It was any other day in any other person's eyes: newsboys crowded the streets, screaming headlines, deceiving, plotting, forming angles on things that office workers would never even dream of. It was nearing the end of the summer, and the sun was putting in a last-ditch effort to terrorize the workforce of the streets of New York before heading south with the birds. Life was going about as usual, the streets crowded with people and carriages and horses, all cursing the afternoon in their own way.

In the midst of this, a boy stood holding his very last copy of the afternoon edition of The World. He took off his ratty brown hat and wiped his brow with it, longing for the shade of his lodging house and a cool bath. He hated heat, hated sun, hated sweat, especially since it would get under his eye patch and, out of decency, he couldn't remove the patch in public. He hated life in general on days like this when the sun was relentless, and it was hot even long after nightfall.

The young man replaced his cap over his messy blond hair, heaving an exasperated sigh and calling out the actual headline. No use in drawing a crowd when you've only got one pape left. Few people paid any attention to him as he hollered, only those whose heads turned as his tired voice erupted beside their ears. Anyone who was interested had already read the news by now, and those who hadn't were too hot and tired to stop and take pity on a street rat.

He'd sold wonderfully today, though most of his friends told him his optimism would only disappoint him when he took ten, twenty more papers than the rest of them. And here he was, on his very last one. He didn't need to sell it, he just refused to give the other newsies the satisfaction of seeing him come home with even one paper unsold. Didn't anyone on this street understand competition? Couldn't just one person have the kindness to help him out?

"Last paper of the day?" The voice, with or without its melodic, feminine tone, was music to his ears. He spun around and smiled in surprise at the features before him: a pretty, soft face, bright smile, dark brown hair and eyes the color of the expensive whiskey he'd seen once in Pulitzer's office. All this was clothed in what was undoubtedly the height of fashion... and expense.

"Yeah," he replied, hastily taking off his cap. "Care to take it off my hands, miss?"

"Well, if you're desperate," she said absently, drawing a grateful laugh out of the boy. "All I've got is a nickel, but you can keep the change." She placed the coin in his hand in exchange for the newspaper, skimming through it as she stood there. "Pretty dull headlines. How on earth did you survive until your last paper?"

"Creative thinking," he said with a grin, tapping his temple. "You gotta be good at it if you're gonna be a newsie." Shoving the coin in his pocket, he looked her over. Looked at her hand, noting the absence of a ring. Today must have been his lucky day, selling so well and finding a girl who was both drop-dead gorgeous and unspoken for.

She must have noticed him staring, because she giggled softly. Just the kind of laugh a girl like her would have. "Are you okay?" Good Lord, if this wasn't the most attractive boy she'd ever seen, eye patch and all.

"Huh?" He blinked twice, shaking his head. "Yeah... um, yeah."

"Well, thank you for the paper. Maybe I'll see you again tomorrow?" She turned and took a few steps down the street.

"Wait!"

The girl turned to see him standing in the same spot, blushing and twisting his cap in his hands. "Don't s'pose you'd like to take a walk with me?"

The shock in her eyes nearly shattered his heart. Why in the hell would a rich girl like her want to be seen in public with a newsie? She'd already spent too long talking to him...

She folded the paper and tucked it into the pocket of her dress. "I'd love to."

The one visible blue eye widened in shock, then slid quickly back into an easy grin. He offered his arm to her and she took it with a smile, and they headed down the street together.

A/N: I hope you're liking it so far. I expect to have the second chapter up tonight, but if not tonight, tomorrow. I'm about halfway done with it. Anyhow, please ponder that lovely purple button to your left there for a moment, and then realize the magic that is behind the beauty. :) In other words, R&R, please and thank you! -Layne