Riff and Graziella

John met me down on the boulevard
Cried on his shoulder 'cause life is hard
The waves came in over my head

"I just don't know what to do anymore." Graziella lay tucked up under Riff's arm, in bed, in his rundown hole in the wall apartment. It was quickly becoming her favorite place in the world. She'd come over tonight seeking sanctuary. Her pops was drunk again, the angry swearing kind. Her ma, of course, wasn't happy about it. As far as Grazi knew, the fight was still raging (it would continue to rage until Pop ran off months later).

"You come here," Riff told her, pulling her in closer. His voice was soft, tender. He never sounded like this around the guys. They'd been together exactly two weeks and Grazi was still getting used to it. "To my place. Whenever you need."

What you been up to, my baby?
Haven't seen you 'round here lately

"You mean that?" Grazi asked. "What if you ain't around?" Tony had always been busy with the Jets. He'd hardly had time for a girlfriend, he never told her where he was going or how to find him. Grazi's problems had always seemed insignificant to him.

"I'll be around." Riff pressed a kiss onto the top of her head. "Would I lie to you?"

All of the guys tell me lies, but you don't
You just crack another beer

"I hope not," Grazi said. She scooted up in bed until she was eye level with Riff. "But what about the Jets?"

Riff grinned. "They'll probably be around too. You know someone is always crashing here."

Grazi winced. Baby John had come over looking for an escape last week, picking the lock like all the boys did when they needed a place to stay. Unfortunately, he had come in at exactly the time Riff had decided to put his head between Grazi's thighs for the first time. The poor boy was probably still red. "Maybe they could learn to knock," she said, trying not to laugh as she remembered Baby John's face. "Baby John won't ever be the same."

"I'll tell em," Riff said with a grin. He got up and walked to the beat up old fridge in the corner of the room. "Want a beer?"

Grazi nodded. "Sure." Riff handed her a can and she cracked it open. "Thanks, Baby." Grazi was still trying out pet names, to see what fit. Baby was good, she'd thought. Riff had called her "Girly Girl" for years (she never did figure out why), even back when she'd been with Tony, and he seemed to be sticking with that. It was silly but she liked it.

Riff sat back down on the bed, sipping his own drink. "I mean it," he said suddenly.

"What?" Grazi asked. She'd begun fishing for the back of cigarettes she kept under the bed.

"I'm here for you, Grazi. I'm always here for you, whatever you need. Whenever."

Grazi thought back to the first night they'd been together. She'd promised Riff that it wasn't a one time thing, because she was missing Tony or whatever. He hadn't believed that she really wanted him, that she'd finally realized it was him she'd wanted all along. It was always him, even when she'd been too blind to see it. She'd told him that this was forever, that they were forever. But would they really last? Could any love survive in this neighborhood, around all this violence? They'd already lost Tony (and Graziella would lose him again, along with Riff). "You'll always be here?" she asked. "Always, always?"

"Yeah. Nothing could keep me away." He'd leaned in to give her a kiss. "You think I'd ever leave you?"

And pretend that you're still here

Later, after Riff died, Grazi would find herself going back to that moment. She'd never really believed she'd have Riff forever and she'd been right. But, in a way, he'd be with her forever. She'd always imagine him there beside her.

This is how to disappear
This is how to disappear

Bernardo and Anita

Joe met me down at the training yard
Cuts on his face 'cause he fought too hard

Anita hardly went to watch Bernardo box. She hated seeing him getting beaten and bloodied, she preferred to kiss his wounds once he came home safely. But today was a special day and she'd come down to the ring to surprise him. It was their anniversary, five years since they'd first started going together. Anita was in her favorite red dress (she suspected it was also Bernardo's favorite, it hugged her curves spectacularly) with her hair done, ready to sweep Bernardo off for a romantic night out. She had suspected he'd ask her to marry him again (he would). She'd say no, even though she was more than ready. Bernardo wasn't yet. And Anita would wait until she was sure he was.

"Bernardo!" she yelled upon entering the gym. "Feliz aniversario!

You're taking me out!"

Her smile fell as she spotted Bernardo. He was crouched on a low stool, getting a cut on his face sewn up. This wasn't an injury sustained in a boxing match. He'd been out with the Sharks again.

I know he's in over his head
But I love that man like nobody can

It hurt Anita's very soul to see him that way. Bernardo wasn't built for this kind of thing, not really. Sure, he was a talented boxer but that was a sport, a competition. Bernardo wasn't a man built for a life of real violence. He had hard edges, sure, but he was really a very gentle person. A loving, passionate man. And she loved him, despite his many flaws. And, of course, she understood why Bernardo felt like he needed to fight back. He just wanted to make a life and there were so many things in his way, in their way. Still, she couldn't marry him, not like this. She wouldn't be a widow. But she'd never leave Bernardo, she never could. They'd carry on like this until Bernardo came to his senses (he never did).

He moves mountains and pounds them to ground again

"Anita!" Bernardo cried as he jumped up. "Lo siento. I wasn't expecting you."

Anita couldn't help but smile, Bernardo looked like a little boy caught stealing candy. "It's called a surprise." She slid over and wrapped her arms around him. "We're going out for a nice dinner. Maybe some dancing."

"Anita, mi amor. I'm a little busy right now. I have a fight tomorrow."

Anita rolled her eyes. Bernardo was a stubborn man. But it served him well, here in New York. Bernardo never let anyone tell him no. He could move mountains. But so could she. "I think you just had a fight. And I think it's our anniversary and we're going out."

Bernardo grinned. He loved when Anita stood her ground. "You look beautiful," he whispered. "Alright, we'll go."

I watched the guys getting high as they fight
For the things that they hold dear
To forget the things they fear

Anita looked around her, taking notice of the other men in the room. Their faces were bruised, their clothes were torn. Their eyes alight and their smiles were wide, the adrenaline from whatever rumble they'd had was still coursing through their veins. It was a distraction from the hardships they faced. It gave a sense of power to men who otherwise felt powerless. Anita understood why they did it but it made her sick. Fighting like this could only lead to trouble. She'd taken Bernardo's hand and left the gym, not looking back.

She'd been right, of course. Trouble had come. And Anita, more than anything, would come to regret not marrying Bernardo when she'd had the chance. Deep down, she'd known that she would lose him someday and she hadn't wanted to doom herself to widowhood. She hadn't understood back then that it was already too late. Sure, she and Bernardo had never signed any paperwork but their hearts and home had already been joined. She certainly hadn't been spared any pain. And she'd missed out on the chance to properly celebrate their love, they'd never been able to make vows. Sometimes, the pain seemed like too much to bear. But Anita knew that Bernardo would never really leave her. He'd always be there, just out of reach.

This is how to disappear
This is how to disappear

Maria (Tony)

Now it's been years since I left New York
I've got a kid and two cats in the yard

Maria sat on her patio, sipping her morning coffee. A pad of paper and pen sat on the table in front of her. Was this it? Was she finally ready to write her story? Their story? She'd finally graduated from college (after six long years of hard work) in New York almost a decade ago and she'd been offered a good job out here in California. It hadn't been an easy choice to make (her life in New York was a full one, despite her struggles) but she hadn't been able to pass it up. She had a daughter to support, after all. But Maria's real goal was to write, to commit all of the things she'd seen in New York to paper. Maybe their story would be able to help some other troubled kids.

One of her two cats rubbed against her leg. Maria reached down to give the gray kitten a pat on the head. "Should we wake your sister?" she asked him. She was answered with a meow. "I agree, we'll let her sleep." Maria Antonia (almost always called Toni, from the time she was born) was almost sixteen now and hated to be woken up before noon on the weekends. Maria was all too happy to spoil her, happy that she could provide the kind of life that allowed her kid to be a kid. She'd seen too many people grow up too fast. She had been one of them.

The California sun and the movie stars
I watch the skies getting light as I write, as I
Think about those years

It wasn't easy to start writing. Maria had dealt with her grief by remembering the happy times, by living for Tony, for Bernardo, for everyone else. But to tell her story, she'd have to tell it all. Maria took a deep breath. The sun had finally come up. She picked up her pen.

"This is for you, Tony," she whispered. "Te amo, Anton. Always."

As I whisper in your ear

I'm always going to be right here
No one's going anywhere