Chapter 25

Leo

Everyone was suspicious of me. No matter how much I tried, all I got was nervous stares and suspicious looks, especially from that asshole, Adrian, and his friends. Calypso says to ignore it, but I can't.

Frank has been trying to get people to see my good side, but I feel like he's only doing it half-heartedly. I know he's still the same old, baby faced china man I knew, but even he seems suspicious of me, but not for the same reasons as the rest. If it was the same reason, he wouldn't have vouched for me to stay.

Calypso has been the supportive one. We are forced to share a tent, not that I'm complaining, she's beautiful and loves me for some reason. Gods, it's amazing to have her back. It's a lot like the way we met. I'm the one who knows no one and is not liked, but at least I'm not getting my face punched in.

I was washing clothes with Calypso when Adrian walked up to us. This asshole thinks he's hot shit, but I can see right through his racist ass. Get him alone, one on one; let's just say humpty dumpty will have a great big fall.

"He's in his natural habitat boys" I heard him mutter as he passed by, followed by a few chuckles from his gang. There were seven of them, all of whom were white trash.

As he walked by, Adrian flashed Festus in front of me. He knew damn well that that was my gun and he just wanted to flaunt it in my face more.

"Keep your mouth shut."

"Got something to say to me beaner," Replied one of Adrian's goons.

"Want me to talk about that lovely accent of yours?" I asked sarcastically, causing Calypso to shake her head 'no' at me.

"Something wrong with my accent, boy." Adrian responded.

I remained silent in an attempt to ignore the, but he kept pushing. "You got a problem with my accent then you got a problem with Alabama. Now, what was it that you wanted to say to me fuck-wad?"

"How about you rednecks go back to your rusty pickups truck and fuck your cousins" I responded coldly as I could. That response earned a few disgusted glances from the people who overheard our conversation.

Adrian gave me a stern look, but he had no way to respond to that, so he gave me the evil eye then stormed off. As I looked at him go, I grinned. Calypso was not happy.

"You shouldn't have done that" she said

"The guy had it coming, calling me racial slurs and waving Festus in my face like that"

"Festus?" she asked

"The M4 the asshole's got around his shoulder, its mine. He stole it from me when he knocked me out."

"Why do you care so much about a gun?"

"That gun is my baby. It kept Hazel and me alive on 2 occasions. Granted, I'm a terrible shot, but still."

She just shook her head at me. "Look. People already don't like you."

"I noticed."

"And when you say shit like that" she continued in a stern manner, "it doesn't help."

"He instigated. I said that to shut him up."

"I know. People don't like him either; it's only his gang that he can control. However, he's kept the camp safe and people trust him a hell of a lot more than they do you."

"I know you're right Sunshine." I said,

She blushed a little and said, "You know I hate that nickname."

"Well I hate 'beaner', so we both just gotta deal with it."

She laughed and then we got back to work washing clothes. I was a shitty job, but I had to start somewhere to get these people to like me. It's not like they're going to hand me a gun any time soon.

Frank began to approach Calypso and me, Hazel in tow. People like Hazel a lot more than they like me. The fact that Frank and her are together immediately put her on their good side. Unfortunately, the same didn't happen for me

"What did Adrian say this time?" Hazel asked.

"The usual." Calypso responded. "I don't get why he hates Leo so much."

"He's from the south." I said. "Some people there are still fighting the Civil War. White power and all that bull."

"The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is why he gives me more shit than anyone else." I continued. "I mean, I'm not the only Latino here. We got a mix of all races in this camp. Pretty soon we'll be singing songs about how all races are wonderful in their own way."

I put enough sarcasm in that last statement to get a grin from Hazel and Calypso, but Frank didn't find it funny. He just looked at me wearily for the thousandth time that day. Seriously, what is Franks deal?

"And he hates all of it." Said Frank. "He doesn't do anything because he's outnumbered. The only reason he can do it to you is because people are still weary of you, so he can get away with it."

We talked for a while about things, but Hazel and Calypso got called off to do something, leaving me and Frank together.

"I need to ask you something" Frank said out of no where

"Ok then, shoot" I said, curious about what he was going to ask.

"Did, uh… did anything happen between you and Hazel after the herd."

"Like wha…" I began to respond, but I realized what he was asking. "Dude, did you really just ask that question"

He just kept looking at me, so I kept talking. "Hazels' like a sister to me. I'd be more inclined to get with you than her."

"Just had to be sure." Frank said after a moment of reading my face to see if I was lying.

Then something clicked. "Is this why you've been so weird to me recently?"

"I've been weird to you?" he asked

We were interrupted by a very loud whistle. I turned to see Thalia getting everyone's attention. She began to speak, "just keeping everyone informed. Phoebe and Luke's group are still in the city looking for supplies. However" she stuttered a moment, "we have not heard any word from them over the radio for a few days."

"In the event something happened," Thalia continued, interrupting everyone's murmuring, "we will send a small team to head to our third outpost, the ski lodge, in an attempt to find them. that is where they will go if they run into trouble"

"Why not send someone into the city" a voice said from the crowd.

"That's too dangerous. I told him not to go there, but the idiot did anyway."

She continued to answer a few questions, but she began to get frustrated with everyone asking her questions she didn't know the answer to, and just walked off. The amount of stress on that 22 year old is unbelievable. She's beginning to crack, or so I've heard.

People just kind of meandered, apparently pissed that Thalia just walked off. I heard their mutterings. I returned to Calypso, placed my hand around her waist and gave her a kiss.

She stumbled back, and then said, "What was that for?"

"I just love ya." I responded.

"Well, just wait for tonight, and I'll return the favor." Calypso said with a grin.

I almost fainted right there, but I just laughed it off in an attempt to remain looking cool, but Calypso could see through that. She laughed and I blushed a little, which made her giggle at me.

"Shut up, Sunshine." I said to her. as I picked her up by the waist while she laughed.

A/N: sorry for the short chapter. I didn't have much to say and I just needed to set a few things up for later. The next chapter will be the usual length.