Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters from the Disney movie, "Newsies." The only characters in this story that I claim ownership over are Laura and her family.

Back with another Newsies fic. :D Okay. This one is going to be short. I was originally going to make it a one-shot, but I decided against it. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have three parts to it, making the chapters a little longer than usual. Hope you guys like it.

-.:':.(.:':.).:':.-

The two of us were at our favorite place in the whole entire world. Of course, at our young age, our entire world was New York City. Back then it was the only place we knew of and, as far as we were concerned, the center of the universe. And Central Park was the most beautiful place in the center of the universe.

He was seated on an old wooden bench, attempting to tie his shoe. He looked down at the laces with concentration as he folded the string around his fingers. Careful not to make my presence known, I tiptoed up behind him. Then, snatching his hat clear off his head, I ran off in the opposite direction.

For a split second, he was bewildered as he stared after me. I glanced over my shoulder and beamed at him. Groaning in annoyance, he got to his feet. "Laura!" He yelled after me, forgetting about the dilemma of the untied-shoe. When I didn't turn back, he took off after me.

Skittery always had this thing with his newsboy hat. The kid probably slept with it, for all I knew. He hated his unruly brown hair, but I loved it. It always seemed to be messed up, so he couldn't stand when I stole his hat. Skittery would always get so aggravated with me. I suppose that's why I did it.

Even at the young age of nine, he was really tall. His long legs were no match for mine, so he caught up to me quickly. In no time I was wrestled to the ground and being tickled mercilessly. "No, no! S-Skitts, Skitts stop!" I yelled. I tried to breathe through my fits of laughter. His angry look finally faded into a grin and he refused to quit tickling me. The hat lay beside us, forgotten.

"Is dat any way to treat yer goilfriend, Skittery?" Someone questioned. The two of us froze and looked up to see Cowboy, Kid Blink, and Mush. Skittery quickly grabbed his hat and put it back on his head while he got to his feet.

He stared at Kid Blink and Mush for a few seconds, daring them to laugh. Then his gaze wandered to the third boy. "She ain't me goilfriend." He told Cowboy, glaring at him. Cowboy glared right back. Back then, he wasn't the leader of the Manhattan newsies yet. The only thing he had over the rest of them was his quick tongue and his tall stature. But Skittery was just as tall.

"Well, why don't we leave dat for da goil to decide?" Cowboy asked, transferring his gaze to me. Even if he was just teasing Skittery for the fun of it, I couldn't help but be scared of Cowboy. Hell, at eight years old, I was afraid of anyone over five feet tall. Except Skitts, of course. He was my best friend.

So I avoided Cowboy's eye-contact, staring at his bandana instead. The bandana tied around his neck was bright red, before its color had started to fade. I couldn't bring myself to answer. Skittery could sense my discomfort and his hand quickly found mine, closing safely around it. I suddenly found the courage to shake my head from side to side.

"Hm. Fine." Cowboy muttered, disgruntled. He turned around and motioned for Blink and Mush to follow him. "Dey'll admit it, someday." He assured them in a loud whisper. Skittery glared in their direction until the three were out of view. Then he looked down at me and his eyes softened.

"We'se better get you back, huh? It's near dark." Skittery told me. I nodded and we headed for the park exit. Skittery held onto my hand the whole time, but I thought nothing of it. I simply skipped next to him as we walked, completely content.

When we reached my apartment building, my mother was on the second-story fire escape, hanging out clothes to dry. She noticed me as she glanced down. "Laura! Where have you been all day?" She scolded from the fire escape. "Wit Skitts, Mommy!" I called back.

Most families considered newsies to be low social-status and looked down on them. But my family wasn't much better off money-wise than the newsies were. At first, my parents tried to get me to befriend some of the girls I went to school with. Soon enough they gave up and accepted Skittery as my best friend.

"Hello, Skittery." My mom greeted him. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" She asked him. He shook his head. "No thank ya, ma'am. I'se gotta be gettin' home." He replied. Skittery's home was the lodging house on the other side of town, because he had no parents. He didn't like to talk about it, but from what he told me his parents had given him up at a young age. Instead of living at an orphanage, he became a newsie.

Skittery let go of my hand and turned to face me. "I'll see ya tomorrow, Laur." He said, smiling down at me. I nodded quickly. "Okay. See ya tomorrow, Skitts." He gave me a quick hug and I ran up to the front door. I turned back to wave at him before I opened it and went inside.

-.:':.(.:':.).:':.-

The next day at breakfast, my father gave us the news that would change absolutely everything for me. My mother called my older brother and me to the wooden square table in the center of the room while she served breakfast.

Then my father told us that we were moving to another town in Colorado. The state had entered the union in 1876 and now the population was rapidly increasing. Gold was turning up in all different parts of the state. On top of that, land was extremely abundant. We would be able to get a much bigger house for a decent price.

The rest of my family was more than thrilled, but I wasn't. Even at the age of eight, I understood that it would be nothing like New York City. There wouldn't be any tall buildings, or horse-drawn carriages every which way you looked, or cobblestone roads, or street venders on every corner, or waking up to the distinct calls of newsies... Most importantly, I would have to leave Skittery behind.

So for the next three weeks, my family and I packed up our one-room apartment. All of our belongings, except for the furniture too heavy to take with us, were stuffed into suitcases and ready to be dragged across the country.

I remember the exact day I left. It was a perfect summer morning without even a cloud in the sky, but the weather completely clashed with my mood. While my parents and brother were loading everything into the carriage, I couldn't bring myself to step out of the doorway. Tears filled my eyes as I stared into the empty apartment. The walls were bare where picture frames had once hung, and now the wallpaper behind them looked newer than the rest.

The stove, the dresser, the bookshelf, and the two beds were the only things left now. It wasn't just the small room that we were leaving behind. It was every dinner we ever shared together, and every winter night when we lit a fire in the fireplace and listened to my father read from a book. Every autumn day when I came home from playing with Skittery in Central Park, and my mother would check my hair for ticks after we jumped in the leaves. All the memories I had, from age one to age eight, felt like they were being left behind with the old apartment.

When I finally forced myself downstairs, Skittery was waiting on the curb for me. He stood up and I hugged him for several minutes straight, refusing to let go and crying into his shirt. He was quiet as I babbled things he couldn't understand through the tears, but he nodded and stroked my hair as if he could understand.

My father urged me into the carriage, and I finally pulled myself away from Skittery, but not before standing on tip-toe and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Before I could walk away, he took off his newsboy hat and placed it on my head. Too big for me, it fell over my eyes and blocked my vision.

I pushed it up again and looked at Skittery with a confused expression. "It'll suit ya one day." He told me, forcing a sad smile onto his face. I tried to give it back, but he refused. My parents called me into the carriage again. I left Skittery standing on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets, watching the carriage trot away.

-.:':.(.:':.).:':.-

So the first chapter was a little emo, but I guess she's allowed to sob her eyes out since she's a little kid... It'll get better. I promise. Thanks for reading, and please review if you can! I'd love to hear what you think.