Albany, New York May 7, 1890

It was a regular day at the Rose Garden Finishing School. As usual Stephanie and her sisters were stuck inside for worthless lessons from their instructor Mrs. Davis. Even at lunchtime they were being taught. (I said they were being taught, but I didn�t say they were learning)

�Girls please do not slurp! Girls sit Properly! Girls-

�Oh Shut Up!� replied Stephanie

�Stephanie Kristenson, you will not talk that way to your elders. And for that you will be sent to bed without supper.�

�Like I care.�

And that�s how it was like day after day. Her sisters would bring her food everyday. And every night she would look out her window, dreaming of running away. And every morning, she would work on her plan to escape. And one day, they would.

Stephanie was born on September 9, 1883. Stephanie had a twin sister, Alexandra and a younger sister, Chelsea. Chelsea was born in April 12,1884. She was living with her stepmother, who had two daughters named, Natalie and Brittany. Stephanie�s mother had died in 1886, two years after Chelsea was born. Her father remarried in the same year and died in 1889, three years after that. Stephanie was barely three years old when her mother died. It�s only been a year since her father died and it wasn�t an accident. Someone shot him; and Stephanie knew just who did. Her stepmother had. She married him for his money and couldn�t wait until he died. Stephanie saw the whole thing, but when she reported it, nobody believed her except for her sisters. Her stepmother then sent Stephanie and her sisters off to finishing school, along with her daughters, so she could have the whole house to herself.

Manhattan, New York, 1896

Six years later, Stephanie and her sisters put on some rags, took their money from the office, packed some food to last them a week, and climbed down a rope from the balcony to escape. They had taken enough torture to last them forever. They couldn�t stand it much longer, so they escaped. Stephanie was now thirteen. She knew what to do. She had her plan. With the money they had she bought train tickets to Manhattan. (That was as far as they could get from Albany with the money they had.) As soon as they got there, they looked for a place to stay.

They found an abandoned building and made themselves at home. They also decided to change their names. Stephanie changed hers to Melanie, Marana changed hers to Melissa, and Chelsea changed hers to Christina, Chris for short. The decided their last name would be Blake. These girls weren�t sissies; they were tough as nails and very sassy.

They had to find a job so they could support themselves. They applied as cashiers at a dress shop. Things were going well with the Blake sisters. They were able to buy food and some clothes. Usually they bought plaid skirts and white, long-sleeved shirts. Occasionally, they bought gowns for dances and balls.

Manhattan, New York May 16, 1900

After four years, tragedy struck the Blake sisters. First, they got fired from their job, and then while they were asleep, the building caught on fire. Luckily they escape with their belongings already packed. They ran down the fire escape as fast as they could. They kept on running until they were too tired to go on. They stopped to rest at an alley to rest, but somehow they had fallen asleep.

They slept �til noon. Melanie was the first to wake up; and to her surprise she and her sisters were sleeping in a bunkroom. Their stuff was there. Then she said to herself �Where da heck am I?� A voice answered her.

�Youse in da Newsboy�s Lodgin� House.� A guy about her age, with brownish eyes, and golden blonde hair said to her. �Name�s Kelly, Jack Kelly. Some people call me Cowboy.�

�I noticed.� She said, pointing to the cowboy hat on his back. �Name�s Melanie Blake. Mel fer short.�

�Nice ta meet ya�

�Before we get too familiar would youse tell me what da hell is me and me sisters doin heah?�

�Well me an a couple o� me boys found youse goils in da alley couple a blocks from heah and took ya back heah.�

�And you brought us back heah?�

�Yeah so what.�

�No need ta get so pushy. I�se was jist gonna thank youse.�

�Well don�t mention it. Youse were �bout ta get killed.�

�What do ya mean?�

�Some guy was about ta shoot ya.�

�I�se sorry ya had ta see dat.� Said Melissa

�I don�t get it.�

�Dis guy comes afta� us every damn night. He tried ta rob us, but we soaked �im fer all he was woith. He vowed ta get back at us fer what we did ta him. Name�s Melissa Blake nice ta meet ya.�

�Jist cuz ya soaked �im?�

�Ya gotta remembers dat we soaked �im fer all he was woith! Name�s Christina---but dey call me Chris.�

�Well where�s ev�rybody else den?� said Mel

�Dey�s out sellin� papes.� said Jack

�Dat�s what ya do right?� said Chris

�A coise it is dummy! Hasn�t youse seen dem hawkin� da headlines outside da shop?�

�Where do ya use ta woik?�

�Dress Shop.�

�Where do ya use ta live.�

�In dat buildin� dat burnt down last night. Wait a minute; you ain�t THE Jack Kelly are ya? Ya know da strike leada�?�

�Da one an� only.�

�I knew ya looked familyer!�

�Ya can�t be THE Jack Kelly can ya? I mean we neva� get ta meet famous people.� Chris said

�I shoa can. Say weren�t youse in da strike?�

�How do you THINK we know ya? Lucky guess? No.� replied Mel

�Since yer place burned down, where�re youse gonna go?�

�We gotta look fer another aband�nd buildin� again.�

�Why don�t ya jist stay here.�

�Here oh no no no no no NO!�

�Why not?�

�Excuse me Jacky-boy, dis is a NewsBOYS Lodgin� House.�

�So�

�So?�

�Youse an� yer sisters c�n stay in da room across da hall and youse can have yer privacy an� me an� da guys c�n have ours kay?�

�Fine. But foist I�se gotta lay down some rules. 1. Knock foist before enterin� 2. If nobody answers do not come in at yer own will 3. No lookin� er goin� in through da window by da fire escape. Got dat Jacky-boy?�

�Yeah whateva��

�One last thing. Wese still need ta find woik.�

�I�ll tell ya �bout dat tamorrow kay?�

�Fine�

�I gotta get goin� now kay. Bye!�

�Hey um ya know any cheap places ta eat. Wese hasn�t eaten since yesterday, and wese kinda hungry.�

�Sure. Come wid me an� I�ll show ya around town afta� we eat.�

�We ain�t idiots Jack, we know our way around da city.�

�Alright do use gots money or do I�se gotta pay fer youse?�

�What do ya think dat guy stole our money? No.�

�Jeez do youse always gotta be dat um-

�Sassy, smart-mouthed, around you yeah!�

The girls stayed as far behind from him as possible without loosing him.

�Wese shouldn�t a told �im dat much.� Said Mel

�Nah. It�s all right. Dey would bug us about it anyway and we would eventually tell �em. So why wait �till den huh? It�ll save us da trouble.� Replied Melissa

�It don�t matta� anyways.� Said Chris

�I guess so,� said Mel �Dere�s somthin� �bout dat Kelly guy dat�s so--- I don�t know.�

�I think ya like �im, Mel� said Melissa

�I do not!�

�Sure ya say dat now.�

�Yeah, but I�m engaged already rememba��

�Yeah ya are to a total creep dat youse don�t even know!�

�I know �im. He�s a total creep. Why�d I gotta be da one stuck wid dat jerk, Christopher Van-whateva� his name is anyways! I hate �im!�

�So do I. But Stepmom arranged it didn�t she?�

�Yeah. I�se hate �er too!�

�We all do Mel. She treated us like trash and murdered our dad. You think we like her anymore den you do?�

�Yeah dat�s some somethin� I�d neva� fergive �er for.�

�Hey but dat�s all in da past right?�

�Yeah.�

�Hey youse goils wanna hurry it up dere huh?� Jack yelled to them �Hey I ain�t got all day ya know!�

�Yeah, Yeah, Yeah we�re comin�! Guys!� Mel said rolling her eyes

�Well dis is da place.�

Jack opened the door to a place called Tibby�s. They walked in and saw a whole bunch of Newsies. Jack introduced them to the guys. Melissa took a special liking to Dutch, one of the Newsies. They ordered and ate, and then they left for the lodging house. All except for Jack and Melanie. They headed for Central Park. It was about 5:00 and the sun was just setting. As they were walking, who better to pass by than Sarah Jacobs. Sarah was Jack�s last girlfriend, which he dumped because she was too clingy. She was as clingy as a vine. For some crazy reason she thought they were still together.

�Hi Jack!� said Sarah

�Hi Sarah.� Jack replied in a way that said, �Get away from me�

�Who�s she?�

�She�s a friend a mine.�

�Name�s Melanie, Mel fer short. Nice ta meet ya!�

�Hi as you may know I�m Sarah. I�m sure Jack has told you all about me.�

�Actually I�se hasn�t even heard a youse.�

�Well why didn�t you tell her silly?� Sarah said to Jack

�Sarah I�ve told ya a million times. It�s ova� between us.�

�Why I haven�t got a clue what you�re saying Jack.�

�Well den let me spell it out fer youse. I don�t like ya any more! Got it!�

�Jack I don�t understand why you�re dumping me. Is it because of her?� Sarah said, pointing to Mel

�No it�s not �cuz a her. It�s �cuz a you!�

�What did I ever do to you?�

�Ya neva� left me alone. Ya neva� gave me my space. When I said I needed some time by me self ya neva� left me alone. When I�se needed ta spend some time wid da guys ya neva� let me. That�s what ya did ta me.�

Sarah started running home crying like it was the end of the world. Melanie just stood there looking at Jack questionably.

�Look sorry ya had ta see dat. It�s jist dat she neva� left me alone even if I told �er to.�

�Well I sort a know how yer feelin�. Me stepmother engaged me ta dis total jerk dat kept on bugging me. She didn�t care. She did dat �cuz da guy was rich. I hate �im though.�

�Really?�

�Yeah.�

�Well it�s getting� late we should be goin� back to da lodgin� house.�

�Yeah I guess so.�

�Anyways about dat job thing, you c�n come work as a Newsie if youse wanna.�

�Ok. Except Me or me sistas don�t know how ta sell papes.�

�I�ll explain it tamorrow.�

�Fine wid me.�

They entered the lodging house went to the separate rooms and went to bed. Melanie couldn�t sleep. She just lies there staring at the ceiling, thinking. To her this was a new experience, a new feeling for her.

�Could it be I really do like �im? Nah dis is crazy! I jist said a while ago dat I didn�t like �im.� she thought

�Why�d I even tell �im about my life? I don�t know no more.�

Meanwhile in the guys� bunkroom, Jack couldn�t sleep either. He was too busy thinking about his walk with Melanie that evening. He had been in love before but he wasn�t sure what to do. She might do the same thing Sarah did to him.

�Are youse crazy! Youse can�t love �er youse jist met �er! �An anyways I�se don�t wanna. What if she ends up actin� like Sarah?� he thought

It was 4:30 in the morning. Kloppman was waking the Newsies up to sell the papes. He went into the girls� room and yelled to wake them up. Melissa and Chris both woke up, but Melanie didn�t. She was up half the night thinking about Jack.

�Mel, Mel, ya gotta get up girl, gotta sell da papes� he said while he shook her

�Don� wanna get up. Leave me alone!�

�C�mon ya gotta get up if ya wanna sell da papes.�

�What time is it?�

�4:30�

�Den I don� wanna get up!�

�Ya gotta get up!�

�Lemme alone!�

�Get up!�

�Ok, ok I�m up! I�m up!�

Mel got up, put on her red-plaid skirt, brushed her hair, and ran outside of the room to catch up with her sisters. As she ran out, she bumped into whom other than Jack.

�Oh hey Jack.�

�Hey Mel!�

�Yeah.�

�I�ll spot ya two bits ta buy yer papes.�

�Dat�s fine.�

The Newsies began their daily walk to the distribution center. On the way they stopped to get their breakfast from three nuns, which was stale bread and coffee. It wasn�t much, but at least it was food. They�ve had worst things than that. They kept on walking to the distribution center, and as every morning the Delancy Brothers were there to greet them. Mel hadn�t been warned about them so she didn�t know what to expect. The three girls stood bravely in front of the bunch, and as usual, the Delancys were trying to hit on them.

�And who�re you sweet face.� Morris said to Mel

�What�s it to ya?� came the reply

�Nothin�!�

�So get outta me face!� Mel said walking away

�Hey! Nobody walks away without a fight!� Oscar said getting in front of her and her sisters

�Wanna bet?� Chris said punching him square in the jaw

Morris, seeing his brother fall, ran to punch Chris, but luckily, Melissa ran behind him and chocked him. Then Mel kicked him with her knee in the stomach. Melissa let him go and Mel walked all over him literally. Then she trampled over Oscar.

�Serves ya right.� Said Mel

�I say were loosin� our touch.� Said Chris

�Yeah, we need ta woik on our moves.� Replied Melissa

�You said it sister.� Said Mel

They started to the Distribution Center. When they got there, Jack had already bought his papes as well as hers. It would save her the trouble of meeting with Mr. Wisely or Weasel as the newsies called him, for he always tried to cheat them out of their money.

�Here are yer papes.� Jack said as he handed Mel her papes.

�I coulda� gotten dem me self.�

�It�ll save youse da trouble.�

�Thank youse, but I�se really don�t need dis special treatment. I can take care a me self.�

�Fine. But youse are gonna need me help sellin� papes. So I�se gotta come wid youse everywhere.�

��Scuse me?�

�Well maybe not everywhere.�

�Dat�s betta��

�Well here�s da foist thing ya gotta loin is, dat headlines don�t sell papes, Newsies sell papes. Widout us, nobody knows nuttin�.�

�Yeah and.�

�Well ya also gotta loin how ta improves da truth a little.�

�In odda� woids sell da papes to as many people as youse can an� lie.�

�If ya wanna put it dat way�I guess so.�

�Is dat all?�

�It ain�t as easy as ya think.�

�I�ve been through more.�

�So lets see. Ah da news �bout our old place.�

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