AUTHOR NOTE:

This is a shorter chapter, sorry. Thanks to kasai1214 for reviewing and liking. Huge shout out to demonpoxjohnnyboy and their fantastic story penthouse suit. Check it out! R/R

LEIA'S POV:

I'm sitting on the couch chatting with Marina and Ella. They are talking about the biology teacher getting fired for dating one of his students, and girl named Jenny Newman. Bryce is off somewhere with his friends. John, Stan, and Cole walk over to us. John looks down at the floor, pulling his hand though his hair. Stan just looks at me, burning a hole into me. Cole (oblivious to the tension, as always) is grinning at Marina.

"So," he says, "how are you enjoying the party?"

"It's great, thank you for inviting us." Marina says smiling back at him. She looks over to John.

"Is everything ok John?" she asks. I love her. She's always trying to help everyone and fix everything.

He looks up, "yeah I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, you just seem a little off tonight." She replies smoothly.

"Just a little stressed I guess." I roll my eyes. Maybe he's "off" because he is repealed by a girl who he was always friends with until she told him that she liked him, at which point he ran off like a little kid. Jerk.

STANLEY'S POV:

I scowl at her. What right does she have to roll her eyes?

"You got a problem?" I growls.

"Dude, leave it. It's fine." John mumbles.

"No it's not fine. She has no idea about you and your life." I am really worked up now. I see Cole and John exchange a look.

"Oh please!" Leia say, standing up, "Golden boy here has never had a difficult thing happen in his life! He just coasts on by like the king of the world. And I'm so sick of everyone acting like he is perfect. Because let me tell you something, he is far from perfect." There are a lot of people gathered around us now. She looks right at John. He looks hurt, like she just shot him.

"Last summer he asked a girl out. She said no and laughed at him. Then he followed her around all summer. Turns out, she was 40 years old, married, with two kids!" Everyone laughs. We all promised never to talk about that. He was only chasing this woman so Bryce would think Johnny was over Leia.

"And in school a few months ago, when the bathrooms were broken, John wet his pants! His grandmother had to bring a change of pants." Everyone laughs even harder. I'm shaking with anger now. John didn't wet himself, Bryce's crew though urine balloons at him.

"Oh, and to all the people who think he's such a player, John Smith has never kissed a girl! That's right, cool, smooth John has never kissed a girl!"

People seemed shocked. Then they start laughing harder than I thought possible. People have tears running down their stupid faces. The only reason he hasn't kissed a girl is because he was in love with Leia for some strange reason. I want to shout this out, but I hold back. I couldn't be responsible for Johnny's beating from Bryce.

JOHN'S POV:

I feeling my face grow red. My firsts are clenched and I can feel my lumen heating up. I've never been so embarrassed. I don't know how Leia can tell people these things. I trusted her with these things and she goes and tells people just because I didn't tell her I liked her. I see Stanley trying to make his way to me, but I don't want to talk right now. I turn around and push my way through the crowd. I try to tune out the remarks people call out, but some I'm forced to hear.

"Hey John, I'll be your first kiss as long as you don't wet yourself!"

"Yo, your moms pretty smoking, have you hit on her yet? Are you to afraid you'll get rejected?"

"Do you need to use the bathroom? Wouldn't want your grandma to have to come out here, would we?"

I shove the idiots out of my way. I make it outside to the backyard and take a deep breath. As I exhale I let my lumen light up. I turn it off. I look around. Cole has a huge backyard. It has loads of trees, very flammable looking one too. I hear footsteps behind me and turn around. Bryce and Co. are right in front of me. He's smirking.

"So, you've never kissed a girl? Never could find a willing girl?" He and his fellow meatheads crack up like it's the best joke ever told.

"Well, up until a few days ago, your girlfriend was pretty willing." I say. I know I shouldn't, but I couldn't resist.

"Ok little man." Bryce says, cracking his knuckles, "let's do this. You against me, right here, right now. No one to help us or intervene."

I nod. I don't want to fight but, hey, it was bound to happen sometime. And right now, I'm mad enough to fight him. We get ready. Just as I'm about to throw a punch, I'm grabbed from behind. Two of Bryce's friends are holding me. I struggle, but another takes hold of my legs. I should have known Bryce couldn't play fair. He walks up to me and throws punch after punch after punch. He starts using his telekinesis to land stronger blows on me. After a few minutes, the only reason I'm not on the ground is that Bryce's guys are holding me up.

I'm coughing up blood when I think, Oh Pittacus, this how I die. Beaten up by Bryce Larkin and his gang outside of Cole's house. I can the headline now, young man brutally beaten to death over a girl.

"Oh my Pittacus what are you doing?" I know that voice anywhere even in my dazed state. Leia.

"Stanley! Cole! Help!"

I feel the grasp on me relax. I fall to the ground like a rag doll. The last thing I remember is Leia leaning over me. Then everything goes black.