December 20th, 1899

My name is Sarah Jacobs. I'm seventeen. You all know what I look like. I work at a factory near the Bowery, and I pass through it every day on my way to work, and on my way back. My mother gave me this for my seventeenth birthday, but I never used it. So I will now.

I've worked at the factory since Pa got hurt. It never healed right, and they wouldn't hire him. I dropped out of school to work. I was almost done, anyway. But Pa wouldn't let Les or David drop out. So instead, they sell the afternoon paper, but it doesn't bring in much money. Ma takes in sewing and laundry, and Pa works at whatever he can find, but it isn't enough.

So I work.

The factory is dreadful. But I haven't got a choice. So every weekday and Saturday, I get up at seven, and I go to the factory.

Today, when I got out around four, I headed straight for the Lodging House where my boyfriend, Jack Kelly, lives.

You know him, I know you do.

He's amazing, better than anything I could hope for. And now that I have a boyfriend, the men mostly stop pestering me.

Jack wasn't there when I got to the Lodging House. Instead, David and Les were there, and David's girlfriend.

I don't like her. She and David started dating a while ago, after the strike. Her name is Havoc. She's a Spanish girl, an immigrant, who speaks with an accent. Straight off the boat when she was nine or ten. She's a beauty, alright, in a very Spanish way. She has this dark auburn hair, and dark eyes. Her skin is pale, and flawless. She's a newsie, but she's got a mean streak. She likes David, though, I genuinely believe that or I would have kicked her the first time I met her.

David, who changed during the strike, was kissing Havoc when I came in. Les and Boots were counting their coins on Boots' bunk. Newsies were all over the room.

"Sarah!" A girl shrieked. "Your hair!" For a newsie, Genie can be very girly. She's blonde and blue-eyed, and not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But she means well, and Kid Blink loves her. She's my friend. She joined the newsies a few months after the strike, around May or June. She attacked me, smoothing my hair.

I laughed a bit. "Genie, my hair is fine," I told her, pulling her hands off me. "I just got back from the factory, that's why it's all weird."

"Why do you work at dat place?" A voice asked in my ear, slipping arms around my waist. Cowboy kissed my neck.

"I haven't got a choice, Jack." I said, turning my head to look at him. I smiled. "It's better than working for old Ms. Jenkins." Ms. Jenkins runs the brothel by the Brooklyn Bridge.

Jack smiled, and kissed me.

"You two want a room?" Havoc offered, pulling David past us. Her thick Spanish accent confused me for a moment, as always.

"Well, you was makin' out earlier, weren't you'se?" Jack asked.

Havoc scowled at him. David didn't even notice.

"Hey Race," I called. The Italian looked up, a cigar in his mouth.

"Yeah, gohgeous?" He asked. "Somethin' fer me?"

"There's a party tomorrow night. The factory owner's wife is hosting it. Jill wants to know if you'll take her." Jill is my friend. Irish. Red hair, green eyes, the works. She likes Race, and Race likes her, but Jill is too shy, and Race won't ask her out.

Race smirked. "Shoah. Eight?"

I nodded. I looked at Cowboy. "Come with me?"

He nodded, and smiled.

Then he kissed me.

"Didn't I tell you to get a room?" Havoc would have snapped, but she was mid-kiss with David as well.

Ma's coming. I'll write more later.

Later; around nine

Jack took me out, and we walked in Central Park for a while. Jack held my hand as we walked, and we watched the mothers play with their children, the newsies peddle their papers, the kids swordfight with branches.

Gentlemen walked in pairs, having conversations about business. A group of girls I used to go to school with passed us, giggling. They didn't even notice me.

"Whatcha thinkin' bout?" Jack asked me.

"I wish right now could last forever." I said, almost wistfully. "No work, no bills to pay at home, no school for David and Les. Nothing, just here and now."

"Well, I can't make it last forever," Jack said, stopping. "But I can make you 'member it."

He kissed me, and I kissed him back.

I love my Cowboy.

'Kay, 'kay, people!

Whaddaya think?

Yeah, yeah, I know she's a Mary Sue! Sort of the point. Don't get me wrong, I hate her as much as anybody. She's too hard to swallow, with the doilies and the 'what is this' with the hot dog, and the 'punches the wall' and the 'stupid ape' and shit like that, but she's easy to write about.

Plus, I had the inspiration for this in English class, and you know I can't resist English class fanfic prompts. They're just too juicy.

This will get better, don't worry. Just wanted a mushy moment to set the tone for the whole story.

Note: I'm changing Sarah drastically. She had virtually no character in the movie, just a person, so I'm giving her a personality.

Hope you like!