Enjoy :) Remember, plot and story are mine, but not the characters!

Chapter 3

I had the best night of my life. I couldn't believe the fun I was having. This was the best day I had ever had. I rode the roller coaster with Dwayne, the ferris wheel with Paul, even though I'm terrified of heights and held on to his forearm the whole time, the bumper cars with Marko, and the carousel with David. It was the best time I had ever had.

"You wanna go on the ferris wheel again, Mouse?" Asked Paul, using my new nickname I had been given for my shortness and apparent quickness to 'scurry' away from another ferris wheel ride with Paul.

"Shut up!" I said, playfully slapping his arm. I wanted to get something to eat, but the guys insisted we wait.

"Come on Paul, leave the poor little thing alone!" Said Marko, slipping his arm around my waist.

"Yeah, yeah. Leave me alone mullet-man." Replied Paul. I giggled at the fact he was making fun of Marko's hair, when his hair looked like that of a mad scientist.

"Whatever." I said, getting kind of sleepy.

"Why don't we go to our place down at Hudson's Bluff?" Said David.

"Um, I don't know. I just met ya'll earlier you know?"

"Yeah, but we know each other now! We're all friends here!" Said David, as the other guys come to stand beside him.

"Well,..." I trailed off into thought.

"Come on." Said Paul.

"Okay, but just for a little bit." I said, excited to really have a new friend group.

"All right! Lets go." Said Paul.

After a 'fight' about whether I would ride Marko's or Paul's bike, I climbed onto Dwayne's bike and we were off. I felt a slight adrenaline rush, but nothing like the one from riding with Marko, which I figured because riding with him was my first time riding a motorcycle. I again felt the wind through my hair, and the feel of wind rushing against my face.

We rode down some stairs, then under a bridge, through the woods, and then in open, foggy space. I screamed when I saw the space end into a cliff that went straight down to the open ocean. I hugged closer to Dwayne's back and squinted my eyes closed. I opened them only to see David, Marko, and Paul laughing at my terrified expression.

"What the hell is so freaking hilarious?" I yelled, outraged.

"Did you really think we would let you go flying over a cliff?" Said Marko, trying to stop laughing.

"God, you guys it isn't funny at all!" I said, still steaming.

"All right, all right. That's enough you guys." David called.

By the time we had walked down a flight of moldy wooden stairs, I had almost fallen over twice, was pretendedly pushed over about five times, and had nearly tripped and fell down them three times. I was about to turn and backhand Paul when David announced we were there.

As I looked at a fenced up, old, and cave-like opening in the side of the cliff, I reluctantly followed the boys into what they seemed to call 'home'.

As I tripped down a small ledge into the 'living room' of the cave, I surveyed the room. It was full of different places to sit, wall draperies, and a fountain.

"Not a normal place to live is it?" David asked.

"It's just...different." I concluded, sitting down on an old, faded chair.

"Well, welcome then." Paul called from across the room, carrying a big radio.

"Thanks." I replied, looking at the different wall hangings.

"Have some nuts." Said David, handing me a bottle of honey-roasted peanuts.

"Um, okay yeah. Thanks." I reached across and got it. I looked around. All of the guys had gone kind of quiet. I put a few peanuts in my mouth and started chewing, confused by the sudden silence.

"How do those beetles taste, Kitty?" David said.

"What?" I said through the nuts.

"Your eating beetles, are they good?" He persisted. I looked down and saw a can full of brown, crawling beetles, and threw it down. Everyone but me burst out laughing.

"You guys are sick and twisted assholes!" I shouted, storming out of the cave, stumbling up the rocks and staircase, and finally plopping down into the soft, green grass, wondering how I would get home.

I knew I wouldn't make it out of the woods alone, and not to the orphanage for a while even if I miraculously managed.

"Sorry David did that." I heard a familiar voice say quietly behind me.

"What now, are you going to give me some other crawling food?" I said, hugging my knees to my chest and putting my head down.

"I told them they shouldn't have done that, and that they were what you called them." Marko said.

"I just want to go...home." I reluctantly called the orphanage my home, though I knew it never would be.

"Why did you move up here?" He asked abruptly.

"I transferred orphanages." I said quietly.

"Oh, how come?"

"I had a boyfriend back in Alabama and he attempted to kill me and himself and they haven't caught him yet. He said he would come find me and seek revenge for getting caught from my screams. I was moved here for safety and I have to stay until I move in with someone else or am 18 and I am kicked out." I said, finishing breathily.

"Or until you're adopted." He said, looking at my face, which I had turned towards him.

"That's a good one." I said, then realized he wasn't kidding, "Usually, people want little babies or younger kids so they can raise them as their own. I'm 15 and have nowhere to move into."

"You could move in with us. We got an overstuffed couch that you could sleep on."

"That's sweet Marko, but I don't know you four all too well and I barely know anything about any of you.

"You know a lot of stuff about us!" He persisted.

"So far I know your names, that you go to the boardwalk every night, you live in an ancient underground hotel, and that you like to pick on random girls you pick up somewhere."

"True. All right I give you some more info okay?"

"Whatever."

"Paul and I are both 17, David is 19, and Dwayne is 18. We like to sleep all day and pick on everyone. We like to drink our special wine on occasion. I know one more thing though." He looked at me thoughtfully.

"What would that be?"

"I really hope you forgive us and that you will meet us back at the boardwalk tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay how about seven thirty you pick me up beside the orphanage?" I couldn't help but smile. Something about Marko was so welcoming to me than the other guys. The way he looked at me, the way he smiled towards me, the way his delicious scent whipped my face when I rode his bike.

I couldn't help but to like him. Do I have a crush on Marko? I wondered.

"Do you want me to take you home now?" He asked, his eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

"Yeah, but can we stop at a fast food restaurant first? I'm starving!" I said, grinning at him as he chuckled at my straight forwardness.

"Fine, but then I'm taking you home. It's nearly one in the morning."

By the time I had got a quick meal from Burger King, and Marko had completely rubbed off on me. I was acting kind of like him, and enjoying every minute of it. I knew I had at least a small crush on him by the time he dropped me off at 'home'.

"Good night, don't let the bed-bugs bite." He smiled, and gave me a small good-bye kiss on the cheek.

As I layed down in my bed, I realized that we had both looked back at each other. When he had kissed my cheek, he had reluctantly pulled his hand from caressing my face and neck.

I also remembered that he had put his arm around my waist, but not playfully like Paul, more sensitive and sweetly. Then, it hit me, he had a crush on me too!

Hope ya'll liked it, took a while but I finished chapter 3. Hope it isn't corny, please review!