Let the Good Times Roll

Chapter 10

March Madness

Mara's POV

"Yes, because that is such a brilliant idea." I commented to Peanut, sarcasm very much evident in my tone.

"You're rather bitchy today." Peanut snapped back, "Now get on my shoulders!" I glared at him.

"Sure, I would definitely get on someone's shoulders when I'm sure it would cause me trouble!" I growled.

"Someone's using sarcasm a lot." I heard Norton remark from behind me. I turned to scowl at the four greasers that had needed my help, Peanut, Norton, Johnny, and Vance.

"That's because sarcasm is the body's natural response to stupid!" I informed them.

"Just get on my damn shoulders Mara!" Peanut groaned.

"Get Vance to do it! I am not getting on your shoulders! It would be weird! And I would fall!" I denied.

"What the hell? Now ya decide to have decency?" Johnny questioned. I grinned at him.

"I like fucking things up." I told him seriously.

"Hey, who's that chick?" Peanut wondered as he tried to peer over the wall.

"What chick? What's she look like?" I demanded, turning around to try and peer over the wall that was about an inch too high for me to look over.

"Dark brown hair, bluish eyes, looks lot like Lexi…" Peanut described.

"Down so I can get on your shoulders!" I ordered. Peanut bent over and I scrambled onto his shoulders. I made sure to stay somewhat low so I wasn't spotted but I did see the girl Peanut was talking about.

"Holy fucking shit." I laughed, "Look at that."

Angela held a piece of paper in her hand as she glowered at it. She was taller than Lexi by about four inches but still shorter than me. She was also less skinny; she had more fat mass truthfully. Also, she didn't have natural beauty like Lexi; Angela's face was caked with makeup. However from here I could see a few blemishes that stained her face. Her face though was much like Lexi's, her face was round and her eyes had a similar shape, only Lexi's eyes had more of a childish look to them.

"Look at what?" questioned Johnny as he tried to look over the wall.

We were actually locked out of the school, for some stupid and unknown reason they had closed the damn gates, then Johnny and the others had somehow found me while I was grabbing something to eat that wouldn't eat me like the food the school served would.

"Nothing." I dismissed as I grabbed the top of the wall and hoisted myself up. I almost took Peanut's head off as I swung my leg around and sat on the wall, "Now what?" I looked down at the greasers.

"Grab a ladder or somethin." suggested Vance. I nodded and swung my other leg around and lowered myself from the wall. I landed gracefully, although from such a height my feet didn't appreciate the drop.

"Alright, now…. a ladder…." I looked around, then made my way to the auto shop, however I didn't notice that Angela had taken notice to me.

I made my way into the auto shop, briefly questioning Neil if he had a ladder. He told me to take the one outside against the building, so I thanked the shop teacher and made my way to the ladder that led to the roof.

"Hey you!" I turned around, though I didn't stop trying to pull the ladder from the side of the building, sadly it was stuck on something, "What are you doing?" I scowled when I saw it was Angela.

"Hugging a tree." I replied sarcastically as I turned away from her and began to pull harder on the ladder. When a loud clang was heard the ladder began to fall towards me. I caught it and shook it a little until the lock that kept the ladder that long came undone and the ladder slid down to half its size.

"I'm serious!" cried Angela.

"So am I, isn't this tree just lovely?" I asked, "Now get lost; I've got shit to do." I carried the ladder under one of my arms across the parking lot before I propped it against the wall where I knew the greasers were waiting. I climbed up it and then sat on the wall again as I slid the ladder over the fence and allowed the greasers to climb up it. They all jumped down from the fence and after the last greaser got over, I followed after handing them the ladder.

"Thanks Mara, you took long enough." Johnny told me as they watched me hop down.

"Eh, you're lucky I didn't ditch you all." I huffed.

"You wouldn't ditch us." Peanut responded as he came up on my left side. Johnny took my right side and they both gave me teasing looks.

"Don't make me kick both your asses." I said irritably, I didn't like being teased.

"Like ya could, Mara." Peanut laughed while Johnny scoffed.

"Both you two are mean, I'm going to the girls dorm where you two can't be assholes!" I took off and I felt them watch me as I jogged to the broken fence where I hopped up onto the grass. I walked across there and jumped down the other side before entering the girls dorm.

I blinked a few times once inside to get past all the pink brightness before I headed to my room. However, before I got there I noticed a group of girls. I sat on the stairs and decided to eavesdrop.

"I heard that she slept with all the greasers." That sounded like… what's her name… Mandy? Yeah, Mandy, the head cheerleader.

"I bet she's just as much as a slut as Lola was." That was most likely… Christy? No, she was too nice to gossip like this, although there is another cheerleader that sounds similar to her.

"I think that she was expelled from all those schools because she was caught being a whore." I blinked, then my eyes narrowed. They were not talking about who I think they are….

"That Mara, such a slut." Oh hell no, not while I'm there. I leaned against the railing, my shadow falling over the group. They all turned and I gave them a sickly sweet smile which they paled at seeing.

"Such a slut, expelled for being a whore, a Lola wannabe, greasers?" I laughed as I descended the stairs again and stood in front of them, "That sounds like quite a girl….." My eyes narrowed at them and my grin faded to a scowl.

"I hate gossip, it pisses me off, and I think we all know that I can take you all on easily. So how about this, I don't kick your asses and fuck up your faces, and you shut the hell up, I ain't a slut, I haven't slept with no one, I am not like Lola nor am I a whore like yourselves." From the crowd of girls, a dark brunette walked out. I couldn't help but grin.

"Ah! Newbie! I bet you're the cause of this… you wanted to hear my reputation didn't you? Well let me enlighten you…" I walked up to her and lifted Angel by the front of her shirt, "I've been expelled for countless things, why don't I name some?" I threw her down.

"Violence," I knocked a lamp off a table, effectively breaking it, "Vandalism," from my boot I produced a pocket knife which I shined in the light, "Weapons," I grinned at them, "Foul language, truancy, misconduct, impudence…" I walked up to one of the girls and from seemingly nowhere produced something I had taken from her pocket, "Theft," I turned around and stalked up to Angela who was standing, "and the list goes on! But I think you get the picture, mess with me, and you get fucked. Just ask Hopkins, he learned his lesson. And if you start shit with me, you'll learn. I can outrun and beat up the prefects, I don't give a shit over what others think of me, and the principal can go to hell for all I care. So go ahead and try something, I dare you, newbie." And with that I stalked up the stairs. Before I left their view however, I turned to look at them again.

"Oh, and if I hear a rumor about me, or about the greasers, or about any of my friends, then you'll be the first one who's hanging in just her bra and panties from the school gate." With, what sounded like an evil laugh, I walked back to my room. When I entered I found Lexi sitting on my bed.

"Why are you laughing like a villain?" she questioned me curiously I grinned at her.

"It's called cackling, and I was just showing some bitches who's boss." I walked over to my bed and jumped onto it, I spread myself out to take up as much as my bed as possible without knocking Lexi off.

"Where were you all day anyway?" Lexi inquired. I chuckled.

"This morning I left for some food, they closed the gates so the greasers that were locked out of the school enlisted me to help them get back in, of course I helped them and got back in myself." I chuckled again after relaying this to Lexi. She just sighed.

"We were having a lock down drill that they took attendance for, you're going to get in trouble with so many absences!" Lexi warned me. I shrugged.

"Eh, I pass everything that I'm giving when I do go so I'll be fine." I dismissed, "I'm doing everything I've always done." Lexi gave me a scrutinizing look.

"Yes, but if you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always gotten." she quoted.

"I'm cool with that; I'm not looking forward to anything big. Just live my life and take everything as it comes at me and tries to kill me. After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!" I replied calmly before I rolled over onto my stomach, almost knocking Lexi off in the process.

"You're fine with that? You're ok with just… just fine? You can't be, you've got to want to be somebody rather than just…. no body. I want to be a famous artist! What do you want to be Mara? You've never told me." Lexi lectured. I shrugged.

"I don't want to be anything; I'll think of that when it comes down to it. If I ever have to do something, I suppose I could be some part time job and play guitar in the park, or I could be a criminal. I bet they get paid well." Lexi gave me a serious look.

"I'm serious Mara!" Lexi huffed.

"So am I, those are my plans, guitar, part time job, live until I die. If those two jobs don't work out, steal shit, be a hit woman, I don't really care. I'm just living my life," I grinned thinking of another quote, "Don't take life so seriously, you won't get out alive."

"Maraaaaaaaaaaaaa." Lexi whined, "You need to have something to fall back on other than being a criminal!" I find it hilarious that Lexi doesn't even question me when I say that my backup is being a criminal.

"Eh, fine I'll be….. Fuck it, I don't know. I'm not going to be successful at anything." I muttered.

"Sure you will, you're great with music! So you could be a brilliant musician, and if not then you're hilarious! Be a comedian, or you could be a daredevil or a motorcycle racer because you're awesome on that…. when there aren't any trains in the way…." Lexi trailed, "Or a fight instructor or something! You're really talented!" I blinked, then gave Lexi a serious look.

"Stop with the lies, I'm allergic to bullshit." I deadpanned. Lexi pouted at me.

"But Mara! It isn't a lie! You're so talented!" Lexi protested.

"Meh…. now I'm going to sleep since my insomnia isn't being a bitch right now…" I mumbled. When Lexi's weight left the bed I took up the space she once occupied.

"Just think about it Mara!" Lexi ordered before she left my room and turned my light off. I rolled over, wide awake.

"Heh, I could be an actor too." I stared at my ceiling, not moving.

I don't know how long I stared at the ceiling, but eventually I sat up and looked at the clock. I didn't know what time I had got in, but the clock now read two in the morning. I sighed and stood from my bed.

I wasn't going to be able to sleep, so I slid out my door into the hallway and looked for anyone. When I saw no one I went up into the attic and used the lattice thing on the side of the dorm to get down. When I got down I quickly avoided the prefects and left the school grounds.

I made my way to the beach where I sat down on the end of the pier and watched the water. I did this often, it helped for some reason. I used to hate the ocean, but now it calmed me. I used to hate the salty water that burned cuts and I used to hate the fun that everyone would have swimming in it.

"Hello, Mara." I turned and saw him. The one who gave me that offer that I told him to fuck off on.

"Have you reconsidered my offer?" he questioned. I scowled at him.

"Get out of here, Gary, I don't want any part in your stupid plans for school domination." I snapped.

"Oh, but you will, because if you don't, the entire school will know Lexi's little secret." I showed no outward emotion even though on the inside, my inner beast was going mad with rage.

"What secret?" I asked, tilting my head to the side to further make my performance look real.

"Don't play dumb, Mara, I heard you three in the bathroom, about Lexi's family." Gary said with a smirk appearing on his face. I scowled at him.

"Say anything about that and I'll murder you!" I threatened, pointing a finger at him.

"You wouldn't kill me, you don't have the guts." countered Gary. I stood up in a flash and went to grab him. He jumped back and continued back as I went after him. He held up his hands, seeing he was in a bad position.

"Hey now friend, don't get so mad!" he said calmly, my eyes narrowed at this.

How could he be calm when he had me coming at him to attack him? I mean, I'm intimidating, and I know that he knows I'm not to be messed with.

"Now, back to my offer, I just need you as backup since you are rather intimidating, not to mention you have the greasers behind you." Garry recited his offer, "I won't tell anyone about Lexi's past if you become a bodyguard of sorts for me." I closed my eyes and put a hand to my temple. My head was pounding and I could feel myself getting angrier. I was tempted to pull out my pills, to stop my sight from going red, but I couldn't give Gary more leverage. I opened my good eye to watch Gary, to observe him and try and guess his next move.

"So what do you say?" Gary asked, holding his hand out, "Do we have a deal?" I eyed his hand, making sure he had nothing on him.

"I don't particularly like this, but it seems I have no choice. I'm not shaking your hand, but we do have a deal." I murmured, my headache was slowly getting more agonizing. I was hoping Gary would leave soon. Gary's perceptive gaze lingered on me for a few moments.

"You look like you have a migraine," he commented, but then he turned and began walking away, "I don't need you just now, but when I do need you I expect you to be a good little bodyguard." When Gary left I turned back to the water and I pulled my pill bottle from my pocket. I quickly shook it and poured a few pills in my hand. I swallowed them and I felt very calm after a few moments. I pocketed the bottle and pulled my knees to my chest.

I sighed and shook my head while watching the sun rise in the distance; it was around six in the morning now. I had gotten no sleep.

"Fuck me." I sighed, burying my face in my knees.

Now, I had a shit load of things to think about.

Lexi's POV

I was very worried about Mara; I could tell she wasn't sleeping again. I tried to coax her into taking sleeping pills, but she had acted insulted and refused. Now, we were in a similar position from last time when we had forced her into the girl's dorm, only now Mara was kicked out of the dorm.

Mara was kicked out because in her lack of sleep, her temper got even worse. Basically, she got kicked out for a week because she called Ms Peabody a "Fucking wrinkly sack of shit who never stops bitching" and then she called Mandy, "A fucking whore who also never stops bitching". Mara's insults were usually better when she wasn't tired.

Anyway, so now Mara was tired and had nowhere to go where she would feel semi comfortable enough to sleep. I knew that Mara had to be comfortable or drugged to the point of unconsciousness for her to get any sleep, and Mara had a hard time getting comfortable. Once she admitted to me that her insomnia was because her thoughts at night made her uncomfortable because silence is in reality louder than words.

"Mara, you need sleep or else you'll pass out!" I exclaimed as I followed Mara through New Coventry.

"I'll sleep when I can get back into the dorm; it's only for….three more days." Mara replied as we walked down the street that passed the greaser's tenements.

"Mara, you need to stay somewhere! I honestly don't know what the school was thinking…. casting you out like this… you could die and then the school could be sued!" I protested, Mara snorted.

"Who would sue the school if I die? No one, you would try but you're too shy to get anywhere." Mara snapped as the tenements came into view. Then, suddenly I got an idea.

"Hey lets go see the greasers!" I grabbed Mara's arm and dragged her to the tenements, with her giving half-hearted attempts at complaining. After I found the open window I pulled Mara in with me and I led us to where the greasers were hanging in a decent looking room that they had taken boards and boarded up the holes in the floor, ceiling, and wall.

"Hey guys!" I waved as we entered and the greasers looked up curiously. However I heard both Johnny and Peanut groan when they saw the state Mara was in.

"Fuckin hell, not this shit again." groaned Johnny, placing his bottle on a table that had one of its legs duct taped on.

"Mara, why aren'y ya sleepin this time?" Peanut asked as he put out his cigarette.

"I was kicked out of the girls dorm." admitted Mara as she walked over to the couch Johnny and Peanut were on. She slid between them and leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling. I took a seat on an empty chair that had been vacated by Norton.

"What'd ya do?" questioned Ricky from his spot on another couch.

"According to Ms Pissoff, I used foul language, I was violent, and I talked back." Mara mumbled as she decided to move herself sideways so that she was sprawled across Johnny and Peanut. She grinned up at Johnny from her spot resting her head on his arm rest.

"That ain't good, what're ya gonna do?" inquired Peanut who wasn't fazed by Mara's strangeness in the slightest, "Where ya gonna sleep?" Mara groaned.

"Hell, I don't know, I'll just stay awake and then pass out when I get back into the dorm, like Halloween." Mara replied as she closed her eyes, somewhat content with her position across Johnny and Peanut.

"That's not healthy; I ain't letting ya do that." Johnny said with a frown.

"Well, I won't find anywhere that I can be comfortable enough to sleep." Mara muttered, looking very relaxed.

"What makes ya feel comfortable?" questioned Peanut as he reached over Mara's legs to grab his drink from the table.

"Mmm…. feeling safe I s'pose." murmured Mara, sounding sluggish. I grinned, realizing she was falling asleep.

"You look like you're fallin asleep now, Mara." Johnny pointed out, Mara merely grumbled in response.

"Shut up, let me sleep while I can before my insomnia decides to be a bitch." she growled lowly and within moments, Mara was asleep. I shooed the greasers from the room, other than Johnny and Peanut since Mara was using them as her bed.

"So what do we do now?" asked Peanut quietly so that he wouldn't wake Mara.

"I don't know, she seems safe around you guys, would you guys mind letting her stay with you until she's allowed back in the dorm?"I requested, giving them puppy eyes. Johnny opened his mouth and I cut him off, "And I know you guys don't sleep in the dorms, sometimes you do but I know you guys have places outside of school that you usually sleep at." Johnny closed his mouth and I knew that I probably looked very smug.

"She can stay with me tonight," Peanut offered, "I'm goin ta be at my house; she can stay in my sisters room. Besides, my family wants ta meet Mara, I talk bout her sometimes since she's a friend and my ma and sis want to meet her."

"Ok, so when you wake her up just…. be careful, she might try and kill you when she's half asleep." I warned, walking backwards towards the door.

"Ey, Johnny, you can take her to your apartment tomorrow, and then the third day we can all stay here since we did fix up that one room." Peanut said to Johnny, and Johnny just nodded, already knowing he would lose an argument with Peanut and me.

"Good, I'm glad Mara will be able to sleep somewhere safe." I grinned at them before I left.

I was in a good mood.

Mara's POV

When I woke up, I found that Peanut and Johnny hadn't moved and had turned the old, somewhat broken, TV on low to watch.

"Morning." I croaked, before clearing my throat and sitting up. I swung my legs down off Peanut so that I was in the middle of the couch rather than spread out on top of Peanut and Johnny.

"Actually, its afternoon." Peanut interjected as Johnny turned off the TV that obviously had nothing good on.

"Ok, so good afternoon." I added with a nod.

"Lexi gave ya to Peanut for the night." Johnny informed me. I blinked.

"What?" I asked.

"You're staying the night at Peanut's, so that ya don't go without sleep." Johnny explained. I nodded and then sighed. I knew I wasn't getting a choice, so I decided to just go along with it.

Later on, Johnny, Peanut, and I walked to the same neighborhood that Momma lived in, only Peanut's house was a few blocks away. Then Johnny went back towards where we had come from, leaving me with Peanut.

"So tomorrow I'm staying with Johnny?" I guessed as Peanut and I walked down the sidewalk.

"Yeah, at Johnny's apartment." Peanut answered. I nodded.

"Johnny has an apartment?" I questioned.

"It's a shitty run down place, but its more home for'em than the school, and Johnny wanted ta move out of his ma's place." Peanut added. I nodded again.

"Ah, I see. So you have a sister?" I asked as Peanut lit up a cigarette. I lit up my own as he answered.

"Yeah, names Annie, she's a bit nosy, but she's a good kid, she's sixteen, two years younger than me." I always forgot that the greasers were all eighteen and were behind a year because they skipped too much and couldn't graduate. It's probably because all the high school level kids shared classes despite their grades and if they were seniors, juniors, sophomores, or freshmen.

"What bout you?" inquired Peanut, surprising me, "Do you have siblings?" I looked up at the sky as we walked and took a drag of my cigarette.

"No, I'm an only child, and I'm glad I'm an only child. I'd love a sister, but the trouble my family went through… I wouldn't want another kid to go through that shit. Lexi's like a sister to me though, I'd die for her, take a bullet, whatever." I replied.

"I'd do the same for my sister, I love'er to death. Even though we fight sometimes." Peanut grinned at me before he stopped and started walking up the driveway to a medium sized house. He opened the door and I followed him in.

"I'm home!" he called and I heard some running before Peanut was tackled by a girl that was shorter than me, but taller than Lexi. Her brown hair was cut very short with the front slightly longer than the back and her eyes were brown, much like Peanuts. All in all, she was a female version of Peanut, only not as tall.

"Larry, you're home!" she yelled, glomping him. I forgot Peanut's name was Larry…. well I remember now.

"Hey Annie, can ya let go of me before Mara makes a smartass comment?" Peanut requested. The girl let go of Peanut and looked to me before she looked me up and down.

"So you're the famous Mara," Annie held out her hand, "I'm Larry's sister Annie." I just stared at her hand.

"Sorry, I'm not a hand shake person." I told her and she just shrugged and put her hand down.

"Didn't think so, but I wanted to see what you'd do." Annie had somewhat of a greaser kind of voice, she just wasn't as obvious.

"Anyway, so why're you two here?" asked Annie. Peanut sighed.

"Mara was kicked outta the girls dorm so she needed a place ta stay, I offered her a place for tonight, tomorrow she's staying with Johnny, and then for her last day without a dorm she's staying at the tenements. Johnny and I'll probably stay with'er." Peanut explained.

"Well I'm glad you asked me!" We all turned to see a woman, who happened to be around my height, with curly auburn hair and brown eyes. She looked like a taller version of Annie, only her hair was a different shade.

"Sorry ma, it was a last minute decision." Peanut apologized, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. She walked up to me and looked me over.

"Well, you don't look like a slut so you can stay, I'm Larry's mom, you can call me Diana." Diana said before she turned and left the small hallway we were all crowded into. Annie left into a different room and Peanut led me up some stairs. He led me into what I guessed to be his room seeing as how it was very…. Peanut-like. There were hair products on his dresser, it was a mess. I could see poorly hidden cigarette boxes, and an extra leather jacket or two was hanging somewhere.

"This is my room, I guess we can pull an air mattress or somethin out for ya… if we move some shit." And thus, we spent the rest of the day trying to move some crap out of the way. By the time dinner was ready, Peanut and I managed to get enough room to squeeze a small air mattress in his room.

"I think I should have just taken a couch or something, that was too much work for just that." I commented as we entered the dining room.

"Eh, I'd feel bad if you were stuck on the couch. Besides, you said your insomnia's a bitch if you're not comfortable, how're ya comfortable on a couch?" Peanut said as we slid into our chairs. Annie was already eating and Diana was sitting down.

"Your father's taking a late shift so he won't be back til later." Diana informed Peanut and Annie.

"Mmfk." Annie responded, food in her mouth.

"Kay." was Peanut's only response as he too had food in his mouth.

"This is really good." I complimented as I took another bite.

"Thank you Mara," Diana grinned, "Although I suppose compared to the food at the school anything is better." Peanut and I both shared looks at that. School food equals either poisoning or death. After that, dinner was rather uneventful.

Peanut and I trouped up to his room after dinner where I changed into a large long sleeved shirt and shorts that Peanut let me borrow to sleep in. I exited the bathroom to find Peanut had already changed and was already in his bed.

"Fuck, you're fast, although I had a load of piercings to clean." I mused as I walked over to my bed where I crawled in. I wrapped myself in a blanket cocoon and faced Peanut who turned out the light.

"You know, I've only had one sleepover." I informed him.

"One?" asked Peanut.

"Yeah, at Lexi's, my first and last." I commented.

"Why was it your first and last?" questioned Peanut. I grew quiet.

"My dad wasn't the greatest, especially after my mom died, so I never asked him or told him where I was going or what I was doing. I forged signatures and did whatever I wanted, but that sleepover he noticed and he yelled at me a lot when I got back, since I was just a kid I was pretty upset so I never went to another sleepover." I murmured.

"Sorry for askin." Peanut apologized.

"Its fine, it's something that's always on my mind anyway." I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. However I couldn't block out what Peanut said next.

"One of those thoughts that keeps you up at night."

March 19th,

I stayed at Peanut's, it was pretty interesting I suppose. His sister is a cool person, his moms a bit strange though, she's a bit stiff and awkward, but I think if she warms up to me she'll be nicer.

I managed to get an entire night's sleep, I don't know if it was the fact that the smell of Peanut's hair spray was surrounding me and it was a smell I associated with safe, or if it was the fact that I knew that in the same room was one of my friends.

Friend.

Weird word. I think I made more friends at Bullworth than anywhere else. I mean, I've always had Lexi and that was about it, but now? We have Johnny, Peanut, Norton, Lefty, Lucky, Ricky, Hal, Vance and I get along with Petey and sometimes with Jimmy.

But back to big news. Trouble is brewing if you ask me, Gary wants me as backup, and Angela is here.

Something is going to happen. Soon. And I'm not liking the way this is going. I might need to bring it out. Or, I could always blame something. I know exactly was to blame for it all.

March madness.

AN
I'm tired, I've had softball school tryouts all week, then right after that I would have practice for my league team, and then homework and food and showers and sleep and AHHHHHH.

I need sleep. Get some sleep Shadow. You need it.

Bye.