Things turned into a routine.

Marie would pick me up for school and meet the guys at the front door. I tried to get her to stop clinging to them so much, but to no avail. I usually leave Marie with the guys and go straight to my locker.

I got used to being followed. I hardly even notice it anymore. I debated on telling someone about the gang just so that they stop stalking me, but I decided against it. Marie considers them her best friends. If I get them in trouble, there is a chance that she will get mad at me. I don't have a lot of friends. In fact, I only have one. If Marie abandoned me just like my father and Jackson did four years ago, I don't know what I'd do. I'd be totally alone.

So, I just have to deal with having gang members tail me all the time.

Hopefully, when the grow half a brain, they'll realize that I'm not going to tell anyone about their gang and that Sal is not a danger to me. He hasn't even talked to me in months.

The slamming of a locker snapped me out of my daydream.

The late bell rang and I sighed.

I clutched my books closer to my chest and started walking down the hall to class.

I rounded the corner and froze when I saw the familiar, now faded, turquoise hair leaning over an awkwardly thin boy with glasses that were way too big for his face.

"Did you finish my homework?" She asked him, narrowing her eyes.

"N-No." He stuttered. "My mom is sick. She's in the hospital and-"

"What does this have to do with Chemistry?" Marie grabbed his shirt in her fist.

Who is this person?

I somehow got my legs to finally move. I approached them, quickly.

"What are you doing?" I asked my best friend.

Marie's head snapped towards me. She let go of the poor freshman and he scurried away.

"Hey, Lulu." She said casually.

"Don't be a bully and do your own homework." I told her. I was truly horrified at the way that she treated the kid.

Marie looked me in the eye. She held my gaze for a few seconds. When I didn't look away, she did something very usual.

She bursted into tears.

She leaned her back against the wall and slid to the ground.

"Um, are you okay?" I asked her hesitantly.

"He doesn't love me!" She howled.

It is no secret that Marie has been pursuing Jackson since the day he got back. It also isn't a secret that Jackson doesn't want anything more than friendship. At least it wasn't a secret to anyone, but Marie. She never seemed to get the hint.

"Just because you like him, doesn't mean that he's obligated to like you back. If he doesn't want you as much as you want him, then he doesn't deserve you. He's just not right for you." I told her. To be honest, it is a huge relief that Jackson does not like Marie romantically. There is more of a chance that she could get dragged into his gang business if they dated.

"Oh, shut up." She yelled loudly into the mostly deserted hallway. "You're supposed to tell me that he'll realize it in time and that I just have to work harder."

What kind of advice would that be?

"Well, bullying nerdy kids won't help your cause. Jackson was once a nerd too." Jackson will never date her. Aggressive just isn't his type. However, if giving her a little hope will stop her from messing with some of the younger students, then why not?

Marie brushed the tears off her cheeks with her hand. She sniffled, but stood up from the ground. "You're right. I just have to show him my compassionate side. I may be a little rough around the edges, but I'm a good person."

I watched Marie run down the hall to her class.

Conner just stood at the opposite end of the deserted hallway, staring.

*

Conner was still following me on my walk home. Marie decided to go to the park with Jackson, Tate, and Josh, so I couldn't get a ride.

It bothered me that he was there to see Marie at such a vulnerable time. Marie doesn't cry. Her pride is everything to her. Conner had no right to be a spectator of that.

"Enjoy the show earlier." I spat at him over my shoulder.

His eyebrows rose in surprise. I haven't said a word to any of them in months.

"There are worse things than unrequited love." He answered.

I stopped walking and turned around to face him. "You and the others are such creeps! It's bad enough that I have to let my best friend hang out with gang members, but you had no right to watch her cry. She didn't even realize that you were there. It's sick."

He narrowed his eyes. "She's not in any danger from us. We don't just go around hurting people."

"I don't know what you do. All I know is that you stalk innocent girls and that you're in a gang. That's more than enough to know that you aren't a good person. None of you are." I ranted.

"Sit down." He pointed at the curb. "It's story time." The words seem innocent enough, but I could see the anger in his eyes.

I weighed my options. It's not like I could run away from him. No doubt, he's faster than me.

I reluctantly sat down.

I was shocked when he sat down next to me. Conner ran a hand through his blonde hair. Out of all the guys, I know the least about him. That makes him unpredictable.

"My mother was abusive. She drank and did drugs. I was knocked around more often than not. We were walking home in the bad side of town when I was about four. It was late at night. She just bought some drugs from some guy on our street corner. I tripped over something on the sidewalk and grabbed onto my mother's coat to try to save myself from falling. She grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back up. Then, she started punching me, screaming about how I almost made her drop her medicine." He cleared his throat. I actually felt bad him, but then his eyes turned cold.

"Some local gang members saw what was happening. They pulled her away from me and started beating her just like she beat me. They hit her until she stopped moving. After that, they took me in. I met Tate and learned what it meant to be happy and cared for. So, don't you tell me that all gang members are bad."

He stood up. "Now, get moving."

I listened to him and continued walking.

I don't know exactly what to think of Conner's story. His mother was a bad person, but the gang members murdered her right in front of her child.

*

A week later, I woke up in the middle of the night. Since Conner told me his story, I've had nightmare about a little boy watching his mother be murdered. No matter who it is, a child shouldn't see that kind of violence.

I glanced at my window and screamed. Sal was sitting on the branch of the tree right by my window. When he saw that I was awake, he scrambled down the tree and took off running.

I grabbed my phone. If I call the police, will the guys be dragged into this?

In a last minute decision, I dialed Marie's number.

A muffled, "What?" Came through the receiver.

"I need Josh's number. Can you text it to me?" I asked her in a rush. Out of all the guys, I distrust him the least.

"Why?" She asked.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Just do it."

Marie hung up and texted me the number.

I quickly dialed it. "Josh, I need your help."