I never planned on becoming a leader. I was more than content being on my own, crashing parties in the plush Hollywood scene unnoticed, doing all the cocaine I could and sneaking back out. One day I turned around and I had three people following me, asking me questions like, "So what are we doing tonight Fangs?" and "Where ya wanna go tonight to party?". They had ruined my punk rocking, cocaine snorting, party crashing, squatting nights and didn't even know it. However, what I didn't know was I was going to enjoy their company.
Eric. Drew. Casey. Those were their names and at first thats all they were were names to me. However, eventually they became more. Drew was the dopehead skater boy, always riding, standing or squatting on his precious skateboard. He even slept with the thing, afraid someone would take it from him and in our world of squatting, anything was possible. He was a follower and never said much. His sandy blonde hair hung over his blue eyes which you almost couldn't see and he wore clothes he no doubt got from a shelter somewhere that were way to big for him but that added to the skater look.
Eric was our bankroll and drug dealer and all he had to do was visit his father a minimum of once a week for the cash and as often as needed for the drugs. His father was a drug dealer too and supported his sons' habits (weed for Drew and cocaine for us all). When he showed up his father always gave him 2 grand in cash so we had a few bucks to buy food for the week and didn't have to stay in shelters or eat the awful soup kitchen food. Eric tried to blend in with his jeans and a t-shirt but you could always tell they were name brand. However, by the end of the week, he finally looked like one of us (all dirty) from sleeping on the ground. It was his early twenties rebellion but he just wasn't cut out to do it on his own but it benefited us so we never said anything.
Casey was the other girl in the group to even things out. Two boys and two girls was nice. Not that anything went on between any of us in the group except the time I got Casey really drunk and made out with her on a dare from the boys but that was a one time thing. Casey was a punk with lots of piercings, leather pants, a short black leather halter top and Doc Martens that would kick some serious butt. She was tuff and could hold her own in any fight. She was good to have on your side but a kind person once she was there. She was also a follower but once in awhile she spoke up if she 'felt' the situation was wrong. She had been on the streets since she was a kid and knew them better than any of us so we listened to her gut 'feelings'.
Me? They call me Fangs due to my obsession with vampires. I already explained my craving for cocaine and fun. I hit the streets at eighteen and never looked back or slowed down even now that I'm in my thirties I still look like I'm in my twenties. I still get carded for alcohol and cigarettes for crying out loud. Good thing I keep up with my State Id with a fake address on it. I've never been in trouble with the law. Let me rephrase that, I've never been caught by the law and I keep a low profile in the squatting houses.
"So what are we doing tonight Fangs?" asked Eric. (I told you so).
"The usual. Thought we all could do some lines, let Drew smoke his weed then head over to that new skate park and let him try it out. What do you think guys?" I asked. Drew nodded excitedly and the others looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
"Sounds good to me" Casey said.
"Sure" Eric agreed.
By the time we all got to the skate park we were all completely wasted so it was lucky that the park was almost completely empty. Drew got on his board and started skating and surprisingly was amazing despite his altered state. Eric, Casey and I took a seat at the top of one of the tubes to watch him and laugh at the other skaters as they fell off their boards. Soon the other skaters got tired of being laughed at and left the park so Drew was the only one left skating. I had never seen such a smile on his face as I did that night. Drew had been in his glory and had the entire place to himself. Eventually we got tired and went back to the house we were squatting in. When we woke up the next afternoon, Drew was laying next to us holding his skateboard and still smiling. We woke up Drew and went and got something to eat. Casey, always up for something asked:
