Walking down the street, Luca didn't look like she had had a total of about a half hour of sleep in the past two nights combined, she looked like a tall hispanic girl with long black hair (courtesy of her mother) and green eyes, (courtesy of her father) who was maybe a little bit worn out. In reality, she was a sixteen year old who was by herself because her parents had died when she was a baby.

The way in which she was raised was rather amazing. She was orphaned when she was about six months old, both her parents were killed, but whoever it was, somehow missed Luca, laying asleep in her crib. The landlady heard her crying later that day, and found her there with her parents dead on the floor. She took care of Luca for a few months, until she could no longer afford it. She then gave Luca to her friend, who could only keep her for a week or so. Eventually, Luca became well known on the street as "the orphan baby" She was passed around from person to person, some keeping her for a few days, some for months. She grew up this way, passed around to anyone who had a big enough heart to take her. They were every type of people. There were young girls, some as young as thirteen taking care of her, there were petty thiefs, prostitutes, and alcoholics. The miraculous part was that no matter where she went, she was always taken care of. This went on until she was about twelve, and then things started to change. She decided it was time she was out on her own, she was sick if being a problem to everyone.

When she was out on her own she had to do everything herself. Everyone knew her, and they were always willing to help her, no matter how little they had themselves, but Luca wouldn't ask them for anything, no matter how bad it got, they had already done enough for her.

She was plodding slowly down the street that day, about four years later, thinking about how her life was so different from the way it had been. She had found it impossible to fend for herself as of recently, so she had to consider the impossible. Maybe it was time to go somewhere else. She was too well known by the bulls in the area of New Jersey, where she lived, and the thought of going somewhere else in New Jersey didn't really appeal to her. So she thought maybe it was time to try her luck in New York. And so with many tearful goodbyes to everyone who had done so much for her, she left for New York.

Her first day in New York was pretty eventful to say the least. She, of course, didn't have any money, so she had to try to steal some food from a nearby vendor. When it came to the vendor, she got away with it. She had turned and started to walk away, when she felt someone grab her shoulder. She turned around, fully expecting to see a cop, but she didn't. She saw a boy, a little bit older than her, with a scowl on his face. "What do ya think your doin?" he growled "Dis's Riff's territory"

"Scuse me," said Luca "I didn't know tryin ta get somethin ta eat was a crime...now can ya leggo? Your hurtin my arm!" With that she smacked him.

His eyes narrowed even more, but then his expression cleared "Ya got guts, your lucky I like that" he grinned "Ya lookin for some money?"

Maybe, why?" asked Luca suspiciously.

"I can get ya some"

"Whats in it for you" she asked

"I didn't say I'd just give it to ya" said the boy smirking

"Yeah? Well you can forget it right there. I ain't like that!' said Luca as she turned to walk away

"Dat ain't what I meant!" said the boy laughing, "Just come wit me, and I'll show ya what ta do, its real easy.

Luca, who would normally never think of following a strange guy anywhere,but she was pretty desparate. "All ya gotta do is take a few packages around, and I'll give ya a buck a piece.

"Really?" asked Luca, tenatively, that seemed like a lot of money to her.

"Really" the guy said grinning "I got three packages, ya in?"

"Yeah...I'm in, it might take me a while though, I'm not too familiar with the city..."

"Thats fine, as long as ya got'em all delivered by five."

"That shouldn't be a problem" said Luca cautiously.

"Well, thats fine then"

He took her to a very old wearhouse. From the outside it looked abandoned, but inside there were people lounging around all over. Some looked normal, and some looked tough enough to make even her think to be careful. She also noticed that most of them were extermely blissful looking. Some of them were smoking something, and some of them were drinking something, but they all looked extremely peaceful.

The packages weren't large, and she could fit one of them in each pocket, and just decided to hold the last one. "Ok, he said, when you deliver them, you should get an envelope. If they don't give you an envelope, don't give them the packages! Come back, and give me the envelopes, then I'll pay you.

"How do I know that?" she asked suspiciously

"Ya don't" he looked at her and smirked "but I'm pretty sure you don't have no choice"

After he told her the addresses, she turned, and without a word left.

By the time she got done with her "job" she had a pretty strong feeling that these "packages", whatever they were, weren't exactally on the up and up. She didn't want to know what was in them, or what was in the envelopes. (Although she guessed it was money) She just wanted to get her money and leave.

All three of the people had their envelopes, and all were a little too eager to get the little paper wrapped boxes. One of them who looked scared enough to pass out, grabbed the package, thrust her money at Luca, then dashed off in the opposite direction.

When she finally got back to the large building at about quarter after five, she was tired, having gotten lost more than once on the way. She walked hesitantly through the door, not knowing where to go. Lucily the boy was waiting for her.

"Goil!" he called from across the now crowded room. "Hey girl, ova heah!"

"Luca!" She said, annoyed at his usage of "girl" "My names Luca, not goil."

"Fine." He said, holding up his hands he paused for a fraction of a second. "Did you deliver them?"

"Yeah, and just for da record, I don't even wanna know what was in dem, I just want my money so I can leave and never come back. Dis place gives me da creeps!" She stated.

He smirked, "It grows on ya" he said, "but before you go, here, have a drink, its cold out there, this'll keep ya warm"

Shetook it and sniffed at it, she didn't smell anything uunusual, and being thirsty, drained the glass. This led to another drink, and after about an hour she left, walking down the streets of New York in a drugged stupor.

The boy she was talking to, who just happened to be Riff himself, turned to another boy and watched as she staggered slowly down the road. "She'll be back, she'll want more, like all the rest" he said as they turned to go inside.

Luca made it about a mile, stopping every couple of yards when she thought the ground was rising up in front of her. She vaugly wondered when the ground had started moving and trying to attack her. The ground wasn't supposed to be vicious. Finally after about a half an hour, she started to get really really happy. She didn't care about anything, so she just sat down right there in the middle of the sidewalk, too happy to move. She felt like singing, but couldn't quite open her mouth to do it.

She felt better than she had ever felt in her life, and she was thinking fondly of that wonderful boy who gave that wonderful drink to her when she heard someone say "Goil? Goil? you ok? Are you-oh damn, its another one!" There was a momentary pause, and then she felt herself being lifted up under the armpits, and by the ankles. She heardthe same voice again a moment later "Riff and his gang are gonna get someone hurt one of these days. I don't know what they're givin dese people, but it must be pretty good, the way people go runnin around after him"

"If only you knew!" She thought in a vague, blissful manner, before finally letting her head tilt backwards as she fell into a deep, happy sleep.