Key: * means flashback or action. ~ means thoughts.

-Chapter 2-


Peanut had skipped his afternoon classes and had just laid there thinking. ~Why does Johnny love that tramp? He can do better then that. He should know that. Right? Maybe I should show Johnny how he should be treated? Maybe I can somehow show him that Lola ain't loyal to him? How am I gonna

convince Johnny?~ He was still there when Ivan got back, which surprised his roommate. Peanut had fallen asleep, so Ivan let him be. The next morning Peanut woke up and ran a comb through his hair. As he walked out of his room, he saw Jimmy Hopkins. He suddenly got an idea. "Hopkins?!" He ran to catch up with

the other boy before he left the dorm. Jimmy stopped at the doors and turned to see who called his name. "What do you want grease ball?" "I need you to take some pictures of Lola. Her with other guys. I'll pay ya." "OK. $20." "$15." "Yeah. Alright." With that done, Peanut left the dorm and made his way to the auto shop. Most of

the Greasers were already there. Peanut leaned against one of the the garages near the auto shop. Norton and Lefty were both under a car working. Vance and Ricky were working on their bikes, while Hal sat there watching and eating a bag of chips. Peanut didn't feel like doing anything. He didn't want to work on anything. He

didn't want to talk to anyone, nor did he even want to be there. With a sigh, Peanut pushed himself off the building and started walking toward the gates out of school. His head down, hands in his pockets, deep in thought as he walked. He had just reached the gates when he heard footsteps behind him. "Yo Peanut? Where

you going?" Peanut stopped. *Sigh* It was Johnny. "Hey Johnny." Peanut waited til Johnny was right behind him before he continued to walk. Johnny grabbed his arm and turned him around. How Peanut hated being so small. The only other greaser the same size as him was Vance. Peanut looked Johnny in the eye. "What do

you want Johnny?" Johnny's eyebrow raised at the question and attitude from Peanut. "I want to know where you're going. We got gym next." Peanut pulled his arm from Johnny's grasp. "So? It's just gym." "Come on. Let's go beat those trust fund turds at a game of dodge ball. That always cheers you up?" Peanut ran a hand

through his hair. "No Johnny. I don't want to. I just want to be left alone right now." "Tough, because we're going. Even if I gotta carry you there." ~Damn. There's no arguing with him.~ Johnny had given him an order and you don't disobey an order from Johnny Vincent. "Who cares Johnny? It's only gym." Uh-oh. Johnny was

giving him the look. The one that said; Stop arguing before you regret it. "I don't care if it's just gym Larry." Johnny had Peanut's arm again and was now pulling him to an empty garage in the auto shop. As soon as they got there, Peanut ripped his arm away from Johnny. "I'm. Not. Going." Johnny took a step toward Peanut,

grabbed his arm and turned him to the side. *SMACK* *SMACK* Johnny had swatted him. Peanut couldn't believe it. Though there was that one time Johnny had actually spanked Peanut before. He had gotten drunk and picked a fight with a bunch of townies. Those bastards had pulled a knife on him too. Johnny's voice pulled

him from the memory. "We're going Peanut and I don't wanna hear another damn word about it. Got it?" Peanut put his head down and sighed. "Yea Boss. I got it." Johnny gave Peanut a gentle tug towards the gym. "Good. Now come on. We're late as it is." Peanut put his hands in his pockets and followed Johnny to the gym. As

they walked in, they heard Mr. Burton's voice: "Ah. Dodge ball. How I love the sound of boys crying in the morning." After gym, Peanut quickly got changed and all, but ran out of the building. Once outside he started towards the school, but he was stopped once again by Johnny's hand on his arm. "Will you quit grabbing me?"

"That depends. Will you quit running away?" Johnny let go of Peanut and they walked to the parking lot. "I wasn't running away." Johnny snorted at that. "You was a blur going out the building P." *Sigh* "I just want to be alone." "Come on Larry. Talk to me. What's wrong?" "Nothing's wrong Johnny. I just don't feel good. Alright?"

"Yeah. Alright." "I'll see you at the tenements later." This time Johnny let Peanut walk away. And Peanut did walk away. He walked with no purpose or destination.


Two days later.

Jimmy had given Peanut the photos he asked for. Peanut sat on the bed in his room in the dorm looking at the pictures of Lola. Her holding hands with Algie. Her at the movies with Chad. Her kissing Gord. ~How could one girl be with so many different guys in just two days?~ Peanut got up, put the pictures

in his coat pocket and left the dorm. He walk to the auto shop. On his way into the garage, he ran into Norton and fell on his backside. "You alright Peanut?" Peanut got up and dusted himself off. "Yeah. I'm fine man." "You sure? You look kinda outta it." "I know. Just gotta lot on my mind is all." Norton grabs Peanut's chin and

forced him to meet his eye. "Talk ta me Larry." Peanut closed his eyes so he didn't have to look at Norton. "It's about Lola. I just wish Johnny would see her as she is. She's just using 'im." "I thought I told ya ta leave it alone." Peanut flinched at that. "I know, but I can't Norton. I just can't. How you guys can stand around and just

let her use him like this, I'll never understand. And I can't sit back and do nutin' no more." Norton let go of his chin and Peanut opened his eyes. "You really love him don't cha?" *Sigh* "Yeah Norton. I really do." Norton put his hand on Peanut's shoulder. "So what are we gonna do then?" Peanut looked up so fast, his head almost

hit Norton's chin. "You mean you want to help me?" Norton smiled at him. "Well yeah. I can see it means a lot to you. So tell me what we need to do." "I-i don't know. I've got these photos of Lola with some other guys that I thought I would show Johnny, but a part of me don't wanna show him. I know they're hurt him and I

don't wanna be the one responsible for that." "Larry you're not gonna be the one that hurts him. Lola is. And I'm gettin' sick of watching her hurt and use him time after time. If you want, I can give Johnny the pics." Peanut rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. "Yeah. OK. Here." Peanut reached into his coat, pulled the envelope

with the photos out, and handed it to Norton, who took it and put them in his coat. "Alright. Now get going. Class is gonna start soon." "Thanks Norton. I'll see you later."


At the tenements later that day.

Norton had carried the photos with him all day, thinking about what or how to tell Johnny. Johnny was alone, so now was his best chance. "Hey boss. There's somethin' I gotta talk ta ya about." Johnny was combing his hair. "Not now Norton. I gotta go meet Lola." *Sigh* Norton reached out and put his hand on Johnny's

shoulder. "That's kinda what this is about." Johnny stopped combing his hair to turn and looked at Norton. "Watta mean?" "Look Johnny. You're my best friend. You've been my best friend since middle school and I care about ya. Therefore it's kinda my job ta kick ya in the ass every once in awhile and show ya what's what." Norton

pulled the envelope out and handed it to Johnny. "I know you're not gonna like this, but I thought you needed to know." Johnny gave Norton a questioning look before taking the envelope. "What is this?" Norton ran a hand through his hair. "Just look at it." Johnny opened the envelope and took out the photos. He looked at

them for a while before he found a bar stool to sit on. He sat there just staring at the pictures. The silence was long and uncomfortable. Norton didn't know whether he should leave or not. Finally after what seemed like hours, Johnny spoke. "Why are you showing me these?" Norton really wished he hadn't asked that.

"Because you should know what your girl's been up to. Because if you continue this, then nobody gonna respect or be afraid of Johnny Vincent, the boy that can't control his woman. They're be saying that Johnny Vincent ain't man enough." It didn't seem like Johnny even heard him. "I-i can't believe Lola would do this." "I

know boss. I couldn't believe it either. We gotta do sumthin'." "I'll talk to 'er." "Ah boss. I don't think-" "I SAID I'LL TALK TO HER!" "Alright Johnny. Whatever you say." Norton left the room and headed out looking for Peanut. He found him in the room that he claimed as his, laying on the bed. "Hey Peanut. I gave Johnny those

photos." Peanut shot off the bed and walked over to Norton. "What happened? What did he say?" "He said he was gonna talk to Lola about it." "WHAT?!" Peanut started pacing the room. "You gotta be kidding me! She's gonna deny everything. Probably even make it seem like Johnny's fault. I can't believe he can be so stupid.

I know he loves her, but the evidence is right in front of him that she don't love him." Norton grabbed Peanut to stop his pacing. "Peanut calm down. We'll think of something." "Like what? I can't think of anything else to convince Johnny that Lola's just a tramp." "Let's wait and see how his talk goes. Then we can take it from

there."


That night Peanut waited for Johnny to get back to the tenements from his talk with Lola. He was sitting on the couch watching TV when he heard a door slam and loud footsteps stomping down the hall. Peanut looked up just in time to see Johnny storm past the room. He quickly got up and followed Johnny to his room. Johnny

was laying face down on the bed, his face hidden by the pillow. "Hey Johnny. What's wrong?" He got a muffled reply back. Johnny pushed himself to his side. "She lied to me Peanut. She looked me right in da eye and lied to me." "Lied about what?" Johnny ran a hand through his hair and kept his hand on the back of his neck.

"Norton gave me some pics of Lola. She was with dem preppies. So I asked her 'bout it and she say she's just being nice. I don't know what ta do Larry." Peanut crossed the room and sat down next to Johnny. He put his hand on Johnny's face and looked him right in the eye. "Forget 'bout her Johnny. You're so much better

then her." Johnny put his hand over Peanut's. Peanut let out a gasp and shivered. "I don't know if I am Peanut." Peanut took Johnny's face in both hands now. "You are Johnny. You really are. Don't let some broad bring ya down. I remember when I first met ya. Thought yous was annoying, but you were cocky and so full of life."

Johnny smiled at Peanut. "Thanks Peanut, but I don't know what I'm gonna do. I still love her." Peanut brushed the hair out of Johnny's eyes. "I know, but you can bounce back from this. You got Norton and the guys. And you have me." With that, Peanut leaned in and kissed Johnny's soft lips. He smelled like cigarettes and tasted like freedom.