As she looked off into the distance, a young boy with the same color brown hair walked up to her. His green eyes glistened with the sunny day. He walked along the streets crying, "Extra, Extra, Train Murder Strikes,"

She turned towards him, blushing a little. This was Leapfrog Kristo. Sylvia had a crush on him for sometime now, ever since she was getting papers from him. She hoped that he wouldn't notice her blushing.

Leapfrog walked towards her, carrying the paper. "Hello, Sylvia. Today's paper will be 2 cents, like the others I've been giving you."

"Thank you, Leapfrog." Sylvia took the paper from him and gave him the two cents.

"Thank you, Sylvia." Leapfrog smiled, as he walked down the street, still shouting headlines.

Sylvia hurried back to her house with her paper, knowing her father would not like to be kept waiting.

"Hello, Sylvia." A heavy, short, red-haired woman walked out of the kitchen and looked at her niece.

"Hi Aunt Mildred," Sylvia dropped the paper on the table.

"Sylvia, I think you should sit down for what I'm about to tell you..." Mildred sighed, knowing that she couldn't waste any time.

Sylvia laughed. "I planned on sitting anyway, Auntie." Sylvia sat down on the couch, waiting for her aunt to start.

"I'm going to be as straight as I can with this..." Her aunt started.

--Leapfrog's head turned back in fear as he heard a scream from down Sylvia's street.

"I don't believe you! We aren't going to be poor, we aren't losing money. You're lying!" Sylvia was hysterical as she let out a scream.

"Sylvia, it's true. Your dad's business is losing money, the stock market is failing." Her aunt tried to calm her down, knowing the shock was hard.

"We aren't going to turn out like some...some...some...Newspaper Boy on the street." Sylvia hated saying this afterwards, but she couldn't help it.

"Well...that's the other thing..." Her aunt started, "I think you oughta sit back down."

As Sylvia let out another scream, every neighbor opened there door and looked outside. Leapfrog was long gone.

Sylvia walked down the street the next morning, not really sure what to do. Her aunt really knew how to make someone upset. As if being poor wasn't enough, I get to find out my family is disowning me for a short period, she thought. How wonderful.

Sylvia walked down the street until she reached the corner. Knowing that her family could not afford one of Leapfrog's papers, she was ready to turn back. However, Leapfrog was early today.

"Morning, Sylvia. Want a paper?" Leapfrog grinned, holding out the paper.

Sylvia said the first thought that popped into her head. "I don't need a paper from the likes of you!" She knocked the paper out of his hand as she walked back to her house, amazed.

By the time Sylvia had reached her house, Mildred had reached a decision. Sylvia was going to go lodge with the Bay Ridge Newsgirls.

Sylvia walked up the stairs of the lodging house. Only a week after her aunt had reached a decision and she was here. She could hear a conversation as she walked up the stairs.

"Monday, Wednesday, Friday, she snubs me, Tuesday and Thursday, she insults me. It's balanced." The first voice was definetly male. It sounded like Leapfrog's.

She heard a laugh. "That's scheduled all right. You sound like you couldn't be worse off..." This voice was a girl.

Sylvia walked towards the voices, and entered the room as the male said, "The only way this could get worse is," Leapfrog turned towards the door, "Oh no!" Leapfrog darted out of the room, with a look of terror on his face.

Sylvia smiled. "Hello." She quietly said.

"Hi. Can I help you?" The girl in the room responded. "I'm Melanie Connoy. Are you looking for someone?"

"No. I'm staying here."

"Oh." Melanie pointed up to the bunk above her. "That's the next open bunk. Although you can pick which ever one you'd like."

Sylvia climbed up to the bunk, quietly. She put her stuff down.

"So...you're staying here, huh?" Melanie pushed her hair off of her face, as the infant playing with her hair reached for it.

"Yes." Sylvia would hate saying it for some time, but would have to deal with it. She wasn't at home anymore.