So we were going to walk the girls home, but it was too far so we were headed to Two-bit's to get his truck.

On the way, Leo spotted my best friend Grover Underwood on the other side of the street. Grover was looking away from us so didn't see us. Leo placed his finger over his lips and stalked over to the older boy. I followed him just to make sure he wasn't a jerk. Unfortunately, he was.

"Greaser!" He hollered.

Grover jumped an easy two feet in the air, face pale as a sheet of paper, and hand in his pocket where he kept his four-inch switchblade. He let out a sigh of relief and relaxed when he saw it was only Leo. Grover Underwood is my best friend in the gang. He's also the saddest; his parents died when he was two so he's been raised by his abusive aunt, who beats him and is the reason that both of Grover's legs are crippled. He's always been quiet, but even more so ever since the socs jumped him last year. He's in my grade, but he was held back several times; he's the only sixth-grader I know with acne and the start to a wispy ginger goatee. But he's one of the bravest people I know. He's a vegetarian and he's super into nature and enchiladas.

"Leo." I said.

"Hey, Perce. Hey, Leo." Grover said with a friendly smile.

"Sorry I scared ya, buddy." Leo gave Grover a light punch on the shoulder.

"It's alright."

Annabeth came up behind me. "Hi there." She said. "You look weirdly familiar; do I know you?"

"I don't think so; I'd remember you." Grover replied.

"Huh, well then I guess you just have one of those faces." Annabeth gave Grover a smile.

"Wait, now I remember!" Grover exclaimed. "You're an Honor Society chick!"

"Uh oh; guys, I think we have trouble." Leo looked back down the street we came from, his demeanor now serious.

At first I didn't see anything. Then I realized a blue mustang was swerving towards us without its headlights on. I looked at Grover, who was pale and stiff, clutching his switchblade so tight his knuckles were white as milk.

"Just keep going; maybe they won't see us." Two-bit said.

He was wrong; and honestly, did he really expect no one to notice six greaser boys and two soc girls walking on the side of the road?

The car squealed to a halt next to us, running up onto the curb slightly. Four socs got out.

"That's our boyfriends." Annabeth gasped.

Two-bit grabbed a beer bottle on the sidewalk, broke it, and handed it to me.

A blonde boy grabbed Marcia's arm and looked at us all with cold blue eyes. He had a scar across his cheek. "Hey what're you greasers doin' with our broads?" He asked.

"Calm down, Luke," Annabeth said, "they're just walking us home because it's dark."

A tall buff guy with a ton of rings on his fingers got really close to Annabeth, and the smell of alcohol on his clothing was enough to make even me gag. "Aw come to your senses, girl; these are greasers! They'll take advantage of y'all right here if the mood hits 'em."

Anger boiled in my chest, but it was Leo who acted; he jumped at the big bad soc, but was knocked to the ground, his cheek cut and bleeding thanks to the guy's rings.

Annabeth turned to me and said quietly enough for me to hear but not the guy in front of her, "I'm sorry Percy, I don't want you guys to fight; maybe it'll be better if Marcia and I just go with them. Don't take it the wrong way; you're really a good guy."

"Alright." I hung my head a little.

"See ya around, Seaweed Brain." She turned to walk to the socs' car.

"Bye," I tried to think of a clever nickname for her, but ended up just saying, "Annabeth."

As they drove off, Leo shouted "and FYI I don't even have puberty yet!" after them.

"Were they the same guys that jumped you, Grove?" Two-bit asked Grover, who was white as a sheet.

Grover nodded stiffly.

Pony patted Grover on the shoulder and the redhead shuddered. "Y'all I'm gonna be in the lot again tonight." He changed the subject.

"Can I stay with you? Just in case those socs decide to show up again?" I asked.

"If it's okay with your brothers." He looked at Pony, who nodded.

Leo sat with us in the lot, but left not even two minutes after we sat down.

Grover and I sat there in silence and awe of the stars.

"Perce, I think I'm gonna kill myself." Grover broke the silence.

I almost threw up. "What? No! No you can't kill yourself!"

He sighed. "Yeah. I guess you're right. Sorry I worried you; that was just a random thought."

"Good; I don't ever want you to die." I lay back down.

___________________________

Sorry that took so long

Love ya

CC