Shoutout to my other guest review! I know I wish this did have more reviews, but "if you write it, they will come". I'm glad you like the Race/Bumlets brother dynamic. Hopefully I don't disappoint you!

If you are reading and are enjoying it, please follow the story so you don't miss out! You guys keep me motivated. Thanks, and enjoy! –Fighterr

The roars of the boys were absolutely maddening when we walked into the diner, Tibby's. The place itself was small and quaint, but the boys filling up the restaurant were far from dainty. There must have been like fifty or so boys and all seemed to be shouting at one another. I observed them all as I walked pass. Bumlets was the leader heading to a back table, I was in the middle, and Race was bringing up the rear.

Or, at least I thought he was until Bumlets and I got to the back table and it was just us two. I sighed. Apparently getting to be chummy with Race was going to prove itself to be more difficult than I had originally thought. Bumlets and I sat down and he looked straight at me.

"I'm sorry about him," He said to me in Italian. "He's not very welcoming. And he should be."

"It's fine," I replied. "I understand I must be a burden, so…"

"No!" Bumlets shook his head. "You're not a burden. You're new to this country, and you deserve an equal shot to succeed here. We're just getting you on your feet."

"Thank you," I said softly. "For everything."

"It's no problem."

It was quiet for a moment, and it gave me time to regroup my Enzo way of thinking. Race's attitude made me feel like at any moment he would announce to the group of boys that I was a time traveling girl who had infiltrated their ranks purely to cause mischief. Which was only halfway true.

"So, what happened to make you move here?" asked Bumlets, surprising me. I thought for a moment.

"Probably the same as your family." I replied politically. "I love Italy and I love the culture, but it's changing a little bit. The mafia has been an increasing problem, as has the government. And after my parents died, I didn't really have anyone. My nonna and nonno on both sides had already died. My older brother had been killed. I had nothing. I had no one. So I didn't have anything to lose. I guess I still don't have much to lose." I corrected myself.

"You do," replied Bumlets. "You have something to lose now. You have Francesca and Salvatore, and me and Race."

I looked at him in surprise as he looked at me with concern.

"Race and I, we're going to look out for you. Nothing bad is going to happen to you here. We'll make sure of it."

"Thank you, Bumlets. You really don't have to go out of your way to look out for me. You're doing enough by getting me a job and a house."

"No, we're family now. We will help you, and we will help protect you."

"Protect me from what, exactly? Should I be looking out for something?"

"Well," began Bumlets. "There are many dangers when you're a newsie. You have enemy boroughs that will attack the weakest and most vulnerable members of boroughs. Then, you have the cops that will always find a reason to beat you up. You have pickpockets, gangsters, and robbers. Just shady people. You have to be aware of your surroundings, and always able to protect yourself."

"Alright," I began, a little unsure. "I can do that."

"Enzo, have you ever been in a fight?"

"Yeah, sure." I said, thinking back on my childhood. I had gotten in a few scuffles, but not a fist fight or anything.

"Yeah, but this is a new country. You have to be prepared. Brother, I'm going to teach you how to fight."

"How to fight?" I echoed. "You're going to teach me how to fight."

"Yeah," said Bumlets. "We'll have an hour or so after we sell the afternoon edition before we go to bed. I'll take you up to the roof, and we'll practice. But, let's keep this between you and me. I'm probably the only one that would somewhat take it easy on you."

I nodded, and still wondered at the dangers he felt he needed to prepare me for. The notion of enemy newsies and thugs didn't quite feel real for me. It was nice of Bumlets to be worried, but did he have a reason to worry? If this environment was bad enough for "Enzo" to learn how to fight properly, how much preparation and security would "Elena" need? How did girls even function in this society?

I let my worries drift away as Bumlets and I ordered food, and it came quickly. We ate fast and hungrily, and when we finished, we walked back to the place where we had bought papers in the morning. The same goons were working the window, and I scowled darkly. It was going to be a tough time to deal with them everyday.

This time, Bumlets and I walked away with our papers before Jack could command me to work with Race, and Race didn't care to follow us. It was a much more pleasant time selling with him, and time passed quickly. I asked him about the other boys and he told me about his best friends. He amused me with funny stories, and it was hard for me not to laugh in my girly voice, but to keep it as a chuckle. We walked to the lodging house where sweet Kloppman had made us all stew and stale bread. We took it and ate. And then, lucky for me, it was time for Bumlets and I to steal away to the roof to battle it out.

It started out easy enough- he went through the basic punches and dodges. We took turns practicing offense and defense, though it was a pretty slow pace. I was a bit more comfortable with offense just because it was easier for me to throw my arms than it was to get wrists and knuckles thrown at my face (and hat). Then we started to spar a little bit and by the time it was over, I was completely out of breath and hunched over. Bumlets was barely winded.

"You're not bad, Enzo," he said. "You're good for a beginner, and we'll work on everything. But, my advice, if you get into a fight right now, the best thing would be for you to run far, far away."

I barked a laugh and rolled my eyes, half heartedly throwing an arm out to catch him in his stomach. He dodged easily and gestured towards the fire escape.

"Let's get some sleep," suggested Bumlets. I nodded in agreement and we entered into the sleeping room. I made brief eye contact with Race on the way to my bed but he didn't look very happy, so I continued on. A few of the boys waved their hands to acknowledge meeting me earlier. I nodded back. I climbed onto my little bunk and pulled the threadbare blanket over my body. My eyes drifted towards a group of younger boys across the room. There were 3 of them and the oldest must not have been more than seven years old. The youngest looked about 5.

They were playing with cards, something that looked like go fish. I smiled looking at them, my maternal instincts rearing their ugly head. I quickly stopped smiling and dropped my head to my table. Being a boy was going to be a bit harder than I thought.

"Night, Enzo," said Bumlets.

"Lights out!" Kloppman called, coming in to blow out some of the lanterns placed around the room.

"G'night," I murmured, before falling into a deep sleep.