door to speak with Spot.
"Yeah?"
"Did ya find out anything about 'er?" Spot questioned Spades while readjusting the slingshot in his pocket. Spades shook his head.
"Not really. She can't swim, though." Spot raised an eyebrow at Spades lack of information.
"Then why da hell was she in da water?" Spot asked, frustrated.
"I'se got no clue, Spot." Spades admitted bluntly.
"Well, as soon as she feels up ta it, she's moving into da Manhattan Lodging House." Spot informed Spades.
"Why is dat? Maybe she's got family. You'se never really asked 'er...and maybe she don't want ta be a newsie." Spot stared at Spades for a moment before turning and opening up the door to his bedroom where the girl was. She looked up from the door itself to the two boys who walked in.
"What's your name?"
"Abbie." she supplied hesitantly.
"Right, you'se got a home ta tend to? What's your deal?" she visibly tensed, getting nervous. Spot observed her reaction and, before she could say anything, added, "You'se don't need ta go into details or nothin', I just need ta know if ya have anywhere ta go." she shook her head.
"No..I don't." Spot nodded and glanced over at Spades with a smirk of triumph.
"How does livin' in Manhattan sound?"
"Why?" she wondered, cautiously.
"Cause my buddy, Jack Kelly, has a little lodging house full a newsboys...and goils. It's a little safe haven for runaways and whoever. You gotta work, though, be a newsie." she nodded.
"When can I go?"
"Uh, whenever you'se feel up to it, I guess."
"Now? Please?" Spot looked a little confused.
"Why now? You'se still soakin' wet."
"Yeah, but by the time we get ta Manhattan, I'll be all dry." Spot looked over at Spades who appeared mildly suspicious of the girl, but didn't pursue the matter further.
"Yeah, yeah. Now's fine. Come on." The girl stood, carefully laying the blanket out by the windowsill to dry. Smoothing out her hair, she looked up at Spot.
"Ready?" she nodded and began to follow Spot out, but quickly turned to Spades before leaving the room.
"Thank you." he smiled at her as she continued to follow Spot on her way to Manhattan.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"Well, here we are." Spot stopped in front of the Manhattan Lodging House. She looked over at him and gave him a small smile.
"Thanks." he gently furrowed his brows at her actions. He didn't understand her very much, nor did he know anything about her, but she was trying to be nice. He returned her little smile and went to go on to say something just as the door to the lodging house came open revealing a girl with wavy red hair and sea blue eyes that expanded in surprise upon seeing the two teenagers in front of her.
"Spot!"
"Mischief." Spot smirked and nodded his head at the Irish girl standing in front of him.
"What are ya doing heah? And with a goil?" Mischief asked, glancing over at the girl standing next to Spot in wrinkled attire.
"Dis goil is going ta be staying heah ta become a newsie. Doesn't Jacky Boy let his newsies know anything anymore?"
"Jack's at Tibby's. Doesn't Spot Conlon look at his watch anymore?"
"Hey." Spot warned. Mischief looked away from him and focused on the girl.
"What's your nickname?"
"Locket." Spot said quickly. The two girls turned and looked at him as he shrugged.
"She's real shy. And she's wearin' a locket." Locket turned to Spot smirking. He started to feel warm, embarrassed, but quickly covered that up. He wasn't one to let his emotions show.
"Why don't you'se take her up to the bunks and introduce her to everyone when they get back?" Spot instructed. "I have ta get going." Mischief nodded in response.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"Hi. I couldn't really git a word in. How are ya?" Locket asked Mischief once they got inside. Mischief snickered.
"I noticed dat. I'm good. Where are you'se from?"
"Queens. Where is everyone?" Locket quickly asked for a change of subject as they headed up the stairs to the bunkroom.
"Oh dere at Tibbys, dis restaurant, for dinner."
"Why didn't you go?" she asked Mischief as they sat down on empty bunks across from each other.
"My little brother jist got over a cold so he hasn't sold nothing in awhile. He needs money ta eat, but I didn't do dat well today, so I jist gave him the money I was going ta use on meself."
"I have some extra money if ya--"
"No." Mischief said seriously.
"Oh alright." Locket nodded and looked away, feeling mild tension.
"Thanks but I don't take much from anybody."
"Ok."
Just as things were getting awkward, Mischief took notice of Locket's clothing and suggested she borrow an outfit of hers. Locket was thankful as she was handed a pair of pants and a plain shirt to wear and being instructed to go to the washroom.
When she came back into the bunkroom with her new clothes on, she heard several loud laughs along with pounding feet coming up the stairs. The newsies were home. As the door to the bunkroom busted open, a boy with a cowboy hat and a red bandana tied securely around his neck came into view, leading the pack of boys and girls. He stopped when he spotted her.
"Ey, you'se dat goil Spot was going ta bring here?"
"Yeah, hi. I'm Locket." The boy nodded at her.
"Jack Kelly, or Cowboy, leadah of da Manhattan Newsies." He spat into his hand and she hesitated a moment before doing the same, shaking his hand.
"Hey! Everybody! Attention!" Jack tried to gain the attention of the kids that were piling into the bunkroom. After a moment, he succeeded. "We'se got a new newsie heah. Her name is Locket. Treat her well, she's family now." The newsies nodded at the announcement and then mostly went back to what they were previously doing, like taking out a deck of cards to start a game of poker or lounging in their bunk to rest.
"Ya didn't tell her who anyone is." A girl with very short blonde hair tucked underneath a newsies cap pointed out. Jack smirked at the girl.
"I was distracted." He then looked over at Locket after putting his arm around her waist. "Locket, dis heah is me goil Quick. Dat kid with the eye patch trying to charm da goil with the big green eyes is Kid Blink and da goil is England. Mush is da guy sitting next ta the kid dealing cards for poker right there."
"Who's da kid dealing cards?"
"Oh dat's Racetrack. And um, Skittery is next ta Mischief, who ya met earlier I guess, and dere's Crutchy, next ta him is Boots, and den…" Locket nodded and tried to take note of all the names of her new roommates as Jack rattled them off.
"Thanks." Jack nodded at her and she was on her own as he and Quick left the room for some privacy. Not sure of what to do, Locket casually walked over to the bunk that Mischief had said was hers. She needed rest; today had been extremely overwhelming for her. If she had known that her life would have been flipped around from the moment she woke up, she would have tried to prepare. Instead, she was weak and unsure of everything. One thing was certain, however-- she wasn't going to give up.