I opened the door of the boarding house.

"Maria? How did you get here. Jack told me you!" Kloppman started.

"Yes my parents locked me in a room but now I'm free!" I said laughing giddily.

"Well than Jack is upstairs. He'll be excited to see you."

I thanked him smiled and went upstairs. All head turned in my direction for a moment. They nodded at me or waved and went back to their own business.

"Hey Jack get the hell out here you got a visitor!" Race shouted.

"Nah Race I'm busy!" Jack answered.

Race laughed a little.

"Come on you'll like it!" Race yelled.

"Fine he I'll come out Race, but I swear!" Jack began. He started walking out side but then he stopped short when he saw me. "Maria?" He smiled.

I smiled at him. He ran up to me and wrapped me in his arms and twirled me around.

"I missed you!" I whispered.

"Missed you too."

A few people laughed and whistled.

"Shut up!" Jack yelled at them.

I just laughed.

"Come with me to my room." Jack told me.

Before I could answer Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me into his room. I was just excited and happy to be there. I was high on life. He wrapped his arms around me again.

"How'd you get out?" Jack asked.

"I left. I didn't want that life anymore."

He looked at me with a mix of confusion and shock on his face.

"Are you saying you're-"

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "I was thinking of moving into the boarding house!"

A smile spread across his face. He grabbed me and kissed me again.

"I'm guessing that means you like that idea?" I gave him a wink.

He laughed, "Well, yeah."

I smiled.

"Alright now we're going to have to teach you some things. How you got to sell papes, how you got to me make money and how you know how to save money."

I nodded my head. Jack opened the do shout, "It seems we've got a new newsie in the house!" Then there was an uproar of claps and shouts. Jack waved me over. I walked over to him. He Put an arm around me. "What we's got to do is get her someone to help her show her..." He searched for the worn "Someone to show her this ain't a rich girls world anymore."

The a last part was cold and harsh (even though it wasn't meant that way) only because it was true. It was like a splash of cold water in my face or a damn hard punch in my gut.

"So," Jack continued. "who's up to it?"

"I'll do it." A voice said.

Faith stepped out of the crowed with her hand raised. Jack looked surprised.

"Well than that's how it goes I guess." Jack said.

Faith smiled. I was fine with it. I knew exactly why Jack had wanted someone else to help me out with being a newsie. He wanted me to get to know my fellow newsies.

"When do we start?" I asked looking at Faith.

"Whenever your ready."

I looked around. I have to fit down as much as I can, I thought.

"Now is good a time as any." I chirped.

She shrugged, "How about this, we start tomorrow. I can show you how we sell."

"Okay." I muttered.

"Hey! You guys!" Race yelled. "Dinner's done!"

The newsies scrambled down the stairs like animals. Pushing, shoving and it was almost as if they were ready to kill each other over dinner.

"Ah don't worry you'll get used to them." Jake laughed.

I smiled up at him.

"I'm sure I will."

"Alright," Jack took my hand. "I'll take you downstairs."

He walked me down the stairs and led me to a room with a long table down the center of the room. Newsies were laughing, shouting, throwing forks and spoons at each other. I was not used to this.

"We need to pay. I've got more money don't worry." Jack told me.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He smiled.

Kloppman came into the room.

"Everybody! Everybody! I need your pay!" Kloppman said trying to yell over the noise, yet nobody heard.

Kloppman rolled his eyes. He went to the kitchen and came back with a fork and a pot. He banged them together.

"Listen up!" He screamed.

And then the room when completely silent. It was like you could hear a pin drop.

"Now I need your pay." Kloppman said.

Everybody reached into their pockets and pulled out some coins. Kloppman walked around and collected everyones money.

"Alright... Now, back to what you were doing."

The mayhem began once again.

"We'd better get a seat." Jack said.

We took a seat around Mush and Kid Blink. We talked about everything from headlines to some idiot messenger boys names Oscar and Morris that Blink soaked that day. I may have heard of those boys before but I wasn't really sure.

"Them Delancey's should have started working at the Staten Island dump."Kid Blink laughed.

"Hey!" Faith screamed from across the table. "Don't talk bad about Richmond!"

"Shut up." Blink muttered.

"What was wrong with Faith?" I asked.

"She was born in Staten Island." Jack explained.

I nodded. We had some watery soup. But it tasted decent. Soon dinner was over and everybody went upstairs.

"Where do I sleep?"I asked.

"I was hoping my room."Jack smiled.

"Why not."

He took me to his room.

"Alright you want to sleep in my cloths tonight?" Jack asked me.

"Sure."

Jack passed my a top and a pair of pants and let me get changed by myself. Once I was done I told Jack to come back inside.

"Ready for bed?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded.

We got in bed together and I silently fell asleep.