"Oh shit," Teddy muttered, "Look who's coming this way!"
Abbie, Cammie, Chris, and Gordie whipped their heads around to find the girl from earlier this morning, Emma, heading towards their table. Teddy quickly smoothed out his clothes and his hair. He took his coke bottle glasses off, breathed on them, rubbed them with his shirt, and then put them back on. He then plastered a grin on his face just as Emma sat down in the empty seat next to Gordie.
"Well, well, well…..I knew you couldn't resist the charm," Teddy said proudly.
Emma gave him a cold look and picked at her food.
"Hey, are you ok? You were in a very happy mood this morning," Chris asked.
"My friend and I had a fight….."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I know what that's like," Chris responded, glancing over at Teddy, "Don't worry. You two will make up, I'm sure of it."
Emma looked up from her food and raised an eyebrow.
"Who are you?" she questioned.
"Chris Chambers."
Emma gave a small smile.
"Ah yes, the Chambers boy."
Chris sunk down low in his chair, while the rest of the group, besides Teddy, gave her looks. But her smile grew wider.
"I heard about you taking the college courses. Good for you, it's about time!" Emma exclaimed.
"Thanks," Chris replied, and it sounded as if he let out a sigh of relief.
"So, what brings you to this table?" Teddy asked, trying to hint on something.
"Well, my friend and I had a fight. And I believe that Cammie is one of my other friends as well, and I was surprised to see her sitting with you," she added, causing Teddy to scowl.
"So who did you have a fight with, Em?" Cammie questioned.
"Catie," Emma said somberly, and nodded to the other side of the cafeteria where a pretty brunette girl in jean shorts and a purple t-shirt was talking to some other girls.
"What about?" Teddy demanded as he looked Catie up and down.
"None of your business, and get your eyes off of her. Your vision is bad enough already," Emma snapped.
"Ooooooooo, touchy!" Teddy teased.
"But she's your friend, you'll make up with her," Abbie reassured.
"Maybe I don't want to," Emma said, her head cocked to one side in thought.
"Hey guys!" a voice called cheerfully.
Everyone's heads turned and saw Vern walking towards them with a tall, brown-haired boy with light brown eyes.
"Hey," the boy said politely, "I'm Shawn, Vern's friend."
"Nice to meet you, Shawn," Cammie said back.
"Wow Vern-o, you actually have a friend?" Abbie asked in mock disbelief.
"Excuse me, but what do you call us?" Gordie asked.
"Psychotic freaks with no lives," Emma cut in.
"Ah, touché, dear Emma, touché!" Teddy praised with a wide smirk on his face.
"How very nice of you!" Gordie said sarcastically.
"I'm good at handing out compliments," Emma stated.
"As we can tell," Chris retaliated.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait! What are your names again?" Shawn questioned.
Everybody was silent for a moment or two but then started laughing.
"Alright, now we are going to go around and say our names in an organized and dignified manner. Everybody got that? I bet Teddy Duchamp didn't," Abbie said the last part louder than the rest because Teddy had his eyes back on Catie, "I'll start. My name is Abbie Tessio, and I'm Vern's cousin."
"I'm Gordie Lachance," Gordie said quietly.
"I'm Cammie!" Cammie exclaimed.
"I'm Corpal Teddy Duchamp, at your service. Well, the service is for the ladies."
"Oh lord, that boy is annoying. Emma's the name."
"Chris Chambers."
"I'm Vern Tessio."
"I'm Shawn."
"And I'm Catie," a voice said.
Everybody jumped and turned around to see the brunette girl behind them, a genuine smile on her face.
"'Didn't mean to scare you, just passing by. Unless you wouldn't mind if I sat down…?"
"Oh no, not at all!" Teddy replied so quickly that the words were almost incomprehensible.
Catie flashed them another smile, showing off her white teeth. "Thanks," she responded, and took a seat next to Chris while Vern and Shawn sat by Cammie.
"So, Abbie, you're a new girl, huh?" Catie questioned.
"Yes. I just moved here from California and I'm staying here for a year," Abbie answered.
"Ooooooooo, a Cali-girl, very boss," Catie commented.
"Thanks."
The whole group talked through lunch period and got together after school, and they all clicked instantly, although there was still some tension between Emma and Catie. Abbie was glad that Vern snagged some more friends this year, because she knew that he had never been too popular with everyone and that people made fun of him often. Shawn seemed like the perfect friend for Vern- nice, funny, and sometimes thoughtful. Catie was very relaxed, almost as much as Chris was. She had a certain aura about her that gave everyone a good feeling, almost like a sense of protection. Emma was just downright hysterical. She came up with witty come backs to every insult her way, and she loved picking on Teddy, which was something that most people refrained from doing. Cammie was just about the sweetest girl Abbie had ever met. She had a very bubbly and outgoing personality, but was very intelligent and sensitive. Abbie and Vern walked home after hanging with the group with huge smiles on their faces.
"Abbie?" Vern asked.
"Yes?"
"How did we get such good friends so quickly?"
"I dunno," Abbie answered, but particularly didn't care about how she found them, "We are just so lucky to-"
"Hey, whose car is that?" Vern questioned, pointing to a black Ford '52 in their driveway.
"It must just be……oh my god," Abbie's body seemed cold at what she saw, "Vern, over here!"
Abbie grabbed a hold of the sleeve of Vern's t-shirt and pulled him behind one of the rose bush that her aunt was growing. The two crouched down and peered through the bush. Coming down the stairs of the porch was Ace Merrill, followed closely by Eyeball Chambers and Fuzzy Bracowitz.
"Damn, neither of them are here," Eyeball grumbled. He clearly sounded infuriated.
"I know! We drove halfway across town for absolutely nothing!" Fuzzy complained.
"Will you two just shut the fuck up?" Ace asked, but obviously meant it as an order, "So what if Billy isn't here? He's just probably getting laid or with Vince and Charlie. Probably both," he said with a smirk.
"Yeah, but what about that Tessio girl?" Eyeball questioned impatiently.
Ace gave a small sigh. "Probably out with your little fuck for a brother," He actually sounded a little angry himself, "I swear that if you don't wring his neck soon Eyeball, then I'm gonna do it."
"Well, uhh….I dunno, man. I never see him around anymore," Eyeball tried to say casually, but it obviously was a downright lie.
"Then we're just gonna have to search for him, won't we?" Ace said in a mock sickly sweet voice.
The other two nodded their heads.
"Well, let's get moving!" Ace barked, and soon all three of them were in the black Ford and they sped away.
Vern seemed paralyzed, but Abbie grabbed onto his shoulder.
"Oh man, they were looking for me!" Abbie whispered worriedly, "And now they are looking for Chris! What are we going to do?"
Vern answered by pulling Abbie up with him and running straight inside the house, and locking all of the doors while Abbie stood, dumb-founded, in the main hallway. Vern came galloping to her side and stopped right on a dime.
"Think we're safe?" Abbie asked sarcastically.
Vern's eyes widened. He immediately raced down the stairs and no later than 30 seconds was back with two baseball bats in his hands.
"Very good, Vern, very good," Abbie kept her sarcastic mood, "Now all of us will be safe."
"Yeah, yeah. I did good," Vern panted with a smile.
"Yep. You did so well in protecting yourself, THAT YOU FORGOT ABOUT CHRIS!" Abbie yelled.
"I'm…I'm sorry!" Vern wailed.
"Yeah, you're gonna be sorry when the next time you see Chris he'll have two black eyes, a few broken bones, and a neck brace!" Abbie exclaimed, "I'm calling Gordie." And with that, she rushed into the kitchen, grabbed the only phone in the house, and dialed Gordie's number. Thankfully, it was him who answered.
"Hello?" Gordie's voice came out innocently.
"Gordie!"
"Abbie, what's wrong?" Gordie asked immediately.
"Ace and Eyeball and some other guy were at my house, they were looking for me, but now they are looking for Chris!" Abbie explained in a hurry, "Where is he?"
Gordie's voice was silent.
"Well?" Abbie asked impatiently but anxiously.
"He just left my house 5 minutes ago," Gordie said with what sounded like disbelieving in his voice, "They might have him by now if they came from your house."
"OH SHIT!" Abbie cursed angrily through the phone, "Why doesn't anybody call the god damn police around here, just like you should have done when Ace threatened to kill you guys before!"
"Like we should have done when Ace WHAT?" Gordie demanded with pure fury in his tone.
"It doesn't matter, just, we've got to get to Chris!" Abbie yelled.
"I'll go get him, you stay in the house."
"Gordie-"
"I don't want you getting hurt, Abbie. Stay in the fucking house!" Gordie shouted and then hung up.
"Gordie?" Abbie questioned fearfully, "Hello? Gordie? DAMNIT!"
Abbie turned around without hanging up the phone and raced out of the house with Vern staring after her. Her feet pounded on the cement of the sidewalk loudly, and her eyes searched the street for any signs of Gordie, Chris, or one of the Cobras. Several minutes passed and nothing happened. It felt like she had wandered around in an endless circle. Soon, she caught sight of someone running towards her. But she noticed it was two people. She began to panic, it had to be Ace and Eyeball. But no, it was Chris and Gordie! The two of them ran up to her, grabbed her by the sleeves of her shirt and dragged her down the road. They kept galloping for what seemed like hours until they pulled her behind a house and into some bushes.
"Oh man, oh man…." Gordie panted.
"Jesus Christ!" Chris wheezed.
"You guys, what happened?" Abbie asked, out of breath.
"I came along when Ace and Eyeball were about to get Chris, although he was running pretty well. I just got a hold of him and we ran like bats of hell," Gordie explained.
"Yeah, until Ace grabbed me," Chris said gravely.
"Are you ok?" Abbie questioned worriedly.
"Yeah, just a few scrapes. But then Gordie reached out and bit him, so he let go of me and we kept running," Chris said with a small smile and Gordie.
"Wow Gordo, you must have a nice pair of dentures."
"Sure do," Gordie replied in a low tone.
Suddenly, there was a loud rustle ahead of them, and Chris and Gordie jumped. Abbie gave a small gasp and reached down and grasped Chris' hand tightly.
"They're around here somewhere, I can feel it!" they heard Ace exclaim.
"Ace, c'mon man, they aren't anywhere near here," Eyeball's voice tried to persuade.
"They are. I know it," Ace said firmly.
"We searched around the whole damn house, and did you see those little shits? No," Fuzzy replied in an almost sardonic tone.
"You watch that fat, mother-fucking trap of yours' Fuzzy, or am I going to have to seal it shut for you?"
"Ace, they aren't here. C'mon man, don't get so into it. We'll get them next time," Eyeball said.
Ace didn't say anything, but he walked closer and closer to the bushes. The three friends held their breath as Ace stood right by them. Everything was silent for what seemed like days until Ace said, "Alright. Let's get out of this dump!"
Chris, Gordie, and Abbie stayed quiet for a few more minutes, but then let out huge sighs of relief.
"Oh man, that was so fucking close," Gordie whispered.
"Oh my god, I thought Ace would have found us for sure!" Abbie responded.
"Yeah," Chris agreed, sounding distracted.
He was looking down at his own hand, which was turning purple from Abbie's own hand grasping it in a vice grip. She looked down too, and immediately snatched her hand away and gave him a look.
"Well," Gordie said with a slight cough, "Let's go home."
The two boys walked Abbie home, bid her goodnight, and then went to Gordie's house, not wanting Chris to have a run in with Eyeball at home. Vern was waiting for her at the door.
"What happened?" He exclaimed, "Are you ok? What about Chris? Didn't you say you called Gordie?"
"We ran from them and got away, I'm fine, so is Chris, and yes, I called Gordie," Abbie answered simply.
"Oh. Ok," Vern sighed.
"God, it was scary though. Lord I have to go to bed….." Abbie said, drowsiness suddenly coming over on her, "G'night."
She trudged up the stairs, fell onto her bed, and instantly fell asleep.
A/N: Sorry for all of my real-life characters who weren't really too much in the story! You guys will so be in the next chapter a lot, I guarantee it! I really hope you liked this one!
