Chapter 2: An interesting Arrival Home:

Disclaimer: I don't own The West Side Story.

A/N: Yes I am aware that the West Side Story is not based in 1967 and not in Los Angeles. I purposely did it that way to make my story interesting. And Thanks to Tonyboy for the helpful advice. I hope all of you like this chapter.

The sun was starting to set. The first signs of night were crossing the sky. Anna James's walk home with Diego was indeed very interesting. For the first five minutes Diego told her how he would keep her safe from those creeps that he used to call his friends. Anna was silent and was unsure on how to deal with the fact that a very handsome young guy was walking her home and protecting her. Since for so long she didn't have anyone who was willing to protect her. Anna didn't care that he was a different skin color than she was. To her he was just another person willing to help her.

As they neared Anna's house their conversation changed from protection to school and what their interests were. Anna learned that Diego loved to read and he was the best in his class. Anna told Diego that she had a passion for playing the flute and loved long walks in the park. Both young people had learned alot about one another throughout their thirty minute walk.

Anna's house loomed in view of the two young people. Anna could tell that Diego was getting nervous just being in this class of a neighborhood.

"Would you like to come inside? I'm sure my mother has some rasberry iced tea waiting." Anna said kindly.

"Ah. No. No that won't be neccessary. Thank you Anna. See you around." Diego said quickly as he started to leave the wrap around porch.

"Uh...alright? See you around?" Anna said questioningly as she watched Diego quickly leave the porch.

Anna watched as Diego left her yard and jogged out of the upper class neighborhood. She sighed with confusion and compassion for Diego as she watched him go. She probably wasn't going to see him again. She didn't know if their paths would ever cross again.

Anna continued to watch untill she couldnt see him any more and she went inside. Her mother, father and brother were waiting for her.

"Whats going on?" Anna asked with confusion in her voice.

"Finally honey. What took you so long. We were getting worried. Your father was about to send your brother out looking for you." Anna's mother said.

"What? Why. I'm not late..."

"You should have been home fifteen minutes ago..." Anna's father stated.

"I'm sorry. I just ran into some trouble on the way-"

"Trouble!" Anna's father yelled.

"What kind of trouble honey?" Anna's mother added while hurrying to her daughter's side and touching the side of her face looking for any injuries.

"I just ran into some mexican gang. They were trying to cause trouble but Diego helped me get away from them. He walked me home" Anna explained.

"Diego?" Anna's brother stated.

"Yes Bryan. Diego. He said that he would protect me from them." Anna said confidently.

"Your not going to be walking home alone anymore!" Anna's father stated firmly.

"Your brother will be either walking home with you. Or on somedays your mother or I can pick you up." Anna's father said with finality in his voice.

Anna looked down at the ground defeated. Her mother put an arm around her and held her tightly.

"Your not to see that Diego ever again. Do you hear me?" Anna's father stated.

"Daddy!" Anna exclaimed in anger.

"You know what he is Anna. He's not your kind. Stay away from him." Her father said coldly.

"Daddy! Thats not fair. He's my friend. You can't keep me from seeing him. He protected me. Don't you understand!" Anna screamed at him with anger in her voice.

"I won't say it again. Now go help your mother with dinner..." Her father stated as he moved to the other side of the room to talk to his son.

"No!" Anna yelled as she pulled herself from her mother's grasp. Anna grabbed her coat from the coat rack and ran from the house.

Anna didn't listen to the yells of protest coming from her family as she ran from her house. All Anna cared about was getting away from her family. She couldn't believe that he family was like that. She hated racist people and she didn't want to believe that her father was like that.

Anna continued walking. Her thoughts running around in her head. They all ranged from those guys that tried to hurt her earlier. To her talks with Diego. To what had just happened. Anna's pace quickened when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Ann...Come on wait a minute." Bryan said calmly.

"Don't come near me Bryan. I'm not coming back with you." Anna said calmly as she continued walking.

"I didn't come here to get you to come back home. Not right this second any way. Dad is wrong. Do you think I like him for being like that? Do you want to know what happened when you ran out of there? I stood up to him. I told him he was being completly unreasonable. And believe me he didn't like it..." Bryan said.

Anna stopped walking and turned around. She faced her older brother and saw the truth in his eyes. This wasn't some plot to get her to come back home. He wasn't lying to her. Anna continued to look at his face and saw a dark bruise forming on his cheek bone.

"Bryan! What happened?" Anna asked when she saw the mark.

"When I told Dad off...lets just say he wasn't fond of his only son disagreeing with him. So he punched me. Don't worry its not bad." Bryan said.

"I am disgusted at our father. When did he turn into that?" Anna asked.

"I'm afraid Ann, that he has always been like that. You just never got to see that side of him." Bryan responded.

"I'm not going back." Anna said with finallity in her voice.

"We have to go back. But I don't think we both want to home at the moment. How bout I take my kid sister to the Ice Cream Soda place thats on Twenty-third Street?" Bryan asked.

"That sounds good to me. Last one there's paying." Anna said happilly as she raced off down the street towards the ice cream shop...

A/N: Thats it for this chapter. I hope its good enough. Please read and review. I tried really hard on this chapter. I'll update as soon as possible.

Blaze-LoganLover